The indigenous traditions surrounding Matariki is the subject of a new book co-authored by Māori astronomer, Professor Rangi Matamua and broadcaster Miriama Kamo.
Matariki Around The World, features stories about the star cluster from around the world.
Stories have been collected from the Pacific Islands, Australia, Asia, the Americas, Europe and Africa showing that the celestial group was important to many with universal traits.
Matamua says historically Matariki is the most well-recorded group of stars in the night sky.
“It was used right across the globe by different groups to tell time, for the new year, for harvest, for planting …as we move into our first Matariki holiday we can show that it’s not just Māori but all cultures from around the world that have a connection to these group of stars.
There is a 17 thousand-year-old painting with Matariki on it, which is the oldest astronomical record from China.”
Matamua says he enjoyed the process of pulling the book together with Kamo and illustrator Isobel Te Aho-White, to recognise the “breadth and depth of knowledge that exists across the world.”