Concert Dates May to July 2009

17/07/09	PAPAKURA / New Zealand - Hawkins Theatre 13 Ray Small Drive 8 pm	Tickets from Wed 15 April 2009 on: +64 9-361 1000 and http://www.iticket.co.nz Info via www.papakuraarts.co.nz
11/07/09	KUCHING / Malaysia Rainforest Festival in Sarawak / Borneo - time to be announced	click here
08/06/09	WOODFORD / Queensland Australia - The dreaming Festival - 12.30 pm - Blak Dramatics	The Dreaming festival
07/06/09	WOODFORD / Queensland Australia - The dreaming Festival - 10.30 pm - Blak Dramatics	The Dreaming Festival
05/06/09	CAIRNS /Australia - the Tank centre 7:30 pm	click here or in Australia 1300 855 835
30/05/09	DEN HAAG (THE HAGUE) Netherlands - Tong Tong Festival - 2 performances 5:15 pm and 9:15 pm	www.tongtongfestival.nl/	also workshop Maori kai and taonga puoro and haka
10/05/09	NGARUAWAHIA / New Zealand Turangawaewae marae	more details to be announced	Matariki Celebration - the Maori New Year with the band joining other NZ artists in a concert that will be broadcast on television later that month.

In the Māori language Matariki is the name of the Pleiades star cluster, which was important for agriculture in establishing the correct time to plant crops. There are two explanations of the name Matariki: firstly, mata-riki (small eyes) or mata-ariki (chiefly eyes). The constellation is also believed to have been used by navigators.

The first rising of the Pleiades and of Rigel (Puanga in Māori) occurs just prior to sunrise in late May or early June, and this indicates that the old year has ended and the new year has begun. The actual time for celebrating Matariki varies, depending on the iwi (tribe or clan). Some iwi celebrate it immediately. Others wait until the rising of the next full moon, or alternatively the dawn of the next new moon. It has become common practice for various private and public institutions to celebrate Matariki over the period of a week or month anywhere from early June to late July. Other iwi used the rising of Rigel in a similar way.

In traditional times, Matariki was a season to celebrate and to prepare the ground for the coming year. Offerings of the produce of the land were made to the gods, including Rongo, god of potato. This time of the year was also a good time to instruct young people in the lore of the land and the forest. In addition, certain birds and fish were especially easy to harvest at this time.