Aotearoa New Zealand celebrates its first official national Matariki public holiday on 24 June this year. The reappearance of the Matariki array of stars in our skies midwinter, in early morning, marks the start of the Māori New Year for many.
The star cluster Matariki has different names and different significances around the world. In English, it is often called Pleiades or the Seven Sisters. In Hawaiian it is Makali’i, ‘eyes of royalty’ or ‘little eyes’, and in Japan it is Subaru, meaning ‘gathered together’. Even in Aotearoa various Iwi begin celebrations of Matariki at different times.
The dates for the new public holiday were announced in 2021 by the Government in partnership with the Matariki Advisory Group. It is hoped this public holiday will be a time to reflect on the past, celebrate the present, and plan for the future.