What is Matariki?

Matariki and the arts | Matariki stars | History of Matariki | Matariki and Maori legend

Celebrate Matariki - Maori new year with us. Based on early traditions, Matariki is something special for all New Zealanders to share. It connects us with our unique Maori heritage, nature, creativity and expression. For many Maori, Matariki signals the beginning of a new cycle of life and a time to reflect on the previous year.

Today Matariki means celebrating the unique place in which we live and giving respect to the land we live on.

This year we have put together an exciting, festival and programme of events that showcase the diverse nature of Maori new year and our culture. With many free events based all over Tamaki Makaurau (Auckland), there is something for everyone. So why not get involved?

Matariki and the arts

It’s a celebration of Maori customs, so art in its many forms is very important to Matariki. It is a time to share with each other skills, achievements and history through story telling, song and dance, carving and weaving, ceremonies and passing on of knowledge and history. Matariki is also a special time of year to celebrate being a New Zealander and showcase our unique Maori culture.

The festival is brought to you by councils in the Auckland region, Toi Whenua and other partners collectively. We are delighted to bring you a month of events, art and ideas on how to celebrate Matariki.

Toi Whenua

Toi Whenua is an arts reference group consisting of arts advisors from Auckland, Manukau, Waitakere and North Shore City councils, Creative New Zealand and ART Trust.

Toi Whenua recognises that a strong Maori arts infrastructure is based on relationships between artists, Iwi, Marae and the wider Maori community and aims to provide a platform for identifying and discussing Maori art issues. Matariki Festival provides us with a platform to get everyone together to celebrate.

Matariki stars

Matariki is the name for a small cluster of tiny stars also known as the Pleiades. This cluster of stars is well known across the globe, signifies Maori new year, acts as a key navigation beacon for ocean voyagers, as well as an important signal for seasonal celebration in many countries.

How to spot Matariki (Pleiades)

Keep an eye out in late May early June as Matariki rises on the north east horizon, around the same spot as the rising sun. The best time to spot Matariki is around half an hour before dawn.

Traditionally the New Year celebrations are held on the sighting of the next new moon.

Where can you see Matariki

Matariki can be seen everywhere on the planet and makes the Matariki stars famous world wide. In Greece, several important temples face straight towards Matariki. In Japan, the Subaru brand is named after the Matariki stars.

When can you see Matariki

As the year moves from autumn towards its shortest winer day, the sunrise moves north along the eastern horizon. When the sunrise reaches Matariki, it turns around and starts moving south again. The best time to spot is through out June and early July before it disappears south on the horizon. Check out www.stardome.co.nz for more.

History of Matariki

Matariki was traditionally a time to connect Māori to land and seafood harvesting, way-finding, and weather patterns. During mid-winter, people traditionally gather to farewell the dead, acknowledge the past year's activities and then greet the new-born and focus on the future.

Matariki was a time when people would gather to share kai, rituals, entertainment, hospitality and learnings. In recent times, it has become a special time of the year to respect the land we live on, celebrate the unique place we live in and continue to share and grow with each other.

For some Māori, the first new moon after the rise of Matariki signalled the start of the New Year celebrations. The Moon (Marama) is central to activities of harvesting kai on the land and at sea. Most iwi throughout Aotearoa have their own perspective and knowledge about Matariki. It is the start for all things new and a time for the provision of kai.

Matariki celebrations were popular before the arrival of Europeans in New Zealand, and they continued into the 1900s. Gradually they dwindled, with one of the last traditional festivals recorded in the 1940s. At the beginning of the 21st century Matariki celebrations were revived. Their increasing popularity has led to some to suggest that Matariki should replace the Queen's birthday as a national holiday.

Maori legend and Matariki

According to tradition Matariki has two meanings – tiny eyes or it is also sometimes called Mata ariki – the eyes of god.
Maori legend tells of a time when when Ranginui, the sky father, and Papatūānuku, the earth mother, were forcibly separated by their children. The god of the winds, Tāwhirimātea, became so angry that he tore out his eyes and threw them into the heavens, where they have been in existence ever since.