All the action from cross country day.  Go Brodie.

Matariki

We watched a story about Matariki to help us understand the story about the seven stars.  

What is Matariki?

Matariki is the Māori name for the star cluster known as the Pleiades.  Traditionally for Māori when it appeared just before dawn in late May or early June, it signalled the start of the Māori New Year.  For some tribes, the rising of Puanga (Rigelin Orion) signals the start of the New Year. In the early 2000s Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori (Māori Language Commission), the Ministry of Education and the Museum of New Zealand TePapa Tongarewa, became involved in the revival of Matarikicelebrations.

When is Matariki?

Different tribes celebrated Matariki at different times.  For some it was when Matariki rose in May/June.  For others it was celebrated at the first new moon, or full moon, following the rising of Matariki.  In the 21^st century it is the new moon following the rising of Matariki that signals the New Year.

10 June marked the start of Matariki for 2013.