Mānawa maiea te putanga o Matariki

Mānawa maiea te ariki o te rangi

Mānawa maiea te mātahi o te tau

Ko Tongariro te maunga

Ko Taupo nui a tia te moana

Ko Tuwharetoa te iwi

Ko Te Heu heu te tangata

Ko Shara Tira Wahine Hartley tōku ingoa

Ngā mihi o te wā

Hail the rise of Matariki

Hail the sky father

Hail the New Year

Tongariro is my mountain

Taupo is my lake

Tuwharetoa is my tribe

Te Heu heu is the man

I am Shara Tira wahine Hartley

I would like to thankyou all in helping me celebrate Matariki by sharing our pūrākau/stories, new beginnings in our culturally diverse workplace with this tā koha kai.

I don't claim to be an expert on the topic but I would like to share with you my cultural heritage and some research I have collected whilst on my Te Reo journey.

I te tuatahi Ngā mihi nunui ki TWOA rāua ko Rangi Mataamua mo ngā rangahau, ko Rahira Davies rātou ko Maisey Rika, ko Maimoa ngā kaiwaiata o ngā waiata a Matariki tino ataahua rawa atu.

The appearance of Matariki in the mid-winter morning sky marks the Maori New Year or Te mātahi o te tau. The arrival of Matariki is a sign for people to gather, to honour the dead, celebrate the present and plan for the future.

Our Tipuna/ancestors, astronomy was interwoven into all facets of life. This knowledge was recorded and handed down from generation to generation as part of our maori oral traditions for e.g. Pūrākau, waiata and karakia. Matariki is connected to seasonal activities such as planting and harvesting, the flowering of plants, the spawning of fish and the natural cycles of the environment.

There are 9 stars in the Matariki cluster:

*Matariki - Signifies reflextion, hope, the gathering of people and their health and well being.

*Pōhutukawa - signifies the loved ones we have lost.

*Waitī - is connected with all fresh water bodies and food sources sustained by those waters.

*Waitā - is associated with the ocean and its food sources with in it.

Waipunārangi - is connected with the rain.

*Tupuānuku - is the star connected to all which is grown in its soil and the harvesting of food.

*Tupuārangi - is connected with everything that grows up in trees such as fruit, berries and birds.

*Ururangi - is the star connected to the winds of Tawhirimatea.

*Hiwa i te rangi - is the star connected to granting our wishes and realising our aspirations for the coming year.

I appreciate all of those who have contributed to this special occassion.

Ka nui te aroha, e tino miharo rawa atu kia kōutou katoa.

Lets give thanks:

Nau mai nga hua

Nau mai nga pai

Nau mai kia nui

Kia hāwere ai

Welcome all things that have grown

Welcome all things that are good

May they be plentiful and abundant

Mauri ora,

Me kaitahi tātou

Let's eat !!!