Matariki is an important time to be still, connect, and reflect. It is a time to remember those who have recently passed, give thanks for the present and plan for the future. Matariki signals the Māori New Year:
Ka puta Matariki, ka rere a Whānui.
Ko te tohu tena o te tau e.
Matariki re-appears, Whānui starts its flight.
Being the sign of the new year!
Whānui, also known as Vega, is the fifth brightest star in the sky, and the marker of the Polynesian new year in ancient times.
