Understanding Matariki – The Māori New Year

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Matariki is the Māori name for the cluster of stars known as the Pleiades, which reappears in the midwinter skies of Aotearoa (New Zealand) around late June or early July. The rising of Matariki marks the beginning of the Māori New Year — a time to reflect on the past, celebrate the present, and plan for the future.

In 2022, it became a public holiday, encouraging all New Zealanders to celebrate and learn from this rich cultural tradition.

Matariki is tied to the creation story. After the separation of Ranginui (the sky father) and Papatūānuku (the earth mother), their child Tāwhirimātea, the god of winds and weather, was so heartbroken that he tore out his eyes and threw them into the sky. These became Ngā Mata o te Ariki Tāwhirimātea – “the eyes of the god Tāwhirimātea” – or Matariki.

The Stars of Matariki

How Māori Used Matariki to Guide the Year Ahead

Matariki wasn’t just symbolic — it was practical. Tohunga would observe the stars to guide the community’s plans for the coming year:

· Bright, clear stars: A sign of abundance and a good growing season ahead.

· Dim or blurry stars: A warning of hard times, poor crops, or rough weather.

These readings would help whānau and hapū (families and sub-tribes) decide when to plant, harvest, fish, and prepare for seasonal changes. Matariki helped align daily life with the natural rhythms of the environment.

Traditionally, Māori would:

· Clear the pātaka (food storehouses) by holding a final feast.

· Mourn and farewell the dead, sending their names into the sky through karakia as Pōhutukawa rose.

· Offer food to the stars, especially to Matariki and her whānau, acknowledging their influence over the coming year.

· Watch the sky to determine environmental signs.

· Feast, sing, and celebrate together, marking a spiritual and social reset.

Today, Matariki is celebrated by:

· Gathering with whānau and communities to share kai.

· Looking to the stars in early morning ceremonies.

· Reflecting on the year that has passed and remembering loved ones.

· Making wishes or setting intentions for the future.

· Engaging in cultural activities like kapa haka, storytelling, arts, and waiata (song).

· Resting, reconnecting, and resetting – honouring both people and the environment.

Matariki mā Puanga — Honouring the Many Pathways to the Māori New Year

Theme for 2025

This year, Aotearoa celebrates the rising of the Māori New Year under the theme: "Matariki mā Puanga" — Matariki and Puanga.

This theme recognises and uplifts the unique regional and iwi-specific ways of marking the beginning of the new year, where some look to Matariki (the Pleiades cluster) and others to Puanga (Rigel in Orion’s belt) as their guiding star.

It is a reminder that there is not just one single star, or one single story, that leads us into the new year — but many stars, many voices, and many ways of knowing.

Two Stars, One Purpose

· In many parts of Aotearoa, Matariki is the chief tohu (sign) that the new year has arrived. Its rising in the early morning winter sky signals a time to reflect, remember, gather, and prepare for the year ahead.

· In regions such as Whanganui, Taranaki, parts of the South Island, and Rēkohu (Chatham Islands), Puanga is the prominent star seen first — often rising earlier and brighter than Matariki. Because of local geography or weather, Matariki is harder to view, so Puanga becomes the key marker for the new year.

This year’s theme acknowledges both — Matariki mā Puanga, side by side — a reflection of unity in diversity, and the importance of mana whenua traditions and knowledge systems.

Why This Theme Matters

· It honours iwi autonomy and whakapapa. Each iwi has its own stories, maramataka (calendar), and connection to the stars.

· It teaches respect for difference. Not all Māori celebrate in the same way — and that is a strength, not a division.

· It invites us to listen. By celebrating Matariki mā Puanga, we learn that Māori knowledge is deep, localised, and alive.

How to Celebrate "Matariki mā Puanga"

· Learn your local traditions – Who did the people of your area follow: Matariki, Puanga, or both?

· Share kai with your whānau and reflect on those who came before you.

· Rise early to see the stars and make a wish to Hiwa-i-te-rangi or acknowledge Puanga’s guiding light.

· Uphold mana whenua leadership in how Matariki is observed in your community.

· Celebrate unity through story, waiata, art, and whanaungatanga.

He kupu whakamutunga – A Final Thought

"E Matariki mā, e Puanga rā – arahina mai mātou i tēnei tau hou." O Matariki and Puanga, guide us into this new year..

"Mānawatia a Matariki mā Puanga!" Celebrate the many ways we welcome the Māori New Year.

Written by Derrin Thomas.