Happy Matariki everyone!
In the Māori language Matariki is both the name of the Pleiades star cluster and also of the season of its first rising[1] in late May or early June—taken as the beginning of the new year.[2] Similar words occur in most Polynesian languages, deriving from Proto-Polynesian *mataliki, meaning minute, small, and the use of the term for the Pleiades constellation is also ancient and has been reconstructed to Eastern Oceanic ( taken from Wikipedia)
Events to celebrate this New Year are being held around New Zealand over this month.
In Wellington, the Carter Observatory (at the top of the Cable Car) often has a full programme to mark this annual event, including a ‘family day’.
Taputeranga Marae in Island Bay, Wellington are having Matariki Celebrations from the 22nd to 23rd June, should be fun.
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will try and pop in to some celebrations 🙂
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