Flames rise at Mount Haumingi, the sacred mountain of Ngāti Te Rangiunora Te Arawa. They arrived at Mount Haumingi, the sacred mountain of Ngāti Te Rangiunora Te Arawa, then walked 100m to its peak where billowing fires lit up the dark and kept the whānau warm. This annual gathering was abandoned for many years by Ngāti Pikiao, due to westernised influences, which blanketed these ceremonies. "However, we have come back and we are reviving this ancient ceremony, Te Hautapu Umukohukohu Whetū." Matariki expert Professor Rangi Mātāmua explained that each of the stars in Matariki was connected to a different part of the environment.

Source: New Zealand Herald July 05, 2021 23:58 UTC