Matariki: Te Whetū Tapu o te Tau
Posted: Wednesday 18 January 2018
By Rangi Matamua
Published by Huia, 2017
Marsden Fund contract UOW1404 'Te Mauria Whiritoi: the sky as a cultural resource - Maori astronomy, ritual and ecological knowledge'
In mid-winter, Matariki rises in the pre-dawn sky, and its observation is celebrated with incantations on hilltops at dawn, balls, exhibitions, dinners and a vast number of events. The Matariki tradition has been re-established, and its regeneration coincides with a growing interest in Māori astronomy. Still, there remain some unanswered questions about how Matariki was traditionally observed. These include:
- What is Matariki?
- Why did Māori observe Matariki?
- How did Māori traditionally celebrate Matariki?
- When and how should Matariki be celebrated?
Based on research and interviews with Māori experts, this book seeks answers to these questions and explores what Matariki was in a traditional sense so it can be understood and celebrated in our modern society.