Matariki

Why is Matariki so important?

Matariki is the Maori New Year. The old Maori people cherished the ancient ways of how the people breathed new life into Matariki. Matariki is known as the seven stars or the seven sisters. It also means little eyes or little eyes of god. In June, if you keep close eye on the sky you would see a lovely sight of group of stars in the sky within the constellation Taurus. When you see these group of stars at dawn and the new moon at night-- Matariki is here. The Maori New Year has began.

Matariki was a sign to the Maori that the hunting and planting season was coming to an end and a new beginning has come. It is the time to look forward and plan for the next year's hunting or planting of crops. Ritual crops are there to please the god Uenuku, Rongo and Whiro who are the gods of nature and protector of our environment. Nowadays, the Maori New Year is celebrated widely in New Zealand and has become more and more common and popular around the country.