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.
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Te Tohu o Kaupeka - Puanga
Sign of the Season - Rigel (Star)
‘Ka tahia te marae i a Puanga ka puta i te ata,
a tae noa ki te marama tekau ma rua, a ma rua tuma.’
‘The marae was swept when Rigel appeared in the morning,
also in the twelfth month and the odd one.’
This whakatauākī (proverb) relating to the task of cleaning when Puanga is seen rising before the dawn is a reference to preparing the home and grounds for celebration and the coming new year.
Puanga, known also as Pua-tawhiwhi o Tautoru, Poaka, Puaka and Puangarua, a navigational star and food-bearer associated with the cultivation of kümara in the constellation of Orion, is one of the most beautiful of all stars in the heavens. It can be seen leading Tautoro (Orions Belt), the whata or food store of Puanga, across the heavens, while pulling in the light of day from behind.
Māori were said to regard the giant shining red light of Puanga as a large ripe red berry. Kereru and other native birds perched on the store house of Puanga during their long flight through the heavens to feed on the berry. Blessings and gifts are offered up to Puanga when it appears on the eastern horizon.
Puanga, known as a child of Wahitiri, the personified form of Thunder, ascended to the heavens with Matariki from their mother Raro, the Underworld. Puanga is said to be the parent of Aotahi (Canopus) and with Rēhua (Antares), the parent of Puawananga or Clematis. Puanga challenges the role of Matariki as the Celestial sign of the coming New (Matariki) Year and in some tribal regions is known for this task.
