Te Marama o Matariki He Maramataka Māori - Hōngongoi
2nd Month of the Māori Year - July/August
Ka mimiti atu Meremere te whetū o te ahiahi i te 20:06 ki te parera kotipu. Kei te whai hua te Putaputaweta, ka kitea hoki ngā pūāwai o te Kōtukutuku 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 evening star sets at 20:06 in the west-northwest. 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.
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Te Tohu o Kaupeka - Tautoru
Sign of the Season - Orions’ Belt (Stars)
Sign of the Season - Orions’ Belt (Stars)
Mintaka, Alnilam and Alnitak
‘Kua kitea tetahi whetu, ko Tautoru, matangi tau tika, noho ki roto.’
‘When the stars of Tautoru appear, the wind remains set between the whakarua and tonga points of the compass.’
This whakatauākī (proverb) is a reference to the direction of the winds at this time of the year when Tautoru is seen rising, and a reflection of the moment he fell to his death in the dawn.
When the bright stars of Tautoru are seen rising in Hōngongoi (2nd Matariki month) on the eastern horizon just before dawn, the earth is quite cold and people must stay by their fires to keep warm.
Tautoru, known also as the whata of Puanga, Te Tira o Puanga, Te tuke o Maui, Te Tata o Tautoru and Te-tuke-o-Tautoru is comprised of 3 stars, Mintaka, Alnilam and Alnitak.
Tautoru the bird snare, is seen being pulled through the heavens by Puanga (Rigel), the bright ripe-red berry that lures the birds to rest from their flight on the perch of Tautoru.
Tautoru the bird snare, is seen being pulled through the heavens by Puanga (Rigel), the bright ripe-red berry that lures the birds to rest from their flight on the perch of Tautoru.
Tautoru was known as a very esteemed bird snarer who invoked the bird snaring skills of Tāne Mahuta, God of the Forest, through rituals and karakia. Rauroha, the beautiful Goddess of Air, fell in love with Tautoru and slipped from the sky to be with him each night. Tautoru was forbidden to gaze at her face as her features were tapu and she would leave him again as the dark became dawn. Tautoru fell to his death during Hōngongoi, when in yearning to witness her beauty he watched as the first rays of light touched her face, ending bird snaring season. When Tāne Mahuta learnt of the death of Tautoru, he took him up to the heavens and transformed him to the shining bird snare star cluster bearing his name.
