TE PATI O MATARIKI: THE BRIGHT STAR AND THE MĀORI NEW YEAR

For Polynesian navigators, the sky was a living map. Long before the invention of compasses, sextants, or modern navigational instruments, they relied on the stars to cross the largest ocean on Earth. Every star, every constellation, every sunrise and sunset served a precise purpose in navigation. The stars were not merely lights scattered across the night sky—they were landmarks, pathways, teachers, and guardians guiding travellers across the sea.

In Māori culture, Matariki is the Pleiades star cluster—a brilliant gathering of stars that rises for the first time in late June or early July, opening the gateway to a new year in the Māori lunar calendar.

The Kīngitanga flag at Waahi, depicting the seven stars of the Matariki constellation. Although modern Māori tradition recognises nine stars, the historic flag preserves the earlier representation of seven. For many Māori, it symbolises national identity, cultural sovereignty, and the continuity of ancestral values.

The Celebration of Pipiri

In earlier times, people looked to the sky during the final days of Pipiri (June), when the moon had waned into a slender crescent and Matariki slowly emerged from the darkness, like a torch igniting the beginning of a new cycle. The celebration lasted for several days. During this time, the stars were carefully observed for signs of the year to come, those who had departed for the spirit world were remembered, and food was offered to the heavens as a gift to strengthen the light of the stars and the bond between people and the cosmos. In some regions, however, the beginning of the new year was marked not by Matariki but by Puanga (Rigel) or other guiding stars, with each iwi preserving its own traditions.

The sculpture "The Fingers of Mother Earth" at Stonehenge Aotearoa marks the rising of the star Matariki.

The Decline and Revival of Matariki

During the twentieth century, the celebration gradually lost its place in the lives of many communities. However, in the 1990s, Matariki experienced a revival alongside the revitalisation of Māori culture, once again becoming a powerful symbol of identity and collective memory. On 24 June 2022, Aotearoa New Zealand celebrated Matariki for the first time as a national public holiday, officially marking the return of a centuries-old tradition.

Fireworks in Wellington (the capital city of New Zealand) during the first public celebration of Matariki in 2022.

The Legend of Tāwhirimātea

Matariki is the Māori name for the Pleiades star cluster, as well as the name of one of the stars within the cluster. It is said that the name comes from the expression Ngā mata o te ariki o Tāwhirimātea — “the eyes of the god Tāwhirimātea.” According to legend, Tāwhirimātea, the god of wind and weather, became enraged when the sky father and earth mother — Ranginui and Papatūānuku, his parents — were separated by their other children. Overcome with grief and anger, he tore out his eyes and cast them into the heavens, where they became the stars of Matariki.

They remained fixed upon their father’s chest, shining as an eternal symbol of sorrow and unresolved grief. That is why the winds are ever-changing and unpredictable—sometimes gentle as a breeze, sometimes wild as a storm—for Tāwhirimātea, blinded by his own pain, can no longer see the path he travels.

The story “The Eyes of Matariki” describes the creation of the Pleiades star cluster in Māori mythology, following the forced separation of his parents, Ranginui (the Sky Father) and Papatūānuku (the Earth Mother).

The Matariki Legend

The cluster is also known as Te Tautari nui o Matariki (“Matariki fixed in the sky”) or Te Huihui o Matariki (“The gathering of Matariki”). There are many versions of the legend, but one of the most cherished says that Matariki is the mother, surrounded by her six daughters: Tupu-ā-nuku, Tupu-ā-rangi, Waipunarangi, Waitī, Waitā, and Ururangi. Each year, Matariki and her daughters travel across the sky to visit their great‑grandmother, Papatūānuku, the Earth Mother.

Their journey is not just a visit, but a quiet labour through which the world is prepared for a new beginning. Each star uses her own gifts to bring mauri – the living energy – into the different realms of existence. By spending time with their kuia (grandmother), they learn new knowledge and skills, which they keep and pass on, like seeds carried by the wind to future generations.

Tupu-ā-nuku

Tupu-ā-nuku is the eldest of Matariki’s daughters. She spends her time alongside Papatūānuku, tending to the plants and ensuring they receive everything they need to grow strong and healthy. From them are born kai (food), rongoā (medicines), and kākahu (clothing). When we see her shining in the sky, we are reminded that every being has its own rhythm of blossoming, and that true growth means cultivating our pūkenga – our abilities – while also encouraging those of the people around us.

Tupuānuku (Pleione) is the star associated with everything that lies within the earth. She also represents geographical features such as mountains, plains, and valleys. She is connected to the food that grows in the soil, both cultivated (in gardens) and wild. The name Tupuānuku is formed from two words: “tupu”, which can mean “new shoot” or “to grow”, and “nuku”, a shortened form of Papatūānuku (Earth Mother). Tupuānuku belongs to the domain of Rongo-mā-Tāne, the atua (deity) of agriculture.

Tupu-ā-rangi

Tupu-ā-rangi loves to sing. Papatūānuku guides her through te wao nui, the great forest, where her voice echoes among the children of Tānemahuta, the god of the forest. Her song awakens the trees, enlivens the birds (manu) and the lizards (mokomoko), and the entire forest responds like an unseen choir. She keeps all these melodies close to her heart and reminds us that gifts become truly precious only when they are shared.

