Matariki and Puanga. What’s the difference?

This year, in Aotearoa, New Zealand, we will celebrate Te Mātahi o te Tau (The Māori New Year) on June 28.

The appearance of the Matariki star cluster (Pleiades) low on the eastern horizon before sunrise indicates the first month of the Māori New Year.

Some iwi Māori struggle to see Matariki because it’s not always visible from their locations, so they look to the rise of the Puanga star (Rigel) instead.

Puanga appears in the same place above a hill or mountain in the Eastern sky and is celebrated by iwi in Taranaki, Whanganui, Rangatīkei and some iwi in the Far North and the South Island.

The main difference between Matariki and Puanga is that Puanga is about clearing the decks to mark the end of the year and setting up for the next, while Matariki emphasises the new year more.

Ko Puanga te pae ārahi i ngā tohu o te tau hou i te pae ururangi

Puanga leads the celestial signs to herald the New Year

Mānawa maiea te putanga o Matariki. Mānawa maiea te Ariki o te Rangi. Mānawa maiea Te Mātahi o te Tau

Hail the rise of Matariki. Hail the Lord of the Sky. Hail the New Year

When do Matariki and Puanga begin?

The first new moon in the month of Pipiri (May/June) is when Matariki and Puanga set for about a month.

It is a time to harvest kai (food) and prepare the soil for the cold months ahead. It is also a chance to reflect on the past year, remember loved ones and plan for the coming year.

Unlike Matariki, Puanga remains visible. When Matariki and Puanga rise again in the early morning sky, it signifies the start of the Māori New Year.

Ka ara mai a Matariki, ka ara mai a puanga, ka mānawatia a Puanga, ka manawatia a Matariki

Matariki rises, Puanga rises, celebrate Puanga, celebrate Matariki

Te Waka o Rangi

Te Waka o Rangi is a constellation known as a canoe with Matariki at the front and Puanga with Tautoru (Orion’s Belt) at the stern. It is captained by a star called Taramainuku.

Each night, Taramainuku casts his net down to earth to gather the souls of those who died that day. After 11 months, he takes the souls to the underworld when the constellation sets next to the sun in Pipiri (May/June).

The constellation rises again in a month, and the souls are released into the sky to become stars, which is the origin of the saying:

Kua wheturangihia koe

You have now become a star

Reading Matariki

Matariki is an important part of some Māori traditions, and its appearance is used to predict the year to come. Some iwi acknowledge and read both Matariki and Puanga for signs of what lies ahead.

If a star is bright, it signifies good outcomes (plentiful food or good weather). If a star is dim or missing, it represents adverse outcomes in the coming year.

Māori tradition follows a lunar calendar, not the European calendar, so the timing of Matariki does not always align with June.

Matariki must be read when the moon is in the correct phase in Pipiri, specifically when it is in Tangaroa at the end of its third quarter and into the last quarter.

The celebrations take place after this specific phase of the moon.

Matariki hunga nui

Matariki, the gatherer of people

The nine whetū (stars) of Matariki

Matariki (Alcyone)

She is the mother of the stars and represents reflection, hope, and connection to the environment, health, well-being, and the gathering of people.

Pōhutukawa (Sterope/Asterope)

Is the star connected to those who have passed on.

Tupuānuku (Pleione)

Linked to everything that grows in the soil and is harvested for food.

Tupuārangi (Atlas)

Related to the growth of fruits, berries, and birds in the trees.

Waitī?(Maia) and?Waitā?(Taygeta)

The twin stars are connected to all freshwater and saltwater bodies and the food sources sustained by them.

Waipunarangi?(Electra)

This star is related to the rain.?The name itself means ‘water that pools in the sky’.

Ururangi?(Merope)

Tied to the winds.?The name means ‘the winds of the sky’.

Hiwaiterangi?(Celaeno)

It is the youngest star in the cluster and is associated with granting wishes and realising aspirations for the coming year.

Celebrating Matariki and Puanga

Te Mātahi o te Tau is a time for gathering, reflection, hope, and connection to the environment. It’s also a time to predict the coming year, celebrate with hospitality and respect, and share food with others.

Ways you can celebrate Matariki and Puanga:

• Take a moment to honour loved ones who are no longer with us
• Give thanks for the past year
• Spend quality time with your family and friends
• Have a special Matariki feast together
• Write down your hopes and dreams for the year ahead
• Celebrate in a way that feels meaningful to you

Matariki ahunga nui

The great mounds of Matariki

Puanga kai rau

The abundant harvest of Puanga

Ko wai au? (Who am I?)

Ko Taranaki te mounga

Ko Hangatāhua me Waiaua ngā awa

Ko Kurahaupō me te Rangi-mārie-i-te ao ngā waka

Ko Taranaki Tūturu te iwi

Ko Ngā Mahanga a Tairi me Ngāti Haumia ngā hapū

Ko Puniho me ōrimupiko ngā pā

Ko Kathryn George ahau

Sources:

Living by the Stars – Professor Rangi Matamua (Tūhoe)

Te Wānanga o Aotearoa – Mānawatia a Matariki

Auckland University of Technology – The 9 whetū (stars) of Matariki by Hāriata Mann (Ngāi Tuhoe Ngāti Kahungungu ki te Wairoa)

Te Papa Tongarewa – Celebrate our New Year

Puanganui o te Rangi – Kōrero tuku iho (traditional stories) about Puanga from the perspective of Te Taiuru – the iwi of Taranaki, Whanganui and Rangitīkei.

* Most of the images in this article were first published during my employment at Stuff Media. Much credit must be given to Stuff's fabulous Pou Tiaki team for supporting and guiding me with my visual representation of Matariki.