Matariki Facts

Matariki

• It is a cluster or constellation of seven stars.
• Maori new year - time of first rising.
• Names of the stars in the cluster are: Matariki, Tupu-a-nuku, Tupu-a-rangi, Waiti, Waita, Waipuna-a-rangi and Ururangi.
• The first rising in late May or early June.
• Matariki means minute and small.
• The constellation was important for Navigation and timing the seasons.
• In other cultures, also known as Pleiades, Hawai’i = Makali’i, Japanese = Subaru, Aztec = Tianquiztl, Egypt = Chu