NZHerald Article on 'Matariki'

[ZeroID]

Matariki is the Maori New Year, marked and celebrated for all the same reasons as the Western Culture version. It was nice to see quite a detailed two page article in the NZHerald this morning and even an interactive webpage in the online version to explain it all. Makes people culture aware and raises the profile of astronomy in general as well. :thumbsup:

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10890170\

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10890104

For overseas readers there are a few Maori language terms in there. Ask if you need any translations. eg Kai is food, Kaimoana is food from the sea ( Moana)

Matariki finishes July 22 this year with a big kite day in Auckland.

[BPO]

Mata what?

Oh. It's actually about M45, aka the Pleiades.

It seems just about every civilisation, culture, society, nationality, community, group, mob, gang, and random pack of people gave M45 their own name.

M45, the Pleiades (http://www.pleiade.org/pleiades_02.html).

[ZeroID]

Yes, they're allowed to. Same as every other constellation, star, planet, asterism probably has.
Western Culture hasn't got a monopoly on naming things to suit themselves. Check out a few alternatives in Stellarium.

Matariki is becoming more relevant in NZ as it marks the winter solstice and start of the new year. Just as Hogminay in Scotland marks the winter midpoint for them.