MATARIKI

What is Matariki?

Matariki is the Māori name for the Pleiades star cluster (also known as Messier 45 or M45) for when it becomes visible in the pre-dawn sky around June. Its heliacal rising—when the cluster first appears on the horizon just before sunrise—signals the start of the Māori New Year. Traditionally, this time is for whānau (families) to gather, reflect on the past year, honour those who have passed, and look ahead to the future. This is Matariki. Māori had other names for the cluster when they observed it at other times of the year.

Matariki is an ancient Māori tradition that has gained widespread recognition since around 2005. In 2022, it was officially established as a public holiday in New Zealand, making it the country’s first holiday based on Māori astronomy and cultural heritage.

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When is Matariki?

Traditionally, Matariki is observed when the Pleiades star cluster makes its heliacal rising—its first appearance in the dawn sky—coinciding with a specific lunar phase following the winter solstice. Different iwi (tribes) have historically marked Matariki using various Moon phases, including the Full Moon, the Tangaroa Moon (Last Quarter), and the New Moon. In some regions of New Zealand, where Matariki sits too low on the horizon at this time of year, iwi instead use the rising of Puanga (Rigel) as the seasonal marker for the new year. Being a lunar celebration, Matariki dates change every year, as you can see below.

Full Moon

11 June 2025~7:40PM

22 June 2024 ~1PM

Tangaroa Moon

19 June 2025 ~ 7:20AM

29 June 2024 ~ 10AM

New Moon

25 June 2025~10:30PM

6 July 2024 ~ 11AM

Next official Matariki date in NewZealand is

Friday
20 June 2025

Days

Hours

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Mānawatia a Matariki

Since 2022, Matariki has been officially recognized as a public holiday in New Zealand
following the recommendation of the Matariki Advisory Committee.

The Government has committed to ensuring that mātauranga Māori (Māori knowledge)
remains central to Matariki celebrations. The holiday is a time for:

• Remembrance – Honouring those who have passed since the last rising of Matariki.

• Celebrating the present – Gathering with whānau (family) and communities to give thanks.

• Looking to the future – Embracing the promise of a new year.

Matariki holds unique significance as New Zealand’s first public holiday that formally acknowledges Te Ao Māori (the Māori worldview), reinforcing the importance of indigenous knowledge and traditions in national observances.

Did you know?

The Pleiades disappear from the night sky approximately mid April and reappear just after mid June.

Where do the Pleiades go?

The Pleiades star cluster is part of the zodiacal constellation Taurus, which lies close to the ecliptic—the apparent path of the Sun across the sky—and near the path of the Moon. In angular terms, the cluster sits just one degree from the ecliptic, roughly the width of your pinky finger at arm’s length.

The zodiacal band consists of 12 constellations through which the Sun appears to move over the course of a year. As Earth orbits the Sun, our vantage point shifts by about one degree per day, meaning each zodiacal constellation becomes hidden behind the Sun’s glare for approximately two months annually.

For the same reason, the Pleiades disappear from our evening sky around mid-April, setting in the west just after sunset. They remain hidden behind the Sun’s brightness until mid-June, when they reappear in the morning sky, rising just before sunrise. During this period (April to June), Taurus is positioned behind the Sun, making the entire constellation invisible from Earth.

How is Matariki calculated?

According to the Matariki Advisory Group, several key principles are universally recognized in determining the correct time to celebrate the Māori New Year:

1. The New Year begins in mid-winter, aligning with seasonal cycles.

2. It is marked by the heliacal rising of a star, typically Matariki (Pleiades) or, in some regions, Puanga (Rigel).

3. The timing is linked to the lunar calendar, with specific lunar months and phases playing a crucial role.

4. The celebration extends over a period of time, rather than being confined to a single day.

5. It involves culturally significant ceremonies and festivities, emphasizing remembrance, gratitude, and renewal.

These principles ensure that Matariki remains deeply connected to both astronomical observations and Māori traditions, reinforcing its role as a unique and meaningful celebration of the Māori New Year.

What is heliacal rising?

Heliacal rising occurs when a celestial object, after being absent from the sky for a period of time, becomes visible just before sunrise for a brief moment before being lost in daylight. This annual event marks the object’s first reappearancein the dawn sky.

The term heliacal comes from Helios, the ancient Greek word for the Sun, reflecting the phenomenon’s connection to the Sun’s position in the sky. Across different cultures, the heliacal rising of specific stars or star clusters has historically been used to mark significant seasonal events. For example, the Pleiades’ heliacal rising not only signaled the Māori New Year (Matariki) but also marked the start of the sailing season in Ancient Greece.

Heliacal phenomena are obvious part of the basic rhythms of the sky.[…] a frequent application is for calendric purposes.

B.E Schaefer, heliacal rise Phenomena, 1987