Matari’i i raro and Matari’i i ni’a

Matari’i is the Tahitian name given to the Pleiades constellation, which is visible or not in the Polynesian starry sky throughout the year. The rising of the Pleiades, called matari’i i ni’a, coincides with the arrival of the rains. For six months, the land produces fruits in abundance and fish are more plentiful. Fauna and flora are at the peak of their reproduction. An opening to the spiritual circle through the tasting of a liqueur called kava allows visitors to connect with abundance. Joyful dances thank the land and sea for having kept their promises by feeding their people and enabling them to heal themselves thanks to all the virtues of the flora. In contrast, the descent of the Pleiades, known as matari’i i raro, heralds the onset of the dry, cool season. The Islands of Tahiti then enters a period of scarcity.