Sylvia Ashton-Warner Library at Epsom is marking Matariki, the Māori New Year, with a display of resources, including posters, junior picture-books and non-fiction. Matariki begins with the rise of a constellation of stars. These stars are known worldwide, for example as the Pleiades or Subaru. In Aotearoa Matariki arrives in winter and is celebrated for about a month. Māori celebrations of Matariki have occurred over the generations; other New Zealanders have begun marking the occasion more recently.
Matariki can be seen as a gateway to many themes – Māori mythic narratives, astronomy, horticulture, remembrance, looking ahead, celebration, learning and language, creative and performing arts, whānaungatanga and whakapapa – and this makes our Matariki resources very popular.
Our website shows you all sorts of interesting resources about Matariki, including audiovisual material and TV programmes.
A few of many websites relating to Matariki include:
- Any Questions by the National Library of New Zealand
- Auckland Council Matariki Festival for Tāmaki Makaurau | Auckland
- Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage
Liz Wilkinson, Sylvia Ashton-Warner Library