Living by the Moon: Te Maramataka a Te Whānau-ā-Apanui—Wiremu Tāwhai (2013)
Maramataka represents a complex system of understandings, written by the late Wiremu ‘Bill’ Tāwhai, a well-respected kaumātua of Te Whānau-a-Apanui, Whakatōhea and Ngāti Awa.
Publication details
Tāwhai, W. Living by the Moon: Te Maramataka a Te Whānau-ā-Apanui. Wellington: Huia Publishers, 2013.
About the book
The maramataka is a complex system that utilises the sun, moon, stars, environment and ecology to track time and occurrences. It requires a broad understanding of many facets from the world around us and above us. Te Maramataka sets out and discusses the maramataka according to Te Whānau-ā-Apanui tribal knowledge. The dependence of Te Whānau-ā-Apanui ancestors on the environment led them to closely study the changes and cycles in nature so they could ensure their survival in their tribal area. Knowledge of aspects such as the sea conditions and best planting and harvesting times at each day of the month were carefully observed and remembered and community activities were arranged according to the phases of the moon.
Further information
This publication is part of the series Te Takarangi: Celebrating Māori publications - a sample list of 150 non-fiction books produced by a partnership between Royal Society Te Apārangi and Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga.