The appearance of Matariki, the Pleiades star cluster in late June or early July marks the beginning of the new year in the Māori lunar calendar in Aotearoa New Zealand. Since 2011 I have made a few works inspired by this cluster of 9 stars.

Since late 2017 I live part of the year in Aotearoa New Zealand and part of the year in The Hague. I am a first generation New Zealander on my father's side and fourth generation on my mother's side (Scotland), and was raised only speaking English.
These days Dutch and Māori are equally important to me and often my works incorporate texts in more than one language.

Counting Stars is a limited edition print bearing texts in Greek, English and Māori. The constellation depicted is called Matariki (the Pleiades or the seven sisters) and the first appearance of the main star, usually in June, signifies the start of the Māori New Year.

Counting Stars - Te Kāhui o Matariki, - The eyes of wind and weather, 2025

Limited Edition print of 95,
27.4 x 20 cm or 13.7 x 10 x 2 cm, print on dubond or alumium.

The main image is a detail of my 2016 painting, A Paradox of Place featuring the Matariki star cluster – these appear in May-June each year in Aotearoa New Zealand and in most locations, Matariki (the star-mother) is the first to appear and this marks the start of the Māori New Year.

Each of these stars is associated with harvesting or remembering events of the past year.

In my work here if you look closely you can just read the Maori word for each star, followed by the Greek and then my translation in English of the main ideas associated with each of the Maori words for these stars which are also seen as guardians or ancestors.
So the differing languages are variations or diverse interpretations. They are not translations.

Wai-puna-a-rangi, Electra, star-pool

Ururangi, Merope, wind-weaver

Matariki, Alcyone, star-mother

Tupuārangi, Atlas, manna

Tupuānuku, Pleione, soil-born (from the earth)

Waitī, Maia, spring-born

Waitā, Taygeta, sea-born

Pōhutukawa, Sterope, the mourning-star (remembering those passed on)

Hiwa-i-te-rangi, Calaeno, the wishing-star (future aspirations)