KARAKA
Nā Victoria Campbell
Tākina mai rā te huihuika o Matariki, o Puaka, o Tautoru, o Takurua. Ko Puaka ki ruka hai tohu o te wā, kia rite ai kā tākata. Kia whakakau ake a Matariki ka pānuitia ia whetū e taea ai te matapae i te tau e tū mai nei. He wā hoki kia poroporoaki ai te huka mate o te tau ka huri. Tērā a Pōhutukawa he pae whakamahara mō aku tau kahuraki.
Kua kohia kā tipu kia tāpaea ki a Matariki. Ko te manaaki, ko te atawhai i te taiao ētahi kaupapa nui mō te whakanui i a Matariki kia whakamanawatia te whenua me te wai. Tērā a Waitī, a Waitā, a Waipuna-ā-raki, a Tupuāraki, a Tupuānuku, a Ururaki, kia mahara hoki tātou ki te tiaki i te ao tūroa, mō tātou ā mō kā uri ā muri ake nei. Tērā hoki a Hiwaiteraki hai awhero o kā wawata.
Horahia nuitia mai kā hua tuawhiti mātinitini o te tau.
For centuries, people across the world have observed the rising and setting of stars as indicators of seasonal change and prosperity. In Aotearoa New Zealand the helical rising of the constellations Matariki (Pleiades) and Tautoru (Orion), and the stars Puaka (Rigel) and Takurua (Sirius), represents this transformation. When Puaka is suspended above here in the South, we know it is time to prepare for the cyclical adjustment. When Matariki rises, an insight can be acquired into the season ahead. It is also a time of reflection and to farewell those who have passed on. Pōhutukawa (Sterope) is the star that reminds us of our treasured ones that have gone.
Matariki signifies our connection to the environment and our food resources. Traditionally, food was cooked and offered to the star cluster, reminding us to respect and care for the natural world, so that future generations may enjoy the same quality of life we cherish. The stars of Matariki hold dominion over particular areas of our environment: Waitī (Maia) – fresh water; Waitā (Taygeta) – the sea; Waipuna-ā-raki (Electra) – the rain; Tupuānuku (Pleione) – everything that grows within soil; Tupuāraki (Atlas) – everything that grows above ground, and Ururaki (Merope) – the winds. There is also Hiwaiteraki (Calæno), the star associated with granting our wishes and realising our aspirations for the coming year.
Let us be favoured by the multitude of immense opportunities.
KAUPAPA
In Ōtepoti Dunedin we celebrate the Māori New Year through a diverse citywide programme of community events. The return of the lone star Puaka and the star cluster Matariki to our pre-dawn midwinter skies heralds the time to come together to share stories, pass on knowledge and learning, remember the dear departed, and plan for the year ahead. Communities will gather to celebrate the season at shared feasts, at fun and educational programmes presented by public institutions such as our Galleries, Libraries, Archives and Museums, and through a wide range of Mātauraka Māori science lectures and Toi Māori visual arts, music and dance performance events.