Matariki is the name for the Maori New Year and a time of celebration.

We listened to some stories and watched some You Tube clips about Matariki.

We learned that there is a group of seven stars that can be seen in the sky during late May and early June.  There are different stories about how the stars got there. Some people say the cluster is showing us the front of a large waka. Another story tells of how Tane threw a beautiful star and it smashed into seven pieces.

We liked the story of the seven sisters when  the older sister guided her younger sisters into their places in the sky.