Hot topic: Matariki

Hot Topic for June 2008

Matariki, or the Māori New Year, heralds the arrival of the first new moon after the rising of the star cluster Pleiades in the eastern sky at dawn. It marks the end of the traditional harvest and the beginning of the 'new year' planting season. It is a time of feasting, fun, and festivity.

Matariki has become a fixed event on the New Zealand calendar. Its recent popularity has engendered great online resources and activities. This list has been narrowed down to resources that will be most useful to teachers and students.

Resources on TKI

Christchurch City Libraries – Matariki
Read all about events, traditions, and culture that relate to the star cluster of Matariki. A new Matariki teachers resource (PDF 406KB), aimed at students from years 1–8, is also available to download.
http://library.christchurch.org.nz/Reference/Holidays/Matariki/

Matariki Festival at Te Papa
Utilise this Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa teaching resource on Matariki. Included is a unit plan, information about the months of the Māori calendar (maramataka), traditional Māori gardening tools, poi, traditional Māori instruments (taonga pūoro), potatoes, and Māori medicine. Can be viewed in te reo Māori and English.
http://www.tepapa.govt.nz/TePapa/English/Learning/OnlineResources/Matariki/

Kōrero Māori
Use the left-hand panel to access resources on Matariki, including a PDF copy of a booklet produced by Te Taura Whiri i te reo Māori – The Māori Language Commission. The teacher resource is for those teachers in Māori immersion and kura kaupapa. It includes activities and whakatauki related to Matariki.
http://www.matariki.net.nz/

Te Taura Whiri i te reo Māori The Māori Language Commission – Matariki
Explore the spiritual significance of Matariki to Māori with these resources and activities. Included is a crossword, word search, astronomical terms, proverbs, and a teachers guide with suggested activities.
http://www.tetaurawhiri.govt.nz/maori/matariki_m/index.shtml

Transit of Venus – Waka Voyaging Videos
Select from these videos, including: Does History Matter?; Matariki: Māori New Year; Matariki: The Māori Stars; Hawaikinui: Origins of the Waka; Hawaikinui: The Voyage; Hawaikinui: The Ancestors Were Right; Mataatua & Te Aurere; Modern Waka Construction; Traditional Navigation; Polynesian Navigators; The Living Knowledge; and Canoe. Students will learn about Māori and Polynesian culture, astronomy, and navigation.
http://transitofvenus.auckland.ac.nz/video/waka_video.html#Hawaiikinui_1

Auahi Kore – Matariki
Choose from seven posters celebrating Matariki. Teachers are able to order the free posters online.
http://www.auahikore.co.nz/resources/matariki.htm

AstronomyNZ – Māori Astronomy
Visit this site for comprehensive information on Matariki and Māori astronomy (Taatai Arorangi).
http://www.astronomynz.org.nz/maori/maori.htm

Kōrero Māori – Matariki: Aotearoa Pacific New Year
Explore the resources available on Matariki. Korero Māori has gathered together facts and figures, stories, and celebration ideas, as well as teacher resources.
http://www.korero.maori.nz/news/matariki