What is Matariki?
According to Te Ara – The Encylopedia of New Zealand ‘Matariki’ is the Māori name for a cluster of stars, also known among other cultures as ‘the Pleiades’ or ‘Seven Sisters’, that rises in the middle of winter and signals the beginning of the a new year for many Māori.
Where does the name Matariki come from?
The same souce (Te Ara) explains that Matariki is an abbreviation of ‘Ngā Mata o te Ariki Tāwhirimātea’ which means ‘the eyes of the god Tāwhirimātea (the Māori god of the wind).
Māori tradition teaches that Tāwhirimātea tore out his eyes and threw them into heaven in a fit of anger when his siblings separated their parents Ranginui (sky father) and Papatūānuku (earth mother).
Is Matariki a spiritual tradition?
Yes, Te Ara continues … “traditionally, Matariki was a time to acknowledge the dead and to release their spirits to become stars”.
What does the Bible teach?
Did you know that the star cluster know in Māori as ‘Matariki’ is most likely the same constellation referred to in the Bible as Ki’mah?
Job 38:31 (New World Translation)
Can you tie the ropes of the Ki’mah constellation, or untie the cords of the Ke’sil constellation?
Job 38:31 (New International Version)
“Can you bind the chains of the Pleiades, can you loosen Orion’s belt?
Job 38:31 (Te Paipera Tapu 1968)
E taea ranei e koe te here nga ahuareka o Matariki, te wewete ranei nga here o Tautoru?
Who does the Bible say created the Ki’mah or Matariki constellation?
The Bible attributes the creation of all of the stars including the Matariki constellation to God, identifying him by his personal name Jehovah or Ihowā in te reo Māori.
Amos 5:8 (New World Translation)
The One who made the Kiʹmah constellation and the Keʹsil constellation, The One who turns deep shadow into morning, The One who makes day as dark as night, The One who summons the waters of the sea To pour them out on the surface of the earth—Jehovah is his name.
Āmoho 5:8 (Te Paipera Tapu 1968)
Rapua te kai hanga o nga whetu e whitu, ratou ko Matariki; e riro ke ana hoki i a ia te atarangi o te mate hei ata, e whakapouritia ana e ia te ra hei po; e karangatia ana e ia nga wai o te moana, a ringitia ana e ia ki runga ki te mata o te whenua: Ko Ihowa tona ingoa:
Job 9:1,8,9 (New Word Translation)
Job said in reply: “How can mortal man be in the right in a case with God? … He spreads out the heavens by himself …. He made the Ash, the Ke’sil and the Ki’mah constellations …
Hopa 9: 1,8,9 (Te Paipera Tapu 1968)
Katathi ka whakahokia mai e Hopa; i mea ia, ma te aha i aka tika ai te tangata ki ta te Atua? … Ko ia nei anake hei hora i nga rangi, hei takahi i runga. … Nana nei i hanga a Aketura, a Tautoru, a Matariki, …
What effect can appreciating the stars and constellations have on us?
We can be moved to get to know our Creator Ihowā even better and feel like the Psalmist did in Psalm 8:3,9 when we look into the heavens at night …
When I see your heavens, the works of your fingers, The moon and the stars that you have prepared, 4 What is mortal man that you keep him in mind, And a son of man that you take care of him? O Jehovah our Lord, how majestic your name is throughout the earth!
Waiata 8:3,9 (Te Paipera Tapu 1968)
Ka titiro atu ahau ki o rangi, ki te mahi a ou maihao, ki te marama me nga wetu i hanga nei e koe. He aha te tangata i maharatia mai ai e koe? Te tama ranei a te tangata i tirohia ai ia e koe? … E Ihowa, e to matou Ariki, ano te nui o to ingoa i te whenua katoa!