Professor Rangi Mātāmua (Ngāi Tūhoe) was honoured with a powerful haka after being named as the big winner of this year's New Zealander of the Year Awards last night.
The renowned Māori leader and Māori astronomy expert beat Rugby World Cup winner Ruby Tui, entertainers Dame Jools and Dame Lynda Topp, and former All Black and mental health advocate Sir John Kirwan for the prestigious Kiwibank New Zealander of the Year / Te Pou Whakarae o Aotearoa award.
The award honours the achievements and contributions of an inspirational Kiwi whose achievements have made a big, positive contribution to the country this year.
Mātāmua has been recognised for his continued efforts to push Matauranga Māori to the forefront, to better connect Aotearoa with the whenua and wairua shared by all.
The pioneering Māori scholar also led the formation of the country's newest public holiday, Matariki, which was celebrated as a public holiday for the first time last year.
He told Breakfast this morning that the win was a "surreal situation", calling his co-nominees "iconic".
Mātāmua said the win was "humbling", adding he didn't hear his name get called out. (Source: 1News)
"Just to be sitting there, let alone for my name to get called out — so I actually didn't hear it," he said, explaining he caught the word "professor" and the rest was drowned out by cheering.
"And I was like, was that me? And then, to be called up and yeah, it was a pretty special moment.
"I'm still kind of in a little bit of a... actually I'm still a little bit dusty from last night if I'm honest," he laughed.
"My mum was very teary, I was like 'stop crying Mum'. That was awesome... It was really special.
"It's very humbling, I must say, I'm really humbled by it all. I did not think my name would get called out."
But he said the award also came with responsibility, and he would continue to advocate for Matariki to bring people together.
It comes after he told the audience at the award ceremony last night: "Matariki speaks to the best parts of who we are.
"Those stars are celebrated around the world, from Africa, to Europe, to America, to Asia, to the Pacific, to Polynesia, to here.
"They mark when to plant, when to harvest, when to celebrate, when to come together, when the new year is upon us and they have always been a shining light within the history of humanity, and today they shine above us to mark the growth and the change of us in a nation, where we accept we don’t need to look overseas to understand who we are as a people and to reflect someone else’s culture.
"We have that in spades, right here, and if we just open our minds and hearts to that, there is so much learning and benefit for all of us."
Last year's winner was Tā Tipene O'Regan.
2023 Kiwibank New Zealander of the Year/Te Pou Whakarae o Aotearoa finalists
Sir John Kirwan
Dame Jools and Dame Lynda Topp – The Topp Twins
Professor Rangi Mātāmua
Ruby Tui
2023 University of Canterbury Young New Zealander of the Year/Te Te Mātātahi o te Tau finalists
Elliot Jones
Georgia Latu
Shaneel Lal
2023 Ryman Healthcare Senior New Zealander of the Year/Te Mātāpuputu o te Tau finalists
Marie Jujnovich
Sir Mark Dunajtschik
Professor Sir Pou Temara
2023 Spark New Zealand Innovator of the Year/Te Pou Whakairo o te Tau finalists
Emily Blythe
Robbie van Dam
Vaughan Fergusson
2023 MFE New Zealand Environmental Hero of the Year/Te Toa Taiao o te Tau finalists
Camden Howitt
Jessi Morgan
Simon Hall
2023 Mitre 10 New Zealand Community of the Year/Ngā Pou Whirinaki o te Tau finalists
Achieving @ Waitākere Charitable Trust
Pathway Charitable Group
Kindness Collective
2023 Kiwibank New Zealand Local Hero of the Year/Te Pou Toko o Te Tau finalists
Ali Muhammad
Dr Ellen Nelson
Maia Mariner
SHARE ME