If you have a hash reference $foo, then the hash is %{$foo}. This is all need to you know, if you know how to use a hash.

%foo       %{$bar}
@foo{...}  @{$bar}{...}
$foo{...}  ${$bar}{...}
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If the reference is in a normal scalar variable, you can leave out the first set of {}, so you get %$bar, @$bar and $$bar. As a special case, $$bar{...} can be written as $bar->{...}. This arrow notation is the preferred method.

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Perl 6 changes:

• The sigil no longer changes with use. A hash gets % in all three cases, instead of %, @ or $, depending on how it is used.
• A hash returns a list of pairs in list context.
• Sorting by something only requires specifying that something: sort { .key }, %hash, sort { .value }, %hash.
• You can use the reference as if it were a normal hash, and Perl 6 automatically dereferences it for you. In list context, though, you have to dereference explicitly with %$foo, or specify explicitly that you want a list of pairs: $foo.pairs.
• Arrows are now dots, and in the case of hash references, can even be left out entirely.