Pipiri – Māori New Year
Nau mai haere ki ngā whetū o te tau hou, kia Matariki me Pūanga.
Click here to learn how to set the maramataka dial, and you’re on your way to setting the New Year dates!
The bright tohu stars Matariki (Pleiades) and Pūanga (Rigel) will soon rise to indicate the New Year. Matariki is used throughout Aotearoa, especially towards the east coast, and Puanga is often used around the West Coast. When Puanga rises in the east, the summer star, Rēhua (Antares) sets in the west, Rēhua being another tohu to indicate the Māori New Year.
Pūanga rises in the east around the Ōturu date of Pipiri, approximately June 24, 2021. At the same time, Rēhua sets in the west.
Matariki rises around the Tangaroa phase of Hongongoi, approximately July 2-4, 2021.
Although the whetū rise, it does not mean we will always see them with the naked eye, especially in Auckland, which cloaks the night sky with city lights.
So what’s the difference between Pūanga and Matariki?
Link to article: Learning to live by the maramataka: Pipiri – Māori New Year | The Spinoff
