Maori Language and Culture

The seven stars of Matariki are traditionally seen as a cluster that signals the Maori New Year. They have both cultural and astronomical significance, representing a time for reflection, celebration, and for planning for the year ahead. The appearance of Matariki in the sky is a time for honoring ancestors and the land, as well as marking the changing seasons.

The stars closest to Matariki are known as the "Seven Sisters" or the Pleiades. Some of the brightest stars in the Pleiades cluster include Alcyone, Maia, Electra, Taygeta, Celaeno, Asterope, and Merope.

In Maori mythology, it was the demigod Maui who snared the sun. Maui wanted to slow down the sun's relentless pace, so he wove ropes from flax and set a trap to ensnare the sun, causing it to briefly slow its journey across the sky.

the maori word for giraffe is kakiroa

meaning long neck

In some Polynesian cultures, the seven stars of Matariki were used as navigation aids for voyaging. By observing the position and alignment of these stars, navigators could determine their latitude and direction while at sea. They would use this knowledge in conjunction with other navigation techniques such as reading wave patterns, bird behavior, and cloud formations to navigate across the vast oceans.

Matariki is a star cluster in the constellation Taurus. It is made up of six main stars, although depending on the region and cultural beliefs, the number of stars that make up Matariki may vary.

Matariki is a significant time in the Māori calendar that marks the start of the New Year when the Matariki star cluster (Pleiades) becomes visible in the sky. The appearance of Matariki is traditionally used to determine the best time for planting crops and celebrating new beginnings within the Māori culture. It is a time for reflection, remembering the past, and looking forward to the future.

Matariki is a traditional Maori celebration in New Zealand that marks the beginning of the Maori New Year. It is based on the rising of the star cluster Pleiades, or Seven Sisters, in the winter sky. The origins of Matariki date back to ancient Polynesian navigation and agricultural practices.

The word for moon in Maori is "marama."

The Maori name for Crux, also known as the Southern Cross, is Te Punga.

Tamanui-te-rā.

The seven stars of the Matariki cluster are also known as the Seven Sisters in Greek mythology. In Māori culture, they are called Matariki, or the Pleiades. The names of the stars are usually translated as: "Tautoru," "Waipunarangi," "Ururangi," "Waitī," "Waitā," "Waipuna-ā-rangi," and "Tupuānuku."

The seven Matariki stars are: Matariki, Pōhutukawa, Waitī, Waitā, Waipuna-ā-rangi, Tupu-ā-rangi, and Ururangi. These stars are significant to the Māori people of New Zealand, marking the start of the Māori New Year.

The Maori name for sun is Te Rā.

The Maori name for Sky Father is Ranginui. In Maori mythology, Ranginui represents the sky or the sky father, while Papatuanuku represents the earth or the earth mother. They were separated by their children, creating the space in which life could thrive.

Tāwhirimātea is the Māori god of the sky, weather, and storms. He is known for controlling the winds, rains, lightning, and thunder. Tāwhirimātea is also a symbol of the natural elements and the power of nature in Māori mythology.

Matariki is the name given to the seven stars that herald the Maori new year and are known in English as the Pleiades or the Seven Sisters. In some traditions Matariki refers to the 'mother' star with the others named: Tupua Nuku, Tupua Rangi, Waiti, Waita, Waipuna A Rangi, and Ururangi.

Matariki is the Maori New Year, marked by the rising of the Pleiades star cluster. It represents renewal, reflection, and new beginnings. It is a time for celebrating the Earth, giving thanks, and honoring those who have passed.

"The Maori people spoke of the earth as their mother, providing them with sustenance and shelter. They celebrated the interconnectedness of all living things and believed in a reciprocal relationship with the land."

Koura.

The Maori earth mother is called Papatuanuku. She is a primordial being in Maori mythology, considered to be the land itself and the mother of all living things.

In Maori culture, the mother earth is known as Papatūānuku. She is seen as the foundation and provider of all living things.

Papatuanuku is the earth mother (akin to other other religion/peoples Gaea) so Papa is used for the word earth or ground.

If you are meaning Earth as in planet earth then the term used is Te Ao.

Tangaroa is the Maori god of the sea and is often associated with creation and fertility. He is one of the most important deities in Maori mythology and is believed to have control over the oceans and all creatures within them. Tangaroa is also considered a provider of food and a protector of fishermen.

The Maori word for the solar system is "Te Whanau o te Rangi."