Traditionally, Matariki was an occasion to mourn the deceased, pay tribute and prepare for agricultural work.
Traditionally, Matariki was an occasion to mourn the deceased, pay tribute and prepare for agricultural work. Then, during the colonisation period, the Maori traditions related to Matariki started to decline and for a while, it was not celebrated at all until the beginning of their revival in the second half of the 20th century.