Tēnā koutou e ngā whānau o Taranaki Retreat/Waimānako.
E mihi ana ki te mana o te wairua e rere nei i roto i tō tātou kaupapa.
Puanga and Matariki are drawing near once again, a sacred time of remembrance, reflection, preparation, and renewal. Here in Taranaki, many of our iwi observe Puanga as the key celestial marker of the Māori New Year.
Many iwi throughout the west and north of Aotearoa along with some parts of Te Waipounamu, also look to Puanga as the key celestial marker of the new year.
Puanga, known in Western astronomy as Rigel, is one of the brightest stars in the Orion constellation, sitting near Tautoru, also known as Orion’s Belt. In Aotearoa, Puanga rises around a week before Matariki, making it a more visible and prominent marker for many iwi.
There are many kōrero and understandings behind why some iwi follow Puanga.
One understanding speaks to how mātauranga Māori travelled across Te Moananui a Kiwa, adapting to the environments our tūpuna settled within. In places such as Rarotonga, Tahiti, Rapa Nui, and Hawai‘i, Matariki rises before Puanga. Here in Aotearoa however, Puanga rises earlier, becoming the whetū many communities looked toward to signal the beginning of the new year.
Geography also plays a significant role. Many iwi who observe Puanga live in areas where the eastern horizon can be obscured by maunga, ngahere, mist, or coastal weather systems. In places such as Taranaki, the eastern horizon where Matariki rises is not always clearly visible. Matariki itself is a delicate cluster of stars, subtle and faint in appearance, while Puanga is one of the brightest stars in the night sky and far easier to identify in poor visibility or through winter fog.
The Matariki public holiday this year will be observed on Friday the 10th of July, during the Tangaroa phases of the maramataka, a time traditionally associated with abundance, reflection, gathering, and deep connection to the taiao.
Next month in Part 2 of this Puanga Series, I will be sharing mātauranga around the various ceremonies and tikanga associated with Puanga and Matariki, and some of the deeper meanings behind this sacred time of the year.
We are also currently in the midst of planning a community gathering here at Waimānako that will include the sharing of warm nourishing kai, acknowledging our tini mate – the many loved ones who have passed over the last year and creating space for those who come into Waimānako to take part in intention setting and the painting of mauri stones as we move into the Māori New Year together.
‘Ko Puanga te Whetū Ārahi o te Tau Hou’
Puanga, the guiding star that leads us into the new year.
Ngā Manaakitanga kia koutou