Mitai and the Seven Sisters

Once there lived an adventurous kid name Mitai.  Mitai could eavedrop on his brothers conversations and transform into a bird.

One day mitai and his brothers went hunting and they heard the most beautiful singing in the world.  They all went over to see who was there.  Mitais brothers all immediately fell in love.  Mitais brothers took their girlfriends to the village and made them their wives.

Mitai realised that his brothers were only getting food for their wives and they themselves were becoming weak.  The wives never left their houses but one day Mitais noticed that they were not there.  Mitai saw a fantail fly out of one of the houses followed by six more fantails.  He transformed into a Kereru followed the fantails.  Next the fantails transformed into his brother's wives.  Mitai heard the wives planning to starve the brothers.

Mitai returned to the village to tell his brothers that their wives were planning to starve them but they just said "you are jealous."  "Well look are yourselves", said Mitai.  The brothers all looked at themselves and then believed their brother.  Mitai asked the elder to sew a magic net to capture the evil wives.

Mitai and his brothers waited for what felt like hours for the evil wives to return.  Finally they did and on their return Mitai and his brothers leaped up and caught the evil wives.  Mitai tranformed into an albatross and flew to the god of the stars holding the magic net with the evil wives in it.  Mitai asked the god of the stars to throw the evil wives far, far away.  

By Will

Mitai and the Seven Sisters

Once there was a man called Mitai and he had seven brothers that were very handsome.  Mitai's brothers were never thinking of getting married because they were to handsome for anyone.

One day his brothers went hunting for food and they saw the most beautiful wahine.  Their hair was as gold as shooting stars.  Then they took the wahine back to their village to gt married.  Mitai wasn't happy with thei r wives.

Mitai saw seven birds on a tree and they were the seven sisters so mitai listened to what they were saying.   He heard them saying that they were planning to starve the brothers.  Mitai ran back to the village to tell his brothers that their wives were planning to starve them to death.  Mitai's brother did not believe him so Mitai said, "look at yourselves, you use to be handsome and strong and now you are weak."  Mitai's brothers looked ath themselves and agreed.

The brothers went to see Te Rawhara to get a magical net to catch the seven sisters.  Once Mitai had caught the seven sisters he tranformed into an albatros and took them heavens Today the seven sisters are still up in the heavens. 

By Grace

Matariki

Did you know that the Seven Sisters is a synonym for Matariki?  Matariki also represents the Maori New Year.
When the stars are shining brightly it indicates warm weather ahead and when the stars are dim it is going to be quite cold.
When Matariki is in the sky it is a good time to plant winter crops such as brocolli, cauliflowers, carrots, peas, potatoes and more.

It is a time to forgive and forget.
By Finn Hagen