Darkness isn’t the absence of growth — it’s where it begins.
Whiro (sometimes called Whirowhiti) is most often recognised as the first night of the Māori lunar cycle. Some iwi begin from Te Rākaunui — the full moon — but most start with Whiro.
Today, 22 September 2025, the Whiro moon rose early with the sun. It also signalled a shift into a new month — commonly called Whiringa-ā-nuku or Te Rima o Kōpū. (Month names, like moon phases, vary across iwi.)
Whiro the Atua
In some pūrākau, Whiro — or Whiro te tipua — is one of the children of Ranginui and Papatūānuku. He opposed Tāne’s efforts to separate their parents and bring light into the world, was defeated, and banished to Rarohenga. Because of this he’s often linked with darkness, illness and disease.
Whiro the New Moon
On Whiro the moon is barely visible — that same dark energy is reflected in its sky. When I think about this phase, the stories, and its timing, it all makes sense.
Whiro marks a time of darkness — the moon is invisible, the energy low. The atua Whiro is associated with darkness, disease and deceit, so many iwi approached this night with caution. It wasn’t a time for bold actions or major commitments.
Yet in darkness the stars shine brightest. Like every phase of the maramataka, Whiro carries lessons. For me, it’s a powerful time for withdrawal, reflection and strategic planning. It reminds me that not all progress is visible — some of the most important shifts happen in stillness.
The energy of Whiro
Maramataka knowledge frames Whiro as a low-energy period — a time to:
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Stay close to home and avoid unnecessary risks.
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Wānanga with whānau — share kōrero, check in.
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Noho puku (fast/settle the stomach) — giving your tinana a reset.
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Observe your environment rather than act on it.
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Map out what’s to come in the month ahead.
It’s not about doing everything. It’s about being intentional, taking stock, and preparing for more energetic days ahead.
Whiro in practice – then and now
In many old maramataka you’ll see Whiro marked as “not good” for planting and fishing. That makes sense given the lack of night light and the atua Whiro. People were also wary of those moving around in darkness — because why move in the dark unless you had hidden intentions?
Yet dark periods had their own benefits. I remember Matua Rereata Makiha talking about wānanga at night when he was a boy — whether at people’s homes or on the marae, the still, dark nights were perfect for sharing pūrākau, whakapapa and practicing oratory. The care, patience and concentration in darkness, free from distraction, sharpens your thinking and your words.
Matua Hector once told me he would begin voyages on Whiro because he could see the stars more clearly.
Some activities are simply more optimal at certain times. We learn to adapt to the environment rather than try force the environment to adapt to us.
Our maramataka journals include a reference to the tidal calendar, the highs and lows that can occur in one day. If you do start to track your energy or emotions over a cycle - and note the time of moon rise, and the times of low & high tides in your area - is there any difference?
It is personally something I have never tracked as I live inland, but my former business partner lived in Maketu by the beach and when we originally made these journals in 2018 she was very curious to know if there would be any differences, and so we included space for people to track tidal times and figure it out for themselves!.
How I use Whiro now
In a modern context I use the time during Whiro for:
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Financial planning — reviewing budgets and priorities - because numbers & data - can also be like stars in the sky, their patterns can be seen clearer in dark, still times.
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Quiet creative work — writing, dreaming, thinking - but not doing or committing, just letting things sit for awhile, and slowly forming ideas and strategies.
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Whānau connection — checking in with tamariki, sharing stories. I’m not sure if it’s my northern whakapapa and being wary of what we cannot see, or just being the mum of a Māori/Samoan teenager, but I always want to keep him close during Whiro — if he’s around, hopefully he’s at home with us, not out and about.
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Health resets — fasting, light eating, early nights. This phase can also be a good time to start or prepare for a hauora challenge as the puku rests.
Seen this way, Whiro isn’t “bad energy” but necessary balance — a reminder that cycles begin in darkness before moving into light.
Whiro and wellbeing
Because Whiro is linked with darkness and challenge, it’s also a time to be mindful of hauora. If you or your whānau feel low, Whiro is a chance to acknowledge it, offer support and prepare for better days. Slow down. Say no to extra commitments. Restore your mauri.
Practicing wherever you are
Even if you live in a city or far from your whenua, you can still practice maramataka. You’ll just have different observations. Right now — are you noticing the days getting longer, the sunset later? Hearing birds in the morning? All of these are tohu — the small signs that build the maramataka. Paying attention, interpreting the impacts on yourself, your hauora, your whānau — that’s the practice.
Different tools to help learn maramataka
Whether you use one of our resources, or the many others that are currently available - my tip as a new learner is to start small - and record what you observe around you. If you are in the garden, by the sea, living in the city, living in the bush - everyone's environments will differ - so don't feel like what you observe and record has to match everyone else's - because we all live in different places, differently.
But where it becomes powerful - is when you observe and record things - month after month and you start to see the patterns! Because whatever tools/ apps/ resources you use - I guarantee you will start to see patterns after 3 months of paying attention, and then to start seeing your observations over seasons. That's when the magic happens!
There are no quick fixes or fast tracking the learning, the real magic of the maramataka takes time - it comes in paying attention - month after month, season after season, where your knowledge of yourself, and your surroundings really starts to unfold!
Final thought
Whiro may be a night of darkness, but it’s also a night of potential. It invites us to slow down, gather our thoughts and prepare. By honouring Whiro we give ourselves permission to pause before stepping into the busier, brighter phases ahead.
Darkness isn’t the absence of growth — it’s where it begins.