When was matariki first celebrated

Robin is also the co-founder of several other South Pacific travel guides. By using this website you agree to our Privacy Policy and the terms of use within it. Contact — Disclaimer. Skip to content. New Zealand Culture. It was then revived in Matariki became a public holiday in New Zealand starting from 24 June , changing yearly but always falling on a Monday or Friday.

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Previous slide. Next slide. What is Matariki? What is the significance of Matariki? When is Matariki? How to celebrate Matariki Traditionally, Matariki festivities included lighting ritual fires, making offerings, and celebrations of various kinds to farewell the dead, honour ancestors and celebrate life. How to spot the Matariki stars As one of the star clusters nearest to Earth, this constellation is one of the most obvious to the naked eye.

To find them, look to the northeast horizon before sunrise. The festivities are typically celebrated between late June and mid-July, depending on where in the country you are. There are Matariki celebrations happening all around Aotearoa this year. In Auckland, Matariki Festival runs from 19 June to 11 July, and includes events from a dawn karakia to commemorate those who have passed, to DIY poi-making workshops.

Matariki Wellington is hosting a range of events and exhibitions, including a modern hangi in the Wellington Botanic Gardens and a waterfront exhibition featuring works inspired by Matariki from 10 artists. 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, but they may be a long way from each other. There are about stars in the Matariki cluster, but only six or seven are visible without a telescope.

Some iwi speak of the seven Matariki stars as a mother and her daughters. Others have named nine stars, including Matariki. Traditionally, Matariki was a time to remember those who had died in the last year. But it was also a happy event — crops had been harvested and seafood and birds had been collected. With plenty of food in the storehouses, Matariki was a time for singing, dancing and feasting. In the past, tohunga priests or experts looked to Matariki to predict the success of the next harvest.

The brighter and clearer the stars seemed, the warmer the growing season would be, ensuring a good harvest. Long distance waka voyages were not done in winter. Matariki rises in the night sky in mid-winter so Matariki was not used for navigation.