Matariki: Learning about Māori New Year and the beautiful stars that guide it

New Year’s celebrations differ around the world, and they also happen at different times. In Western areas like Europe or the US, New Year’s is celebrated between the 31st of December and the 1st of January, but in China, for example, they celebrate the Lunar New Year and the date for this changes.

In Aotearoa New Zealand, the Indigenous Māori community celebrates their New Year in June or July. This celebration is called Matariki and was only declared a national holiday in 2022. Many traditions and gatherings ensue and it is a time of deep joy, connection, and celebration.

Ngamako, a young Māori woman, was chosen to lead her iwi’s Hautapu (a ritual in which the stars are fed) as the New Year begins, and she has kindly taken us on the journey with her. Discover what Matariki means to Māori people and why the recent decision to make it a national Aotearoa New Zealand public holiday is a crucial one.

What is Matariki?

Matariki is the name of the Māori New Year as well as the name of a cluster of stars, which you may know under the name of the Pleiades. Matariki is made up of over 500 stars, but there are 9 main ones visible without the aid of a telescope. It’s when these stars rise, between June and July, that Māori New Year begins.

“We celebrate the winter solstice or the Māori New Year,” Ngamako explains. “Matariki is a time where we get to reflect together and reflect on those who have passed on.”

“I think what I really love about this time of year is it does feel like a new year, but more than that this celebration is really grounded and it’s about moving inward and truly reflecting.”

Have you always celebrated Matariki? What does this day mean to you?

“It makes me feel quite emotional, actually. In the best way,” says Ngamako. Ngamako lives in the city in Tāmaki (Auckland), away from her family marae and iwi, so getting the chance to return home is a blessing to her. Many other Māori people will be doing the same. “Matariki is a time to return to our roots, a time to be with our whānau (family).”

“Over the last two weeks it’s been beautiful to see my whānau across the motu (island). Some people have returned to their marae, sometimes just for the Matariki celebrations, and I think that’s the beautiful thing about it.”

Matariki is a time for people of all cultures and backgrounds to get together, “I never feel as seen as I do on Matariki. We went out for lunch and all the people on the road, the staff working at the restaurant, everyone was saying ‘Mānawatia a Matariki!’ (Happy Māori New Year!). None of these people knew each other and they were all from different cultures, but everyone took the time to acknowledge Matariki and embrace who we are and where we come from.”

What is a Hautapu?

The Hautapu is an essential part of Matariki and it involves the whole marae community. Ngamako was chosen by her iwi to lead the Hautapu recently which she accepted as a great privilege. “We give to the stars and hopefully they give back.” Hautapu means to feed the stars with an offering.

“It’s like manifesting. We recite karakia (prayers) and karanga (traditional callings) to these stars. We’re asking for an abundance of kai (food) in our stores for the following year so that we can help sustain our marae and keep feeding the whānau. If the flow of the spiritual side is strong, the celebration will be successful.”

Food is cooked by the members of the marae and makes up an important part of the practice of Hautapu: “the hope is that when we release our kai, it’s cooked enough that the steam released, the sacred breath, will feed our stars and feed our gods.”

This year, Ngamako led her iwi in the Hautapu and the karanga, the traditional calling of Matariki and feeding of the stars. 

Why is celebrating Matariki important to you?

Matariki is important to many Māori people for more than the typical reasons there are to love New Year’s celebrations. Ngamako goes on to say that “[Matariki] is about loving each other, looking after each other, and also giving our aspirations to the new year to come, and for the years to come after.” 

Matariki is a projection forwards, and also a time to look over your shoulder at the past.

“I think it’s about moving inward and looking into your iwi, into your whānau, into yourself, and reflecting.” Matariki is a celebration, yes, but not in ‘fireworks and partying’ way that many Western cultures have adopted. “It’s about celebrating those in my whānau who have passed on, and a time to let them go in a healthy manner. It’s a time to sit down at the table and ask others ‘How are you?’.”

“I think this is starting, but I would love to see Matariki become a worldwide celebration.”

If you want to experience authentic Māori culture, check out our Real New Zealand trip where you will receive a traditional welcome (called Pōwhiri), and stay in a marae for two nights.