hi today i will be talking to you about Matariki. Matariki is a tradition for Matariki .Matariki means To Māori, Matariki is both the name of the Pleiades star cluster and of the celebration of its first rising in late June or early July. This marked the beginning of the new year in the Māori lunar calendarraditionally, Matariki was used to determine the coming season's crop. A warmer season, and therefore a more productive crop yield, was indicated by how bright the stars were. Matariki provides an ideal opportunity to explore the ways that people pass on and sustain aspects of their culture and heritage Twinkling in the winter sky just before dawn, Matariki (the Pleiades) signals the Māori New Year. For Māori, the appearance of Matariki heralds a time of remembrance, joy and peace. It is a time for communities to come together and celebraten Maori, Matariki means 'tiny eyes' or 'eyes of God'. The children of the earth mother Papatuanuku and sky father, Ranginui, were divided over whether to separate them and bring light and life to the earth. Eventually, Tane Mahuta, the god of the forest, laid on his back and used his feet to force them apart

Matariki is a shortened version of Ngā mata o te ariki o Tāwhirimātea, or "the eyes of the god Tāwhirimātea". According to Māori mythology, Tāwhirimātea, god of wind and weather, was enraged by the separation of heaven and earth – his parents, Ranginui and PapatūānukuSome iwi speak of the seven Matariki stars as a mother and her daughters. The mother is Matariki, and her daughters are Tupu-ā-nuku, Tupu-ā-rangi, Waipunarangi, Waitī, Waitā, and Ururangi. Others have named nine stars, including Matariki.

Matariki