Celebrating Matariki

Today our Middle Team celebrated Matariki.
Matariki is the Maori New Year celebration.

On Thursday we peeled our vegetables. On Friday morning the hangi was cooked and we had our kai for lunch on Friday.
We had a hangi, weaved flax flowers and created a 'Matatriki Stars' piece of art work.

Here are some photos of our celebration...



  Do you celebrate Matariki? If so, how do you celebrate? 

The Seven stars of Matariki

This is the legend of The Seven Stars of Matariki.

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What did you find interesting?

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Matariki

Information on Matariki

This week, on the 21st June, New Zealand will celebrate Matariki.

What is Matariki?
Matariki is the Māori name for the star cluster known as the Pleiades.
Traditionally for Māori, when it appeared just before dawn in late May or early June, it signalled the start of the Māori New Year. For some tribes, the rising of Puanga (Rigel in Orion) signals the start of the New Year.

When is Matariki?
Different tribes celebrated Matariki at different times. For some it was when Matariki rose in May/June. For others it was celebrated at the first new moon, or full moon, following the rising of Matariki. In the 21st century it is the new moon following the rising of Matariki that signals the New Year.

sourced from http://www.kiwikidsnews.co.nz/moduleid-418

Read our previous post... our voicethread about what we learnt about matatriki.

What did you learn?

What questions do you have?

Matariki