7th Matariki Month - Hakihea

Te Marama o Matariki He Maramataka Mäori - Hakihea

Seventh Month of the Mäori Year - December/January

Ka maranga mai a Pareärau i muri atu i a Tamanui te Rä. Kei te püäwai te Rewarewa me te Ngaio. E kï ana ngä manga o te Porokaiwhiri i te huaräkau. E täkaro whiu teka te Tiemiemi me te Kapowai i roto i te wera. Ka rongohia te reo o ngä pïpï manu, e waiata mai ana i o rätou köanga. He wä mutunga mö te whakatö i ngä huawhenua.

Jupiter rises after the Sun. Honeysuckle and Ngaio are in flower. Pigeonwood branches are covered with fruit. Blue Damselfly and Common Dragonfly dart around in the heat. Young chicks can be heard and seen in their nests. The last of the crops are now planted.

Te Tohu o Kaupeka - Pareärau
Sign of the Season - Jupiter

‘He whetü nui a Pareärau, he wahine karihika, he wahine tiweka’

‘The great star Jupiter, an immoral woman, a wandering woman.’

This whakatauäkï (proverb) is a reference to the wanton ways of Pareärau as she traverses the heavens. At this time of the year Pareärau rises in the morning beside Köpü (Venus), her companion. Over the course of following nights in the season however, Pareärau wanders away and is associated with numerous stars and other planets throughout the seasons.

When Pareärau rises the last of the crops will be planted.

Pareärau (as Jupiter), known also as Hine-i-tiweka and Köpünui, is a giant ball consisting of hydrogen and helium gas, is greater in size than all of the moons and other planetsPareärau combined.

Both Jupiter and Saturn are known as Pareärau, a direct reference to the cloud bands of Jupiter and rings around Saturn.

Another distinctive feature is the ‘eye’ of Jupiter, a swirling mass of gas and dust particles known as the Great Red Spot. Although Jupiter takes almost twelve years to orbit the Sun, it rotates on its axis much faster than all other planets, one ‘day’ on Jupiter equals around 600 minutes or ten hours on Earth.

When a shimmering halo of mist surrounded the bright yellow-white planet a storm, or wet-weather season approached. It is said that some Tohunga, Mäori priests with great mana, who were sufficiently versed in the ways of the heavens and heavenly bodies, were known to utilize this occurrence at will. When these Tohunga needed to communicate with distant regions they created the phenomenon of the shimmering halo of mist around Pareärau.

Rä Pare (Thursday) honours Pareärau (as Jupiter).

6th Matariki Month - Whiringa-ä-rangi

Te Marama o Matariki He Maramataka Mäori

Whiringa-ä-rangi

6th Month of the Mäori Year - November/December

Ka maranga mai a Pareärau i te tahatü o te rangi rawhiti tonga ki te rawhiti. Kei te tiki kai ngä manu mö o rätou pïpï. Kei te püäwai te Pöhutukawa me te Hïnau. Kei te kitea hoki ngä pepe püriri i te ngahere. Kei te kaha te whiti o Tama Nui te Rä, he wä wera mö Papatüänuku.

Jupiter rises in the east-southeast. Birds gather food for their chicks. Pöhutukawa and Hïnau are covered in flowers. Puriri moths can be found in the forest. The sun is strong and earth is quite hot.

Te Tohu o Kaupeka - Pepetuna

Sign of the Season - Puriri Moth (Aenetus virescens)

‘He iti mokoroa e hinga puriri.’

‘The little mokoroa grub fells a puriri tree.’

This whakatauäkï (proverb) reminds us that small things can have a huge impact in our world.

When Pepetuna are found in the forests the sun is strong and earth is quite hot.

Pepetuna, known also as the Ghost Moth, is the largest native moth of New Zealand with wings spanning up to 15cm. It can be found in abundance during Whiringa-ä-rangi (6th Matariki month) laying its eggs in North Island forests.

Pepetuna is said to be descended from Hinepeke and Tuteahuru, grandson of Tane. Its name is a reference to the moth in its caterpillar form as a food source for migrating eels (tuna) and is known as a spiritual messenger seen flying at dusk and into the night back to realms of its ancestors.

The forewings of the male are soft velvety-green with pale green and white markings over white coloured hind wings. The forewings of the female are a velvet green with dark black mottled markings and soft camel coloured hind wings. Adult moths have a life span of one or two days, just long enough to lay eggs. They possess no mouthparts so cannot feed. When the eggs hatch, mokoroa or larvae spend a year on the ground in decaying wood before making their way into trunks of Puiriri and other native trees by excavating small tunnels that they seal with a webbing of silk for protection. They stay in these tunnels for up to seven years, growing up to 80mm on regenerating wood tissue just under the bark. It becomes a chrysalis upon leaving the tunnel before its brief transformation into a moth.

