the seven stars

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• An adventurous young man called Mita 
• lived with his seven older brothers in the
• villige of Matariki .
• His brothers were the most handsome 
• men the village.

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• He watches his brothers become controlled by a spell cast by seven
• beautiful women.  He wonders what has happened as 
•  the spell is making the brothers not eat or drink or look after themselves
• They don't work at the gardens or hunt.

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• The women are patupaiarehe, witches, he knows they must 
• be taken far away from every where an anyone. 
• With help from his brothers and the Chief they capture He gives them to
• the god of the stars, Urutengangana.  He placed them far away in 
• the heavens only to be seen once a year as Stars in the winter solstice.

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What is MATARIKI

• The Matariki is the Maori name for the cluster of stars also known as the
• Pleiacles.  It happens just once a year in mid winter, late May early June.
• For many Maori it is the start of the New Year.

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• Maori ancestors used MARATRKI for a time to clear the winter veges 
• and prepare the garden for the new crop.