Matariki reflections
“Tirohia ake ngā whetu
Me ko Matariki e ārau ana
He tiki mai tahau i ngā mahara e kohi nei
Whakarerea ake e nā te roimata koua riringi
He puna wai kai aku kamo…
I gaze up to the stars
To the assembly of Matariki
Captured are my memories of you who have left me behind
Tears rippling
like springs in my eyes.”’
Today we celebrate Matariki - the New Year.
The presence of the Pleiades in the mid-Winter night sky symbolises the cycle of life and death. We acknowledge the lives of those who have passed away, their spirits marked by individual stars. Matariki is a time for remembrance and celebration: to practice gratitude for what we have and honour the lives of those who are no longer with us.
I mentioned in a previous email that this year started off heavily for me and my family, with this year currently holding a personal record for the number of funerals and wakes we have attended.
One thing I have always admired about Māori culture (and other Indigenous cultures) is the grieving process of death. The rituals and extended mourning periods acknowledge the significance of life and the story we each create and leave behind.
There is healing in coming together with other people to remember and celebrate the wisdom shared, the love that was felt and the inspiration that other people leave behind when they pass away.
A connection with our ancestors, and (blood-related or otherwise) brothers and sisters even when they are no longer with us reminds us of the value of coming together with one another, fostering deep relationships and serving a purpose greater than ourselves with our own lives.
Traditionally, Matariki is celebrated over a shared meal with loved ones.
Let Matariki be a reminder that food is healing, food represents connection, food represents love and food creates and holds memories.
Food is more than just calories and nutrients.
If you choose to celebrate this weekend with loved ones over a meal, or if you are simply enjoying an extra day to relax, unwind and restore in the middle of Winter - I encourage you to take a moment to reflect, ponder or journal…
Who are the people in your life that have passed away? What still reminds you of them? How do you choose to connect with their spirit?
What are you grateful for right now? What has this year brought forward for you so far (despite any challenges)?
If you wish to read more about the Matariki celebration, I used this article here as a reference for this email, including the poem at the beginning.