5th Matariki Month - Whiringa-ā-nuku

Te Marama o Matariki He Maramataka Māori -

Whiringa-ā-nuku

5th Month of the Matariki Year - October/November

Mai i ngā huringa āwhio o Aotahi me te hokinga mai o te Koekoeā i tōna haerenga tawhiti nui tawhiti roa, he tohu tēnei me tīmata te whakatikatika i te whenua mō te whakatō i te kūmara. Kei te kai te Tūi i ngā putiputi o te Harakeke. Kei te mahana ake a Papatūānuku kua rite te wā mō te tō i te kākano. He maha, he nui ngā mahi ahuwhenua.

The celestial movements of Canopus and the return of the Long-tailed Cuckoo from migration signals the time to prepare ground for planting the kūmara crops. Tui are feeding on the flowers of Flax. Earth is now warm and ready for seed. People are busy with gardens.

Te Tohu o Kaupeka - Harakeke

Sign of the Season - New Zealand Flax (Phormium tenax)

‘Hutia te rito. Hutia te rito o te harakeke. Kei hea te korimako e ko? Ki mai ki ahau, he aha te mea nui i te Ao? Maku e ki atu e, He tangata, He tangata, He tangata he!’

‘Pull out the centre of the flax plant, Where will the bellbird sing?

What is the most significant thing in the world? I say it is people, people, people!’

This waiata (song) refers to the importance of sustaining the lifeforce of Harakeke as a message of conservation, reminding us that our actions today impact upon our ability to survive tomorrow.

When Harakeke flowers appear the earth has warmed up and is ready for seed. People are planting their gardens.

Harakeke, an extremely important plant to Māori and one of the oldest species native to New Zealand and Norfolk Island can be found growing to 3m tall along river banks, in swamps and wetlands, on headlands and hillsides exposed to sunlight.

Harakeke represents the wellbeing and strength of whānau or family and tribe.

When a new shoot or rito appears it is held by awhi rito or parents, who in turn are embraced by tūpuna, grandparents and ancestors. The leaf of the whaea or mother is closest to the rito, the leaf opposite the whaea is the matua or father. When a new rito appears, matua become tupuna, whaea become matua and rito become whaea. When harvesting, only tūpuna are cut from each fan in the flax clump, the leaves of grandparents are used for production and ancestors return to base of the plant to nourish the whānau. If the rito is cut the plant dies. If awhi rito are cut the rito is vulnerable. Harvesting ceases during Whiringa-ā-nuku (5th Matariki month) when dark red-black flowers appear on tall stalks, allowing the plant to rest and replenish and the Tui, Korimako, Tauhou and Geckos to feed on the nectar. Harvest resumes in Hakihea (7th Matariki month) when seed pods have set.

Harakeke has many traditional uses.

4th Matariki Month - Mahuru

Te Marama o Matariki He Maramataka Mäori - Mahuru

4th Month of the Mäori Year - September/October

Ka hoki mai te Pïpïwharauroa i tönä rerenga ki tawhiti nui ki tawhitiroa. Kua hoki mai ki töna wähi whänautanga, ki te whanau i öna hëki. E püäwai ana te Köwhai, te Puawananga me te Rangiora. Kua aata ara mai a Papatüänuku i tönä moenga roa o te Hötoke. Ka tïmata ngä mahi ki te whakatikatika i ngä mära kai.

Shining Cuckoo return from their migration to lay eggs in the place of their birth. Köwhai, Clematis and Bushmans Friend are now in flower. Earth slowly wakes from a long winter sleep and the ground is prepared for gardens.

Te Tohu o Kaupeka - Rangiora

Sign of the Season - Bushmans Friend

(Brachyglottis repanda)

‘Me te rau Rangiora’

‘Like Rangiora leaves’

This whakatauäkï (proverb) is a reference to the colour of clouds, snow, the crest of the oceans waves, and breast feathers of some birds being likened to the white undersides of the Rangiora leaf.

The underside of the leaves were used as pages for writing on, hence the term Pukapuka, or book

When Rangiora bursts into flower the life force returns to the earth and gardens are prepared for planting.

Rangiora, a native of New Zealand, can be found growing with one or more thin trunks as a small shrub, or tree to 7m tall from sea level to 750m in the North and upper South Island forests, regenerating bush, lowlands and coastal regions.

Rangiora, known also as Pukapuka, Aorangi, Whärangi and Raurëkau, is covered profusely in clusters of tiny cream coloured sweet-scented florets from Mahuru (4th Matariki month) through to Whiringa-ä-rangi (6th Matariki month). Its has broad dark green leathery wavy-edged leaves with soft, deeply membraneous white felt undersides.

