New Māori monarch decision met with immediate approval

Rangatira across Aotearoa have chosen Nga wai hono i te po as their Queen, the new Māori monarch and successor to Kiingi Tuheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero VII.

Thousands gathered for the tangihanga of Kiingi Tuheitia over the past week, where today they witnessed Te Whakawahinga (the raising up ceremony) of the eighth monarch of the Kiingitanga.

Nga wai hono i te po is the only daughter and youngest child of three from Kiingi Tuheitia, and has been favoured to ascend the throne.

She also currently sits on the University of Waikato Council, holding a Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts in tikanga Māori and te reo Māori.

Those gathered at the ceremony gave PMN News their immediate reaction to the new successor, where one man said it was an “awesome” choice as they had wanted Nga wai i te pono to be chosen.

“We wanted the daughter to be the next one in line. I think she’s a really good speaker and she knows what she’s going to do.”

Another also said the new monarch selection is “awesome” and wished her “much respect and much aroha to her, and alofa lava (much love) from Sāmoa”.

Reo Māori teacher for Te Wānanga o Aotearoa, Jeremy Leatinu'u* (Māori - Ngāti Maniapoto, Sāmoa - Vailoa, Matāvai) said the decision makes sense.

He said it’s important to note though that there are many opinions as to why Nga wai hono i te po was selected and that perhaps in time those apart of that decision will reveal their process.

"So until then, as members of the public including myself, we can only really give what we imagine could be the case based on the information that's been given,” Leatinu’u said.

He said commentators at the tangihanga mentioned that similar to Nga wai hono i te po, the first woman elected as the Māori monarch - Te Atairangikaahu - was also prepared for the role by her great-aunt Te Puea Hērangi.

In similar fashion, Nga wai hono i te po accompanied her father on various official engagements in recent years.

"As Tom Roa alongside Julian and Stacey Morrison said, the commentators on the Kiingitanga live stream, Nga wai hono i te po was groomed for that position,” Leatinu’u said.

"Te Puea took Te Atairangikaahu around different hui, iwi and in a way prepared her to be the first Kuīni Māori.

"Perhaps this is a time when a Kuīni Māori and all her attributes is needed to continue the work of her father.”

Tekau-Maa-Rua, the Kiingitanga advisory council made up of iwi representatives from across the motu, met on Tuesday evening to wānanga on the successor to Kiingi Tuheitia.

Chairman Che Wilson said the importance of Te Whakawahinga dates back eight generations to Pootatau Te Wherowhero.

“We follow the tikanga of our ancestors who created the Kiingitanga to unify and uplift our people and we have chosen Nga wai hono i te po as our new Monarch," Wilson said.

*Jeremy Leatinu'u is the tuakana (older brother) of the author of this article, Aui'a Vaimaila Leatinu'u.