Celebrate Matariki – the beginning of the New Year in Aotearoa New Zealand, marked by the rising of the Matariki star cluster.
There are over 500 stars in the Matariki cluster – but only a handful are visible without the use of a telescope.
Each of the stars has their own unique characteristics that Māori acknowledge and honour.
The rising of Matariki is observed in the month of Pipiri – around June and July – in the morning sky during the lunar phases of Tangaroa, the last quarter phase of the moon.
These events mark the Māori New Year.
If you look east in the early morning sky you will find three stars in a row.
This is Orion’s Belt, often known as The Pot.
Māori call this Tautoru.
Now go to the middle star in Tautoru. Above it you will find a bright star called Puanga.
Puanga is another star that is used to observe and acknowledge the new year. This varies from iwi to iwi.
If you go right from Tautoru, you will find the brightest star in the sky, Hinetakurua, the Winter Maiden.
Hinetakurua is one of the wives of Tamanuiterā, the sun.
If you go left from Tautoru you will find a pyramid shape in the sky, Te Kokotā. It is the face of Taurus the Bull.
Then if you go left a little bit more you will see Matariki.