Matariki is known as the Māori New Year in Te Ao Māori (the Māori world view)

Closely connected with the maramataka (the Māori lunar calendar), the reappearance of the Matariki stars in the early morning sky brings the past year to a close and marks the beginning of the new year.

Mātauranga/Mātauraka Māori (ancestral knowledge and wisdom) is at the heart of celebrations of the Matariki public holiday and it will be a time for;

* Remembrance – Honouring those we have lost since the last rising of Matariki 

* Celebrating the present -Gathering together to give thanks for what we have 

* Looking to the future – Looking forward to the promise of a new year

Historically, the stars of Matariki were also closely tied to planting, harvesting and hunting. If the stars appeared clear and bright, it signified an abundant season ahead.

This year the Matariki public holiday falls on Friday 20 June, 2025, marking the reappearance of the constellation. The best time to view the Matariki cluster is early morning, just before dawn.

All iwi celebrate the Māori New Year in June or July, but not all iwi refer specifically to this time of year as Matariki. Instead, other iwi will name this time of year Puaka/ ‘Puanga’.

Why do some iwi look for Puaka/Puanga?

Puanga is given prominence mainly because some iwi struggle to see Matariki clearly from their locality and therefore look to the next important star near Matariki. That star is Puanga.

This is not a rejection of Matariki as many of these iwi will still refer to Matariki and the other names in the constellation in their tribal narratives – however, Puaka/Puanga is given preference.

Which iwi celebrate Puaka/Puanga?

The tribes of Whanganui, Taranaki, parts of the Far North, and parts of the South Island recognise Puanga.

What is Puaka/Puanga?

Puanga is the star Rigel and is the brightest star in the Orion constellation. Matariki is seen below Puanga and to the left of Tautoru (the three stars of Orion’s Belt) in the late autumn and early winter night sky.

The most common whakataukī that recognises the importance of Puanga is:

Puanga kai rau

The abundant harvest of Puanga

This whakataukī connects Puanga and Matariki celebrations to the result of hard work over a number of months. It recognises the efforts of growing, harvesting, and storing food for the long nights of takarua as Tamanuiterā returns to his first wife Hinetakurua.

This union results in short days and long nights over the winter months. However, every year Māui recaptures Tamanuiterā, and he then marries his second wife Hineraumati where the nights are short and the days are long as a result of summer – so it could be argued that Māui is the founder of daylight savings.

The Dunedin Puaka Matariki Festival is unique to Ōtepoti, marking the Māori New Year through a citywide programme of community events, celebrating the midwinter season of wānaka (learning) and whanaukataka (community spirit).

Celebrate Matariki in Ōtepoti with Matariki mā Puaka, where the night sky comes alive with dazzling drone lights, weaving local stories into the stars. 6:00 PM and again at 8:30 PM on 21 June 2025.https://www.dunedinnz.com/visit/dunedin-events/matariki