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“This is the last month of the year according to what the Maori says. On the nights of Tangaroa (i.e. 19th -21st May in 1922) Matariki (Pleiades star cluster) begins to sink and when it finally rises up, it is the nights of Tangaroa of Pipiri (i.e.17th to 19th June in 1922).” (Paraire M. Tomoana of Ngati Kahungunu, Hastings from Te toa Takitini, Maori Language Newspaper, 1922). Matariki is in conjunction with the Sun (behind the Sun) on May 20th. On and around this date as the evening twilight fades, due west you will see an upright line of bright stars. This is the pole of Hine-nui-te-Po, the great goddess of death. It marks the end (death) of the year. All crops are now placed in the storage pits; and the tasks of man are finished. Bird-taking season (May, June) was the busy time among fowlers, was the next important activity after the lifting and storing of the cultivated crops. The hunters would begin to evaluate the bird-food supply as early as March. If there were lots of berries March/April then there would be a many fat birds by May. As the season progressed the experts would continue to visit, examine and report on the condition of the forest fruits, but the bulk of the people were not permitted to do this. Kahikitea trees were often found in very large, dense stands while miro, maire were scattered through the forest. Miro, kahikatea, matai, and rimu are trees on which taeke, mutu, tumu, tuke and pewa snares were set for kereru (native pigeon) and tui (parson bird). The tahei (taeke) snares consist of running-nooses set among the branches of trees or at streams, pools etc (tahei koko). A tree in which such snares are set is called a rakau tahei, taumatua or toka a manu When feeding on the berries of the kohe or miro they put on a lot of weight. Miro berries made them so thirsty so that they headed for the nearest water and could be caught with wai taeke and weak snares (snares attached to feeding troughs or by water). When kereru became fat in the winter season or late autumn it was said they had become whaturua (Kua whaturua te kereru). Any stream or pool where birds are snared this way is called a wai tahei. Mutu, tumu and pewa snares are perch snares and were set in any tree such as the Miro that has foliage and fruits at the end of the branch. The tumu had a noose that was pulled by a hidden fowler. Kereru were speared on kahikatea and maire and miro. Tui were often snared or struck down when feeding on smaller bushes and shrubs. Birds were transported to camp in rahu (baskets). The first birds taken were used as an offering to the mauri (life force) of the forest, others were set aside for immediate use, but most were preserved. They were made into huahua manu (birds preserved in their own fat). Huahua manu was considered a great delicacy. He huahua te kai, he wai te kai. Huahua is the food, water is the food. This tutu (cooking and potting process) might be performed at or near the kianga (village), or in the forest far from the kianga. When Matariki (the Pleiades) rose in the dawn, it signalled the time of ahi matiti (the fire used to cook the birds). It was also the first of a series of events that marked the beginning of the Maori New Year. The plucked, cleaned, boned and spitted birds were attached to a rack over the fire, the fat being caught in a trough suspended below. When cooked, the birds were usually packed into taha (special gourd vessels) and their melted fat was poured over until all air was excluded. The kiore (native rat) at the same berries as the tui and kereru and supplemented this with flowers and bark. They were trapped during the fowling season, being taken with (tawhiti papa) spring traps set on the main rat tracks (or runs). The kiore was preserved in a similar way to the birds, being termed huahua kiore. Glossary Trees and bushes Miro Podocarpus ferrugineus, a tree Kahikatea Podocarpus dacrydioides, a tree Matai Podocarpus spicatus, a tree Rimu Dacrydium cupressinum, a tree Maire Olea spp. Olea lanceolata, a tree Olea Cunninghamii, a tree Tawa Beilsmiedia tawa, a tree Karaka Corynocarpus laaevigata, a tree Kohe Dysoxylum specabile, a tree Birds and rats Kereru/kuku/kukupa Hemiphaga novae-zelandiae, native pigeon Tui/Koko Prosthemadera novae-zelandiae (sometimes called the parson bird) Snares and traps Rakau tahei ] tree in which bird snares are set Taumatua ] Toka a manu ] Wai taeke(tahei) a bird snare set near a pool or stream Taeke/tahei a snare with a noose Mutu a perch snare Tumu a perch snare Pewa a perch snare with a lure Tuke a form of pewa snare Tahei koko taking birds by means of setting snares on branches without mutu or pewa Preserving birds and rats Rahu basket Huahua manu Birds preserved in their own fat Huahua kiore Native rats preserved in their own fat Kianga village Ahi fire Ahi matiti Cooking fire used to cook the birds for huahua manu Tutu The process of preserving birds or rats in their own fat Taha vessels used to contain huahua Taha huahua calabash of huahua Poha a vessel used to contain huahua that is made from seaweed or rimu bark Kiore Mus exulans Polynesian or native rat Tawhti papa A spring trap or snare used to catch kiore Associated star names Orion’s Belt Te-tuke-o-Tautoru (Williams) Te tuke o Maui (Taylor; Stowell) The constellation of Orion, or part of it Tuke-a-Maui (Tregear) Pewa o Tautoru (Stowell) Aldebaran Taumata-kuku (Best)

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