Humanity’s intricate relationship to the night sky is age-old. The celestial cycles–which include the movements of the sun, moon, stars, planets, and comets–have been observed and documented across time and cultures.
Notably, the celestial sphere is often associated with those who have died. Across many cultures, the spirits of the deceased are symbolically considered to move into and remain in the night sky for eternity.
A Research Project
Te tatau o te pō / The door of the night represents the threshold of that transition, whereby the dying person metaphorically has one foot in the physical world and one in the spiritual world, and it is often during this time that unusual experiences at or around the time of death, occur, either to the person who is dying or to those significant to them.
The first research of its kind, our project explores how experiences associated with death are linked to celestial events, and how these play a role in reinforcing humanity’s connection to the night sky. Our intention is to create opportunities to rekindle our ancient connection to the stars and re-imagine the meaning of the dying process, by exploring the relationship between death-related experiences and Māori astronomy.
Kua whetūrangihia koe: You have become a star in the sky, taking your place alongside your ancestors.
What compelled ancient cultures to link the stars with death? What continues to inspire contemporary cultures to reinforce this link?
The name of our research project reflects what we believe to be the answer to this question. Meaning ‘door of the night’, te tatau o te pō reflects the idea that what we call death is a transition period, whereby the spirit of the dying person is journeying from the physical realm back to the spiritual realm, which is symbolically reflected in the celestial sphere.
Project lead Associate Professor Natasha Tassell-Matamua talks about her inspiration for the project