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Name and meaning. Matariki is the Māori name for the cluster of stars known to Western astronomers as the Pleiades in the constellation Taurus. Matariki is a shortened version of Ngā mata o te ariki o Tāwhirimātea, "the eyes of the god Tāwhirimātea". [1]
Matariki is a special occasion in the New Zealand calendar which marks the start of the Māori New Year. Signified by the Matariki cluster of stars reappearing in our night sky, this is a time to reflect on the past year, celebrate the present, and plan for the year ahead. Māori proverb / Whakataukī.
What is Matariki? Matariki is the Māori name for the cluster of stars also known as the Pleiades. It rises in midwinter and for many Māori, it heralds the start of a new year. Iwi across New Zealand understand and celebrate Matariki in different ways and at different times.
Matariki marks the Māori New Year and is a significant event in the cultural calendar of New Zealand. It signifies the rising of the Matariki star cluster (also known as the Pleiades or the Seven Sisters) in the winter night sky, heralding a time of renewal and celebration for Māori people.
Matariki is known as the Māori New Year in Te Ao Māori (the Māori world view). Closely connected with the maramataka (the Māori lunar calendar), the reappearance of the Matariki stars in the early morning sky brings the past year to a close and marks the beginning of the new year.
Matariki is the star cluster most commonly known across the world as Pleiades. This cluster is part of a larger constellation of stars called Taurus. It is one of the earliest recorded groups of stars in human history, with a record that dates back some 17,000 years.
Ngā whetū o Matariki The stars of Matariki. There are over 500 stars in the Matariki cluster – but only a handful are visible without the use of a telescope. Each of the stars has their own unique characteristics that Māori acknowledge and honour. Meet the stars below!
