Ngati Manuhiri – Moving through the seasons

With the recent celebration of Matariki, the Māori New Year, now is a good time to share information about Maramataka. Many indigenous cultures around the world have their own version of Maramataka, which aligns with the phases of the moon, rather than the common Gregorian calendar.

Maramataka has no months, just periods or ngā wā o te tau. Traditionally, our people would move through seasons according to the tohu (signs). In recent times, the Maramataka has been aligned with the Gregorian calendar to make it easier to understand and adopt. The Maramataka is not the same across Aotearoa because it uses tohu as an indicator and each area or iwi will use tohu relevant to the area they reside in. For example, Ngāti Manuhiri are people of the sea and have different tohu to those living more inland. Star visibility is different in this area compared to our whanaunga (relatives) in Te Waipounamu (South Island).

For example, Here-turi-kōkā, which is approximately August, the whitebait season starts and once the kowhai begins to bloom, this would signal the time to start planting kumara in shallow beds for sprouting. The tohu is the kōwhai.

The ngā wā o te tau are as follows.

Pipiri (May-June): Ka pipiri ngā mea katoa i te whenua i te mātao, me te tangata – All things on earth are contracted because of the cold; likewise man.

Hōngongoi (June-July): Kua tino mātao te tangata, me te tahutahu ahi, ka pāinaina – Man is now extremely cold, and so kindles fires before which he basks.

Hereturikōkā (July-August): Kua kitea te kainga a te ahi i ngā turi o te tangata – The scorching effect of fire on the knees of man is seen.

Mahuru (August-September): Kua pūmahana te whenua, me ngā otaota, me ngā rākau – The earth has now acquired warmth, as also have herbage and trees.

Whiringa ā Nuku (September-October): Kua tino māhana te whenua – The earth has now become quite warm.

Whiringa ā Rangi (October-November): Kua raumati, kua kaha te rā – It has now become summer, and the sun has acquired strength.

Hakihea (November-December): Kua noho ngā manu kai roto i te kōhanga – Birds are now sitting in their nests.

Kohitātea (December-January): Kua makuru te kai: ka kai te tangata i ngā kai hou o te tau – Fruits are now ripe and man eats the new food of the season.

Hui Tanguru (January-February): Kua tau te waewae o Ruhi kai whenua – The foot of Ruhi (a summer star) now rests upon the earth.

Poutū te Rangi (February-March): Kua hauhake te kai – The crops are now harvested.

Paengawhāwhā (March-April): Kua putu ngā tupu o ngā kai i ngā paenga o ngā māra – All straw is now stacked at the borders of the plantations.

Haratua (April-May): Kua uru ngā kai kai te rua, kua mutu ngā mahi a te tangata – Crops are now stored in pits. The tasks of man are finished.