Matariki signals the Māori lunar new year and has been celebrated by Māori iwi for generations. It takes place each year in winter, when the Matariki star cluster rises in the early morning sky and a new moon appears.
Matariki was traditionally marked with offerings to ancestors, the lighting of ritual fires, harvest feasts, and time set aside to honour those who have passed and plan for the year ahead. Māori believed that the brightness of the stars predicted the bounty of the upcoming harvest and the wellbeing of the people. It was a spiritual and seasonal reset, and an invitation to pause, reflect, and reconnect with both the natural world and one another.
Since the early 2000s, Matariki has seen a revival in Aotearoa. Today, it is a national holiday that brings communities together to honour the past, celebrate the present, and look ahead with hope.
What is Matariki?
Matariki is the name for a cluster of stars otherwise known as Pleiades or Seven Sisters. The name Matariki comes from the phrase ‘Ngā mata o te ariki Tāwhirimātea’, ‘the eyes of the god Tāwhirimātea’.
After Ranginui (sky) and Papatūānuku (earth) were separated, Tāwhirimātea waged war on his brothers, as he wanted his parents to remain together. When he was eventually defeated he plucked out his eyes, crushed them in his hands, and threw them into the sky where they stuck to his father’s chest and became the stars of Matariki. Read more about the significance of Matariki.
In te ao Māori, each of the stars (whetū) in the cluster carries a unique and powerful meaning and plays a role in preparing the natural world for the coming year:
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Matariki – health, well-being, vitality and peace
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Tupuānuku – the land, soil, and everything that grows in the earth
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Tupuārangi – everything that grows above the earth: forests, trees and birds
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Ururangi – atmospheric conditions, wind and sky
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Waipunarangi – rain and frosts
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Waitī – lakes, rivers, streams, and freshwater food
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Waitā – oceans and kai moana
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Hiwa-i-te-rangi – growth, wishes, and hopes for the year ahead.
- Pōhutukawa – loss, gratitude and remembrance of those who have passed
Where does sleep fit into Matariki?
Traditionally, sleep was governed by the rising and setting of the sun, so periods of consciousness and unconsciousness were regulated, and life fit naturally into this circadian rhythm. Compare this to the way most of us live today, where sleep is a secondary consideration to the demands of life, work, and technology.
We know sleep plays a vital role in wellbeing (hauora), and ensuring physical, mental, and spiritual health. In te ao Māori, sleep (moe) is also a spiritual experience, and dreams (moemoeā) are important sources of guidance and insight. During sleep the wairua (spirit) awakens and journeys to find the knowledge, guidance, and peace we need to thrive in everyday life.
Matariki falls in winter, which is traditionally a period of rest and recovery after the harvest. The long winter nights encourage us to sleep earlier, deeper and longer, aligning with the natural cycle of hibernation and regeneration, while giving the wairua more space to recharge and prepare for the days ahead.
So let’s celebrate sleep as a taonga (treasure) this Matariki, and give ourselves permission to rest, dream, heal, and grow.
Ngā mihi o Matariki, te tau hou Māori!