Nga whetu o Matariki – Matariki Stars

Did you know that the Matariki constellation can be see from many parts of the world and not just in Aotearoa New Zealand?  It also has several different names!  In Japan the star cluster is known as Subaru (like the car), meaning united or getting together.  In other cultures the stars are known as Pleiades, the Seven Sisters, Matali’i and Messier 45.

For Māori, Matariki means the eyes of God (mata ariki) or little eyes (mata riki).  This refers to a traditional Māori myth where the eyes watch over the Aotearoa, the land and its people.  The other star celebrated in Māori culture at the same time of year as Matariki  is Puanga, or Reigal . Puanga is the bright white star seen over Orions belt – or, as the Māori saw it, the berry bait hanging over the perch of the snare for the kereru.

You might like to see if you can find the Matariki constellation in the sky yourself (if you can brave getting out of bed at 5am it will definately be worth it!)  Follow this beginner’s guide to finding Matariki or this link: help finding Matariki.

And if you’re interested in Astronomy, here’s a selection of cool books available in our collection: