The bright blue stars known as the Seven Sisters are known for marking the beginning of Matariki – or the Māori New Year.
In the traditional Māori calendar or maramataka, the New Year begins in June, and the appearance of the Matariki or Pleiades star cluster is a time for celebration as a new cycle begins.
But did you know that Matariki is actually the Māori name for the stars? Do you know the legend behind Matariki? Did you know that the cluster of stars that mark the beginning of this period are also important scientifically?
AUT has combined all of this into a short video explaining ‘The Science of Matariki’.
