Mānawatia a Matariki

Celebrating Matariki in Te Kura Tāpuhi/School of Nursing

Matariki: A Time to Remember, Reflect & Reconnect

Each year in mid-winter, Aotearoa New Zealand marks Matariki, the rising of a cluster of stars known internationally as the Pleiades. For Māori, Matariki signals the beginning of the Māori New Year and is a special time for remembering those who have died, celebrating the present, and looking ahead with hope.

The values associated with Matariki resonate strongly with our work. One of the most important traditions of Matariki is honouring loved ones who have passed away since the previous rising of the stars. Families and communities gather to share memories, speak the names of those who have died, and acknowledge the continuing place they hold in our lives. This recognition of enduring connections reflects a key understanding in palliative care: that bonds with those we love do not end with death.

Matariki is also a time of whanaungatanga—strengthening relationships with family, friends and community. In palliative care, we see every day how important these connections are for wellbeing, belonging and support, particularly during times of illness, caregiving, loss and bereavement.

Alongside remembrance, Matariki encourages us to pause and reflect on the year that has passed, to express gratitude, and to consider our aspirations for the future. As we acknowledge Matariki, we feel grateful to share in the wisdom of this Māori cultural custom and its powerful reminder that life, loss, memory and hope are deeply interconnected. It invites all of us to take time to remember, reconnect and renew. As Professor Rangi Mātāmua, one of Aotearoa's leading experts on Matariki, Māori astronomy, and mātauranga Māori, says:

“It’s about sharing and collectivity, coming together. It’s about the environment and giving back to the environment and being thankful … it is about aroha and manaakitanga and kai and whanaungatanga, and all of those good things that make people who they are. The best things that make us who we are,” (Dr Rangi Matamua).

Matariki mā puanga – celebrating the past, the present and the future.