S.M.A.R.T
Society Of Māori Astronomy Research & Traditions
PRESS
We're very proud to promote our Māori culture, traditional knowledges and SMART events. Here's the latest projects we've been involved with. Please contact Dr Pauline Harris for any press related inquiries.
MĀNAWATIA A MATARIKI
Tēna koutou katoa and Mānawatia a Matariki Puanga koutou
Matariki is just appearing above the horizon now( 5:30AM June 2024) and Puanga is above also, rising up slightly earlier. Matariki is a time to reflect and remember those who have passed. To our friends and whanau who have passed away we acknowledge and remember you. Matariki is a time also to celebrate, be together and have kai together. And Matariki is a time to look to the future, to plan and wānanga.
1: Remembrance – Honouring those we have lost since the last rising of Matariki
2: Celebrating the present – Gathering together to give thanks for what we have
3: Looking to the future – Looking forward to the promise of a new year.
The live stream will be starting soon, this can be seen on:
Take are everyone and celebrate together.
Mānawatia a Matariki
PRIME MINISTER REVEALS 2022 DATE OF FIRST
MATARIKI PUBLIC HOLIDAY
RADIO NEW ZEALAND
4 FEBRUARY, 2021
Ardern said the date - Friday 24 June 2022 - was advised by the government's Matariki Advisory Group. The timing of the holiday will change from year to year but is expected to always fall on a Monday or Friday, Ardern said.
The rising of Matariki, or the star cluster known as Pleiades, usually occurs near the end of June and the beginning of July, marking the start of the Māori New Year.
"Matariki will be a distinctly New Zealand holiday; a time for reflection and celebration, and our first public holiday that recognises Te Ao Māori,"
Ardern said.
MATARIKI ADVISORY CHAIR EXCITED
NEW ZEALAND HERALD
4 FEBRUARY, 2021
A new public holiday to celebrate Māori new year Matariki was announced today, with Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern saying it's time for the nation to "recognise te ao Māori".
Matariki is a cluster of stars which usually rises in June or July in the middle of winter and represents the beginning of a new year according to the Māori lunar calendar, known as Maramataka.
ARDERN'S MATARIKI MASTERSTROKE
RADIO NEW ZEALAND
11 SEPTEMBER, 2020
Clever tactics from Jacinda Ardern this week, starting off Labour's policy rollout with a promise that if the government is re-elected there will be a public holiday to mark Matariki. She won praise from Māori and Pakeha for recognising the Māori New Year, public holidays are popular with the vast majority of voters and the decision was difficult to oppose without critics looking like spoilsports.
CALLS FOR MATARIKI TO BE A NEW PUBLIC HOLIDAY
RADIO NEW ZEALAND
21 MAY, 2020
The Prime Minister hasn't ruled out the idea of creating another public holiday, and the prospect has already prompted calls for one to fall on Matariki - the Māori New Year. With profitable long weekends like Easter and Anzac Day spent in lockdown, some tourism operators are crying out for another public holiday to make up for the loss.
NEWS AT A GLANCE
NEW MARAMATAKA ONLINE COURSE 2021
We'd like to thank Te Puni Kokiri and the MacDiarmid Institute of Nanotechnology & Materials for supporting our brand new online Maramataka wānanga series which is being launched soon, for all our
budding and established practitioners.
NGĀ TAKAHURINGA O TE AO 2017
We would also like to thank the Royal Society of New Zealand Marsden fund for supporting Ngā Takahuringa O Te Ao – The Effect of Climate Change on Traditional Calendars.
MARSDEN FUND AWARD 2016
Congratulations to our SMART member Professor Rangi Matamua who was awarded the prestigious Marsden fund: Te Mauria Whiritoi - The Sky as a Cultural Resource.
NEW COLLABORATION FOR SMART 2014-2016
SMART joins forces with Victoria University of Wellington, the Ministry of Business Placement Scheme Fund, Innovation & Employment and the School of Chemical and Physical Sciences for a brand new Maramataka initiative.