Known as Pleiades in other parts of the world, the reappearance of the Matariki constellation represents the end of the M膩ori lunar year and marks the beginning of a new year.

Therefore, Matariki is forever linked with the M膩ori New Year and is a time of celebration and ceremony in Aotearoa New Zealand.

When is Matariki?

The exact calendar date of Matariki varies each year because it is based on lunar cycles, and different iwi (M膩ori tribes) begin their Matariki festivities at different times. Normally the Matariki cluster is visible in Aotearoa skies in June or July.

In yesteryear it was celebrated following the harvesting of crops, when food stores 鈥� or p膩taka 鈥� were full.

In 2021, Matariki rose in the morning skies on 2 July, and so began a month of celebration.

How is Matariki recognised in New Zealand?

Historically, Matariki was celebrated with festivities like the making of offerings to the M膩ori gods, lighting of ritual fires and various celebrations to honour M膩ori ancestors, farewell the dead, and celebrate life.

In times before technological advances in meteorology, tohunga (experts) would inspect the Matariki star cluster to help predict how fruitful the new year鈥檚 harvest would be. Bright and clear stars signalled a warm and plentiful season, while hazy stars warned of approaching cold weather and lacklustre crops.

While our weather predictions have moved on, to this day Matariki stands for a time of transition, allowing families to mourn and honour their loved ones who have passed away in the year just been. The deceased are believed to have transformed into stars which now shine down from the night sky.

How is Matariki officially celebrated in New Zealand?

Large scale, public Matariki celebrations all but stopped in the 1940s and weren鈥檛 revived again until the year 2000. Their return was marked with a Hawke鈥檚 Bay Matariki festival which attracted 500 people in its first year (2000), then attracted 15,000 just three years later!

During these Matariki celebrations, tangata whenua (people of the land), and an increasing number of non-M膩ori kiwis, gather to celebrate M膩ori culture, the year that was, to plan for the future, tell stories, sing songs, share kai (food), and play music.

51反差黑料 member schools and students acknowledge Matariki in a range of ways in and out of the classroom.

How can I celebrate Matariki from another country?

If you鈥檙e not in New Zealand when Matariki is visible from here, you won鈥檛 be able to see it, but that shouldn鈥檛 prevent you from recognising and celebrating the M膩ori New Year in your own way.

You could meet with some friends and take part in some of the activities mentioned above. You could even try cooking your own H膩ngi, a traditional M膩ori meal cooked underground by heated rocks. See our blog about foods and drinks popular in Aotearoa to learn more.

Other ways to celebrate Matariki and learn more about M膩ori culture include , or 鈥� you may have seen the All Blacks do a haka before their rugby games.

Matariki is becoming a national holiday in 2022!

From 2022, Matariki will become a national public holiday in Aotearoa, New Zealand. In 2022 it will be recognised on Friday 24 June, and an advisory group has been created to help decide on the dates for the public holiday in future years, as it will shift each year.

Get in touch to learn more

Drop us a line to learn more about Matariki, M膩ori culture in general, and learning English with an 51反差黑料 member school.

We have been impacted by COVID-19, but remember, we do have a number of member schools who provide online English language courses for international students.

Ng膩 mihi o Matariki, te tau hou M膩ori!

Image: 鈥�.鈥� By Ian Welch via .

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Respecting Tikanga (M膩ori Customs)

Tikanga are traditional M膩ori customary practices, behaviours and values. They are considered a guideline for day-to-day life and need to be observed during interaction with the M膩ori culture. The concepts of Tikanga are constant but the practices do differ between iwi and hapu (sub-tribe).

It is important to be aware of two key aspects of Tikanga 鈥� Manaakitanga and Kaitiakitanga:

• • Manaakitanga Manaakitanga means 鈥榯o care for鈥� and it generally refers to the welcoming and care of guests and the kindness and generosity that surrounds that i.e. hospitality. It is a core value of M膩oridom that also includes the respect that is given to elders as they are responsible for the Manaakitanga of the entire group connected to the marae.
    

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• • Kaitiakitanga Means guardianship and protection and relates to the management of our environment. It does not focus on ownership but rather authority and responsibility and its key role is one of sustainability of the environment and the utilisation of its benefits. A local iwi will entrust the care of an area (such as a lake or forest) to a Kaitiaki (guardian), which can either be one person or a group of people. Key concepts within Kaitiakitanga include Mana (spiritual power 鈥� shown through abundance), Tapu (spiritual restriction where rahui (restrictions) might be enforced to allow Mana to come forth) and Mauri (life force 鈥� which must be protected to allow Mana to flow).

