Puanga, known in Western astronomy as Rigel, is the brightest star in the Orion constellation. In parts of the country where Matariki is less visible on the horizon, Puanga emerges as the prominent celestial marker. There are two key understandings that explain why some iwi, particularly in the west and north of Aotearoa, and some parts of Te Waipounamu, look to Puanga – not Matariki – to mark the Māori New Year.

The first comes from kōrero tuku iho passed down by tohunga like Rereata Makiha, says Te Kahuratai Moko-Painting (Faculty of Science), whose research focuses on restoring Maramataka knowledge in Te Tai Tokerau. He explains how Mātauranga Māori travelled across Te Moananui-a-Kiwa, adapting to the environment as it settled in Aotearoa. In Rarotonga, Tahiti, Rapa Nui, and Hawai’i, Matariki rises before Puanga. In Aotearoa, Puanga rises about a week earlier and thus is a more prominent marker of the new year.