LATEST STORIES
Matariki in Arrowtown
Thank very much to everyone who came to help us celebrate tonight, we hope you enjoyed yourselves.Looking at the photos of the disco dance floor the children had a great time getting their boogie on - we now know where some of them get their dance moves!
We really appreciate you all coming out in the cold and rain to help us celebrate this special occasion, for those who are unsure, Matariki - Mata Riki (Tiny Eyes) or Mata Ariki (Eyes of God) - is the Maori name for the group of stars also known as the Pleiades star cluster or the Seven Sisters. They are a group of young stars glowing in the gas and dust of the nebula from which they formed.
Matariki is the name for the traditional Maori new year. This is marked by the rise of Matariki and the sighting of the next new moon.
The pre-dawn rise of Matariki can be seen in the last few days of May every year and the new year is marked at the sighting of the next new moon which occurs during June.
Traditionally, depending on the visibility of Matariki, the coming season's crop was thought to be determined. The brighter the stars, the warmer the season would be, bringing a more productive crop.