Matariki: Te Whetu o te Tau | Rangi Matamua

Te Reo Māori edition. In mid-winter, Matariki rises in the pre-dawn sky, and its observation is celebrated with incantations on hilltops at dawn, balls, exhibitions, dinners and a vast number of events. The Matariki tradition has been re-established, and its regeneration coincides with a growing interest in Māori astronomy. Still, there remain some unanswered questions about how Matariki was traditionally observed. These include: What is Matariki? Why did Māori observe Matariki? How did Māori traditionally celebrate Matariki? When and how should Matariki be celebrated? Based on research and interviews with Māori experts, this book seeks answers to these questions and explores what Matariki was in a traditional sense so it can be understood and celebrated in our modern society.

Dr Rangi Matamua (Tuhoe) is an associate professor at the University of Waikato, and his research fields are Maori astronomy and star lore, Maori culture, and Maori language development, research and revitalisation. He travels extensively throughout the country giving public lectures about Matariki and Maori Astronomy.