Kua ara ake ahau i te papa o te whenua
Kua kite ahau i ngā whetū e tūtaki tahi ana
Ko Matariki te kairūri
Ko Atutahi kei te taumata o te mangōroa

The scope of our imagination is from the earth to the stars.
Professor Te Wharehuia Milroy, Kura Reo ki Te Waipounamu, 2014

My name is Hiwa-i-te-rangi and I am the star who is connected to the promise of a prosperous season. You may call me a 'wishing star'.

Tītiro ki ngā Whetū / Look to the Stars

Oceanic navigation uses the knowledge of star position to establish location. For example, as we move northwards the Southern Cross gets closer to the horizon. Currents, cloud forms, wave patterns and the behaviour of bird and marine life, are all used.

The whole calendrical system was impacted by traditional astronomical knowledge – not just at the New Year. The seasons of the year were also measured by heliacal rising and setting of stars.

Both New Moon and Full Moon continue to be important timers. This is instrumental for traditional methods of agriculture, cultural events, celebrations and rituals.

Ancestral lineage (whakapapa) weaves cosmos, gods, human life, flora and fauna, land and sky, into a total dependent system. For humans to thrive, there must be balance across the system.