pleiades, star cluster, Maori New Year
jflitcroft • uploaded 31 Aug 2022 • Māori culture and concepts
This sign represents a cluster of stars that appears in the night sky signalling the Māori New Year.
Each iwi believe there are different number of stars but they represent a new beginning. Matariki means Ngā Mata o te Ariki Tāwhirimātea (‘The eyes of the god Tāwhirimātea’)