Marking Matariki
This month, we celebrate the rising of Matariki, which marks the Māori New Year.
What is Matariki
Matariki is a cluster of nine stars, also known as Pleiades, and part of the larger constellation called Taurus. It is one of the earliest recorded groups of stars.
For Māori, the stars rising in the morning sky signal te Mātahi o te Tau, the Māori New Year. It’s a time for gathering with your people, honouring the dead, celebrating the present and what we are grateful for and planning for the future. The stars are also often associated with planting and harvesting, and if they appear clear and bright, it signifies that a good season is coming.
The nine stars are:
Matariki - known as the mother of the other eight stars and connected to health and well-being
Pōhutukawa - connected to the dead and those who have passed away in the past year.
Tupuānuku - associated with food grown in the ground
Tupuārangi - linked to birds and associated with food that comes from the sky.
Waitī - connected to fresh water and creatures that live in rivers, streams and lakes
Waitā - associated with the ocean and food gathered from the sea
Waipuna-ā-rangi - connected to the rain
Ururangi - connected to the wind
Hiwa-i-te-rangi - connected to the promise of a prosperous season. It is also known as the wishing star.
Māori New Year takes place over several weeks, falling sometime between late May and early July. Matariki became an official public holiday in Aotearoa New Zealand in 2022, and one day during the Matariki period is chosen as the holiday date.
Ways to mark Matariki with your family
⭐️ Stargazing
If you are a family of early risers, you can head outside to see if you can spot Matariki.
You'll find Matariki low on the north-eastern horizon, between 5:30am and 6:30am. Start by locating Tautoru (Orion's Belt or "The Pot"), then follow the line past the bright orange star and just beyond that you’ll see a tight cluster of stars which is Matariki.
If you aren’t early risers, you could go out in the evening instead and look for other stars.
🐟 Share a Special Meal
Plan a special meal together using fresh, seasonal ingredients — kūmara, corn and fish are great options.
As you eat, go around the table and share something you're thankful for, or talk about your hopes and goals for the year ahead.
🧶 Get Creative with Crafts
Crafts are a fun activity for all ages and can be done even if the weather isn’t nice outside. Here are some ideas:
Create a Matariki star mobile
Try harakeke (flax) weaving - or if you don’t have flax try weaving strips of paper
Decorate your own kite
Make a craft with natural materials, like twigs or leaves, to connect with nature
🌱 Plant Something for the Future
As Matariki marks the start of a new cycle, planting is a lovely way to symbolise growth and renewal. You could:
Plant a tree or native shrub in your backyard
Start a veggie garden or herb box
Decorate pots and grow something indoors
📚 Storytelling
Here are some great books to read about Matariki:
Matariki board book by Gavin Bishop: This is a bilingual board book and is a great introduction to Matariki for young children. It names each star and explains its meaning and has bold illustrations to capture the imagination.
Flit the Fantail and the Mata,riki Map by Kat Quin: Flit and his friend are lost in the forest and use the Matariki star cluster to find their way home.
The Little Kiwi’s Matariki by Nikki Slade Robinson: Little Kiwi is a favourite of many children. In this story, she goes through the forest to celebrate Matariki with her friends.
Matariki Around the World: a Cluster of Stars, a Cluster of Stories by Miriam Kamo and Rangi Matamua: This wonderfully illustrated book tells stories of the Matariki stars from around the world, including the Pacific Islands and Africa.
Navigating the Stars: Māori Creation Myths by Witi Ihimaera: This is a good book for older readers which traces history of Māori people. Witi Ihimaera was the first Māori to publish both a book of short stories and a novel.
Māori Made Easy by Scotty Morrison: If you’d like to learn some simple te reo then this book by popular TV personality and te reo Maori advocate Scotty Morrison is a good starting point.
You could also share your own stories. These could be treasured family memories, legends from Māori culture, or you could even made-up your own stories inspired by the stars.
🫙 Make a Wish or Gratitude Jar
Decorate a special jar as a family and invite everyone to add:
Wishes or hopes for the coming year
Things they are grateful for
Positive memories from the past year
Next Matariki, open the jar and reflect on how far you’ve come. It’s a simple but powerful ritual to build reflection into your family culture.
Matariki is a chance to spend time with loved ones, reflect on the past and look to the future. However you spend your long weekend, be sure to take some time to reflect.
