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​​Matariki

​​by Kingi Gilbert  

​​

​​Early in the morning before the the suns ra ys cross the sky

​​nanny and koro, rise up to go outside

​​

​​but the tamariki johnyy and hine arent sleeping, 

​​they creep outside and start peeking

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​​makariri te hau, its cold to the touch

​​on the horizon they cant see much

​​

​​where did nanny and koro go?

​​hine asks her bro.

​​

​​“kia ora tamariki” is koro’s warm glow

​​

​​“we are right here, looking for  a star

​​te whetu o te tau, it’s not too far

​​

​​ko matariki te mama o te roopu whetu

​​matariki is the mother of that star group

​​

​​“why do you look for the star in the morning?”

​​because it the time we are learning, calling and fomring

​​

​​what we will do for the rest of the year

​​what crops to plant and how to prepare

​​

​​Back in the day there was no  april or may

​​just teh rising of the moon and the sun each day

​​

​​we counted the moon shapes, every day of the year

​​to align our knowledge and when to take care

​​

​​of gardens and creatures and spiritual things

​​taught by our tohunga, were many great things

​​

​​these were the markers of the maori new year

​​and how we lived in the world connected right here:

​​

​​“haeremai matariki i te po nei,

​​te whetu o te tau, te whetu o te tau

​​haere mai, haere mai, haere mai ra….

​​

​​and just them on the horizon you could see it emerge, 

​​a cluster of stars on the verge

​​

​​te iwa o matariki

​​the nine of matariki