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Waikato District Council - Te Kaunihera aa Takiwaa o Waikato

Matariki

What is Matariki?

In te ao Maaori (the Maaori world view), Matariki is the name for the cluster of stars which are also known as the Pleiades.

Traditionally, the appearance of Matariki heralds a time of remembrance, joy and peace, where communities come together to celebrate the start of the new year. It is a time to acknowledge the dearly departed and to release their spirits to become stars, to be thankful to the gods for the harvest, to feast and to share the bounty of the harvest with whaanau and friends.

About the stars

A cluster is a group of stars that are near each other in space. When seen from Earth, the stars in a constellation appear to be close together in a pattern. There are about 500 stars in the Matariki cluster, but only around six/seven can be clearly seen from Earth without use of a telescope.

Contrary to popular belief, many Iwi believe there to be nine main stars in the Matariki cluster, each seen as an individual with a defined purpose that is intrinsically connected with te ao Maaori.

  • Matariki is the mother of the constellation. She is connected with wellbeing, and often viewed as an omen of good fortune and health.
  • Poohutukawa is connected with the dead, and in particular those who have passed on from our world since the last heliacal rising of Matariki.
  • Tupu-aa-nuku is associated with food grown in the ground and traditionally, when Matariki sets in the western sky at dusk during the month of May, it indicates that winter is coming and the harvesting of the gardens should be completed.
  • Tupu-aa-rangi is associated with the food that comes from the sky, connecting Matariki to the harvesting of birds and other elevated foods such as fruit and berries from the trees.
  • Waitii is connected to fresh water and all creatures that live within rivers, streams and lakes.
  • Waitaa is associated with the ocean, representing the many kinds of food that Maori gather from the sea.
  • Waipuna-aa-rangi is connected to the rain.
  • Ururangi means ‘the winds of the sky’ and is said to determine the nature of winds for the year.
  • Hiwa-i-te-rangi is connected to the promise of prosperous season.

Read more here.  

Matariki stars


Where can you see Matariki for yourself?

From early June, and on a clear morning just before sunrise, you should be able to see Matariki in the north-east. If you find Tautoru (Orion’s belt/’the pot’) and trace northwards to look for a faint sparkle of tiny dots, about the same width as Tautoru is long – this is Matariki!

In summer, Matariki can be seen in the same location shortly after sunset.

Watch the Te Papa video guide for finding Matariki here.

Celebrating Matariki in Waikato district

There are a variety of events happening across the Waikato district in celebration of Matariki. View 2023 celebrations below.

Our Waikato District Libraries team are celebrating Matariki with our annual Matariki Online Competition! Learn more.

For more events happening around the Waikato area check out Matariki Ki Waikato.

  • Matariki search and find Te iwa o Matariki – The nine stars of Matariki, will be held within our library space. 

    This is designed to help people of all ages learn about the Matariki Stars. 

    This will work in a similar way to our scavenger hunts.

    Along-side this we will be offering a space on our meeting room window for customers to set their intentions for the new year.

  • Te Hau Kainga me ngaa Mana Whenua o Pookeni Charitable Trust invites you all to celebrate Matariki at the Matariki Ki Pookeno Hall.

    Learn more.

    Location:
    Pookeno Hall
    69 Great South Road
    Pookeno
    Find the location on Google Maps

  • This is a collaboration of schools and community groups in the local area to celebrate Matariki with stalls, cultural performances, etc.

  • 3.20pm Maryann Tuao – Toitū Te Tiriti - Waitangi Day Whaingaroa 2024

    Documenting Waitangi Day Whaingaroa 2024 where a space was created for the wider community to come together to learn, kōrero, acknowledge and affirm the foundations and relationships that Te Tiriti o Waitangi established for all in Aotearoa.

    3.30pm kōrero from Angeline Greensill

    4.15pm: Merata: How Mum Decolonised the Screen

    Pioneering Māori filmmaker, Merata Mita is the grandmother of Indigenous cinema. A story of a mother’s love that changed the landscape of indigenous participation in film forever.

    PRODUCER: CHELSEA WINSTANLEY

    DIRECTOR: HEPERI MITA

    MERATA: HOW MUM DECOLONISED THE SCREEN 95 mins | NZ 2018

    Volunteers open the theatre doors and box office 30 minutes before the start time of each session. Koha at the door by cash or EFTPOS.

    Learn more.

