Professor Rangi Mātāmua visited Tairawhiti in June to share knowledge to schools and the community. Photo / Dudley L Meadows
Professor Rangi Mātāmua visited Tairawhiti in June to share knowledge to schools and the community. Photo / Dudley L Meadows
Public Interest Journalism funded through NZ On Air
Gathering to enjoy kai and spend time with each other is the theme of this year’s Matariki celebrations. Each year the first rising of the cluster of stars known as Matariki (also known as Pleiades) in late June/early July signifies the start of the new year on the Māori lunar calendar, and is a chance to remember and celebrate together those who have passed. Māori cultural astronomy academic Professor Rangi Mātāmua, the Government’s chief adviser on Matariki, shares his knowledge for people to better understand what Matariki is.
Matariki has a very strong presence in Tairāwhiti, says Māori scholar and 2023 New Zealander of the Year Professor Rangi Mātāmua.
“Place names all along the Tairāwhiti region that connect to Matariki and the stars in it. There are haka, waiata that mention Matariki, and it is very much part of the history and traditions of the people of that region.
Tairāwhiti is a great region to observe the stars as you can see the eastern horizon, and right in the middle of winter, Matariki is visible and comes out of the ocean, he says.
While Matariki is a uniquely Aotearoa celebration, the star cluster has meaning right across the Pacific Ocean.
“It was such an important cluster of stars for our people as it heralded in the change of seasons, the new year, and there were beliefs connected to the dead of that year. It’s associated with the environment and changes in the environment, the weather and the food we get.”
Matariki is underpinned by three principles – remembrance, celebration and looking to the future.
“It is a time to remember those who have passed this year and also celebrate by coming together with food and festivities and enjoy each other’s company, And also to look to the future and the promise of the new year.”
Along with those three principles, each year a new theme is introduced to create wider discussions about Matariki.
This year’s theme is Matariki Heri Kai – a proverb that means Matariki Bearing Food.
“The bearing of food is so central to Matariki and feasting as part of celebrations, so this year is about coming together and celebrating with food,” Mātāmua says.
“It’s also about celebrating the food we produce . . . Tairāwhiti is known for its food production and the hands that produce it and the environment it comes from, so it’s also about making sure we look after the environment we get the food from.”
The stars in the Matariki cluster refer to the different domains food comes from.
The Matariki cluster has nine stars but in certain areas different iwi recognise seven stars in their celebrations.
Matariki is the mother and the other stars are her children. They are -
Tupuānuku - associated with food from the ground
Tupuārangi - food found in the tops of the trees
Waitī - freshwater and water creatures
Waitā - food harvested from the sea
Waipunarangi - rain
Ururangi - nature and the winds
Pōhutukawa - connects Matariki to those who have passed
Hiwa-i-te-rangi - the wishing star we send our dreams and desires to
Professor Rangi Mātāmua speaks about Matariki to the Gisborne community at the Tairāwhiti Museum. Photo / Dudley L Meadows
Mātāmua says his mahi makes him feel proud and humbled at times.
“I think in order to understand what countries and nations find important or what they value, you just have to look at what they choose to celebrate.
“So often we choose to celebrate wars or spend a lot of time celebrating our religious holidays, and the [British] empire.
“What I love about Matariki is that it is unique to here; it’s unique to where we are in the world.
“It’s underpinned by remembering our loved ones and the legacy they left us, and celebrating who we are and, more importantly, who we want to be.
“The other thing is there isn’t a single person who doesn’t come from people who used Matariki or Pleiades to tell them when to travel, when to plant, when to harvest and when to come together – it’s universal.
“I see people from all walks of life embracing Matariki and it makes me proud.”
