Takurua
1. (personal noun) Sirius, the Dog Star - one of the brightest stars in the sky and found in Kāhui Takurua (Canis Major).
Ko te tahi o Pipiri kua pipiri tonu ngā turi i taua tāima. He tohu nui nā ō tātou tūpuna. Kei tēnei marama ko ngā whetū, ko Puanga, ko Matariki, ko Tautoru, ko Takurua, e mana ana te whakataukī, "Takurua hūpē nui." (TP 1/4/1899:3) / In the first month of Pipiri (June) the knees are close together. That was an important symbol of our ancestors. In this month it is the stars Rigel, the Pleiades, Orion's Belt and Sirius which is reflected in the saying, "Sirius of much nasal discharge."
See also Kāhui Takurua
2. (personal noun) second month of the Māori lunar calendar, approximately equivalent to July.
Ko te putanga mai o Matariki te tohu mō te marama tuatahi, ko ngā ingoa hoki ēnei o ngā marama katoa: Te Tahi o Pipiri, Te Rua o Takurua,Te Toru Here o Pipiri, Te Whā o Mahuru, Te Rima o Kōpū, Te Ono o Whitiānaunau, Te Whitu o Hakihea, Te Waru o Rehua, Te Iwa o Rūhi-te-rangi, Te Ngahuru o Poutū-te-rangi, Te Ngahuru mā tahi, Te Ngahuru mā rua (TP 1/3/1901:6). / The appearance of Pleiades is the sign for the first month and these are the names of all the months: The first is Pipiri, the second is Takurua, the third is Here o Pipiri, the fourth is Mahuru, the fifth is Kōpū, the sixth is Whiti-ānaunau, the seventh is Hakihea, the eighth is Rehua, the ninth is Rūhi-te-rangi, the tenth is Poutūterangi, the eleventh and twelth months.
Synonyms: Maramawhitu, Rua o Takurua, Te, Hūrae, Hōngongoi
