E oho! Ngā Tohu o te Maramataka: The science of living by the moon, stars, land and ocean

Learn more about the science behind the maramataka (lunar calendar) in this talk with Te Kahuratai Moko-Painting (Ngāti Manu, Te Popoto, Ngāpuhi).Marked by the annually changing phases of the moon and the annually consistent heliacal rising of stars, the public holiday for Matariki will not fall on the same day in the next five years.
Understanding this changing date requires knowldege of maramataka. Maramataka can be known as the Māori lunar-stellar-ecological calendar based on tohu (environmental signs, indicators and therefore, instructions) where the words marama (moon) and taka (to turn) give the literal meaning “the turning of the moon”.
Through sharing knowledge of maramataka combined with concepts in biology, physics and mathematics, this presentation will explore some of the science that is still held within the matauranga of maramataka.
Find out more about this event or read the transcript - natlib.govt.nz/events/e-oho-n...
This talk is part of our E oho! Waitangi 2023 events held at the National Library of New Zealand Te Puna Māttauranga o Aotearoa. The E oho! Waitangi 2023 events aim to lay the foundation for all people living in Aotearoa by exploring key events that shaped the nation we call home. It's a series for everyone; hear amazing speakers from diverse backgrounds focussing on historical events, contemporary consequences and collective understanding. Each event entails inspiring talks and the opportunity to kōrero further afterwards.
Find out more about the series at natlib.govt.nz/events/e-oho-w...
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Content on this video
0:00:00 Intro
0:00:15 Mihi and Acknowledgement
0:02:53 Looking at the stars in Matariki season
0:04:26 Interpreting the stars
0:04:52 Interpreting the signs of the environment
0:07:28 Different Maramataka
0:09:01 Colonisation of time - the Gregorian calendar
0:09:46 Decolonising time - reading tohu/ signs
0:10:54 Ngā tohu o te Maramataka
0:12:26 The science of living by the moon, stars, land and ocean
0:13:28 How I got here
0:16:21 Navigation
0:17:39 Decolonising science
0:18:30 Indigenous astronomies
0:19:53 The environment and biology
0:22:01 Where is Matariki?
0:23:05 Te Waru o Rehua - Antares
0:25:30 How to find Matariki?
0:27:15 Tama-nui-te-rā/ the sun
0:28:17 Where will the sun rise?
0:30:32 Mārama - Rona and the moon
0:33:25 Moon phases in the Maramataka
0:35:01 Game to remember moon phases
0:35:35 Whiro
0:36:34 Tamatea
0:37:38 Rākaunui
0:38:57 Tangaroa
0:39:55 Tides
0:41:40 Ngā Whetū - the stars (and planets)
0:46:05 Waka ā Tamarereti
0:47:00 Twinkling as weather predictor
0:48:46 Matariki as predictor of season
0:50:37 Observing Rehua
0:52:38 Lunar months
0:54:06 Ngā Peka o te Raumati - branches of summer
0:55:00 Ngā Peka o te Takurua - the branches of winter
0:55:20 Nga Tohu o te Maramataka
0:56:56 When to celebrate Rehua, Puanga and Matariki
0:59:25 When is Matariki a public holiday?
1:00:20 How to celebrate Matariki - tangata whenua?
1:01:40 How to celebrate Matariki - families and communities
1:02:21 Where to start?
1:03:33 Q and A
1:04:50 Is the Matamataka different in Hawaii?
1:08:15 When we are looking at stars, we are looking back in time
1:11:30 Concerns about sharing mātauranga online?
1:13:34 Western institutions versus mātauranga
1:17:56 Confirmation bias?
1:21:06 Closing