default-output-block.skip-main
National | Matariki

Roadshow to convey true meaning of Matariki

Te Wānanga o Aotearoa's roadshow, Te Iwa o Matariki, will kick off on Monday 27 June to re-educate New Zealanders about Matariki.

The roadshow is challenging commonly held misconceptions about Matariki.

According to Te Wānanga o Aotearoa tikanga Māori experts, the star cluster Matariki actually consists of nine stars, not seven.

Poutiaki Reo Māori, Paraone Gloyne is visiting five Te Wānanga o Aotearoa sites around the North Island where he will present a mobile movie experience to re-educate New Zealanders about Matariki.

The roadshow is free to the community and is an opportunity for the public to engage with traditional kōrero about Matariki and the theories around the nine stars.

Gloyne says, “We can show you that there are actually nine stars in Matariki – not seven – according to Māori custom and tradition. The two other whetū are Pōhutukawa and Hiwaiterangi. Pōhutukawa has a connection to the afterlife, and Hiwaiterangi has a connection to our aspirations and dreams for the year ahead.

Each of these stars has great significance for te ao Māori so it is unfortunate that the beliefs of other cultures have been allowed to permeate our own.”

Paraone says the presentation is a “rediscovery of the old” and is vital in maintaining traditional Māori knowledge that could otherwise be lost.

He says, “It’s a reminder that there is a lot of mātauranga Māori out there yet to be re-discovered and re-learned. This ‘new old-knowledge’ around Matariki challenges our perception pushing us to consider the deeper meaning of Matariki and its importance.”

The 15-minute movie will visit the following Te Wānanga o Aotearoa sites:


·      Monday 27th June: Whangārei 

·      Tuesday 28th June: Hamilton-Raroera

·      Wednesday 29th June: Rotorua-Turipuku

·      Friday 1st July: Gisborne

·      Tuesday 5th July: Wellington – Porirua

·      Saturday 9th July: Super 12's competition-Auckland-The Cloud-Viaduct