The Golden Lamp Press
Issue 6, August 2022
MATARIKI MAGIC Article By: Senali Vasanthathilake
Katie Haynes (Feature Writer), Charlotte Thomson (Feature Writer, Rainy Day Activities Editor), Nuala Pearson (Feature Writer), Juliet Grotrian (Feature Writer) Kitty Grotrian (Feature Writer), Isabelle Mak (Feature Writer), Jess Thompson (Feature Writer) Senali Vasanthathilake (Editor and Feature Writer), Harriet Mak (Feature Writer), Sophie Counsell (Feature Writer), Nina Vincent (Feature Writer) Email golden.lamp@qmc.school.nz
Matariki (also known as the constellation Pleiades) is a star cluster with many stars, but nine main ones, which are acknowledged by Maori culture. It marks the Maori new year, and is a time for remembering the past, celebrating the present and looking to the future, and has been celebrated as a part of Maori culture for more than a thousand years. This year was its first as a public holiday. What could you do for Matariki?
For Matariki there were lots of free events that the Wellington City Council planned. There were some exhibitions in June like the Courtney Place Light Boxes by Tanya Te Miringa Te Rorarangi Ruka, which were displayed from the 28th of May. There was also the Waituhi flags and a mural on the Frank Kitts park waterfront doors, which featured art by Tane Morris, and the Masons Screen. As well as that there was the Ahi Kā from 6-9pm, Thursday 23 - Sunday 26 June, at Te Papa, the waterfront, and Te Ngākau Civic Square, involving fire, projections, performances and displays. In addition, there were also the Matariki Fireworks at 7:15pm on Friday the 24th of June at the Wellington waterfront - there were food trucks around the waterfront on Friday the 24th as well. To reduce waste, the council was trying out having plates, cups, and bowls that you can return after you eat.
How can you find Matariki? Matariki is one of the closest constellations to Earth, and appears low on the east side of the horizon in the early morning hours (the best times to see Matariki are between 5:30 and 6:30, just before dawn) in mid winter. This year, the best days to see Matariki are between the 21st of June up until the 29th. However, you can see Matariki from then, all the way until the 13th of May, 2023. You can find Matariki by looking for the bottom three stars of Orion's belt, or Tautoru, which is its Maori name (see fig 1.). Then, look upwards until you see the bright star Puanga (Rigel, which is also in Orion's belt). Then looks west and you'll see Matariki.
How to find Matariki; figure 1
The stars of Matariki; figure 2
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