What is Matariki and why is it celebrated? How do I find the star cluster?

It is now five years since Matariki became a public holiday, this year it falls on Friday - 10 July.

Matariki was the first holiday to recognise Te Ao Māori and the first new public holiday since Waitangi Day became a public holiday in 1974.

The date changes from year to year, but it will always fall in June or July.

The theme for this year's Matariki public holiday is 'Matariki Herenga Waka - Matariki For Everyone' and organisers say more and more people are embracing the holiday, not just Māori.

So what is Matariki and why is it celebrated? How do you find the star cluster? Here's what you need to know.

'There are no Matariki police'

Chief advisor Mātauranga Matariki, Professor Rangi Mātāmua (Tūhoe) told RNZ he wants to make sure all people who call Aotearoa home can see themselves in the celebration of Matariki.

"We are really focusing on making sure that people feel like they can engage with Matariki, that it's not just a Māori holiday. And in fact, the cluster of Pleiades across the world is used by so many different cultures."

For anyone who may be unsure of how to observe Matariki, Mātāmua said there are a lot of resources available. Matariki.com includes a wide range of resources including a downloadable Karakia booklet.

"There are no Matariki police. There's no one coming around to tell you, 'this is how you do it' and 'this is how you don't do it'.

"There are three elements to Matariki; it's about remembering those who are no longer with us and we celebrate... their impact upon our lives. We celebrate who we are today with feasting and merriment and sports and entertainment. And then we look to the future.

"Anything you do that's connected to any of those things is celebrating Matariki."

For some, Matariki may be as simple as getting together with family and having a meal, he said. For others, it could be watching the stars rise in the morning or being more environmentally connected.

There is no right or wrong way to celebrate.

How to find the Matariki star cluster

The rising of the Matariki cluster in mid-winter marks the beginning of the new year for many iwi, Mātāmua said. For others, the star Pūanga or Rigel is the marker of the new year.

Matariki is the name of the entire Pleiades cluster as well as its brightest star. The cluster contains a total of nine stars but, in certain areas, iwi will recognise seven stars in their celebrations.

To find it, look to the eastern horizon before the sun rises and find three bright stars in a line - this is Orion's belt, known to Māori as 'Tautoru'.

Next, trace a line to the left of Tautoru until you come to the bright orange star Taumata-kuku - part of a group of stars in the shape of a pyramid. From there, continue to the left until you find a small cluster of stars. That's Matariki.

During this period, you might also hear other terms related to Matariki such as the names of the individual stars within the cluster or terms related to the Maramataka, the Māori lunar calendar.

These might include Pipiri, which is the first lunar month of the year - roughly overlapping with parts of June and July, or Te Mātahi o te tau.

"Te Mātahi o te tau, literally translated means 'the first of the year', but it actually really means the Māori new year," Mātāmua said.

"So while Matariki is the star cluster that marks the new year, Te Mātahi o te Tau is the phrase that we use for the new year," Mātāmua said.

Is it appropriate to say 'Happy Matariki'?

If you are looking for a phrase to use during the Matariki season that is roughly equivalent to 'Happy Matariki' try "Mānawatia a Matariki".

You can also use "ngā mihi o te tau hou" at Matariki, as opposed to "ngā mihi o te tau hou Pākehā" which might be used on 1 January.

Matariki Herenga Waka - For Everyone

Every year, a national Matariki ceremony is hosted by a specific iwi. This always includes a live broadcast of the hautapu ceremony on the morning of the public holiday.

This year it will be open to the public, hosted by Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland.

Mātāmua said the location inspired the theme of this year's celebration, which borrows the proverb Tāmaki Herenga Waka, or Tāmaki where many people moor their canoes, as Matariki Herenga Waka which he translates as Matariki being 'for everyone'.

"I think we're starting to see the normalisation of Matariki as a celebration. We know that about two thirds of the country do something to celebrate Matariki. So that's the research that we've seen in the last few years. That's telling us that it's a lot bigger than just Māori celebrating Matariki."

That's something Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei kaikōrero Kingi Makoare has seen first hand, the Auckland iwi have been hosting a hautapu ceremony at Takaparawhau for several years.

"Since we've started our hautapu ceremonies it's been a steady increase in numbers, so I think at our max we've had 3000, and so we've been asked to plan for a little bit over 3000," he said.

With Auckland hosting the national ceremony this year, Makoare said there is an added excitement around the city and among the iwi.

"Within our own whānau, within ngā iwi Māori, there's an increased interest in Matariki, whether that's reconnecting with yourself, your culture, the taiao, the natural environment, but especially with our whānau that aren't Māori, especially here in Tāmaki Makaurau."

Since its inception, the hautapu at Takaparawhau has had strong support and turnout from Auckland's Pasifika community, as well as an increasing presence from people of Asian descent, he said.

Alongside the revival of Matariki traditions, there is an increased appetite for te reo and to connect with Māori culture, he said.

How can I tune in?

RNZ will be broadcasting the official hautapu live from Takaparawhau (Bastion Point) from 6am on Friday.

What's open on Matariki?

Trading restrictions don't apply to Matariki in the way they do on Easter holidays, Christmas or the first half of Anzac Day.

Shops, restaurants, cafes and other businesses can be open as usual, but they can close if they wish - so it pays to check opening hours beforehand.