Maramataka

The maramataka is a traditional Māori lunar-stellar system based on the movements and phases of te Marama and ngā whetū. This system recognises the influence these Moon phases have on the natural world and guides various aspects of Māori life such as planting, fishing and gathering of kai. The maramataka considers the influence of te Marama on tides, weather patterns and other natural phenomena to optimise the success of these activities.

Maramataka – an ancient concept

When early Polynesian explorers arrived in Aotearoa, they encountered a very different life in these austral islands. However tūpuna Māori, as experts in interpreting ngā tohu o te taiao – the environmental signals – understood the subtle shifts in time and seasons. These observations and experiences, gathered over centuries, helped inform the maramataka in their new world.

Lunar-stellar calendars such as maramataka are environmentally led, meaning that humankind needs to adjust to the environment, just as early Māori did when arriving in Aotearoa centuries ago. They adjusted to a cooler climate with different seasonal patterns and new plants and animals. A change in latitude meant there were differences in the appearance of the stars in the night sky. The first settlers and generations that followed made systematic, carefully considered observations in order to understand this new environment. Most importantly, they practised what they had learned by making changes as needed to adjust and adapt.

For Māori, the year was divided into different seasons, months and nights. These were determined by a number of factors, including the position of the Sun, the phase of the Moon, the rising and setting of stars and ecological changes in the environment.

Rangi Mātāmua, Matariki: The Star of the Year

Linking tuarangi, whenua and moana

Tuia ki te rangi
Tuia ki te whenua
Tuia ki te moana
Tuia ki te here tangata
E rongo te pō, e rongo te ao

This whakataukī reminds us of the connection humankind has to the natural elements in the living world.

The navigators used their tātai arorangi – knowledge of ngā whetū and ngā mata o te Marama (phases of the Moon) to align with the seasonal patterns of Papatūānuku. They noted seasonal patterns – the flowering and fruiting of plants and animal migrations such as inanga and ngā tītī. These practices both optimised food gathering and avoided depleting resources – for example, restrictions on the hunting of birds during nesting season. This mātauranga still informs current practices surrounding mahinga kai.

Most iwi recognise 12 marama (lunar months) within the maramataka, with each typically lasting for around 30 nights. Each night has its own name and corresponds with a particular phase of the Moon. For some iwi, the lunar month begins with Whiro (new moon) and ends with Mutu (30th night). For other iwi, the lunar month begins with Rākaunui (full moon) and ends with Turu (30th night following full moon).

Rights: Crown copyright 2018

Maramataka – the Māori calendar

The lunar calendar is used for observing changes to te taiao.

Illustration by Isobel Joy Te Aho-White, from Listening to the Land, 2018 Level 3 Connected journal Cracking the Code published by the Ministry of Education, New Zealand.

Reviving maramataka and mātauranga

Although mātauranga associated with maramataka was kept alive through oral traditions, its practice diminished as alternative methods of food production were introduced by European settlers. More recently, greater recognition of the value and importance of mātauranga Māori – coupled with Matariki celebrations – has supported a resurgence in interest and practice of maramataka.

As well as reinstating cultural knowledge, this mātauranga is helping us understand how climate change may be impacting te taiao. For example, the blooming of pōhutukawa has long been a signal that kina are ready for harvest. Changes to sea temperatures are affecting how and when kina grow. Local maramataka provides understanding about ngā tohu o te ao – environmental signs, which can be used as evidence of how te taiao changes as the climate is changing.