We are proudly New Zealand-owned and run
Sandra, one of the owners of Tactical Solutions, is of Māori descent from the Ngāti Whakaue and Ngāti Rangiwewehi iwi.
We were having a very interesting discussion with Sandra on what the Māori New Year means and why it is important.
She explained that in the Māori culture, astronomy is a big part of life.
The position of the stars and planets in relation to the moon and sun mean different things.
They would coincide with different seasonal events that were happening and the celestial beings would form part of stories that are woven into the history of the people.
One example would be the Māori fishing calendar.
* source: https://teara.govt.nz/en/document/5387/fishing-by-the-moon
Here's how it works.
1. Whiro Is the start of the new moon.
Each symbol represented a particular aspect of the night of the moon.
Straight lines on the graphic above indicated good nights for line fishing and black dots for fishing by torchlight.
A night such as Whiro, with a dot and a line, was good for both.
Personally, the calendar has been fairly accurate, to the point that we'll always have a look at it before planning our fishing trips.
Here's a good one to use: https://www.fishing.net.nz/fishing-advice/maori-fishing-calendar/
Tight lines!
Why is it called Matariki?
The Māori New Year started this morning, 2 July 2021.
It's marked by the rising of the "Matariki" star constellation known as Pleiades or the Seven Sisters.
The constellation usually disappears from view during the cold months and reappears mid-winter just before dawn, signaling the beginning of the New Year.
Bright, clear stars promise a warm and successful planting season. Hazy stars, however, warned of cold weather and poor crops.
It was a crystal clear sky this morning, it's going to be a great year!
New Year celebrations provide the opportunity for whānau (extended family) to come together to acknowledge:
- the year gone by,
- prepare and plan for the year ahead;
- to celebrate with kai (food),
- kōrero (speeches and stories),
- ceremony,
- and entertainment.
Traditionally these celebrations were only acknowledged and celebrated by the iwi, but it has become an important part of New Zealand history.
If you are interested, there are some fantastic Matariki festivals that happen every year. * Google Matariki festival.
How we are celebrating Mātariki with you...
July marks the beginning of the new 2021/22 financial year for us.
After a challenging year, we are gearing up for a great year.
We want to give back to you.
Wouldn’t it be great to have a get-together with our Tactical whānau for kōrero and kai?
As this is not possible.
here is what we are going to do:
Here is what we are going to do:
For the next week 2 July to 9 July 2021:
- Spend $150 and we will give you a FREE Special Edition 5.11 cap (pictured below). * whilst stocks last
- Spend over $200 and we will give you a FREE Special Edition 5.11 cap (pictured below) and a FREE Te Kiwi Māia shirt. * whilst stocks last
We will give the full $35 (the cost of the TKM shirt) to the Te Kiwi Māia trust.
Read more about what Te Kiwi Māia do here: https://www.tekiwimaia.co.nz/
The special edition 5.11 cap. (above)
If you head to our Auckland or Wellington stores, we have a couple of the 2019 limited edition caps (above) available.
Add your Te Kiwi Māia shirt to your online cart and you won't be charged for it if you've spent over $200. *whilst stocks last.