The Seven Stars of Matariki

Room 24 read a myth about Matariki.  A myth is a folktale that is considered sacred and explains how things came to be.


Seven Stars of Matariki by Toni Rolleston-Cummins 

In the beginning of the story there were 7 handsome brothers who lived in a small village.  One day the 7 brothers were out hunting and were stunned by beautiful singing voices and it led two 7 beautiful wahine.  Each brother fell in love with them all except Mitai.  Mitai warned them about the woman.


In the middle of the story the 7 brothers took the wahine back to the village to make them their wives.  The woman didn't do anything but comb their hair and sing.  Mitai grew suspicious of the sisters so he hid behind a tree near his brothers whare.  The wahine were planning to starve his brothers to death.

At the end of the story Mitai told the brothers of their wives plans to kill them.  He then said to his brothers to cast their wives far away from earth.  So Te Rawhara made a magic net to capture the wahine in and they did.  The brothers took the sisters to Mitai who turned into an albatross and took them to Ururangi, god of the stars.  Once a year Uru lets the sisters show themselves.  They are known as the Seven Stars of Matariki.

By Purotu