Rewi Spraggon Explains Puanga, Matariki’s Older Brother

Rewi Spraggon explains Puanga, Matariki’s older brother

We are starting Matariki 2025 week with a look at Puanga, the star Rigel in Orion. Matariki is the public holiday we all celebrate this year on Friday, June...

Celebrating Puanga: how different iwi mark the Māori new year

Reading Time: 5 minutes By Janay Harding and Waimirirangi Lee-Reiri of RNZ “Focus on intention”: that’s the advice from Coromandel kura kaupapa Māori principal Parekaia Tapiata for whānau wanting to mark the Māori new year. Born and raised in a small Māori community in Papaioea (Palmerston North), Tapiata focuses on educating everyday New Zealanders about a star many people might not have heard before: Puanga. Instead of looking for the rising o…