 The star cluster was important for navigation and timing the seasons.The first rising of the Pleiades and of Rigel ("Puanga" in northern Māori, "Puaka" in southern Māori) occurs just prior to sunrise in late May or early June.The actual time for the celebration of Matariki varies, some iwi (tribe or clan) celebrate it immediately, others wait until the rising of the next full moon, or the dawn of the next new moon—and others use the rising of Puanga/Puaka (Rigel) in a similar way.