Te Marama me ngā Whetū - Day 28
The Moon and the Stars
In the beginning, when Ranginui (the Sky Father) and Papatūānuku (the Earth Mother) were separated, the heavens became a vast canvas of darkness. Tāne, the god of forests and man, adorned the sky with radiant stars — each one a tīpuna (ancestor) who had passed into the realm of the gods. They became known as Ngā Whetū o te Rangi (The Stars of the Sky).
Among these stars, the most important cluster was Matariki, whose return each year marked a time of renewal, remembrance, and harvest.
The Moon’s Journey
Te Marama (the Moon) watched from her lonely path in the heavens. She admired the brilliance of the stars and longed to be part of their eternal dance. But Te Marama’s journey through the sky was a solitary one, following her cycle of waxing and waning to bring balance to the tides and light to the night.
Te Marama approached Tāwhirimātea (god of the winds) with her wish. “Tāwhirimātea, I want to shine like the stars and be part of their unity. Please, help me join them.”
Tāwhirimātea, who had scattered the stars across the sky in his fury during the separation of his parents, listened to Te Marama’s plea. But he shook his head. “E Marama, your light is different. You do not burn with fire as the stars do. You are a reflection, a guide for those who walk the earth in darkness.”
Te Marama felt sorrowful but decided to speak with Matariki, the brightest and most beloved of the star clusters.
The Gift of Connection
Matariki greeted Te Marama warmly. “Te Marama, you have your own beauty, but I see your longing. During my time in the sky, I will send my tamariki (children) to guide you.”
Matariki’s children, the stars of her cluster, began to move in rhythm with the moon. They whispered ancient songs of hope, unity, and renewal, their light twinkling like laughter. Te Marama found joy in this companionship, even though it was fleeting.
Each night, as Te Marama waxed to fullness, she felt the presence of the stars more strongly. They taught her how to listen to the world below: the cries of the karoro (seagulls) over the tides, the hum of the forest under the moonlit sky, and the dreams of the people.
The Sacred Cycle
In return, Te Marama shared her light, illuminating the stars so that they could be seen more clearly by the iwi (people) below. Together, they became a guide for fishing, planting, and navigation.
From that time on, the people celebrated Te Marama alongside Matariki, acknowledging the balance between her cycles and the stars' steadfastness. Her waxing and waning became a metaphor for life’s rhythms: growth, rest, and renewal.
The heavens were no longer lonely for Te Marama, as she realised she was part of a greater story — a connection between Ranginui above and Papatūānuku below.
Kōrero Whakamutunga (Closing Words)
Today, when the moon rises full and bright, she reminds us of unity, and when Matariki returns, she brings the promise of new beginnings. Together, they teach us to honour the past, embrace the present, and look forward to the future.
Neighbourhood Challenge: Who Can Crack This One? ⛓️💥❔
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Poll: 🗑️ Would you be keen to switch to a fortnightly rubbish collection, or do you prefer things as they are?
Aucklanders, our weekly rubbish collections are staying after councillors voted to scrap a proposed trial of fortnightly pick-ups.
We want to hear from you: would you be keen to switch to a fortnightly rubbish collection, or do you prefer things as they are?
Keen for the details? Read up about the scrapped collection trial here.
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82.5% Same!
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17.5% Would have liked to try something different
7 tips for buying your Christmas ham
It’s the centerpiece of the Christmas table, so when you’re peering into the supermarket chiller or ordering from the butcher, choosing the perfect ham can feel like a daunting task.
Here are some things to keep in mind when choosing one to bring home with you.
1. What type of ham to buy
You’ve got some decisions to make when it comes to the type of Christmas ham you’re going to buy.
Cooked on the bone (COB) ham is the traditional Christmas ham. If you’re buying a half ham, you’ll have the choice of the shank or fillet end. The shank is the part with the bone sticking out that gives the ham that traditional look. The fillet end is the round part that gives more meat. If you’re deciding whether to get a whole ham or half, consider how quickly you’ll be able to eat it all. You only have about a week to eat an opened ham before it will go off, so it can be a good idea to get two halves. That way you can eat one half during the week of Christmas and save the other for January.
Champagne ham has had the bone removed and only has the hock left on, so it’s easier to carve.
Pressed ham – also known as continental ham – has had the bones removed and has been pressed, so it’s also easy to carve.
2. Check the pork percentage
The label on a packaged ham will say what percentage is actually meat. Hams are injected with brine, to keep them moist, and additives. The brine injection level for manufactured hams is usually between 10% and 35% of the ham's weight. A manufacturer that wants to produce a cheap ham will add more water to bump up the weight.
3. Know how to tell if it’s New Zealand pork
By far, most of the hams bought in New Zealand this Christmas will be from pigs reared overseas. New Zealand imports pork from about 25 countries. It’s frustrating for New Zealand pig farmers because this ham can come from farms that don’t have to meet the same animal welfare standards as we have in this country. As a result, overseas meat is often cheaper.
If buying New Zealand pork is important to you, look for:
words on the packaging like ‘New Zealand pork’ or ‘born and raised in New Zealand’
4. Have a good look at the ham
If you’re going to be glazing your ham, look for one that is covered in a finger-thick layer of fat. This will give you the thickness you need to make good score lines.
New Zealand Pork’s website also advises looking for a ham that has a meaty texture rather than one that looks wet or rubbery. It says the ham’s skin should be smooth with even colouring. “If the knuckle is sunken, it may be overcooked. If the rind is buckled or uneven, it may be a sign of dryness.”
5. Ask a lot of questions
If you’re ordering your pork from a butcher, you probably won’t be able to compare hams like you would at the supermarket. So, make sure you ask lots of questions, now that you know what you’re looking for.
You could ask:
Is the ham made from New Zealand born and farmed pork?
What will be its injection percentage?
What flavours will it have?
You could even ask if there’s a glaze the butcher thinks would work particularly well with those flavours.
6. Know what size you’ll need
If the ham is the only meat on your Christmas menu, New Zealand Pork advises allowing 1kg of ham for five people. Or if you’ve got other meat options, 1kg will feed about six to eight people.
7. Know the best hams in New Zealand
The best hams of the year were awarded at the 100% New Zealand Bacon & Ham Awards earlier in the year so you can check out which ones got medals. Some of them are only available in the city the butcher is based, but a Farmland boneless ham available nationwide won a gold award and Woolworths bone-in and boneless hams picked up bronze.
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