AstronomyNZ

Whiringa-a-rangi

The summer has arrived. The strength of the sun is felt.

The stars that are the guides for the seasons are eternal, and are ever flashing in the heavens. Patiki (Whetu-kaupo, the Coalsack Nebula) a very dark patch in the sky near Te Punga (Marere-o-tonga, The Southern Cross) and was spoken of as if it was a star. In the evening in October and November, Patiki is low on the horizon.

The stars were markers of the months and it was thought that they indicated the nature of the coming seasons. As the stars are unable to shift the tohunga (experienced observer) must have been studying the effect of the atmosphere on the appearance of the star.

It was said that when Autahi was seen standing far out from the Milky Way about October a dry summer would follow; if close to it an inclement season followed.

Rehua (Antares) the ripener, was associated with the heat of summer

 "How excellent are the foods ripened by Rehua". This Rehua (Antares) was viewed ad the ripener of fruits, even as he causes the feeling of lassitude that comes to all creatures during the heat of summer. Hence the Maori says that all fruits ripen, all plants flower through the influence of Rehua.

The Kumara (sweet potato)

Maori consulted those sign-giving stars in connection with the planting of the kumara crop. The principal stars relied on were Puanga (Rigel), Matariki (the Pleiades), Tautoru (Orion's Belt) and Whakaahu (Castor and Pollux). According to the manner of their rising, the crops would be planted early or late.

Autahi (Canopus) appears toward the south (high in the south in the morning sky) in the month when the kumara is planted, and its appearance was a sign for the task of planting the crop to be commenced

 The planting usually first began October and extended more or less up to Christmas, according to the variation of the season, the state of the weather, the locality, and the condition of the soil.

There were other signs as well. When the kumara hou (Promaderris elliptica), which had been in bud all the winter, suddenly shot out into flower it was known that the kumara planting season was approaching, and when a "mackerel sky" showed an exact picture of a kumara plot extending across the heavens, the Maoris knew that the atua (gods) were busy at their planting above and they themselves should be doing the same below. A mackerel sky indicates changeable weather.

The Bush

The fruit of the Rewarewa, the NZ honeysuckle (Knightia excelsa) after a nearly a year, finally ripens and Kahikatea (Podocarpus dacrydiodes) tree begins to flower. The orange-red Porokaiwhiri, pigeonwood (Hedycarya aborea) fruit, is ripe. It attracts the kereru (native pigeon).

The ripe forest fruits feed the nesting birds including the Kakariki, the crowned parakeet (Cyanoramphus novaezelandiae)which utters a rapid "ki-ki-ki-ki" call in flight, also a variety of chattering and soft, musical calls as it feeds on the fruit, seeds, leaves and buds of the forest trees.

The nocturnal Ruru , (Ninox novaeseelandiae)calles out "Morepork" as it hunts insects, small mammals, birds and lizards before returning to the two or three white eggs in its cosy nest.

The little insect-eating Popokatea (Whitehead) sits on two to four, white or pinkish with brown eggs, speckled with reddish brown or red spots or blotches.

The Tieke, Saddleback (Philesturnus carunculatus) fills the forest with flute-like whistles and warbles, clicking and organ-like notes. The Tieke was once widely distributed on the main islands but by the end of the last century, its range was diminished to Hen Island in the north and Big South Cape Island group in the south.

This was also the time that the Pipiwharauroa , the long-tailed Cuckoo (Koekoea, Eudynamis taitensis) returned to Aotearoa (New Zealand) after overwintering in the islands of the North Pacific. The Pipiwhararoa lays eggs in nests of several species but principally the whitehead in the North Island and the yellowhead and brown creeper in the South Island and Stewart Island. The eggs are creamy white with spots or blotches in shades of browns and greys.

There is not that much in the forest for the nga tangata (the people) so this is was the time to begin harvesting the roots, pith and inner leaf shoots of the Ti whanake -also called Kouka, Kauru or cabbage tree - (cordyline australis).Rehua's Children

In the rivers, in some areas, it was time to begin to take the Upokororo, grayling, (also called pokororo, paneroro and kanae-kura), the inanga (whitebait) and tuna (eel) as they ascend the rivers. Upokororo were taken by net in large quantities, but sometimes taken in hinaki (traps).

In John Rochfort's narrative of his expedition to the west coast of the South Island (1860) "Nov 17…arrived at a rapid with a fall of 9ft in 1 chain… the ground at the side was precipitous…Here the eels and inanga literally swarmed. One would think this fall would be an effectual barrier to the latter, but they had the ingenuity to climb the perpendicular faces of rocks, which were literally black with them as they scrambled over the top and dropped into the eddy above; so numerous were they that one might take a hat and brush it full with the hand." (Best: fishing methods of the Maori)

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