The first New Zealand Senior of the year is Maramataka (Māori lunar calendar) expert Rereata Mākiha (Ngāti Mahurehure, Te Aupōuri, Te Arawa).
The new category was added for the 2022 Kiwibank New Zealander of the Year awards.
The Ryman Healthcare Senior New Zealander of the Year Award honours those who have contributed positively to Aotearoa in their older years.
The award allows New Zealanders of all ages to express their gratitude and respect for older citizens' accomplishments throughout the previous year.
Mākiha has worked in the media for 40 years, from reporting to broadcasting. He currently spends his time preserving and teaching Māori oral histories and traditions such as Te Maramataka.
Mākiha told Stuff: “Thank you all for this nomination. This isn’t the sort of thing I like doing but mindful that I need to pay tribute and thanks to our ancestors, who passed all this knowledge on to us today to help us survive, and help us look forward to the future for providing a future for our mokopuna, in the years to come.”
“I don’t want to leave anybody out but thanks to the Society of Māori Astronomy, Research and Traditions. You set up the platform to start educating and passing on this knowledge.”