5 minute read
Dr Rangi Mātāmua on Matariki as a learning journey
Matariki is more than a public holiday. We spoke with Dr Rangi Mātāmua, leading Māori astronomer and advocate for indigenous science, about how the values of Matariki can shape education and support our next generation of kaitiaki.
Rangiānehu Mātāmua (Tāhoe, Ngāi Tūhoe) is one of Aotearoa New Zealand’s most respected experts in Māori astronomy and Professor of Mātauranga Māori at Massey University. He was named 2023 New Zealander of the Year, is a Fellow of the Royal Society Te Apārangi, and is the Government’s chief advisor on the national Matariki holiday. He is also the author of the award-winning book Matariki: The Star of the Year, and leads the Living by the Stars initiative.
When asked what values within Matariki are especially important for young people, Rangi shared:
“I think the main Matariki principles of honouring the past, celebrating the present, and looking to the future are the most important things. Honouring those that have gone before us and left us a legacy, and the way that we take on that legacy in a modern context – what we do today, celebrating all of the good things, and then thinking about the legacy that we hand on to the next generation.”
He believes schools can meaningfully integrate Matariki beyond a symbolic holiday by drawing on its rich scientific, environmental and cultural significance.
“Matariki is really, really broad in terms of the things that it’s connected to. The different stars are connected to freshwater, saltwater, forests, gardens, rain, weather and coming together as people. There is a lot of science in it, and it’s connected to Māori timekeeping systems and lunar and solar calendar systems.
“It’s understanding the changing positions of the sun, the rising of the stars, the phasing of the moon. It’s not one thing – there are many, many components. Matariki is really a way that connects us to this really broad knowledge system and this knowledge base.”
He sees the environmental rhythms of the season as a particularly valuable learning opportunity.
“Matariki happens at a time when the environment has closed down. From a Māori perspective, when the environment closes and becomes inactive, that’s when people are meant to become inactive. One of the things I know many people talk about is how we have holidays in the time of the year when everything is active, and when everything is cold and ‘inactive’, we’re still active trying to play sports and get out and about, and we get sick. So sometimes, the way we operate is out of step with what happens in an environmental and climate point of view.”
He encourages schools to start with the basics.
“I think the Maramataka would be a really good place to start, but even before that, having an understanding of the changing nature of the sun, the movements of the planets, how to identify stars, the change in the environment. There is a whole environmental and science element to Matariki that I hope becomes the growth point – particularly for education.”
Despite strong community interest, he notes systemic change has been slow.
“I’ve been really trying to work with the Ministry of Education for Matariki to be incorporated more in education without much traction. It could be so big, and it started from a ground-up movement. There is so much potential for it to be utilised much more broadly as an educational tool.”
For teachers who are still on their own learning journey, Rangi offers reassurance.
“I think trying to get as much information as possible and doing their best. There is no Matariki police. There’s a good amount of information that is out there already. We’re all learning. People are learning as they go, and that’s fine.”
Mō Matariki | About Matariki
Matariki marks the Māori new year, or Te Mātahi o te Tau, and begins with the midwinter rising of the Matariki star cluster. Matariki is a time of reflection, celebration and preparation. The three key principles for Matariki are:
Matariki Hunga Nui | Remembrance
Honouring those we have lost since the last rising of Matariki.
Matariki Ahunga Nui | Celebrating the Present
Gathering together to give thanks for what we have.
Matariki Manako Nui | Looking to the Future
Looking forward to the promise of a new year.
Each of the nine whetū in the Matariki cluster is associated with aspects of Te Taiao and wellbeing:
Matariki – wellbeing and health
Pōhutukawa – remembrance and those who have passed
Tupuānuku – food from the earth
Tupuārangi – food from the sky (birds and fruit)
Waitī – freshwater and its food sources
Waitā – saltwater and the ocean’s bounty
Waipuna-ā-rangi – rainfall
Ururangi – winds and weather
Hiwa-i-te-rangi – hopes and dreams for the future.
The 2025 theme of Matariki mā Puanga is all about inclusion, embracing diversity and celebrating Matariki together.
Matariki and Puanga are stars that sit in the night sky together to signal the start of the Māori new year for different iwi. Matariki mā Puanga acknowledges and embraces the different traditions, stars and tikanga around celebrating the Māori new year, recognising the regional variations.
We can all connect to the core values of Matariki and Puanga and embrace the diverse ways for marking the new year.
More resources:
Curriculum resources at tki.org.nz
