Matariki E Ara E: Lyrics, Meaning & Translation Guide

Rahera Davies composed “Matariki e ara e” at her mother’s request, and the waiata has since become a staple for marking the Māori New Year — a moment to look skyward, reflect on what was, and toast what’s ahead. This guide walks through the lyrics, their meaning, and the rich cultural context that makes “Matariki e ara e” far more than just another seasonal tune.

YouTube Views: 213K · Stars in Cluster: 9 · Associated Festival: Matariki · Artist: Rahera Davies · Greeting: Mānawatia a Matariki

The table below consolidates core facts about the waiata and its cultural setting.

What are Matariki e ara e lyrics?

The waiata “Matariki e ara e” centers on the rising of the star cluster that signals the Māori New Year. Its opening lines echo across classrooms and community gatherings, with the refrain “E ara e” meaning “rise up” — a call to attention as the stars appear on the horizon. The full lyrics weave together acknowledgment of the nine stars, gratitude for the year passed, and hope for the year ahead.

Full lyrics

The song opens with “E ara e, Te Mātahi o te tau” — “Rise, the first of the year” — invoking the moment the Matariki cluster becomes visible. Verses reference the star collection (“Te kohinga whetū”) positioned in the chest of Ranginui, the sky father in Māori cosmology. The chorus repeats the rising call, inviting singers to welcome the new year with open hearts. A second verse reflects on past blessings and future planning, tying personal gratitude to the astronomical marker. The closing lines circle back to the stars, affirming the cyclical nature of the celebration.

Chords and performance

The song uses simple, repeatable chord progressions suitable for group singing, making it ideal for classrooms and community events. Teachers frequently pair the melody with hand motions that mirror the “rising” theme — arms lifting with “E ara e” and sweeping gestures for the star cluster. The action-video format has helped spread its use beyond formal music lessons into broader Matariki programming.

The implication: accessibility in arrangement directly correlates with cultural reach.

What does Matariki e ara e mean?

At its core, “Matariki e ara e” translates to something close to “Matariki, rise up” — a direct invocation of the Pleiades star cluster as it becomes visible in the eastern sky. “E ara e” is a command form of “to rise,” used here as both literal description (the stars rising) and metaphorical encouragement (the new year awakening). The phrase sets the tone for the entire celebration: active, grateful, and forward-looking.

Phrase breakdown

Breaking it down: “Matariki” refers to the star cluster itself (derived from “mata ariki” — plural “eyes of god” or “eyes of the chief”). The word carries both astronomical meaning (the cluster) and cultural meaning (the celebration). “E ara e” functions as an imperative — “rise,” “awaken,” or “arise.” Together, the phrase is both greeting and proclamation: the stars are here, and so is a new chapter.

English translation

A close English rendering runs: “Matariki, rise up. The first of the year. The gathering of stars in the chest of Ranginui.” The full song expands on this, translating gratitude for past blessings and anticipation for the season ahead. Each verse layers specific Māori terms — “Te Mātahi o te tau” (the first of the year), “Te kohinga whetū” (the collection of stars), “uma o Ranginui” (the chest of the sky father) — into a coherent narrative of renewal.

What is Matariki and why is it celebrated?

Matariki marks the Māori New Year, observed when the Matariki star cluster rises in late May to early June. Unlike the Gregorian calendar’s fixed date, Matariki follows the astronomical calendar — the precise timing shifts slightly each year based on when the nine stars become clearly visible. In 2022, New Zealand formally recognized Matariki as a public holiday, making it the first indigenous celebration in the world to achieve that status.

Māori New Year

The celebration traditionally signals a time to gather with family, share meals, and reflect on the year that passed. According to Te Rangaihi Reo Māori, “Matariki is a time to gather with family to reflect on the past, celebrate the present, count our blessings and plan for the future.” Schools, community groups, and iwi across New Zealand mark the occasion with waiata, kai (food), and the recitation of kaikōhau — traditional sayings that invoke blessings for the year ahead.

What this means: the holiday’s formal recognition elevated what was already a living practice into national prominence.

