First-ever coronation anniversary for Māori Queen marked as deeply significant

A Green Party MP says this year’s Koroneihana is deeply significant, marking the first coronation anniversary of Te Arikinui Kuini Nga wai hono i te po.

The week-long celebration at Tuurangawaewae Marae runs from Tuesday to Saturday, drawing thousands of people from across Aotearoa and the Pacific. The event includes remembrance ceremonies, cultural performances, political discussions, and Te Arikinui Kuini Nga wai hono i te po’s first formal address on Friday.

Speaking to William Terite on Pacific Mornings, Green MP Teanau Tuiono, who is attending the celebrations, says this year’s Koroneihana is undeniably important. He says this significance arises from it being the first coronation for Te Arikinui since the passing of her father, Kiingi Tuheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero VII, last year.

“And people will remember when her father passed, Kiingi Tuheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero VII. So, it was very sad when he passed. He was really unique because he called this hui-ā-motu right in the middle of the holidays, and tens of thousands of people showed up. That was the mana of the man, the mana of the position.

“So with him then passing suddenly, not too long after that, I was at the tangi with a lot of people, where his daughter was installed as the next Ariki. This is significant, for te ao Māori, Waikato-Tainui, and I know that many of the other Ariki from around the Pacific will also be there.”

As is tradition, the first two days are dedicated to kawe mate, where whānau bring the memory of those who have passed in the last year to be acknowledged. Tuesday’s proceedings are for the Tainui waka, while Wednesday will include iwi from across the motu.

Listen to Teanau Tuiono’s full interview below.

Kiingitanga spokesperson Rahui Papa told RNZ the event carries both grief and renewal, marking one year after Kiingi Tuheitia’s final coronation anniversary before his unexpected death.

“We're going to have an air of lifting the heaviness that we've felt over the last year and bringing us back into what I term is the world of light, from te pouri o te ngaromanga o te Kiingi, the sadness of the passing of the King,” Papa says.

The programme also features unique ceremonial milestones this year, including the kauae of a sperm whale, Te Ara Maurei, gifted by Te Tauihu iwi, which will be formally received at Tūrangawaewae Marae for the first time.

Hosting rights for the next Te Matatini will also be handed from Taranaki and Whanganui iwi to Tainui, and a free outdoor concert has been added to close the week’s events.

Kiingi Tuheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero VII passed away last year, aged 69. Photo/Facebook/Kiingitanga

These additions sit alongside the customary elements of Koroneihana, such as kapa haka, kawe mate, and the welcoming of Pacific delegations from Tonga, the Cook Islands, Tahiti, Hawai’i and Fiji.

The Māori Queen’s first formal speech on Friday will also mark the end of her mourning period and is expected to reflect on her heritage while looking towards the future. Tuiono says she is likely to honour her father’s vision of unity in her address.

“The monarchs in the past tended to talk about [politics] in diplomatic ways. Kiingi Tuheitia often talked about being Māori all day, every day, just be yourself. And he had this call for unity,” he says.

“She probably will make sure that she steps in and honours her father's legacy. I know that they would have put a lot of work into that speech because all eyes will be on what she says, in terms of the moment that we are in.

"We are under attack from this Government who has trampled on Māori rights, women's rights - if we think about the pay equity claims that were cancelled - [and] environmental protections [which] have been wound back. That is very concerning for Māori and concerning for most people in the country."