Te Kāhui o Matariki and the environment
Join Andrea Soanes and Angela Schipper as we unpack ideas connected to Te Kāhui o Matariki and Environment Aotearoa 2022 and share resources that can be used as a guiding framework for teaching and learning.
Each of the nine whetū in the Matariki cluster is associated with an aspect of wellbeing and the environment, such as the land, the forests, freshwater, salt water, wind and rain. Using a Matariki narrative helps us tell the story of the present state of our environment. It supports our understanding of the connections and interactions between the environment and people and it provides a link from the past to the present and into the future. The Matariki framework also showcases examples where mātauranga Māori and science concepts combine to provide a breadth of knowledge and understanding.
Interweaving different knowledge systems presents a richer and more relevant picture of the environment and of its connections with people.
Te Kāhui o Matariki and the environment
This video supports the Te Kāhui o Matariki and the environment resources, produced in collaboration with the Ministry for the Environment.
You can download the video and slideshow presentation.
Te Kāhui o Matariki and the environment – slideshow
This slideshow provides additional support for the video tutorial Te Kāhui o Matariki and the environment.
TopicSlideshow number(s)Video timecodeIntroducing the video and the Science Learning Hub presenters 100:00Index200:50About the Science Learning Hub31:29Purpose42:01About the Environment Aotearoa 2022 report53:25Whetū and their domains64:50Mātauranga Māori and science76:22Mauri, wellbeing and sustainability87:26Looking at the resources9–118:31Cross-curricular learning activities 12–1313:36Local curriculum 1416:06SLH links, keep in touch and thanks1518:38
Related content
Explore our articles on Matariki and the Environment Aotearoa 2022 report as well as our Matariki and Environment Aotearoa 2022 collection.
Te Kāhui o Matariki – introduction – curates our Matariki sources in one location!
For an introduction to mga Māori and science, read this article and, to discover many more resources, explore our mātauranga Māori topic. We also have an overview of Resources with Māori content.
Project Mātauranga is a televisions that investigates Māori world views and methodologies within the scientific community.
Activity ideas
Use this cross-curricular activity to explore written and visual components of the Matariki representations. Great inspiration for poetry and art and suitable for early learners to secondary students!
This activity uses the Kāhui o Matariki infographics to practise the science capability ‘interpret representations’.
Learn about star constellations and the various legends about them.
Related PLD
Watch our related webinars:
Mātauranga and the Living World with Yvonne Taura
Whakanui pūtaiao – two primary teachers share their ideas
Useful links
The Ministry for the Environment's Environment Aotearoa 2022 report can be found here.
The Living by the stars website provides links to presentations and resources connected to Professor Rangi Mātāmua’s knowledge of Matariki.