Cultural significance

The celebration carries deeper meaning tied to the land, the sea, and the people. Different iwi interpret the stars and their meaningsvariously, but common threads run through: gratitude for food stores (the stars’ visibility historically signaled optimal planting and fishing times), honoring of ancestors (the stars are thought to contain the spirits of the departed), and communal renewal. The waiata “Matariki e ara e” sits squarely within this tradition — a contemporary contribution to a living practice.

What are the 9 Matariki stars?

The Matariki cluster contains nine visible stars in most contexts, though some traditions emphasize seven — a discrepancy that reflects different regional interpretations and observational traditions. The Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa and Auckland University of Technology (AUT) both document the nine-star version as standard in contemporary usage. The debate is healthy rather than problematic: it reflects Māori oral tradition’s adaptability across iwi and generations.

Names of stars

The nine whetū (stars) are: Matariki (the leader), Tupuānuku, Tupuārangi, Waitī, Waitā, Waipuna-a-Rangi, Pōtaka, Uru-rau, and Hiwa-i-te-Rāki. Each star carries specific associations — Tupuānuku connects to food grown in the earth, Tupuārangi to food from the sky (birds, fruit), Waitī to fresh water, Waitā to the ocean, Waipuna-a-Rangi to rain, Pōtaka to the basket of plenty, Uru-rau to forest creatures, and Hiwa-i-te-Rāki to the star of dreams and aspirations.

7 vs 9 debate

The seven-star interpretation often aligns with the Western astronomical Pleiades count. Some iwi historically focused on seven, possibly emphasizing the brightest visible stars without aid. The nine-star count, now dominant in public celebration, includes two stars associated with rainfall (Waipuna-a-Rangi) and forest abundance (Uru-rau). Neither is “correct” — both are valid within their cultural contexts. What matters is the underlying meaning: the stars collectively signal time, abundance, and renewal.

The pattern: contemporary public usage has settled on nine, while traditional iwi practices may retain the seven-star count.

How do you say happy Matariki?

The standard greeting for Matariki is “Mānawatia a Matariki” — literally “honor or celebrate Matariki.” The phrase has become the default greeting across New Zealand during the celebration period, appearing in government communications, school newsletters, and media coverage. It functions like “Happy New Year” but with a distinctly Māori flavour that acknowledges the cultural weight of the occasion.

Correct greeting

Use “Mānawatia a Matariki” when greeting someone during the celebration period (typically late May through July). Alternatives include “Mauri ora” (be well/healthy) and “Nau mai, haere mai ki te tau hou Māori” (welcome to the Māori New Year), though these are less common. The key is genuine intention: the greeting signals not just seasonal cheer but cultural respect.

Mānawatia a Matariki meaning

“Mānawatia” derives from the verb “mānawa” — to breathe, to be alive, to honor with breath. Adding the “-tia” suffix creates a passive form meaning “let it be honored” or “celebrate.” Combined with “a Matariki,” the phrase becomes an active blessing: “May Matariki be honored,” or more loosely, “Happy Matariki.” The greeting implicitly asks the listener to join in the celebration’s spirit of renewal.

“We think Matariki is a time to gather with family to reflect on the past, celebrate the present, count our blessings and plan for the future.” — Te Rangaihi Reo Māori

“We encouraged people to share a meal with loved ones and colleagues and learn and recite kaikōhau to bring in the Māori new year.” — Te Rangaihi Reo Māori

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Rahera Davies’ waiata E Ara E resonates with Matariki’s celestial heart, where nine Matariki stars meanings guide reflections on health, harvest, and ancestral memory.

Frequently asked questions

For anyone marking the Māori New Year in Aotearoa — whether in a classroom, a marae, or a living room — “Matariki e ara e” offers a ready-made entry point. It asks only that you look up, listen, and join in. The stakes for getting it wrong are low; the reward for trying is a genuine connection to one of New Zealand’s most meaningful cultural traditions. For those ready to participate, the greeting is simple: Mānawatia a Matariki.