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Matariki Learning Booklet

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Matariki Learning Booklet

Read the short passage, then complete the activities. Use the kupu and information in the booklet to support your answers. You may answer in te reo Māori, English, or both where a question invites reflection.

He aha te Matariki?

Matariki is the Māori name for the Pleiades star cluster. Its mid-winter appearance in the morning sky is an important seasonal marker for many iwi and communities. Matariki is often a time to remember those who have died, celebrate the present, and look ahead with hope. The nine stars commonly acknowledged in Aotearoa are Matariki, Pōhutukawa, Tupuānuku, Tupuārangi, Waitī, Waitā, Waipuna-ā-rangi, Ururangi and Hiwa-i-te-rangi. Their associations connect people with remembrance, food from the land and sky, fresh water, the ocean, winds and aspirations. In this booklet, Pōhutukawa is associated with remembrance; Tupuānuku with food from the land; Tupuārangi with food from the sky; Waitī with fresh water; Waitā with the ocean; Waipuna-ā-rangi with rain; Ururangi with winds; and Hiwa-i-te-rangi with aspirations. Practices and knowledge may differ between iwi.

1.According to the passage, what seasonal event does the appearance of Matariki mark?

2.Which three ideas are often part of Matariki celebrations?

Remembering those who have died, celebrating the present, and looking ahead
Only predicting the weather
Marking the first day of summer
Celebrating the end of the school year

3.Match each te reo Māori word with its English meaning.

whetū
whānau
kai
marama

food
star
family
moon

4.The passage says that every iwi observes Matariki in exactly the same way.

TrueFalse

5.Use the passage to complete the sentence: Tupuānuku is associated with food from the .

6.Name two parts of the natural world, besides the stars, that the associations of Matariki connect people with.

7.Translate this sentence into English: “Ka titiro a Tane ki ngā whetū.”

8.Choose one of the eight stars in the passage with an association given: Pōhutukawa, Tupuānuku, Tupuārangi, Waitī, Waitā, Waipuna-ā-rangi, Ururangi, or Hiwa-i-te-rangi. Write its name and describe the association given for it, using your own words.

9.Write a two-sentence message for a community Matariki gathering. Include at least two te reo Māori kupu from this booklet and explain one way people might mark the occasion.

10.What is one hope or goal you would like to carry into the new year? Write it in English or te reo Māori, and explain why it matters to you.