Matariki display at kauri museum

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Maori New Year, celebrated between June 28 and July 28. This is when the Matariki star cluster also known as Pleiades or the Seven Sisters, appears in the night sky and also signals the beginning of the Maori horticultural calendar called Maramataka. This is a time to enjoy the autumn harvest and plan the year ahead.

While Maori have traditionally planted and harvested by the cycles of the moon there are some subtle differences between Maramataka and the standard moon calendar. For example the Maori calendar specifies individual days for activities, the traditional calendar indicates groups of days.

Wiremu Puke, creator of the traditional Maori gardens at the Hamilton Garden says they plant kumara on a new moon in late October/early November when the Matariki stars are at their brightest. Harvesting then takes place in late March before the first frosts.

The Seven Sisters mentioned earlier are depicted in displays at the Matakohe Kauri Museum (pictured) until the end of August. These include historical references from schools in each of the seven ridings of the old Otamatea District.

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