Matariki / Puanga

[Ianab]

Well we officially have a brand new public holiday here in NZ. 8)

Matariki is the Maori New Year, and is marked by when the Pleiades star cluster becomes visible again in the morning sky, which is also around the shortest day in Winter. Anyway, the Maori would mark that as the "start" of their calendar, and work out their crop farming and fishing from there. Locally it's called Puanga, because the Pleiades are hard to spot with a big Mt blocking the view, so the local tribe looked for a star called Puanga (Rigel), which appears about the same time of year. 

It had fallen out of use over the years as a European calendar was adopted, but it never really went away, and has become more observed in recent years. This year is the first time it's actually been a public holiday, so I don't think there is any real tradition on exactly how to celebrate it. 

Anyway, a light show seemed fitting, and as the annual Christmas light show in New Plymouth was canned due to Covid, the city put on a mini light festival at the plaza in the middle of town. 

Got lucky with the weather, clear and cold, but at least not raining like the last 2 weeks. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matariki



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Hilltop366]

HAPPY MATARIKI!