Maramataka at Ōtari with Pauline Harris

Maramataka at Ōtari (Calculating traditional Maori calendars with the stars) with Pauline Harris

The maramataka (Māori calendar) is based on the position of the sun, stars, phases of the moon as well as environmental and ecological indicators. This talk will describe examples of these indicators and how these are being used to determine the time of Matariki and the proposed dates for the Matariki holiday.

Dr Pauline Harris is from the tribes Rongomaiwahine, Ngāti Rakaipaka and Ngāti Kahungunu. She is a Senior Lecturer for the Centre for Science and Society at Victoria University of Wellington (VUW). Dr Harris is an astrophysicist who has specialised in high energy neutrino production and inflationary cosmology. Dr Harris’s research currently focuses on mātauranga Māori associated with Māori astronomy, Māori calendars called maramataka aswell as climate change.

Leonard Cockayne Centre, 160 Wilton Road.