23 The Pleiades - Matariki
Matariki / Pleiades story: - “Seven Sisters”
It was this correlation between these all these very ancient cultures with a very similar story that enticed me to further investigate the Pleiades cluster as a Signifier for my Master’s project, the fact that such unrelated peoples have almost identical mythology, which is said to be over 100,000 years old I just couldn’t resist.
The link was simply mind-blowingly brilliant!
"As Above- So Below - So Be It!"
- The Pleiades, (catalogue number M45), an open cluster of young stars in the zodiacal constellation Taurus, about 440 light-years from the solar system.
- The story of the Seven Sisters of Pleiades star cluster is shared by multiple people from throughout the world, with legends dating back longer than human existence has been historically & scientifically verified.
- In ancient Greek mythology and legend the hunter Orion was pursuing the sisters who did not wish to be with a mortal. So the seven sisters who were the daughters of Atlas and Pleione were put into the sky to escape him, but eventually, Orion became a god a constellation himself and continues to pursue the sisters across the sky
- The names of the sisters in Greek mythology are Alcyone, Maia, Electra, Merope, Taygete, Celaeno, and Sterope, these names now assigned to individual stars today.
- A similar story is reiterated by many Aboriginal tribes who revere the Pleiades also like the 7 sisters, being chased across the sky the lusty stars of the constellation of Orion.
- The heliacal (near dawn) rising of the Pleiades in spring of the Northern Hemisphere has marked from ancient times the opening of seafaring and farming seasons, as the morning setting of the group in autumn signified the seasons’ ends.
- Some South American Indians use the same word for “Pleiades” and “year.”
- The constellations change their position throughout the year, denoting cyclic and seasonal changes especially in times before clocks the stars acted as a calendar, times to reap times to sow.
- In New Zealand, the rising of the Matariki star cluster on the horizon at the winter equinox is celebrated as the Maori new year.
- Some Iwi talk of the stars mother is Matariki, and her daughters are Tupu-ā-Nuku, Tupu-ā-rangi, Waipuna Rangi, Waitī, Waitā, and Ururangi
- The star cluster is visible to the naked eye from most parts of our planet and has many different names.
- In English, it is called the Pleiades (its ancient Greek name) or the Seven Sisters.
- The Hawaiian name is Makali‘i, or ‘eyes of royalty’, and in Japan it is Subaru, meaning ‘gathered together’.
It was this correlation between these all these very ancient cultures with a very similar story that enticed me to further investigate the Pleiades cluster as a Signifier for my Master’s project, the fact that such unrelated peoples have almost identical mythology, which is said to be over 100,000 years old I just couldn’t resist.
The link was simply mind-blowingly brilliant!
"As Above- So Below - So Be It!"
