Life at No.22, Snapshots of Tauranga

Snapshots of Tauranga #14

Suzanne

Celebrating Matariki as a nation began on 29 June and ends on 6 July, with a national public holiday on 28 June 2024.

What is Matariki?

Matariki consists of nine stars, although many iwi (people/nation) will record more or less.

They go by the names of:

• Matariki

• Pōhutukawa

• Tupuānuku

• Tupuārangi

• Waitī

• Waitā

• Waipuna-ā-Rangi

• Ururangi

• Hiwa-i-te-Rangi.

All the stars carry different significances to Māori culture. They often urge us to practice gratitude and look forward to our new year aspirations.

This also includes, but is not limited to, practising gratitude for the people around us, the people who have passed and how they have impacted our lives, the environment and how we can nurture it, the oceans and rivers, animals and marine life, food and harvests, and other natural elements of the world.

Matariki Sand Sculpture

In April, the Matariki star cluster disappeared, signifying Matariki i Raro.
Matariki reappears around the time of our Māori New Year celebrations, which occurred in Tauranga Moana on June 8th as Te Mātahi o Te Tau.

This year, the Bay of Plenty region focuses on and embraces the themes of Waitī and Waitā. The rest of Aotearoa celebrates in different ways.

Waitī, recognised as the fifth star in the Matariki star cluster, is connected to
freshwater: springs, streams, rivers, lakes, wetlands, and the plants and animals that live in freshwater.

Waitī comprises two words: wai (water) and tī, which means sweet. Waitī is considered a female body and the māhanga (twin) of Waitā.

Waitā, the sixth star of the Matariki cluster, is associated with saltwater, the ocean and marine conditions. It represents the many types of food gathered from the sea. Waitā comprises two words, wai (water) and tā (salt). Waitā is considered a male entity and sits below his twin, Waitī.

We are surrounded by water in Tauranga Moana (expanses of water), and below are some new and older images of sea life, gathering kai and playing.

Paddleboarding in Pilot Bay, Mount Maunganui
Stingray – abundant in the shallow harbour waters
Early morning fishing catches the first one
Shellfish highlighted by the rising sun.
Fishing for Kai (food) while others play

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Published by Suzanne

I'm a lover of creativity and movement, expressed through photography, words, travel and sports. . . . . . .

26 thoughts on “Snapshots of Tauranga #14”

    1. No, you didn’t misread, Jo. There is much I do like about the Maori culture though don’t live by their philosophy. I can’t speak the language, only a few words, as learning languages is not easy for me. Though I think it should be spoken by others without condemnation.

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    1. Apologies Eilene, I did try to simplify the explanation of Matariki. As with most cultures, the finer details and reasons behind the philosophy can be complicated. Don’t worry, as much of the language I have to check to understand what is being said/written.

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  9. Very interesting Suzanne. The Maori philosophy is most admirable, a humanistic approach to life. It’s nice that you have a public holiday to celebrate this. Love that last photo, high key?

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    1. Thanks, Jude, and if only it wasn’t so hard to implement a humanistic approach to life. In theory, it’s wonderful, though sadly, our society and the world don’t reflect it.
      High tide? Yes.

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  10. I know almost nothing of Maori beliefs so I found this fascinating. All these ancient cultures seem to share an attachment to the Earth that more modern ones have unfortunately lost.

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    1. Luckily for us, the Maori culture and philosophy have been revived over the years, and events such as Matariki do keep the philosophy alive and welcome all to participate.
      Hopefully, the next generations learn a kinder way of dealing with themselves, others, and mother earth.

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  12. That’s incredibly interesting information about the stars in Māori culture. I appreciate you relating it – I’ve learned something special today. The Matariki Sand Sculpture is an amazing piece of art. What a pity it will disappear. Beautiful photographs in your post, Suzanne.

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    1. Catherine, I’m pleased you found it interesting to read about Matariki. The Sand Sculpture was created years ago, there were none this year. There was drone art in the skies in parts of NZ as they didn’t want to use fireworks and many other celebratory events.

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