Ka puta Matariki, ka rere Whānui, ko te tohu o te tau.
Puanga and the Matariki star cluster appear in our morning sky in midwinter. To many iwi, the rising of Puanga and/or Matariki along with a Tangaroa (waning crescent) phase moon signifies the beginning of the Māori New Year.
Across Aotearoa, many iwi use Matariki as the marker for New Year. Here in Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington, some iwi focus on Puanga, as it rises higher and earlier than Matariki, and is more visible above the hills.
Below is our updated Matariki stargazing guide for 2025. Follow these instructions to find Matariki and Puanga with the naked eye this winter, anywhere in Aotearoa.
From late June, look to the east before sunrise…
- Find the three stars of TAUTORU ORION’S BELT
- Find the bright star above, this is PUANGA RIGEL
- Find TAUMATA-KUKU ALDEBARAN in the constellation of Taurus.
- Draw a horizontal line going through Tautoru, Taumata-Kuku.
MATARIKI is the small cluster of stars that will appear just above the line to the left of Taurus. KŌPŪ VENUS will be directly above Matariki this year.
