If you have ever been confused about which marama (lunar phase) it is tonight- then this handy desktop calendar may help you to answer that question easily! This calendar is an interactive, evergreen resource to follow the different ways we measure time in Aotearoa NZ.
The flip chart comes flat pack, you just open out and stand, and it is half the width of an A4 page. There is an instruction table on the inside cover, and there is additional information contained in our blogs on using the calendar. The flip cards are bilingual, and purposefully the kupu Māori for the solar calendar is at the bottom (as the origins of this system and words are not Māori), however kupu Māori is all that is shown on the front of the lunar cards as the maramataka is a Māori system. I have a blog with more information on the origins of the days of the week and their Māori translations.
Both the lunar phases, and months include a blank box at the bottom of each card for people to edit/customise if you use different kupu from your own hapu/ iwi. There are numerous variations of both and it is impossible to capture all, so a blank box has been provided to enable editing/ customisation.
I have tried to create something that is both educational and sustainable - that you can use for many years. Better for the environment, better for your budget. It is a unique learning resource that will sit perfectly on a reception desk, your office desk, or in a classroom.
We hope it helps to grow your understanding and appreciation of Te Reo Māori and Matauranga Māori.
Care Instructions
This resource is hand made in NZ. Please note that as each flip card is individually cut and put together on a spiral wiro by hand there may be some slight variations. We will refund or replace if there is any significant unevenness in the chart display.
The flip cards are 350gsm so will handle the wear and tear of everyday use - but be mindful the strength of the calendar is not similar to others that are just one page with a wiro bind, these are 5 different cards, so fast flipping, or trying to flip multiple cards at once may impact the strength of the calendar.
What is a Wātaka?
Wātaka is translated as calendar, but most commonly referred to as everything that is moving in time. Traditionally Māori had a very deep appreciation of this, and would look not just to the moon (lunar calendar), but also the sun (solar calendar), stars (stellar calendar) and the water tides (tidal calendar)
I have named this resource Wātaka in the knowledge it does not cover all four of the systems, but is a start towards creating something that will, hopefully by version 2.0 I can figure it out - but this is a start and version 1.0 that I think is still a very helpful learning resource! I welcome feedback and suggestions for version 2.0!