Matariki
July 10
About Matariki
Matariki is the Māori New Year, marked in Aotearoa New Zealand by the mid-winter rising of the Matariki star cluster. In 2026 the public holiday falls on Friday, 10 July. It is a time for remembrance of those who have died, for celebrating the present with family and community, and for looking ahead to the year to come.
The Story Behind Matariki
Matariki is the Māori name for the cluster of stars known elsewhere as the Pleiades or the Seven Sisters. The name is an abbreviation of Ngā Mata a te Ariki Tāwhirimātea, “the eyes of the god Tāwhirimātea,” and is also translated as “tiny eyes.” According to one well-known account, when the sky father Ranginui and the earth mother Papatūānuku were separated, the wind god Tāwhirimātea was so distraught that he tore out his eyes and cast them into the heavens, where they became this cluster.
For generations, Māori watched for the pre-dawn reappearance of Matariki on the eastern horizon in mid-winter, an event that signalled the turning of the year. The cluster guided important decisions about harvesting, planting, and the gathering of food. Reading the brightness and clarity of the individual stars allowed tohunga, or experts, to make predictions about the season ahead.
Much of the modern revival of Matariki knowledge owes a great deal to the Tūhoe astronomer Dr Rangi Matamua, who drew on a manuscript handed down through his family, written by Rāwiri Te Kōkau. That text recognised nine stars within the cluster, each connected to a different domain of the natural world, expanding the more widely known group of seven. This scholarship helped shape the way Matariki is understood and observed across the country today.
After decades of grassroots revival, Matariki became an official public holiday in 2022, the first in New Zealand to recognise te ao Māori, the Māori world view. The date is set according to the maramataka, the Māori lunar calendar, and always falls on a Friday close to the Tangaroa lunar period during the month of Pipiri.
When and Where is Matariki Celebrated?
Matariki is observed throughout Aotearoa New Zealand. Because its timing follows the lunar calendar and the winter rising of the star cluster, the public holiday date changes each year, though it always lands on a Friday. In 2026 it is marked on Friday, 10 July. The dates are confirmed years in advance to give certainty to workers and businesses.
| Year | Date |
|---|---|
| 2026 | Friday, 10 July |
| 2027 | Friday, 25 June |
| 2028 | Friday, 14 July |
| 2029 | Friday, 6 July |
| 2030 | Friday, 21 June |
Traditions and Customs
Matariki is built around three core themes: remembering those who have passed, celebrating the present, and planning for the future. Several customs bring these themes to life:
- The hautapu ceremony – Known as whāngai i te hautapu, this is a sacred dawn ritual in which food is offered to the stars, with different foods corresponding to the domains of each star in the cluster.
- Remembering the dead – Families recall loved ones who have died since the last rising of Matariki, often by naming them aloud during the ceremony.
- Stargazing at dawn – People rise before sunrise to view the cluster on the eastern horizon, the traditional sign that the new year has begun.
- Sharing kai – Communal meals, or hākari, bring whānau and communities together to celebrate the harvest and the season ahead.
- Setting intentions – The new year is a time to reflect on the past and to set hopes and goals, often connected to the star Hiwa-i-te-Rangi, associated with aspirations.
Ways to Celebrate Matariki
There are many ways to take part, whether or not you live in New Zealand:
- Learn the names of the stars – Each of the nine stars has its own meaning and domain, from Waitī and Waitā connected to fresh and salt water to Tupuānuku linked to food grown in the ground.
- Watch the dawn sky – In the Southern Hemisphere, look to the north-east before sunrise in mid-winter to spot the cluster.
- Gather with family – Share a meal and take time to remember those who have died over the past year.
- Attend a community event – Towns and cities across New Zealand host concerts, light shows, dawn ceremonies, and exhibitions.
- Reflect and plan – Use the new year as a moment to set intentions for the months ahead.
- Support Māori artists and makers – Many celebrate by engaging with Māori art, music, language, and storytelling.
Facts and Figures
- Matariki became an official public holiday in 2022, the first New Zealand holiday to recognise te ao Māori.
- The Matariki public holiday always falls on a Friday, with dates set decades in advance.
- Māori tradition recognises nine stars in the cluster, more than the seven commonly named in other cultures.
- The name Matariki comes from Ngā Mata a te Ariki Tāwhirimātea, “the eyes of the god Tāwhirimātea.”
- The dates are calculated using the maramataka, the Māori lunar calendar, around the Tangaroa period of the month of Pipiri.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Matariki?
Matariki is the Māori New Year, marked by the mid-winter rising of the Matariki star cluster. It is a time to remember the dead, celebrate the present, and plan for the future.
When is Matariki in 2026?
The Matariki public holiday falls on Friday, 10 July 2026.
Why does the date of Matariki change each year?
The date follows the maramataka, the Māori lunar calendar, and the winter rising of the star cluster, so it shifts annually, though it is always observed on a Friday.
Spread the Word
Share Matariki with your community using #Matariki and #Matariki2026. Whether you mark the occasion by rising for the dawn or gathering loved ones for a shared meal, every bit of awareness helps keep this tradition alive. If you enjoy celebrating cultural new year observances, you might also explore other national days on our calendar.
Related Awareness Days
- International Asteroid Day – A day dedicated to raising awareness about asteroids and the wider wonders of the night sky.
- Djibouti Independence Day – Another national celebration with deep cultural and historical roots.
- Independence Day – The United States national day, marking another important moment in a nation’s calendar.
Links
2026 Awareness Days Wall Planner
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