Matariki is the Māori name for the Pleiades star cluster that rises in late May or early June, marking the start of the Māori New Year. The document discusses the meaning of Matariki, identifying the seven main stars visible to the naked eye. It also covers the traditions of Matariki celebrations in New Zealand, such as preparing new crops and renewing family connections, as well as how the star cluster is observed around the world under different names.

1. matariki
by, AM, BW and ET

2. Contents
1. Matariki - Māori
2. What does Matariki mean
3. Matariki stars and constellation
4. Matariki Around the world
5. New Beginnings
6. Celebrating Matariki
7. The end

3. Matariki - Maori New Year
★ Matariki is the Māori name
for the small group of stars
also known as Pleiades or the
Seven Sisters.
★ Matariki is one of the most
important celebrations in
Māori culture.
★ The rise of Matariki marks
the beginning of the Māori
New Year.

4. What does Matariki mean?
The word itself can mean two things:
✴ It can mean 'small eyes' [mata-riki]
✴ It can mean 'eyes of God' [mata-ariki].

5. Map of the Stars and
Constellation
★
★ You can first see it on the In New Zealand Matarki
last days of May or in early appears on the north-eastern
June, just before dawn. horizon, at the end of the
milky way.
★ Matariki is made up of
hundreds of stars but only 7
★ Matariki is a constellation can be seen with the naked
of stars in the “Taurus” eye.
constellation.

6. Matariki around the
worldand the Maori New
✦ The time that Matariki rises
year celebration starts, is unique to Aotearoa.
✦However, the Matariki star group can be seen from
many parts of the world.
✦Matariki is known by several different names
around the world such as, Pleiades, Seven Sisters,
Subaru and Messier 45.
✦In ancient Greece and Mexico, temples were built
to line up with the rising and setting of Matariki.

7. New Beginnings
✴ As well as being Māori
new year, Matariki is also a
time for other new
beginnings.
✴ Traditionally, Matariki was
the time to plant trees and
prepare that land for
planting food crops.
✴ Matariki was also a time
to renew your links with
your whānau.

8. Celebrating Matariki
✦ Some Māori tribes celebrate when Matariki was first
seen in the dawn sky; others celebrate after the full moon
rose or at the beginning of the next full moon.
✦ Matariki is often celebrated with traditional foods, like
hangi, and games and activities like kite flying.
✦ For all Māori tribes, the importance of Matariki has been
told in stories and waiata, which link with the bright stars.

9. The End
Thanks to
Mrs Melville
Made by
BW
AM
ET
Director
Mrs Melville
Thank you for watching.
Bye from us for now