The Astromancer: the Rising of Matariki

The Astromancer is an original type of book, part novel, part history, part folk tale. The story occures in Aotearoa pre-european colonialism and centers around two important women. The elder Te Kōkōrangi is a proud and powerful astromacer who holds a lot of mana. She reads the stars and foretells what will happen for her Iwi. The younger women is Ariā, a neglected orphan whose parents were killed by a rival warrior chief. Ariā is an outsider within her village and understandably angry and antagonistic.

Although the two often clash, Te Kōkōrangi recognises Ariā’s brilliance and takes her back to her wonderful observatory atop a picturesque mountain. Te Kōkōrangi teaches Ariā and her fellow apprentices the arts of astromancy and Maramataka. She uses the stories of the atua and the stars to explain concepts of how the stars herald the seasons and how the iwi can respond by celebrating, harvesting, planting etc. As Te Kōkōrangi tells these stories the reader is also filled in and reminded of the stories of creation, Matariki and Te Waka o Rangi. This gentle story of lore and learning is interrupted by Ruatapu the Ravenous, the villanous chief that killed Ariā’s parents and continues to cause chaos for her iwi.

This would work wonderfully as a teaching tool, the story inspires so many conversations and provides jumping of points to learn about Matariki, Maramataka, pre-colonial Aotearoa, astronomy and more. Witi Ihimaera’s succinct and sure storytelling and Isobel Joy Te Aho White’s dreamy and playful art bring history and the Matariki family to life in a way that is unique and exciting.