Pleiades star cluster - Photo: Canva
Many ancient cultures were keen observers of the movement of the sun, moon and stars. Among them were the Babylonians, Greeks, Chinese, Indian, Mayan, Egyptian and Persian cultures which kept detailed records of these movement. These observations provided them with key indicators of when to plant crops and harvest them. They were incorporated into their structures as in the great Pyramid of Giza which is aligned with the North Star while Newgrange in Ireland was built in such a way that light from the rising sun at the winter solstice enters though a narrow window and lights up the whole passage tomb. The fact that some of these structures were tombs suggest that they were in part about remembering and honouring the dead as well as connecting people to earth, sea and sky thereby helping them to understand their place in the universe.
Māori people were also keen observers of the movement of the sun, moon and stars and what they noticed helped them to be able to navigate the vast expanse of the Pacific Ocean. They also observed weather patterns, ocean currents, the movement of clouds and the flight of birds. It is mentioned that they used what is called a star compass which refers not to an object but to an ability to mentally map the night sky. Of special significance for them was the rising of the Pleiades star cluster in the winter sky which marked for them the start of a new year. The celebration of Matariki is about bringing people together to remember those who have passed, to celebrate the present and prepare for the future. There is a sense of gratitude for the food provided by gardens, forests, fresh water and oceans – sources represented by the stars that make up the Pleiades cluster. With this came a sense of the importance of caring for the natural world.
For those who are not Māori it is an occasion to celebrate their culture and knowledge. An essential feature of missionary activity in recent times has been to enter in dialogue with other cultures and religious traditions. This was not always the case. Western culture and traditions were often imposed with little sense of or appreciation for the richness that was already present. The flow was one way with missionaries teaching and others learning. When Matteo Ricci went to China as a Jesuit missionary in 1583, he endeavoured to introduce Christianity to China gently. He did an in-depth study of Chinese language and culture seeing this as his best way to approach the Chinese people. His knowledge of mathematics and astronomy provided a point of engagement with Chinese scholars. His plan was to graft the faith more organically onto China’s existing culture rather than forcing it to adopt a westernised form of Christianity.
A Jesuit website describes how after Ricci’s death his understanding of what was referred to an ancestor worship was questioned by the Church. Ricci understood this simply as a way of venerating ancestors and so something that Chinese Christians could practice After decades of debate, in 1705 the Vatican decided that the Chinese practice of ancestor worship was incompatible with Catholic doctrine and was forbidden. Hearing this, the Chinese emperor banned Christian missions from China in 1721, closing the door that Ricci worked so patiently to open.
Matariki provides an open door for a deeper appreciation of Māori language and culture and an opportunity to learn from them things they have understood and practiced for centuries, especially about the world around us.
Fr Pat O'Shea lives and works in Aotearoa/New Zealand
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