Matariki Report

Matariki is a common celebration for Maori citizens. Maori people celebrate Matariki in different ways, like: fishing, flying kites, planting and harvesting. Matariki is a Maori name for the Cluster of Stars known as pleiades. Matariki literally means: Eyes of God or Mata ariki or small eyes. Ranginui - sky father and papatuanuku - Earth mother got separated from their naughty children. And Tawhirimatea - God of the wind got so angry that he tore his eyes out and threw them to the Heavens. Traditionally Matariki is a time for remembering those loved ones who have passed and also a time to plant and harvest food in the store houses and a good time to dance and also singing. But Matariki got stopped in the 1940’s. The stars names are: Matariki, Tupuarangi, waipuna-a-rangi, waiti, Tupuanuku, ururangi, waita, pohutukawa and Hiwa-i-te-rangi.