Photo credit: Te Ao Māori News
Ngā mihi nui ki a koe, e Rangi, mō tō whiwhinga i tēnei tohu e whakaaetia ana i te whakahoki i ngā mātauranga Māori whai whakaaro. He māramatanga katoa tā tātou motu mō Matariki māu i whakapau kaha, ā, i whai wāhi hoki tāu i te whakarite i te rā o Matariki hei rā whakanui ā-motu. I ngā tau e haere ake nei, ka whakawhanake ngā uri o Aotearoa i tā rātou mātauranga, ā, ka whai hua tonu tā rātou whakamārama me te whakamihi ki te whakahirahira o Matariki, me te maramataka Māori hoki, e whakakaha ana i ō tātou mahi i raro i te mana o te taiao.
Rangi Matamua's work
Dr Rangi Matamua is a pioneering Māori scholar who has revolutionised understandings of Māori astronomy, and in particular Matariki. His work in repatriating Matariki celebrations has been instrumental in reconnecting New Zealanders with the environment and the Māori world view of the stars.
A friend of Te Wānanga o Aotearoa
Matamua has been outstanding in supporting us at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa to develop resources and awareness of Matariki. He has been at the forefront of the movement to celebrate Matariki as a national holiday in New Zealand. In the early years, this included roadshows featuring a truck full of interactive educational resources that they took around the country. As demand for knowledge grew, so too have the resources to gain a wider reach.
Rangi Matamua online
Matamua’s website, https://livingbythestars.co.nz, features a wealth of information and resources to learn more about Matariki. His research is situated at the interface between mātauranga Māori and Western science, and he is helping to reconnect people with maramataka – the Māori lunar calendar – and the environment.
Advancing Mātauranga Māori
Matamua has been recognised for his continued efforts to push Matauranga Māori to the forefront, to better connect Aotearoa with the whenua and wairua shared by all. His work has challenged widespread misconceptions about Māori astronomy and has enhanced our understandings of a Māori world view of the stars.
New Zealand of the Year
Dr Rangi Matamua’s repatriation of Matariki celebrations has been instrumental in reconnecting New Zealanders with the environment and the Māori world view of the stars. Through his work with Te Wānanga o Aotearoa and the development of resources and awareness over many years, Matamua has continually pushed Matauranga Māori to the forefront. His dedication and hard work have earned him the prestigious Kiwibank New Zealander of the Year / Te Pou Whakarae o Aotearoa award for 2023, recognising his achievements and contributions to the country.
More about Matariki
To find out more about Matariki and see some of the work I have helped work on for Te Wānanga o Aotearoa visit https://matariki.twoa.ac.nz where you’ll find a wealth of information about Matariki past and present.