  • A selection of short films from local film maker Komako Silver

    Ngākau 6.54mins 'NGĀKAU' is a poetic film that dives deep into the wananga of the 3 chambers of the heart — whatumanawa, manawa and pumanawa. Performance poet Michael Moore and filmmaker and taonga pūoro artist Komako-aroha Silver take us on a haerenga into the caves of one’s kare-a-roto with visual poetry from Te kore, Te Po through to Te Ao Marama. This rich immersion in tikanga, ancestry, the divine and the sublime is beautifully shot in the wilds of Te Henga, with an immersive soundtrack including taonga pūoro. Moore and Silver’s story embraces the heart, the mind and the soul.

    Plus additional four short films 5min poetic films featuring different stars of Matariki narrated by Ngaronoa Renata in collaboration Tuakana Whetu Silver and Atirau Jensen.

    Komako-aroha Silver will be present during the screenings of her films and will share personal insights into the making of these works with an invitation to ask questions after each section of the screening.

    Volunteers open the theatre doors and box office 30 minutes before the start time of each session. Koha at the door by cash or EFTPOS.

    Learn more.

  • The Whanganui River in Aotearoa is the first river in the world to be recognised by law as a legal person, and as a living and indivisible being. Māori river guardian Ned Tapa takes a group of friends, family and activists on a 5-day canoe trip down this sacred river.

    Preceded by a kōrero from local wetland specialist Mahuru Robb, Ngāti Whakamarurangi hapu representative Taruke Thomson & Millie Grant-Macky about the Toreparu Wetland Restoration Project at 3pm.

    Volunteers open the theatre doors and box office 30 minutes before the start time of each session. Koha at the door by cash or EFTPOS.

    Learn more.

  • Join us for a captivating exhibition that brings the stars of Matariki to life in a unique and immersive way.

    Tiaho Mai – Matariki ki NGĀ ART showcases the rich narratives of the nine Matariki stars through traditional, contemporary, and futuristic lenses, blending the past, present, and future of Māori culture.

    Don’t miss this opportunity to reflect on the past, celebrate the present, and inspire the future. Bring your whaanau and friends to experience the magic of Matariki through art, culture, and community. Admission is by koha.

    Learn more and purchase your ticket here.

    Location:
    18 Herschel Street
    Ngaaruawaahia
    Find the location on Google Maps

     

  • A beautifully crafted documentary about the traditional ways of growing and storing kuumara. Produced by Whaaingaroa's own Te Mauri Tau, it covers the path of the kuumara from seed to bed to the storage pit. In Te Reo Māori with English subtitles. (40min)

    Plus additional selection of Te Mauri Tau short films highlighting the Kaupapa of Enviro Schools (30min)

    Te Mauri Tau will share koorero about the mahi they do and the short films.

    Volunteers open the theatre doors and box office 30 minutes before the start time of each session. Koha at the door by cash or EFTPOS.

    Learn more.

  • What are Raakau? Raakau are a traditional Maaori game where sticks are thrown and caught in time to a chant. Raakau sticks are also known as tiitiitoorea and are well known in New Zealand.

    Join us Saturday 6 July and give it a go yourself!

  • Come along and try your hand at crafting some Matariki bookmarks at the Meremere Library!

  • With Matariki as our theme these July holidays, visit the Estate for activities to do with the kids. We will have Star-Spy through the Estate, Crafts in the Kauri Room and lots more Matariki fun for all Ages.

    Cost: $3 Per Person Entry or $10 Family Pass (1 Adult and up to 4 Children).

    Email the office for more details at info@woodlands.co.nz 

    Location:
    Woodlands Estate
    42 Whitikahu Road, Gordonton
    Find the location on Google Maps

  • With Matariki as our theme these July holidays, visit the Estate for activities to do with the kids. We will have Star-Spy through the Estate, Crafts in the Kauri Room and lots more Matariki fun for all Ages.

    Cost: $3 Per Person Entry or $10 Family Pass (1 Adult and up to 4 Children).

    Email the office for more details at info@woodlands.co.nz 

    Location:
    Woodlands Estate
    42 Whitikahu Road, Gordonton
    Find the location on Google Maps

  • Join us at Te Kauwhata Library, learn about the Matariki stars, the history and create your own stars using wool!
  • Join us at Meremere Library, learn about the Matariki stars, the history and create your own stars using wool!
  • Using chalk and paint to create a stunning artwork of the Southern Lights night sky.
 
Are you hosting an event in the Waikato District that isn’t listed here? Send us an email to communications@waidc.govt.nz with your event details, including time and location and we will add this to our list.

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