Regional Variations: Taranaki, Whanganui & Ngāi Tahu

Puanga is the specific name given by Māori to the star Rigel, the brightest star in the Orion constellation. In […]

Te Tai Hauāuru Puanga refers to the specific observance of the Māori New Year by iwi on the West Coast

Ngāi Tahu Puaka refers to the specific Southern Māori celebration of the New Year, distinguished by the prominence of the

In the Whanganui region, the Māori New Year is marked by the rise of Puanga (Rigel) rather than Matariki, due

Puanga refers to the star Rigel, which signals the Māori New Year in the Taranaki region. Because the geography of

The primary Puanga Matariki difference lies in geographical visibility and regional tribal tradition. While Matariki (the Pleiades) signals the Māori