Unit 7 Ngā hākari (Celebrations)
Whakataukī
Matariki atua ka eke mai i te rangi e roa.
Whāngaia iho ki te mata o te tau roa.
Divine Matariki come forth from the far-off heaven.
Nourish those below with the first fruits of the year.
Tikanga
Introduce the following aspects of tikanga Māori to your students:
- Time and the seasons are marked by different cycles of nature, such as the reappearance of Matariki to mark the new year and the monthly lunar calendar, which runs from new moon to new moon.
- The reappearance of Matariki in the eastern sky before sunrise marks the beginning of the new year.
- Matariki occurs at the end of the harvest, at a time when food is plentiful.
- Whakawhanaungatanga and manaakitanga are important values at times of celebration. These are often regarded as being more important than the actual event being celebrated.
Beside the examples of te reo Māori in the following tasks and activities, English translations are provided to assist you. They are not literal translations, but how to say the same thing in English. This support does not mean that you should necessarily say the English. That depends on the task or activity and your students’ needs.