275 Times December 2017 - January 2018

Maramataka
By Ayla Hoeta
Kia ora whānau! This issue
of the maramataka will
take you all the way into
2018. See you next year!
Matiti Muramura
(December)
Matiti Muramura is the third
phase of summer. It’s still a
great time for planting – and
even better for fishing.
This month the bush and
the seashore turn red with
pohutukawa blossom.
It’s an excellent time to
celebrate the warm weather
and head to the beach!
Matiti Kaiwai
(January)
In the fourth phase of summer
the dry ground opens up as
Papatūānuku thirsts for water.
Ngāpuhi people call this time
‘Te waru i Kataina e Rehua’ –
the eighth month of the year,
when the ground laughs as
a result of the Rehua star.
Tohu o te rangi
Rehua continues to shine bright.
Tohu o te whenua
There are three tohu this
month: pohutukawa, northern
rātā and plums! Early Christmas
plums are ready to eat or
make jam with. This is the
time to start preserving food.
Tohu o te moana
The kahawai that started to
gather last month begin to
run in January. The Oturu
day this month (New Year’s
Day) indicates the time that
kahawai start to run.
We’d love to hear from anyone
who lives by a river mouth (or
who goes fishing at New Year’s)
whether this tohu was correct.
Don’t forget, if you’d like your
own copy of the maramataka
dial, email me at ayla.hoeta@
aucklandcouncil.govt.nz
Kia pai o koutou hararei!
Tohu o te rangi
(Signs in the sky)
Rehua (Antares) will rise in
the east around 8 December.
Tohu o te whenua
(Signs on land)
When Rehua rises the
pohutukawa tree will blossom.
Hawaiians call both the star and
the tree ‘Lehua’. They recognise
the connection between them
just as we do in Aotearoa: when
the Lehua star appears, the lehua
(pohutukawa) flower blooms.
Most pohutukawa should
be in flower by mid-
December. You might also
see the northern rātā, which
flowers at the same time.
Tohu o te moana
(Signs in the water)
Kahawai fish start to
gather at the river mouths
from early December.
KEY DATES FOR SUMMER DEC JAN
Rakaunui: Highest energy day 3 2
Oturu & Rakau
Ma Tohi:
Takirau:
Korekore Te
Whiawhia,
Korekore Te Rawea
& Korekore Piri:
Tangaroa A Mua,
Tangaroa A Roto &
Tangaroa kiokio:
Orongonui, Omauri
& Mutuwhenua:
Whiro:
High energy days. Plant
root crops & watery crops.
Plant kumara
& other root crops.
Low energy days – good for
reflecting.
Fishing & planting days.
(On Tangaroa kiokio rats
come out during the day!)
Good days for planting all
types of kai.
Lowest energy day. Best for
resting & planning. Also a
good night to torch for eels.
2 & 4 1 & 3
5 4
7, 8
& 9
10, 11
& 12
14, 15
& 16
6, 7
& 8
9, 10
& 11
13, 14
& 15
17 16
Local artist wins top award
Māngere-based artist
Andy Leleisi’uao has
won the top prize in
NZ’s biggest contemporary
art competition.
As the winner of this
year’s Wallace Arts
Trust Paramount Award,
Andy will spend six
months working in
New York next year.
His last project of
2017 involves a public
display at the Māngere
Town Centre at midday
on 28 December.
The project commemorates
Black Saturday
(28 Dec 1929), when NZ
military police opened
fire on a peaceful Mau
protest in Apia, Samoa,
killing 11 people –
including the leader
and high chief Tupua
Lealofi III. The efforts
of the Mau movement
eventually led to Samoa’s
independence in 1962.
You can see more of
Andy’s work online at
http://andyleleisiuao.
blogspot.co.nz
Next stop NYC: Award-winning artist
Andy Leleisi’uao (right) with Pacific
art consultant Marilyn Kohlhase.
5