Across Aotearoa, many iwi use Matariki as the marker for the New Year. Here in Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington, some iwi focus on the star Puanga. One reason for this is that Puanga rises higher and earlier than Matariki, and is more visible above the hills, though there are many other reasons to follow the tohu of Puanga aside from visibility. In some inland areas of our rohe, iwi read both Puanga and Matariki.
What is Puanga?
Puanga is a blue supergiant star and part of the constellation Orion. In te reo Māori, the three stars that form Orion’s Belt are known as Tautoru, which means “string of three.” Puanga (known as Rigel in Western astronomy) sits just above Tautoru and is one of Orion’s “feet”—a name that also reflects its Greek origins, where “Rigel” means “foot.”
Puanga shines brightly in the sky during the mid-winter months, rising before the sun. Its brilliance and position in the sky make it a key celestial marker for many iwi.
Why do we celebrate Puanga?
While Matariki -the cluster of stars known as the Pleiades in Western astronomy- is widely recognized as the signal for the Māori New Year, many iwi use Puanga instead. There are a few reasons for this.
One of the main reasons is visibility. Matariki sits closer to the eastern horizon, which can make it hard to spot in areas with lots of hills or dense landscapes. Places like Wellington, with its many steep ridgelines, often find Matariki more difficult to see. Puanga, on the other hand, rises higher in the sky and is therefore more easily visible from many locations.
For these iwi, the rising of Puanga just before dawn is a natural and practical way to mark the beginning of the New Year.
Different stars, shared significance
Across the motu, iwi traditions differ. Some iwi observe Puanga, others follow Matariki, and some acknowledge both. Regardless of which star is used, the heart of the celebration remains the same: it is a time to remember those who have passed, to celebrate the present, and to plan for the year ahead. It is a season filled with kai (food), whānau (family), wānanga (learning), and karakia (prayer). Puanga reminds us to connect with the natural world, our ancestors, and each other.
Fun facts about Puanga
- Puanga is located roughly 863 light-years away.
- Puanga measures about 79 times the diameter of the sun.
- Puanga’s surface temperature is far hotter than the sun, 11,600 degrees Celsius (the sun is 5,500 Celsius).
- The estimated age of Puanga is seven to nine million years.
