Tawhirimatea Creates the Matariki Stars
A Māori legend for Year 1 students How the god of wind made our special stars
Meet Tawhirimatea
Tawhirimatea is the Māori god of wind He controls all the winds and storms He is very powerful and can be gentle or strong
The Family of Gods
Tawhirimatea had many brothers His father was Ranginui (Sky Father) His mother was Papatūānuku (Earth Mother) All the brothers lived together
What do you think happened next?
The brothers decided to do something that made Tawhirimatea very upset Can you guess what might make the wind god angry?
The Brothers Separate Their Parents
The brothers pushed Ranginui (sky) up high They pushed Papatūānuku (earth) down low This separated their parents forever Tawhirimatea was very, very angry!
Tawhirimatea's Great Storm
Tawhirimatea created the biggest storm ever He sent strong winds everywhere He wanted to punish his brothers The storm was so powerful it shook everything
The Eyes Fly to the Sky
The Matariki Stars are Born
The seven eyes became seven bright stars They grouped together in the sky We call them Matariki They watch over us from above
Let's Count the Matariki Stars
Can you count all seven stars? Point to each star as we count 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7! Well done!
Matariki Reminds Us
Every year, Matariki returns to remind us of this special story The stars connect us to our ancestors and the land