Forde has been invited to participate in Toi Gallery‘s annual Matariki group exhibition (7th – 27th June 2013). This year’s theme is Whatumanawa;
The seat of one’s feelings or emotions Whatu -eye, stone, kernel. Manawa – heart.
The weaving of our hearts together Whatu – to weave, Manawa – Heart
Matariki is the star cluster that heralds the start of the Aotearoa Pacific New Year. Matariki is visible to the naked eye in the pre-dawn sky after the full moon from mid to late June each year.
There are many stories about its significance as a navigational star and also as a portent on whether the coming harvests will be plentiful. If the stars in the cluster are clear and bright, it is thought that the year will be warm and productive. If they appear hazy and shimmering, cold winter is in store for us, and all activities during the period of Matariki must take this into account.
Some say that Matariki is the mother surrounded by her six daughters, other stories suggest that Matariki is a male star. These are the Māori names that make up the other six prominent stars of the Matariki cluster, Tupu-a-Nuku, Tupu-a-Rangi, Waitī, Waitā, Waipunarangi and Ururangi.
Matariki is celebrated at different times by different tribes. For some, feasts are held when it is first seen. For others, it is the full moon after it rises that is celebrated and for others, celebrations are centred on the dawn of the new moon.