Looking Back to Move Forward: The Call of Pōhutukawa

Every year, at the time of the winter solstice, we watch the Matariki star cluster rise in our early morning skies marking te Mātahi o te Tau, the Māori New Year. This is a time used for reflection of the past, gathering together to celebrate the present, honouring our tīpuna (ancestors), and looking forward to the future.

In a more pragmatic sense, Matariki is also a way of marking the passing of time. Timekeeping in a Māori calendar system is cyclic and deeply imbued with observational science.

Tohu (signs), such as the Matariki cluster, were used to structure societal activities around the gathering and planting of food. This is one reason why each star in the Matariki cluster personifies an element of te taiao (the natural world) and the cycle of time, and these personifications also give us a window into the value system of traditional Māori societies.

Pōhutukawa is a special star within te whānau a Matariki (the Matariki family). She is the eldest of Matariki’s children and therefore, represents our connection to the past and our tīpuna.

In this talk Talena will delve into the pou (pillars) of traditional Māori society and how these underpin the meaning and practice surrounding te Mātatahi o te Tau and Matariki, and how special stars like Pōhutukawa can be celebrated and honoured.