Listen to the wonderful voices of our junior team as they learn the song Matariki e ara e.

Today the junior team were join by a group of senior kapa haka leaders, Matua Sonny and Whaea Tui to learn the waiata, Matariki e ara e. 

This waiata is about the beautiful star cluster called Matariki. Matariki is a star cluster that decorates the chest of Ranganui. 

Matariki was used by the early Polynesian explorers  to help them navigate their way  across the Pacific Ocean to Aotearoa, New Zealand. 

For many cultures, these stars are connected to celebration, planting, harvesting, weather, and life. For Māori, the rising of Matariki signals te Mātahi o te Tau, the Māori New Year. The appearance of Matariki in the morning sky is a sign for people to gather, to honour the dead, celebrate the present, and plan for the future. 

This star cluster has many names, in Greek, and widely used in English-speaking countries, it is called Pleiades. In Japan, it is called Subaru, which means 'to come together'. In China it is Mao, the hairy head of the white tiger, and in India it is known as Krittika.