Hundreds attend Rotorua's Matariki civic ceremony on first official public holiday. Video / Mead Norton
Through morning mist, hundreds of people took a hikoi down an illuminated path and came together for this morning's Matariki civic ceremony in Rotorua.
Today is the first official public holiday recognising Matariki, and silhouettes of beanie-clad attendees gathered at Rotorua's Motutara Point to reflect, remember and look to thefuture.
The event involved an umu kohukohu whetū ceremony, a traditional way Māori exercised reciprocity with the atua (God) and stars.
While low fog clung to the shores of Lake Rotorua, the dawn sky and its stars became visible as the ceremony progressed.
Among those grieving the loss of a loved one was Patricia Marshall.
Marshall lost her mother last year to cancer, and she lit a candle in remembrance of her.
"It has been hard."
After 23 years, she relocated back to the city after living in Australia and was taking the time to reunite with her siblings and connect with her roots.
Patricia Marshall lit a candle for her mother who died last year. Photo / Mead Norton
Being at the Matariki ceremony meant a lot to her, she said.
"It is where I come from. The reo is something I have lost."
As part of the ceremony, people were able to speak the names of loved ones who passed the previous year, and Te Komiti Nui o Ngāti Whakaue chairman Kingi Biddle said Matariki was part of the Māori way of life.
"What we know about traditional public holidays is that they are a time of celebration ... Matariki is a time for practicality."
It was a time for forecasting for the year, particularly, in terms of gardening and harvesting, he said. Bringing practices back, like Matariki, helped on an everyday basis.
"Especially like today in helping people deal with their grief."
He said the Te Arawa event was for the whole Rotorua community, and everyone in the community had someone to grieve: "so let us come together and farewell those ones we have lost and also welcome in the new year and allow the old year to rest and have some sleep".
As attendees shared their grief and spoke the names of lost loved ones, Biddle said you could feel the aroha as they did so.
Hundreds of people attended a Rotorua Matariki civic ceremony this morning. Photo / Mead Norton
"That aroha becomes like wings to the name. The name flies up to the sky and becomes a star, it actually becomes a physical star."
Knowing the journey of a loved one helped them to let go... he said.
