Te Pāti Māori has joined the chorus of voices across the globe offering condolences on the death of Kiingi Tuheitia, and says it will pay tribute to the respective iwi.
“Papā te whatitiri,hikohiko te uira, i kanapu ki te rangi, i whētuki i raro rā, rū ana te whenua e.
“Uea te pou o tōku whare kia tū tangata he kapua whakairi nāku nā runga o Taupiri. Ko taku kiri ka tōkia ki te anu mātao. E te iwi whītiki, whītiki,whakarewa.
“Kua whati ā roto, kua pōhara te iwi Māori i tō wehenga atu. E Te Ariki, e te Kiingi Māori Tuheitia, moe mai rā i roto i ngā ringaringa o te atua. Kaikini te aroha, kaikini te manawa, kaikini te wairua. Hei aha rā, hei aha rā, tū tonu te mahara.”
Te Pāti co-leaders Debbie Ngarewa-Packer and Rawiri Waititi said his passing is deeply mourned.
“It is with deep sadness that we received news early this morning of the passing of Kiingi Tūheitia Pōtatau Te Wherowhero VII.”
Ngarewa-Packer said Kiingi Tūheitia was grassroots, humble, not fluent or flashy in formalities, yet naturally prepared to serve and lead.
The king’s legacy of unification, mana motuhake, and rangatiratanga will continue to thrive through the Māori movement, Waititi adds.
“The Kiingitanga, in our people’s darkest moments, gave our people hope. It is a Māori movement that has never surrendered its mana,” president John Tamihere says.