New Zealand crowned the new Maori Queen after the passing of the late king.
A new queen is crowned as the eighth Māori monarch in New Zealand after the death of her father, Kiingi Tuheitia Pōtatau Te Wherowhero VII.
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| Queen Ngā Wai hono i te pō - Facebook/Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga Photo: Erica Sinclair |
The 27-year-old queen, Ngā Wai hono i te pō, was chosen by a council of Māori chiefs in a traditional ceremony on the North Island. She is the second Māori queen, following in the footsteps of her grandmother, Te Arikinui Dame Te Atairangikaahu, who reigned for 40 years.
Ngā Wai hono i te pō is the youngest child of Kiingi Tuheitia, who passed away at the age of 69. He had been recovering from heart surgery in a hospital but died just days after celebrating the 18th anniversary of his coronation. His death marked the end of a significant era for the Māori people, as Kiingi Tuheitia was known for his leadership and efforts to unify the Māori community.
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| Queen Ngā Wai hono i te pō . Photo: Getty Images |
The new queen was officially crowned at a ceremony held at Tūrangawaewae Marae, the main seat of the Māori King Movement, known as Kiingitanga. During the ceremony, she sat on a carved wooden throne and was blessed with the same Bible that was used to anoint the first Māori king, Pōtatau Te Wherowhero, in 1858. Wearing a wreath and a traditional cloak, Ngā Wai hono i te pō sat in front of her father’s coffin as prayers and chants were performed.
Kiingi Tuheitia’s final journey involved a flotilla of carved war canoes, called waka, which carried his coffin along the Waikato River to his final resting place on Mount Taupiri. This mountain is sacred to the Māori people, and it was here that he was laid to rest in a moving and emotional ceremony that included a haka dance, which is a traditional Māori war dance.
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| New Maori Queen Nga Wai hono i te po Paki. [Kiingitanga via AFP] |
The naming of Ngā Wai hono i te pō as the new queen represents a generational shift for the Māori monarchy, with many seeing it as a symbol of renewal and a positive influence for the younger Māori generation. The new queen holds a master’s degree in Māori cultural studies and teaches kapa haka, which is the Māori term for performing arts.
Kiingi Tuheitia’s death was mourned heavily across New Zealand. His official period of mourning was extended from three days to seven to allow for the large number of delegations that came to pay tribute to him.
The Māori people and the nation at large felt the loss deeply. Rahui Papa, a spokesperson for the Māori King Movement, expressed the sorrow felt by many, saying, “We have lost a king who was rising in prominence, leading all tribes of Aotearoa/New Zealand at a time when we’re under a lot of political and social pressure.”
New Zealand political leaders also paid tribute to Kiingi Tuheitia. Chris Hipkins, the leader of the opposition Labour Party, described him as a “fantastic king” with a “wicked sense of humour” and a commitment to bringing New Zealanders together.
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| Kiingi Tuheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero VII : by Waikato Tainui |
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon praised the king’s leadership, saying his dedication to both the Māori and the entire country was widely felt. However, Luxon did not attend the funeral as he was on an official trip to South Korea.
Kiingi Tuheitia’s reign was marked by his call for Māori people to unite in the face of political challenges. Last year, many Māori protested against government policies that were seen as undermining Indigenous rights, including plans to close the Māori Health Authority, which had been established under former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s government.
The Māori monarchy dates back to the 19th century when Māori tribes created the role in an effort to prevent the widespread loss of their lands to British colonizers and to preserve their culture. While the role of the Māori monarch is largely ceremonial today, it remains a significant symbol of unity for the Māori people.
Kiingi Tuheitia was born Tūheitia Paki in 1955 and became king in 2006 after the death of his mother, Te Arikinui Dame Te Atairangikaahu. Like his mother, he was seen as a unifying figure for the Māori people.
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| Prince Charles with Kingi Tuheitia, during a 2015 visit (Image: Getty Images) |
After the late monarch's passing, King Charles honored him with a tribute shared on the British royal family's official website.
"My wife and I were profoundly saddened to learn of the death of Kiingi Tuheitia.
I had the greatest pleasure of knowing Kiingi Tuheitia for decades. He was deeply committed to forging a strong future for Māori and Aotearoa New Zealand founded upon culture, traditions and healing, which he carried out with wisdom and compassion.
I remember with immense fondness meeting Kiingi Tuheitia many times, including when Her Majesty and I were hosted so warmly and graciously at the Tuurangawaewae Marae in 2015, and then again during our meeting at Buckingham Palace last year. His death is a particular shock in view of the fact that I had only very recently spoken to Kiingi on the telephone at the beginning of August.
Kua hinga te tōtara i Te Waonui a Tāne. (A mighty Totora tree has fallen.)
My wife and I extend our deepest condolences to Kiingi Tuheitia’s whaanau and friends and all those who will mourn his loss. Our special thoughts and prayers will be with you at this most difficult and heartbreaking of times."
Charles R
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