Tupuārangi (Atlas) is the star associated with food and the growth of things that develop above the earth. She also has a strong connection with birds. The name Tupuārangi is made up of two words: “tupu”, which can mean “new shoot” or “to grow”, and “rangi” (sky), a shortened form of Ranginui (Sky Father). Tupuārangi falls under the influence of the domains of Tāne, the atua (deity) of the forest; Haumietiketike, the atua of wild foods and insects; and Tūtewehiwehi, the ancestor of reptiles, fern roots, the nīkau palm, the harakeke flax, and the silver tree fern.

Waipunarangi

Waipunarangi accompanies her grandmother to the oceans, lakes, and rivers, where she prepares the children of Tangaroa to nourish the people. Papatūānuku shows her how the water that falls from Ranginui gathers in springs and rivers, quenching the thirst of humans, animals, and plants, and how it is then lifted back toward the sky by the warmth of Tama-nui-te-rā, returning as rain. In this way, Waipunarangi understands that nature knows no waste — only endless cycles of giving. From her we learn that kindness, like water, always finds its way back.

Waipunarangi (Electra) is the star associated with rain and other atmospheric phenomena. The name Waipunarangi means “the water that gathers in the sky”, an expression that reflects the hydrological cycle described by science: water vapour accumulates in the atmosphere and then returns to Earth in the form of precipitation.

Waitī

Waitī and Waitā are Matariki’s twin daughters. Papatūānuku knew that they would be the ones able to care for the smallest and quickest creatures, because they understand the power of collaboration. Bees (ngā pī) pollinate flowers and sustain the life of the forests, while ants (ngā pōpokoriki) build true cities beneath the earth and can carry many times their own weight. Looking at the two stars, we are reminded that the greatest achievements are born when everyone contributes to the common good. Waitī (Maia) is the star associated with freshwater: springs, streams, rivers, lakes, wetlands, and the plants and animals that live within these ecosystems. The name Waitī is formed from two words: “wai” (water) and “tī”, meaning “sweet”.

Waitī is connected to Parawhenuamea, the atua (deity) of freshwater, and to Rakahore, the personification of rocks.

Waitā

Waitā (Taygeta) is the star associated with the ocean and the marine environment, representing the many types of food gathered from the sea. The name Waitā is made up of two words: “wai” (water) and “tā” (salt).

Waitā este legată de trei atua (zeități): Kiwa, protectorul și stăpânul oceanului; Hinemoana, mama tuturor ființelor marine; și Tangaroa, marele atua al oceanului.

Ururangi

Ururangi loves to race her sisters to reach their grandmother first. She claims her favourite place in Papatūānuku’s arms and nestles there to listen to the stories she cherishes. Her enthusiasm, perseverance, awhi (embrace), and aroha (love) help Papatūānuku leave behind the cold and darkness of takurua (winter) and prepare for a new beginning.

Ururangi (Merope) is the star associated with the winds, the sky, and atmospheric phenomena. Her name means “the winds of the sky”, and she is connected to Tāwhirimātea, the atua (deity) of winds and weather. Ururangi reminds us of the deep relationship between people and nature — from the air we breathe and the night sky above us to the winds that guided Māori navigators. At the same time, the wind can also be a powerful and destructive force.

The Mother Who Never Sleeps

But Matariki? What does she do? Exactly what all good mothers and all who care with love do: she watches over her children. Through her support, encouragement, and wisdom, each daughter can fulfil her purpose. And when the last story of the night fades and dawn begins to unravel the darkness, Matariki remains there, above the world, like a mother who never truly sleeps. She does not guide the seasons through power, nor does she change destinies through miracles. Instead, she weaves an unseen bridge between sky and earth, between past and future, using the threads of memory, gratitude, and hope.

For Māori, the beginning of a new year does not simply mark the passage of time, but the renewal of the bond between people, nature, and ancestors. When we look at Matariki, we do not see just a cluster of stars. We see a family. We see the tears of Tāwhirimātea transformed into light, the protective arms of Papatūānuku, and the promise that each new cycle brings a new chance to grow. Each star reminds us that the world lives through balance: the earth nourishes people, the waters carry life, the forests breathe for us, and people have the duty to respond with care, respect, and aroha (love). Perhaps that is why Matariki continues to shine after so many centuries. Not because her stars glow more brightly than all the others, but because she keeps alive a simple and profound idea: no person is ever truly separated from the sky, the earth, or those who walked before them.

Matariki is the name given both to the central star of the Matariki cluster and to the entire group of stars. Considered the whaea (mother) of the cluster, Matariki watches over her stars so that they rise together, marking the beginning of a new year and offering signs about the health of the environment. Some iwi mark the New Year through the appearance of the star Puanga (Rigel) from the constellation Orion. Matariki is connected to the wellbeing of people. The expression “te paki o Matariki” (“the bright star of Matariki”) symbolises peace and prosperity.

Iar în fiecare iarnă, când cele șapte lumini răsar din nou deasupra orizontului Noii Zeelande, ele nu vestesc doar începutul unui an nou. Ele îi invită pe oameni să privească în urmă cu recunoștință, în jur cu iubire și înainte cu speranță, amintindu-le că, asemenea stelelor, fiecare viață își descoperă adevărata strălucire numai atunci când face parte dintr-o constelație. Matariki tihnit!