Matariki day

Matariki day 

Matariki is a maori celebration in the middle of the year for the maori new year. The sign for Matariki is seven stars also known as the seven sisters and the pleiades.

The group of stars have names. Some people say that the Matariki star is the mother, because it is clearly the most important star because why else would the celebration was name it after that one star? There is also Uru-a-rangi (She is the youngest, because you know how 2 and 3 year olds and always want to be 1st? Well, they say that because that she the first star that you can see), Waipuna-a-rangi, Tupu-a-rangi, Tupu-a-nuku, Waiti and Waita. Something about those two last ones I mentioned, they are actually twins! When the Matariki celebration takes place, the maori farmers plan for the next year to come, and plant new crops. There are a lot of stories of how the matariki stars came into the sky. These are a couple I know. 

The story of Matariki #1

Long, Long ago, There was two gods, Papatuanuku (The earth god) and Ranginui (the sky god), who were separated because of their offsprings. This made the sea god, Tangaroa angry so he tore out his eyes, hurling them into the heavens. Every year, the Matariki stars come up being a present for Tangaroa. 

The story of matariki #2

Long, Long ago, just after the separation of Papatuanuku and Ranginui, there was the sea god, Tangaroa. He was the god of many sea creatures, but the most precious fish were the most beautiful, intelligent fish in the whole sea. There was a bad god Tawhirimatea that was brothers with Tangaroa. One day, Tawhirimatea came to Tangaroa when the fish were playing. Tangaroa was angry that Tawhirimatea made their parents separate, so Tawhirimatea tried to fight Tangaroa. Luckily, the god of wind came and distracted Tawhirimatea while Tangaroa placed the fish, Matariki, Uru-A-Rangi, Waipuna-A -Rangi, Waiti, Waita, Tupu-A-Rangi and Tupu-A-Nuku in the sky so they would be safe when Tawhirimatea and Tangaroa fight.

In Totora Whanau we had a matariki celebration and we had loads of activities. I did carving and Kotahu. I did carving first. We were carving the word TOTORA in a log. WE chiseled the places that we did not need so that the TOTORA stood out. We really stretched our perseverance muscle because it was really hard around the knot areas, we also stretched our absorption muscle so we didn't give up easily. I had to keep on changing my chisel because Lots of people needed straight edged chisels. Lucky I didn't!

Dan and Cam with the mallets

 Why am I always looking away?

It was a big log

 If you don't know what Kotahu is, it is when you Paint one of the stars on the stone and some things that the stars represent around it. I chose Waia and Waiti, the twins, and the represent bugs and insects, so I painted a Tapeworm, The longest earthworm the world has seen, a redback spider, lots and lots of Ants, and the infamous Liam the Lizard. The only other people doing Waiti and Waita were Dan And Cam, so it worked out pretty well. (Even though my brush was WAY to fat for the job). Here are some pics.

Me and Cam

Me! (Looking away again) Focused on my painting

Okay! Bye!