1. Mātauranga and Tikanga Māori
Environmental Compliance Conference 2015

2. Mātauranga and Tikanga Māori
Māori knowledge and practises
Observations and interactions
Testing and retesting
Time is cyclic not linear
Specific – not general

3. Tuia ki te rangi... Triangulate: Consider duality of: Sky Sea Land
Day and night
Light and dark
Life and death
Male and female

4. Māori regulatory framework
Actively considers balance and the consequences of imbalance
Understands time is cyclic and change occurs within cycles
A holistic model

5. Rereata Makiha
SMART

6. SMART Society for Maori Astronomy, Research and Traditions
To promote Astronomy & Natural Science to Maori youth and communities
To inspire Maori students into science and mathematics
To retain and preserve Maori traditional astronomical knowledge

7. SMART Trustees Dr Pauline Harris Hekenukumai Busby Hoturoa Kerr
Dr Te Rangi Mataamua
Dr Takirirangi Smith
Jack Thatcher
Toa Waaka
Taku Parai

8. Whakawhetai - Acknowledgement
Rereata Makiha
nō Te Mahurehure (Hokianga), Te Arawa, Rangitane

9. Introduction Slide Notes
Ngā whetu tiaho mai i te rangi
‘Jewels in the Sky ’
Introduction Slide Notes
The current model of the Universe
The Universe is expanding.
The Universe appeared to have a beginning in a Big Bang about 14 Billion Years ago.
The Universe is the same in all directions – ie, homogeneous.
All galaxies (in general) are receding directly away from our position in the Universe.
The velocity of the receding galaxies is proportional to the distance: double the distance, double the velocity of the galaxy. Ie, Hubble’s Law
Galaxies on the edge of the Universe are observed to be receding at 95% the velocity of light.
Recent observations indicate the Universe might be accelerating.
How can the recession effects be explained??
Picture credit – 9

10. Ngā Whakaaro 1. Te Maramataka – Maori calendar
2. Importance of the Maramataka to Māori
3. Matariki in the Pacific
4. How to find Matariki, Te Puanga, & Tautoru

11. Matariki – Matari’i - Matali’i
Matari’i (Pleiades) in Papeete, Tahiti
Matali’i in Apia, Samoa
Matariki in Pikitu

12. Te Maramataka

13. What can the maramataka teach us ?
When to fish
When not to fish (Only 14 days of 30 day cycle)
When to plant crops
When not to plant crops
What crops to plant
When to meet

14. How do we set the maramataka?
Matariki ? – The Pleiades
Te Puangarua ? – Rigel in Orion

15. Pikitu – 6 am, 30 June 2012

16. The division of summer Determined by the flowering of trees
Behaviour of birds and animals
Ripening of berries
7 matiti (periods of summer)

17. Rahui To protect food stocks on land and fish stocks at sea
Let big fish go for breeding
Karani Tina and conflict with Gov Laws and Maori Lore