Te Iwa

o Matariki

Matariki ki runga!
Celebrating Matariki

Te Iwa
o Matariki
 Ururangi

Tupuārangi

Waipuna-a-rangi

Tupuānuku
Hiwaiterangi

Waitī

Waitā Matariki
Pōhutukawa
 CELEBRATING MATARIKI

Mānawa maiea te putanga o Matariki

Mānawa maiea te ariki o te rangi
Mānawa maiea te mātahi o te tau

Hail the rise of Matariki

Hail the lord of the sky
Hail the New Year

Māori believe that appearance of Matariki in the morning sky in mid-winter marks
the Māori New Year, or Te Mātahi o te Tau. Matariki is the star cluster that is most
commonly known as Pleiades or M45. The arrival of Matariki is a sign for people to
gather, to honour the dead, celebrate the present and plan for the future. Hence the
phrase ‘Matariki hunga nui’ meaning the many people of Matariki.

For our tūpuna*, our Māori ancestors, astronomy was interwoven into all facets
of life. Meticulous observations of the movements of the stars and planets, the
changing position of the sun, the phases of the moon and the appearance of
anomalies such as comets and meteors were recorded and handed down from
generation to generation as part of Māori oral tradition. This knowledge was
connected to seasonal activities such as planting and harvesting, the flowering
of plants, the spawning of fish and the natural cycles of the environment. This
astronomical knowledge sits at the heart of our many regional ecological calendar
systems that guided Māori from season to season.

* Some iwi use tipuna / tīpuna instead of tupuna / tūpuna.

Te Iwa
o Matariki
Te Ritenga - Matariki ceremony
The rising of Matariki in the morning sky is observed in the month of Pipiri (around
June and July). Māori wait until the lunar phase of Tangaroa (the last quarter phase
of the moon) to celebrate its rising with a ceremony called ‘whāngai i te hau tapu’.
This ceremony has 3 parts.

1: Te Tirohanga - The viewing

The appearance of Matariki was carefully observed by tohunga (cultural and
spiritual leaders) and the brightness of the different stars in the cluster, along
with their movement and clarity would determine the bounty of the impending
season.

2: Te Whakamahara i ngā mate - Remembering the dead

The names of those who had died since the last rising of Matariki were called
out in the presence of the star cluster. Māori believe Matariki cares for those
that die throughout the year, and when it rises again the spirits of those passed
become stars in the sky. Māori would mourn at this moment, and their tears and
wailing would send their love ones into the heavens to become stars.

3: Te Whāngai i ngā whetū - Feeding the stars

Because many of the different stars in Matariki are associated with food, and
its role is to care for our dead and bring forth the bounty of the year, Māori give
thanks to this star cluster by offering food. Before the rising of Matariki special
food is taken from the gardens, forests, rivers and ocean and is cooked in an
earth oven. This oven is uncovered and the steam of the food rises into the sky
to feed Matariki.

This is the whāngai i te hautapu ceremony, which is generally called hautapu,

and this practise was guided by tohunga who conducted karakia (incantations)
throughout. Once the ceremony was complete, a period of celebration, song, dance
and feasting followed. People come together to enjoy the company of friends and
family. Māori believe that when Matariki gathers in the sky, it calls people to gather
on earth

Te Iwa
o Matariki
Photo Credit: Erica Sinclair
What can you do to celebrate Matariki?
Every year there are many events that take place throughout the country honouring
Matariki including lectures, dinners, balls and a host of different celebrations.

Many groups and individuals rise early in the morning and head outside to view
Matariki before sunrise, offering their thoughts, words and karakia to the stars. Some
still call out the names of the dead, some still read the stars and try to predict the
bounty of the new season and some still cook food for Matariki and offer this food in
the ceremony.

Today there are many different ways you can acknowledge the Māori New Year and
observe the rising of Matariki. Here are a list of suggestions,

> Take time to remember loved ones who are no longer with us
> Give thanks for the year that has passed
> Cook a meal and offer it to matariki
> Plan for the next year
> Spend time with family and friends
> Have a matariki feast
> Plan to grow a garden
> Write down your wishes for the year
> Celebrate

You and your whānau may want to do something special to celebrate Matariki
like calling out the names of those who have passed, or even sitting around a fire
sharing memories of the people who are no longer here. For you it might be a time of
solitude and a chance to contemplate the world. It might be an opportunity to offer an
acknowledgement to Matariki and the environment.

Te Iwa
o Matariki
TE UMU KOHUKOHU WHETŪ ME TE HAUTAPU
THE CEREMONIAL OVEN AND OFFERINGS FOR MATARIKI
You may want to have your own hautapu ceremony at home with your whānau. It can
be as elaborate or simple as you want.