The leaves of Rangiora were sacred to Mäori. They were used in ceremonies to clothe the souls of the dead for their journey to the place of departure and babies were wrapped in the leaves upon birth. Mäori also used them for clothing and rites for appeasing the Atua. Leaves were upturned and placed along paths for hunters to see in the night. They were used to line kete for pua bread made from the pollen of raupö and to wrap food in for hangi. Rangiora was also used as rongoa, traditional medicine, though should never be swallowed as all parts of the plant are poisonous, particularly the flowers and sap.

3rd Matariki Month - Here-turi-kōkā

Te Marama o Matariki He Maramataka Māori -

Here-turi-kōkā

3rd Month of the Māori Year - August/September

Ka maranga mai a Whakaahu ki te tahatü o te Raki ki te Räwhiti, kei te mau mai i te tupuranga höu. Ka maranga mai hoki a Pareärau ki te paerangi o te Räwhiti - Raki ki te Räwhiti ki te ärahi mai, te kukume mai i Te Mangöroa ki te rangi tü-häha. Ka kitea te Korimako e kai ana i ngä putiputi püäwai o te Puahou me ngä Kohekohe. E makariri tonu ana Papatüänuku, engari kei te mahana te tangata mai i te inaina i te ahi.

Castor rises in the northeast bringing new growth. Saturn rises on the east-northeastern horizon to lead The Milky Way through the heavens. Bellbirds are seen feeding on the flowers of Five-finger and Kohekohe. Earth is still cold, people are warmed by their fires.

Te Tohu o Kaupeka - Korimako

Sign of the Season - Bellbird, Anthornis melanura

‘He rite ki te kōpara e kō nei i te ata.’

‘It is said like the bellbird singing at dawn.’

This whakatauākī (proverb) reveals dawn as being the best time for spotting Korimako and is used when referring to someone who is skilled as an orator or who sings beautifully.

When the Korimako is seen feeding on the flowers of Puahou and Kohekohe, the earth is still cold and people are warmed by their fires.

Korimako, a native of New Zealand can be found in the forests and scrublands of off shore islands in the South and North Island and in the Eastern Bay of Plenty. Growing to 20cm, the male is olive green with navy blue wings and tail feathers. Its head feathers carry a purplish tinge and its eyes are red. The female is browner and marked with a white stripe under her eye. Its beautiful song of ringing bells differing strangely in dialect from one region to another can be heard in transient times before nightfall and dawn, when it is known as te māra ō Tāne, the voice that calls people to begin working their gardens.

Korimako originated from Rehua or from the union of Tane and Kahuparauri as were the Tūi and Kōkako. It is a bird of great tapu known to carry messages to and from the Heavens. Punaweko and Tūwhaia are its guardians. The wisdom of Korimako and Tūi was heard in karakia prior to the battle of the birds and embraced by the birds of the forest as a strategy for being triumphant over the power of the sea birds. The presence of Korimako or Tūi signals a coming visitor. If rain is approaching Korimako includes a certain chime in its song - i te ō kōparapara.

2nd Matariki Month - Hōngongoi

Te Marama o Matariki He Maramataka Māori - Hōngongoi

2nd Month of the Māori Year - July/August

Ka maranga mai Kōpū te whetū o te Ata i te 08:18 ki te Rāwhiti. Kei te whai hua te Putaputaweta, ka kitea hoki ngā pūāwai o te Kötukutuku ki runga i te whenua. Kei te tino makariri a Papatūānuku. Me noho tonu te tangata ki te pāinaina i te ahi, kia whai mahana tonu.

Venus, as the morning star rises at 08:18 in the east. Marble Leaf is covered in fruit and flowers of the Fuchsia Tree are found on the ground. Earth is now very cold, people must stay by their fires to keep warm.

Te Tohu o Kaupeka - Kotukutuku

Sign of the Season - Tree Fuchsia

‘I whea koe i te tahuritanga o te rau o te Kōtukutuku, i te raratanga o te waha o te Koekoeā?’

‘Where were you when the Fuchsia shed its leaves, when the song of the Longtailed Cuckoo was heard?’

This whakatauākī (proverb) uses Kōtukutuku and Koekoeā as a reference to time when questioning someone who expected to receive part of the harvest without contributing to its cultivation.

When Kōtukutuku flowers appear the season is very cold, people stay close to their fires to keep warm.

Kōtukutuku belongs to a small family of native New Zealand deciduous trees and is one of the largest Fuchsia species in the world growing to 30ft tall. In New Zealand it is common from sea level to 1060 m and is found along river banks and in second growth areas.

Kōtukutuku, known also as Kōhutuhutu and Matoutou, is descended from Tāne Mahuta, guardian of the Forests and Birds. Its name refers to the fine purple-green hanging bell flowers seen during Hōngongoi (2nd Matariki month) and the deciduous nature in Haratua (12th Matariki month) of its red papery bark and leaves. Its fruit is formed during Kohi Tātea (8th Matariki month), the sweet purple-black egg shaped kōnini, or berry, was a source of food for Māori and made into kōnini pudding and jam by early settlers.

