Matariki (junior)

Where can I find information about Matariki?

(Years 1-4)

Colour image of the whetu (stars) of Matariki (also known as the Pleiades) shining brightly in the night sky. — Image: M45 Pleiades Pbkwee by pbkwee on Wikimedia Commons. CC BY 2.0. Image cropped.

Entry last updated: 28/11/25

Introduction

Matariki is the Māori name for the star cluster also known as the Pleiades or Seven Sisters. The Matariki cluster can be seen in the sky near the end of June. It marks the beginning of the Māori New Year.

General Websites

The best place to look for information about Matariki is on New Zealand websites.

Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand

Te Ara is a great starting point for all questions about Aotearoa New Zealand.

Use the word 'Matariki' in the search box at the top of the page.
Look for the story called Matariki – Te Tau Hou Māori to read about this New Zealand festival.

Tips: We like sites like this because they’re reliable. You can tell because of their web address – they have .govt, meaning they are from government. They’re also New Zealand sites, so relevant for us.

Christchurch City Libraries

The Christchurch City Libraries website has lots of pages of information on popular New Zealand topics such as Matariki.

Look for the box called Search the at the top of the page.
Use the down arrow in the box to select Website. Then type 'Matariki' into the search box.
Find Matariki for kids to read about the Matariki story, what happens during this festival, and some ways to celebrate it.

Tips: Websites that have .com or .co in the address can have good information, but you need to assess how reliable it is. Check the About us link on the website, if you can find one. That can tell you what the company’s mission and values are.

Te Papa Tongarewa - Museum of New Zealand

New Zealand’s national museum also has lots of good information on Matariki.

Enter 'Matariki' into the search box at the top of the page.
Select the Matariki activity book. Download the book in te reo Māori or English and have fun while you learn.
You can also watch the video The Star Family of Matariki story.
This is a story about how the Matariki stars use their talents and skills to help prepare for the new year.

Tips: Search words, or keywords, are the most important words in our question. Usually it’s better to leave out small words like ‘the’, ‘a’ and ‘of’ and just choose the main ones, eg Matariki. We can always change our keywords or add more if we need to.