Matariki 2022: The names and locations of the Matariki stars

Hauiti Gardiner (Ngāti Toa, Te Aitanga-a-Hauiti, Te Arawa and Ngāti Hāmoa). Photo / Supplied

Public Interest Journalism funded through NZ On Air
The rising of Matariki is observed in the month of Pipiri – around June and July – in the morning sky during the lunar phases of Tangaroa, the last quarter phase of the moon.

These events mark the Māori New Year.

If you look east in the early morning sky you will find three stars in a row.

This is Orion's Belt, often known as The Pot.

Māori call this Tautoru.

Now go to the middle star in Tautoru. Above it you will find a bright star called Puanga.

Puanga is another star that is used to observe and acknowledge the new year. This varies from iwi to iwi.

If you go right from Tautoru, you will find the brightest star in the sky, Hinetakurua, the Winter Maiden.

Hinetakurua is one of the wives of Tamanuiterā, the sun.

If you go left from Tautoru you will find a pyramid shape in the sky, Te Kokotā. It is the face of Taurus the Bull.

Then if you go left a little bit more you will see Matariki.

Ko te marama o Pipiri te wā tika mō te whitinga mai o Matariki hei te ata me te wāhanga o te marama o Tangaroa, te wāhanga toru hauwhā o te marama.

Ko ēnei ngā āhuatanga e tohu ana i te Tau Hou Māori.

Mēnā ka ahu koe ki te rāwhiti ka kite koe i ngā whetū e toru e noho tapatahi ana.

Ko Orion's Belt tēnei, ā, ko tōna ingoa kārangaranga ko The Pot.

Ki te iwi Māori, ko Tautoru te ingoa.

Mēnā ka tau koe ki te whetū o waenga o te kāhui o Tautoru, ā, ka ahu anō ki runga ki te whetū e tino pīataata mai ana, ko Puanga tērā.

Ko Puanga tētahi whetū anō e mihi ana ki te Tau Hou Māori.

Kei tēnā iwi, kei tēnā iwi ō rātou ake tikanga.

Ki te ahu koe ki te taha matau o Tautoru ka tae koe ki te whetū pīataata rawa atu.

Ko Hinetakurua tērā.

Ko Hinetakurua tētahi o ngā wāhine a Tamanuiterā.

Ki te ahu koe ki te taha mauī ka kite koe i tētahi tapatoru i te rangi, ko Te Kokotā tērā.

Ko te mata o Taurus the Bull anō hoki tērā.

Ā, ki te ahu anō koe ki te taha mauī ka kite koe i a Matariki.

https://www.tepapa.govt.nz/discover-collections/read-watch-play/matariki-maori-new-year/watch-how-find-matariki-star-cluster