Matariki: The Māori New Year, It is a significant celebration in New Zealand that marks the beginning of the Māori New Year. Matariki is also known as the Pleiades which rises in midwinter. It’s a time of reflection, renewal, and cultural connection.

Matariki has it’s special cultural value Including:

Interview

To gain a deeper understanding of Matariki and ensure cultural respect, I decided to interview my high school Te Reo Māori language teacher – Patracia Tauariki, who has an in-depth knowledge of Māori culture.

“We have a responsibility to not protect it, but to ensure it we leave it as we found it or even in a better condition. That relates to the greenery, plants or waterways” said Patricia Tauariki.

The concept of ‘Kaitiaki’ emphasizes the intrinsic link between people and the environment, viewing humans as part of te taiao (the environment) and managing relationships accordingly.

Patricia also introduced me that in Māori culture, the relationship between individuals and nature, family (whānau), and tribe (iwi) is deeply intertwined. Māori people define their identity and sense of belonging through their connection to specific natural landmarks such as mountains and rivers. “Everyone has a profile or moutain that they connect to, for them it is a sense of belongning. When we don’t have these we struggle to find who we are as a people”