Mānawa maiea te putanga o Matariki - the first day of Matariki

From Checkpoint, 6:22 pm on 2 July 2021

Today is the first day of Matariki, the Māori lunar new year.

Across the country, people gathered at dawn around fires, on hilltops and on beaches to catch a glimpse of the glittering cluster.

And it's hoped there'll be more next year, when Matariki becomes an official public holiday.

Jamie Tahana and cameraman Sam Rillstone were at a dawn ceremony at Te Papa.