Matariki & Puanga
Matariki is the Māori name for the Pleides cluster of stars that rises in midwinter, and Puanga the star Rigel of the Orion constellation, each heralding the new year of the Māori lunar calendar. Get amongst the activities below to incorporate digital technologies education in your celebration of Matariki & Puanga this year!
2024
Public Holiday — Friday 28 June (Korekore whakapiri)
Tangaroa Lunar Period
Tangaroa-ā-mua — Saturday 29 June
Tangaroa-ā-roto — Sunday 30 June
Tangaroa whakapau — Monday 1 July
Tangaroa whāriki kiokio — Tuesday 2 July
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Capturing the Night Sky
Practise adjusting your device settings, experiment with stability and timing your shot, and capture you own stunning images of the night sky!
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Matariki: Star Map
In Scratch Jr, create an interactive map of the Matariki star cluster using animation and sound to identify the stars by recording their names.
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Matariki: Twinkling Stars
In Scratch Jr, learn about te Kāhui o Matariki, the constellation of Matariki, and program the stars to twinkle and show their names.
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Matariki: Animation & Sound
Help introduce basic Micro:bit functions and skills with MakeCode to create a multimedia Matariki celebration.
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Tiki Tour of the Matariki Star Cluster
Get to know the nine stars of Matariki by using basic programming to navigate Blue/Bee-Bots around a grid.
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Navigate the Cluster
Use Sphero bots to explore the stars of Matariki and Puanga, map them on the floor, and visit each one to learn more about them.
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Moonhack: Matariki
In Scratch, make an interactive animation that tells the story of Matariki and Puanga. Available in both te reo Māori and English.
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E haere ake nei...
Watch this space for more fun, creative projects connecting Matariki and Puanga knowledge and celebrations with DT&HM learning!
Links and Resources
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Matariki (Te Papa)
A page of resources about Matariki, the Māori New Year, from the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa.
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Mānawatia a Matariki
A hub of information and resources around Matariki, powered by Manatū Taonga and Te Māngai Pāho.
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Puanga (ki Whanganui)
A hub of information and resources about Puanga, powered by local community organisations of the Whanganui region.
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Matariki and Puanga
Information and media on Puanga and how it differs and connects with Matariki, provided by Che Wilson.