Text Title: "Māori astronomer claims Matariki has nine stars, not seven"
Text Type: New Report
Text Creator: Te Karere TVNZ
Text Purpose: To educate
Date: 02/07/21
Critical Literacy Question: Why are you/we reading this text?
Maori astronomer Dr. Rangi Matamua makes the claim that there are Matariki cluster, rather than the preconceived seven. Matamua states that this is an esoteric Maori belief, and not the 'bastardised' version of Maori oral histories. He says that, also, not all stars in Matariki are female- 'this is a fallacy.' The seven stars are Ururangi, Tupu-a-rangi, Tupu-anuku, Waipunarangi, Waita, Waiti, and Matariki. Matamua brings to attention the two extra stars, Pohutukawa and Waiti.
We are reading this text because Matariki, the Maori new year, recently passed on the 24th June. As part of wananga, we have been studying the celebration.
