connecting people across Aotearoa for hundreds of years. Matariki signals the arrival of the Māori new year and begins in hōteke (winter), with the rising of the Matariki star cluster.
Hōteke/Winter is a great time to slow down, and reflect on the year that we have just had- the good, the not so good, the people who have made a difference in our lives and those of who we miss. Matariki is also about remembering the ones we hace lost. In doing so, we can celebrate the special times we spent with them, and think about how we can honour their lives as we look to the future. When you reflect, what memories, people, and learnings come to mind? Write here:
Now is also a time for us to Manāki tangata, connect, and celebrate new beginnings and new life. For many of us, celebrating Matariki begins with being gratful for whar we have, invludinf the every day things we sometimes take for granted like the beauty of nature, feeling cosy and warm under our duvets, or connecting with whānau and friends. What are you grateful for this Matariki? This Matariki I am grateful for:
reach out to loved ones- checking in, and sharing stories and kai. Reaching out to Whānau and Friends can look like: Get your whānau for together kai Havin ga quiet mom ent o f wond er Cooking kai with a loved one Marvel at the stars Goin g on a hik oi Plan ta prep tree or gard are you r en f or n ew plan ting Creating art together r on you Reflect te tion to connec ral ur natu taiao, o ment environ ring mbe s e Rem d one love have who ed s pas Get into nature Plan fo r the yea r ahead Attend a local Matariki event
reach out to loved ones- checking in, and sharing stories and kai. Reaching out to Whānau and Friends can look like: Giving a loved one a call Having dinner Going on a hikoi Remembering loved ones who have passed Giving a loved one a text Cooking kai with a loved one Having deep conversations Creating art together Reminiscing together
Long, long ago a mother ika told her tamariki to keep close to the rocks and don’t go into the open sea because Tataraimaka is out fishing. Tataraimaka was a giant who had an enormous black net made out of harakeke. This net was magic. The sun was shining its brightest which caused the seven fishes tails to reflect as they played tag. They forgot about their mama’s warning. Then there was a major disaster. The seven ika got caught in the net. The seven fishes cried salty tears. Tane the God of Light felt sorry for the little ika and took away Tataraimaka’s net and pulled it up into the sky. The seven ika are now called Matariki. You can see Matariki in early June on the horizon. This time marks the first month of the Maori year. The names of the six stars are – Waiti, Waita, Tupu-a-nuku, Tupu-arangi, Ururangi and Waipuna-a-rangi. One star remains nameless so that is left for a tamariki who feels lonely to put their ingoa on just before going to sleep. This means they will have company among the star fishes. Note: Depending on where you are and where you whakapapa from in Aotearoa, there is a big variety of the legend of Matariki. This is a direct copy of the legend “The Star FIshes” https://stunning7.blogspot.com/p/matariki.html
fisherman’s net by a giant named Tataraimaka. Tāne, the god of forests and birds, heart the fish crying out for help. Tāne, moved by passion, grabbed the net and flung it into the sky! The fish, now free from the net, became stars, forming the Matariki cluster. The seven stars are Ururangi, Waipuna-ā-rangi, Waitā, Tupu-ā-rangi, and Tupu-ā-nuku. Note: Depending on where you are and where you whakapapa from in Aotearoa, there is a big variety of the legend of Matariki. This is a direct copy of the legend “The Star FIshes” https://stunning7.blogspot.com/p/matariki.html
Papatūānuku (the Earth Mother) and Ranginui (the Sky Father) came to exist in the darkness (Te Pō) and held one another in a tight embrace. They bore many sons who were held between them without light. The children grew and wondered about life beyond the darkness. Soon, the boys were men. They wondered what it would be like to live in the light. Tūmatauenga, the god of war and human activity, was the fiercest of all the sons. "Let’s kill them!" he said. But the other sons did not want to kill their parents. Tāne Mahuta, the god of forests and birds, had an idea. "We can push them apart," he said. "Ranginui will be in the sky above us, and Papatūānuku will be below us. She'll be close." One by one, the sons tried to push their parents apart. Rongomātāne, the god of cultivated food, tried to push his parents apart. Try as he might, he couldn't do it. Tangaroa, the god of the sea, and Haumiatiketike, the god of wild food, joined him. They all pushed hard, but their parents just would not let go. Note: Depending on where you are and where you whakapapa from in Aotearoa, there is a big variety of the legend of Matariki. This is a direct copy of the the summary available on Twinkl for Educators and Whānau
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