The Māori New Year has always been celebrated with the rise of the star cluster Matariki. It marks the beginning of the Aotearoa/Pacific New Year according to the lunar calendar. The Matariki stars this year rise from 13th - 19th July, the second week of the school holidays.
As part of celebrating Matariki we sang two songs in assembly this week:
What is Matariki?
Matariki is the Māori name for the cluster of stars also known as the Pleiades. It rises in mid-winter and for many Māori, it heralds the start of a new year.
Cycles of life and death
Traditionally, Matariki was a time to remember those who had died in the last year. But it was also a happy event – crops had been harvested and seafood and birds had been collected. With plenty of food in the storehouses, Matariki was a time for singing, dancing and feasting.
Features
A special feature of Matariki celebrations is the flying of kites – according to ancient custom they flutter close to the stars.
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