We’ve just celebrated Matariki on Friday 10, with a long weekend to follow — and in checking out the Matariki (Pleiades) star cluster I got to see some awesome midwinter skies. That’s because the weather has been very frosty overnight, but that also means the skies are clear as a bell with spectacular views of the Milky Way and southern constellations. Some of which are northern hemisphere constellations as well, but either way it’s great to see them all so clearly. 😀

Communing with that winter beach…

I know I’ve explained Matariki here before, but for the sake of new readers, it’s the traditional Maori new year festival, which is increasingly celebrated by the population as  a whole. The festival is marked by the reappearance of the Matariki constellation in the night sky and is a time for remembering those who have died, reflecting on the past year generally, and anticipating the new year to come. Somehow, the midwinter feels like a better time for that than 1 January, which is the height of summer here, with all our minds far more on holidays and partying than reflection and commemoration.

Mountains ‘sort of’ like this — except white all the way down. 🙂

My celebration was fairly quiet, but I got to spend time with friends, commune with a winter beach, and take delight in the sight of mountains fully covered in snow as well as the equally clear night sky. We did also remember all those we lost in the past year and spoke their names aloud, as well as taking Burns’ cup of kindness in their memory — a blending of new year traditions if you will.

A cup of kindness with old friends

And because Matariki is a season that lasts through until ca. July 19 this year, there’s still plenty of time to wish others Mānawatia a Matariki and commemorate the season.