Matariki

Matariki is a cluster (group) of stars that set during May/June, and rise during June/July annually. The rising of the Matariki star cluster signifies the Māori new year, a time to celebrate new lives, and those who have passed on, with kai (food), waiata (song), and haka (dance), a time for reflection, planning, and coming together as a whānau. Māori tūpuna (ancestors) look to Matariki to time preservation of crops for winter, and to predict the success of the coming year’s harvest.