Giving Thanks, A Tahitian New Year
Pleiades cluster of Stars ushers in the Tahitian New Year.
While the United States prepares for the Thanksgiving Holiday, in the South Pacific they are already celebrating a New Year!
The stars are aligning quite literally in Tahiti this month as Matari’i (the Pleiades cluster of stars) rises over the islands to welcome the beginning of a new season of abundance. The Tahitian calendar is divided into two season and is identified with the rising and setting of Matari’i. The reemergence of Matari’i is celebrated through song and dance. The fruits are at their juiciest and tastiest and brighten everything with their colors.
Matari’I is not just isolated to the Islands of Tahiti, it is somewhat of a Pacific occasion with many other countries in the region also celebrating some version of this New Year. Earlier this year in Aotearoa New Zealand officially proclaimed Matariki a public holiday and predawn ceremonies were held all over the country to celebrate the occasion.
Here at Pacific Storytelling we are also thankful to work alongside local businesses in the South Pacific and specifically Tahiti, who have a real focus on the culture and people and giving back to their communities. Tahiti Islands Travel is one such business which is based in Pape’ete. If you are looking to experience a little more of the culture and real meaning of the islands of Tahiti, then we have you sorted.
Thanksgiving is the perfect time to remember we are all the share in the human experience, and we have much to be thankful for.
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Ancient Mythological account of Matari’I by Scholar by Teuira Henry.