You and your whānau can prepare an umu kohukohu whetū or hāngī, or alternatively
you can cook the kai in a pot outside on a gas burner, or even in the oven in an oven
tray with tinfoil.

Regardless of what method you use to cook your hautapu, it is important you have
the right kai for your hautapu. Here is each whetū and the kai for that whetū, which
will go into your umu.

> Tupuānuku - something from the earth, a kūmara is what we’d use
traditionally, but a rīwai (potato) is fine.
> Tupuārangi - traditionally this would be a kererū, however, a heihei (chicken)
will suffice, or a duck.
> Waitī - something from fresh water, tuna (eel) or trout, kēwai (fresh water
crayfish), or a bit of salmon from the supermarket.
> Waitā - any fish from the ocean, such as a tāmure (snapper) or tarakihi or
what ever you can get.

These are all the foods that go into your hāngi, pot, or oven tray. You want to time
your hautapu, so it is cooked by the time Matariki is visible in the morning sky.
To commence your ceremony, have everyone gather together, and you open with the
first verse of the karakia provided:

Whanake mai ngā mata o te ariki Arise the eyes of the god
Whanake mai te tohu o te tau Arise the signs of the year
Whanake mai Matariki hunga nui Arise Matariki who gathers the masses!

This verse acknowledges Matariki, and the commencement of your ceremony to

Matariki, it brings about a degree of tapu (sanctity).

The next verse of the karakia, acknowledges Pōhutukawa, and those of your whānau
who have passed since the previous Matariki.

E tū Pōuhutukawa Behold Pōhutukawa

Te kaikawe i ngā mate o te tau Who carries the dead of the year
Haere rā koutou ki te uma o Ranginui Onward the departed to the chest of the sky
Hei whetū i te kete nui a Tāne To become a star in the Milky Way
Koia rā! Kua whetūrangitia koutou kei
aku rau kahu rangi!

This is an opportunity to pause and have a moment to think of your loved ones that
have now become whetū (stars) in the bossom of Ranginui.

After you have had time to remember the hunga mate (departed), you start the next
part of the karakia, which acknowledges each of the other whetū within within
Matariki.

You might like to share the karakia between some of the whānau, each person has an
opportunity to do one verse of the karakia – this karakia is wātea (free of restrictions)
to all to use (men, women, children).

Te Iwa
o Matariki
E tū Tupuānuku* Behold Tupuānuku
E tū Tupuārangi* Behold Tupuārangi
Ka matomato ki raro Let the earth be lush
Ka pōkai tara ki runga Let the sky be full of birds

E tū Waitī Behold Waitī

E tū Waitā Behold Waitā
Te tini a Tangaroa The abundance of the ocean
Te mano a Hinemoana The plenty of the waterways

E tū Waipunarangi Behold Waipunarangi

E tū Ururangi Behold Ururangi
He ua kōpatapata Give us rain
He hau miri i te whenua Give us wind

E tū Hiwaiterangi Behold Hiwaiterangi

Te kauwaka o te manako nui The medium of my desires
Anei ngā tōmina o te ngākau You know what I yearn for
Hei whakatinanatanga mau Make my dreams come true

Matariki atua ka eke ki runga Matariki has risen

Nau mai ngā hua Welcome the fruits of the year
Nau mai ngā taonga Welcome the many treasures
Nau mai te Mātahi o te tau. Welcome the New Year

Tūturu whakamaua kia tīna! Tīna!

Haumi e.
Hui e
Taiki e

After the closing of the karakia with ‘taiki e!’ the umu is uncovered, or, the pot lid
is removed releasing the hautapu within the steam to rise up and feed Matariki, to
give Matariki sustenence for the following year.

* Some iwi say Tipuānuku, and Tipuārangi.

If you like, this is now an appropriate time to perform this well known haka, which
acknowledges the hautapu; everybody should join in together, the tapu of the ritenga,
has now come down in scale, the tapu has been lifted.

E te kōkōmako e te kōkōmako
Ko te hautapu e rite ki te kai nā Matariki pakia!
Tapa reireia koia tapa! Tapa konunua koiana tukua
Hī auē hī!

We wish you well in your prepartions to celebrate Te Iwa o Matariki, and all the best
for Te Mātahi o te Tau Hou - Happy New Year!

For a more indepth understanding of Matariki and our practices, we

recommend these books, by Dr Rangi Mataamua;

• Matariki Te Whetū Tapu o te Tau (this edition is completely in te reo)

• Matariki The Star of the Year (English)

Also, check out our other resources at; https://www.twoa.ac.nz/hononga-stay-

connected/te-iwa-o-matariki?sc_lang=en

The material in this book was written by Rangi Mataamua and Paraone Gloyne

Photo Credit: Erica Sinclair

Te Iwa
o Matariki
0800 355 553 | twoa.ac.nz