It’s Matariki in New Zealand …..

….. ….. ….. today. To the Māori people here in NZ, it’s their New Year, welcoming in the new season, a time of saying goodbye to those who have passed, and a time of joy, reflection and peace. To those of us who aren’t Māori, it’s becoming more and more significant to many. It’s been a Public Holiday for 3 years now.

Matariki is a star cluster, in Pleiades, also known as Taurus, which is now becoming visible in the eastern sky at Dawn. I went out at 6:45am this morning, hoping to see it, but it was cloudy.
I have seen it very clearly though, in the desert in Australia and won’t ever forget it.

I even bought a wonderful painting by a young Aboriginal woman in Australia, of the story of the Seven Sisters, being chased across the heavens. Maybe I’ll take a photo of it tomorrow and continue this story then …

The girls in the photo are from the local Arrowtown Primary School kapa haka group and were performing a Māori kapa haka for Matariki.

Thank you so much for all your hearts and stars and beautiful comments lately - they are much valued taonga - treasures!