Visiting a Marae

If you are studying in New Zealand, a trip to a M膩ori marae or wharenui (meeting house) and taking part in a powhiri (welcome ceremony) is highly recommended during your stay. Particular protocol must be followed when on a Pa (village), in a marae and during a powhiri. Check out our post that takes you step-by-step through the powhiri and provides guidelines for expected behaviour on a marae.

Practising Te Reo

Now that you鈥檝e read about tikanga M膩ori and visiting a marae, you might like to take some time to learn about Te Reo 鈥� the M膩ori language. For a short guide to M膩ori words and their meaning you can check out our post here. You could also take a look at this and use this to help with your translation and pronunciation. To learn more you can read about where to . Haere ra, kia kaha!

Images:
By GPS 56 from New Zealand (Whenua Ranratira, Orakei Marae) [], via

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As like many cultures, Maori have special rules and protocol that must be followed when on a Pa (Maori village/settlement), in a marae and during a powhiri.

Many schools take field trips to visit local marae. Before you visit, it鈥檚 important to understand some of the traditions around a visit to a marae. We鈥檝e compiled an example of how a typical powhiri is performed, tips on how to introduce yourself in the Maori language and a list of customs to follow during your visit. Start by learning how to introduce yourself 鈥� the Korero Maori website has a list of (greetings) to try.

What happens during a powhiri?

A powhiri is the traditional way to welcome guests onto a marae. There are six main steps during a powhiri.

1. Stand at the gate or entrance of the marae. Depending on the formality of the occasion it is usual for women to dress modestly, skirts that are not too short and males to wear long pants. It is polite to arrive early and wait for hosts to acknowledge your arrival by sending forth the first karanga, the call of welcome. This call is an oratory summons done by a high-ranking female elder in the host group as the first call of welcome.

2. You will have a guide with you who will reply with a karanga as your group begins to walk forward towards the marae. The common custom is women will walk in front of the men behind the kai karanga (the female caller), the men often form a V around and behind the women. The entry depends on each marae鈥檚 protocol as they do differ, the guide will have established the appropriate practice. The women鈥檚 karanga will greet and address each other, the oncoming manuhiri (guests) will identify themselves and who they represent. This is also where both groups 听pay tribute to the ancestors gone before them and most certainly acknowledge the more recently deceased.

3. Formal speeches called whaikorero start with the hosts, followed by the guests. Again it depends on the particular marae protocol as the hosts and the guests may alternate in speaking order.听 Whaikorero is always in Te Reo Maori (Maori language) and skilled speakers bring forth powerful verbal images. The gods are always acknowledged. The courtyard outside allows speeches to be more forceful as the area is represented by Tu, the Maori god of war. Once inside, the speeches are more peaceful, as the inside is the domain of Rongo, the god of peace.

4. A waiata (song) is sung after each speech. These are usually traditional Maori songs sung to support the speaker.

5. A gift (usually monetary), called a koha, is presented by the last speaker of the visitors and is received by a male or female from the host group (again it depends on the particular marae practices).

6. The hosts line up and the guests with men in front walk forward to press noses, called a hongi, in a traditional greeting process called a hariru. This hariru signifies the joining of the two groups. Sometimes this is accompanied by a handshake or a polite kiss on the cheek.

Depending on the occasion either a light supper or a hakari (feast/meal) is shared, signalling the end of the powhiri.

Rules and guidelines in the marae

• • Shoes must be removed before entering a marae.

• • Local customs dictate which side the visitors and hosts sit 鈥� your host will let you know where to sit ahead of time.

• • Food or drink is only to be consumed in the wharekai (dining room). Often the person calling to say food is ready will say who should come first; elders always听 go first. A karakia or the blessing of food takes place before everyone begins eating. Passing food over someone鈥檚 head or sitting on the table is considered not only impolite but considered a serious breach of tikanga (protocol).

• • In the wharenui, just like the tables 鈥� you should not sit on sleeping pillows, or step over people or in front of people who are speaking.

• • If you are staying the night, mattresses and pillows are usually provided, but you must bring your own sleeping bag or blankets. Make sure you arrange your sleeping position prior to setting up, as some areas of the marae are reserved for particular elders or leaders.

Have you ever been on a marae or taken part in a powhiri? Tell us your story in a comment below.

Photo credits:

by Big Blue Ocean,

by Kiri Dell,

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