Matariki: The Eyes of the Sky
Matariki: The Eyes of the Sky · Years 1–3
Ngā Whāinga Akoranga · Learning Intentions
- Understand and apply key concepts from te ao Māori to learning and life
- Engage with te reo Māori vocabulary and cultural frameworks with accuracy and respect
- Connect Māori values and concepts to contemporary issues and personal identity
- Recognise the significance of Māori cultural knowledge as a living, relevant system
Paearu Angitu · Success Criteria
- I can explain at least three te ao Māori concepts accurately in my own words
- I use te reo Māori vocabulary with correct meaning and appropriate context
- I can connect a Māori concept to a real contemporary situation or personal experience
- My engagement with this material demonstrates genuine curiosity and cultural respect
Matariki
Ngā Mata o te Ariki Tāwhirimātea
📖 The Story of the Stars
Long ago, the god of wind, Tāwhirimātea, was so sad that his parents (Sky and Earth) were separated. In his grief, he tore out his eyes and threw them into the sky! They became the beautiful cluster of stars we call Matariki.
When we see Matariki, we remember our family, celebrate our food, and make wishes for the future!
Waitī
Freshwater and everything in it.Waitā
The ocean and salt water.Tupu-ā-nuku
Plants that grow for food.Tupu-ā-rangi
Birds and trees in the forest.Waipunarangi
The rain that falls from above.Ururangi
The winds that blow.✨ Activity: My Wish to the Stars ✨
What is something special you want to happen this year?
Cut these out and paste them next to the correct star!
Hononga Marautanga · Curriculum Alignment
Curriculum alignment for this handout has not yet been verified against the live curriculum statements. A generated placeholder that stood here was removed on 2026-08-29 because it matched no real statement.
Tuhia ōu whakaaro · Write Your Thoughts
Reflect on your learning. What was the most important idea? What question do you still have?
Aronga Mātauranga Māori
This resource engages directly with te ao Māori as its subject — the values, practices, language, and worldview that have sustained Māori communities across centuries of challenge and change. Mātauranga Māori is not a supplement to this learning: it is the source. Students approaching this material are invited to engage with it not as outside observers studying a foreign culture, but as people in relationship with a living knowledge tradition that shapes the place they live, the language they may speak, and the obligations they carry as tāngata o Aotearoa — people of this land. That relationship calls for care, curiosity, and respect for knowledge-holders who carry what no textbook can fully contain.
Ngā Rauemi Tautoko · Resources already provided
This handout is designed to be used alongside other resources in the same unit. This handout stands on its own; it is not part of a linked unit planner. All content is provided — no additional preparation is required to use this handout in your classroom.