Facts about Matariki

Matariki:

1. For many New Zealanders, the 31st of December is a time to celebrate and party for the New Year.

2. These celebrations are an important way to marking the passage of time as well as heralding new beginnings.

3. Depending on your religion or ethnicity, New year can come at different times of the year and can be celebrated in many different ways.

4. Maori also have their New Year. It is called Matariki.

5. Matariki usually happens in June.

6. Traditionally, Matariki was used to determine the coming season’s crops.

7. Matariki provides an ideal opportunity to explore the ways that people pass on and sustain aspects of their culture and heritage.

8. Matariki is a group of seven stars.

9. A warmer season, and therefore, a more productive crop yield, was indicated by how bright the stars were.

10. Matariki is also called the Pleiades.