Matariki rāua ko Puanga

CULTURE | ISSUE SEVEN | MATARIKI

Written by Ronik Shah (he/him) | @reowithronzie | Contributing Writer

I ahu mai taku mōhio ki te whetū, arā ko Matariki, i a au e noho ana i Ingarangi i te tau 2020.

I te whakarongo ahau ki te terenga tuatahi ake o Taringa, nā Te Whare Wānanaga o Aotearoa. Ko Tākuta Rangi Mātāmua te kaikōrero manuhiri. I whakamōhio mai ia, mai rā anō whai ai ōna tūpuna i ngā putunga, i ngā wehenga o ngā whetū hei tohu o ngā wahanga o te tau. Ko te putunga o Matariki he tohu o te tau hau Māori.

I tērā tau, i Ingarangi tonu ahau, i mataki au i tētahi ataata nā Te Aorere Pēwhairangi (Te pukukata hoki o tēnei tangata) mō Matariki rāua ko Puanga. He kaikōrero anō ki tōna taha, matatau ki ngā mātauranga o ngā whetū. I ako ahau, ki ētahi iwi he whetū anō ko Puanga, ko tōna putanga kē te tohu o te tau hou ki a rātou. Ahakoa i pārekareka katoa ngā kōrero ki au, i te rakuraku au i taku mahanga, me te whakaaro, kōwai tēnei kaikōrero? Kātahi ka taka te kapa. Kāore anō ahau kia kite i tōna kanohi engari i mōhio kē au ki tōna reo. Ko Tākuta Rangi Mātāmua. 

Ināianei kei Aotearoa ahau. Kua kitea e au ngā hua o te whakapau kaha a Tākuta Rangi Mātāmua kia whakarauora ai i ēnei mātauranga tuku iho.

Tuatahi ake, e maha ngā tamariki, pīpīpaopao, e mōhio kē ki ngā whetū o Matariki nā tētahi waiata kohanga reo. Ko te rangi o te waiata he orite ki te waiata Makarena, engari kua panonitia ngā mahi a ringa kia hāngai pū ai ki i a whetū o te kāhui whetū o Matariki.  

Tuarua, kua tapaina ngā tamariki o tēnei reanga ki ngā ingoa o te kāhui whetū o Matariki. Ki au he tohu nui tēnei kei te piki te mōhio ki a Matariki. 

Tuatoru, tērā pea, te mea matua ake. Whā tau ki muri i whakamanhia a Matariki hei rā whakatā a ture. He mea matua tēnei nā te mea e wātea ana te motu whānui ki te mānawa a Matariki. 

Tuawhā, pāho ai te hautapu i te pouaka whakaata. Mā te tunu i ngā kai kohia, kaingāhere mai, kaimoana mai, kaiwaimāori mai ka whāngaia ngā whetū o Matariki ki te koromamao i te umu.

I tōku ake whakapono, Jainism, ka whai hoki mātou i te maramataka hei tohu i te tikanga e whai pānga ki te kai. Me mānawa a Matariki ka tika.Mānawatia Matariki, Mānawatia Puanga! Mauri ora!

I first heard of the star Matariki when I was living in England in 2020. I was listening to the very first episode of the podcast Taringa by Te Wānanga o Aotearoa. Dr Rangi Mātāmua was the guest speaker. He enlightened us that since way back when, his ancestors have been following the emergence and departure of stars to mark the seasons of the year. The emergence of Matariki signifies the Māori new year. 

Last year, still in England, I watched a video by Te Aorere Pēwhairangi (what a crack up guy) about Matariki and Puanga. At his side was a matua extremely knowledgeable about the stars. I learned that to some iwi, the emergence of Puanga instead marks the arrival of the Māori new year. Despite how captivating the kōrero was, I was left scratching my head. Where did I know that voice from? And then the penny dropped. I had not yet seen his face but recognised his voice from the first episode of Taringa. Dr Rangi Mātāmua.

Now I'm in Aotearoa. I have seen the fruits of the dedication of Dr Rangi Mātāmua to revitalise this knowledge passed down generation by generation. 

Firstly, many new starters at school already know all the stars of Matariki because of a song taught in Kōhanga reo. It follows the tune of Makarena but the actions have been swapped to relate to each star in the Matariki cluster. 

Secondly, kids of this generation have been named after stars in the cluster. To me this is a sign of the increased awareness of Matariki. 

Thirdly, perhaps the most importantly, Matariki has been recognised as a national holiday four years ago. This is significant because it allows the whole country to honour Matariki. 

Fourthly, a Hautapu ceremony is broadcast where foods gathered from the sea, land and freshwater are cooked in an earth oven and the rising steam feeds the stars to pay homage to them. 

In my own religion, Jainism, we also follow a lunar calendar to guide tikanga relating to food. It's only right that we honour Matariki. 

Mānawatia a Matariki, mānawatia a Puanga! 

Mauri ora! 

Art by Breana-Ann Kaponga (Te Atiawa) @kxpnga