10th Matariki Month - Poutū-te-rangi (2nd Year)

Te Marama o Matariki He Maramataka Māori - Poutū-te-rangi

10th Month of the Māori Year - March/April

Ki te kitea a Poutū-te-Rangi e maranga mai ana i te Rāwhiti, he tohu tēnei mo te wā Hauhake. Tïmata i te wā o te maranga o Whānui e kitea ana ki te tahatū o te rangi o te Raki ki te Rāwhiti. Kei te whai huarākau te Kaikōmako te Māhoe me te Karaka. He wā ngahuru ka taka ngā huruhuru o ngā manu. He wā rerenga atu o te Koekoeā, ka timata tōnā haere ki te whenua o Papua New Guinea, me te rere hoki o te Pīpīwharauroa ki ngā moutere te taha Rāwhiti o Fiji. 

When Altair is seen rising in the east, prepare for the harvest. It is time to begin when Vega is seen rising in the northeast. White Wood, Kaikōmako and NZ Laurel are fruiting. Birds lose their feathers. Long-tailed Cuckoo leave for Papua New Guinea and the Shining Cuckoo fly to the islands east of Fiji.

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Te Tohu o Kaupeka - 

Whānui

Sign of the Season -  Vega, 

Alpha Lyrae

'Ko Whānui e! Ko Whānui!’ 

‘Here is Vega! Here is Vega!’

This karanga (call) was heard when Whānui was first seen rising before dawn on the horizon.

When Whānui appears before dawn on the north eastern horizon at the time of fullmoon during Poutū-te-rangi (10th Matariki month), kūmara are lifted.

Whānui, known also as Alpha Lyrae, is a rapidly rotating navigational star 25.3ly from Earth in the constellation of Lyra and the 5th brightest star of the heavens. Whānui served as the North Celestial Pole Star from between 12’000 to 10’000 B.C. and will do so again in another 10’000 years.

Whānui descended from Rangi and Papa through Urutengangana (the God of Stars) and is the celestial parent of Kūmara (sweet potato), Ānuhe (caterpillar), Tūpoupou, Hīhue (kūmara moth), Toronū (caterpillar) and Moko (caterpillar). Kūmara was brought to the world as a food source by Rongo-māui, younger brother of Whānui, who concealed some kōpura (kūmara tubers) in his maro (loin cloth) after visiting Whānui in the celestial realms. On returning to the world he impregnated Pani-tinaku his wife who gave birth to kūmara on earth. Whānui was so angered by the deception of Rongo-māui he sent forth Ānuhe, Toronū and Moko to the world where they continue to ravage and wreak havoc on kūmara leaves to this day. Pani-tinaku was so disturbed by the infestation of caterpillars on her offspring she fled underground to cultivate the plants from below.