This Friday, the Matariki stars will be observed in the Northeastern skies, marking the beginning of the Māori new year and Maramataka, the Māori lunar calendar.

However, earlier this year, the Puanga star rose in the Western skies, which some Iwi, especially those in Te Tai Tokerau, look to to mark the beginning of the Maramataka.

With this year’s theme for Matariki being Matariki mā Puanga: Celebrating Together, Oto spoke to Te Kahuratai Moko-Painting, a professional teaching fellow at Te Pūtahi o Pūtaiao - the centre for Pūtaiao at the University of Auckland, about why some Iwi look to Puanga instead of Matariki.