Kōtukutuku flowers provide nectar for Tui, Korimako and Hihi during the cold winter months when food is scarce. The birds in return cross-pollinate the flowers enabling fruit and seeds to be formed, ensuring each others survival. Kōtukutuku was also used as rongoa, traditional medicine, in combination with other plants.

1st Matariki Month - Pipiri

Te Marama o Matariki He Maramataka Māori - Pipiri

1st Month of the Māori Year - June/July

Ka kitea a Matariki me Puanga i te atapō tonu i te tahatū o te Raki ki te Rāwhiti ki te paerangi o te Rāwhiti. Kei te pūāwai te Kohekohe, me te taka o te huarākau ki te whenua. E makariri ana a Papatūānuku me ōna uri katoa.

Pleiades and Rigel can be seen just before dawn in the east-northeast and eastern horizon. Kohekohe is in flower and Supplejack fruit is found on the ground. Earth is now cold, so too are her people.

Te Tohu o Kaupeka - Matariki

Sign of the Season - Pleiades Constellation

‘I haere mai koe i te ao o Puanga, i te Huihui o Matariki, i a Pareārau, i a Poutu-te-rangi. Ka mutu, e tama, ngā whetū homai kai ki Aotea.’

‘You came hither from the realm of Rigel, from the Assembly of the Pleiades, from Jupiter and from Altair. These alone, o child, are the stars which provide food at Aotea.’

This mōteatea (lament) is a reference to signs of the Heavens associated with cultivation in Aotearoa, New Zealand.

When Matariki is seen before dawn the earth is still cold and so too are people however, the appearance of Matariki signals a time to start letting go of the old year and prepare for new life and new growth.

A time to focus on whakapapa or genealogy to know who we are, where we have come from and where we are going. A time to bring whānau or family together, to share stories and knowledge and honour all those who have recently passed. A time for sharing, compassion, to realise dreams and set goals for the future. A time to reflect on the outcome of our actions.

Matariki, known also as Te Huihui o Matariki, Aokai, Hoko-kūmara, M45, Seven Sisters and Little Eyes, an open star cluster of some 500 members seen traversing the sky as a small ‘kite’ of bright hot blue stars, is the most esteemed constellation of the heavens.

A tawhito kōrero (ancient story) tells of Tāne Mahuta drawing the brightest star out of the sky and smashing it back on the breast of Ranginui, created the seven stars that are Matariki and her six daughters, Waiti, Waita, Tupua-nuku, Tupua-rangi, Waipuna-a-rangi and Ururangi. Matariki is said to be the offspring of Raro and Raumati, the personified forms of the underworld and summer. Matariki departs the southern hemisphere during summer for the cold winter of northern hemisphere skies, reappearing again on the tail of Mangōroa the Milky Way in late Haratua (12th Matariki month).

matakite

www.matakite.co.nz/pleiades

Matariki - Matariki He Maramataka Māori

Ko Matariki he kāhui whetu, he kāhui rerehua e kitea ana i te atapō i runga ake o te paerangi, ki te taha rāwhiti o te raki. Koia nei te tohu, arā te putanga o Matariki, he tohu mō te paunga o te tau tawhito me te tīmatatanga o te tau hōu, ko tēnei te tīmatatanga o te Maramataka Māori. Ki ētahi iwi anō, ko te whetu Puanga o te kāhui whetu Tautoro e kitea ana ki te taha rāwhiti o Matariki kē te mea whai tikanga. Ko Matariki, he tikanga whakarite i ngā whenga o te wā, tīmata ana i a Whiro Hinamarama, te marama hōu tuatahi, e whai muri tonu mai nei i te putanga o Matariki. Ko te roanga o te tau o Matariki ka whakaritea i ngā huringa a tau o te marama, mai i te wā o te putanga o Matariki tae noa ki te poutanga o te tau. Toru tekau ngā pō o te Marama mō ia huringa a tau (arā, 29.5 ngā rā).

The Pleiades Constellation - Māori System of Time, Seasons & Industry

Matariki (Pleiades) is a constellation or cluster of many stars whose appearance just before dawn on the northeastern horizon towards the end of May each year, signals the completion of one year and the approach of another in the Māori Calendar. For some tribes, it is Puanga (Rigel), a star in the constellation of Orion, rising to the east of Matariki that holds this position. Matariki as a system of time, begins with the first newmoon to follow the heliacal (dawn) rising of the constellation Matariki. The length of a Matariki Year is defined by the number of full lunar cycles that fall between the heliacal risings of Matariki from one year to the next. Each lunar cycle consists of 30 moon-nights (or 29.5 days).