In mid-winter, Matariki rises in the pre-dawn sky, and its observation is celebrated with incantations on hilltops at dawn, balls, exhibitions, dinners and a vast number of events. The Matariki tradition has been re-established, and its regeneration coincides with a growing interest in Māori astronomy.

Still, there remain some unanswered questions about how Matariki was traditionally observed. These include:

• What is Matariki?
• Why did Māori observe Matariki?
• How did Māori traditionally celebrate Matariki?
• When and how should Matariki be celebrated?

Based on research and interviews with Māori experts, Matariki: The Star of the Year seeks answers to these questions and explores what Matariki was in a traditional sense so it can be understood and celebrated in contemporary society.

• An exploration of Matariki in a contemporary and traditional sense
• By Dr Rangi Matamua
• 140 pages
• Paperback book
• ISBN: 9781775503255

Dr Rangi Matamua (Tūhoe) is a professor at the University of Waikato, and his research fields are Māori astronomy and star lore, Māori culture, and Māori language development, research and revitalisation. He travels extensively throughout the country giving public lectures about Matariki and Māori Astronomy.