Mānawatia a Matariki!
In solidarity with our New Zealand Sisters, Brigidines honour Matariki Day which in 2025 falls on 20 June.
Matariki is the star cluster, of nine stars, most commonly known across the world as Pleiades.
It is one of the earliest recorded groups of stars in human history.
Matariki – is particularly treasured in Aotearoa New Zealand.
For Māori, Matariki’s first rising in late June or early July marks the beginning of the New Year and is underpinned by three aspects:
-remembering the past and the people we have lost in the past year. We celebrate them and remember them.
-celebrating the present – coming together, feasting and celebrating who we are now.
-looking forward with the hope
and planning for the future.
Matariki Day is a National Holiday for all New Zealanders, making it one of the first Indigenous celebrations to be recognised as a public holiday in a settler colonial state.
Matariki is deeply connected to the natural world, with each star in the cluster representing different environmental aspects. The Stars of Matariki Cluster
The
y are a living cry of hope. They know what it is to listen to (the) Earth, to see (the) Earth, to touch (the) Earth. They remind us that we human beings have a shared responsibility to care for our common home.”
– Pope Francis, Indigenous Peoples Forum, Rome February 2019
