Description
Written by Prof Rangi Matamua, the man who brought Matariki to life with the Māori Television series Living By the Stars, this book has become the quintessential guide to Matariki.
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, this book 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 Māori-language edition is also available, Matariki: Te Whetū Tapu o te Tau.
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.
* information courtesy of Huia Publishers