As Tūrangawaewae Marae opens its gates to visitors from across Aotearoa, prominent Māori have joined the sea of people paying their respects to the late Kiingi Tuheitia.
Activist and artist Tame Iti, Governor-General Dame Cindy Kiro, veteran broadcaster Waihoroi Shortland, and former Race Relations Commissioner Meng Foon were all among the crowd welcomed to Tūrangawaewae Marae in the 8am pōwhiri this morning.
Tame Iti says search for a new leader has begun
Māori activist and leader of key movements across the country, Tame Iti was in attendance this morning at Tūrangawaewae Marae and said the death of the King, while sudden, is something we can’t change.
“E mōhio ana tātou e kore e taea e tātou tēnei mea te mate te karo. Heoi anō ka aroha ake anō ki te whānau, ki ahau tonu ki a Tainui, ki a Waikato i tēnei mate o te Kiingi.”
We all know that death is not something we can avoid. However, my condolences go to the family, Tainui and Waikato at the death of the King.
Iti who has been a leader in many activism spaces says the search for a new leader has begun, however we should also bear in mind the circumstances of current events.
“Ka tika tonu mā te motu anō rā hei kōrero. Kei te haere ngā kōrero, kei te rere ngā kōrero e rongo ana ōku nā taringa. Heoi anō, tērā pea i te āhuatanga o ngā whakanekeneke o te ao o nāianei, ki ngā pēhitanga, ngā whakawhiutanga, ko ia tērā e kaha ana ki te kōkiri i ngā kaupapa o te motu, ko Tuheitia tērā.”
It’s only right that the nation should discuss that. Word is going around and has reached my ears. However, with what’s happening in the world at this time, the pressure and threats, he was strong in driving national initiatives - that was Tuheitia.
Thousands have gathered at Tūrangawaewae Marae since the death of Kiingi Tuheitia, and more are expected to flock to the marae in the days to come.
Iti says the massive gathering is a sign of the respect the King has commanded over his reign.
“Tēnei te tohu e kaha ana te ngākau o ngā iwi o te motu, i te aro nui mai tēnei āhuatanga o te tumu o ngāi tāua te Māori kia whai i raro i te maru o te Kiingitanga. Heoi anō, he uri au ki tērā, ki a Wiremu Tāmihana Te Tarapīpipi. Ko ia te tangata i whakaaro ai ki tēnei, koinei pea te huarahi hei whai mā tātou. He pai tonu tēnei take hei kōrero anō mā te motu.”
This signals the strength of iwi across the nation who are focused on the leader of Māori under the Kiingitanga movement. However, I am a descendant of Wiremu Tāmihana Te Tarapīpipi. He was the person who came up with the idea of the Kiingitanga, that this could be the best route for us to follow. This is a great topic of discussion for the country.
‘Show support for Kiingitanga’ - Dame Cindy Kiro
Governor-General Dame Cindy Kiro joined the crowd today, speaking about her close connection with Kiingi Tuheitia.
“It’s important that we’re here as a country and on behalf of all New Zealand to pay homage to Kiingi Tuheitia because he stood for something really important and that really important message is important yes for Māori and for Waikato/Tainui [waka] and the Kiingitanga in particular but actually for all the people of Aotearoa.”
Kiro reminisces on their past memories and cherishes the moments they shared.
“He had a lovely soft and down to earth sense of humour. We would sometimes smile at each other and laugh because we would find each other in very odd places together.
“Some of the last times I ever saw Kiingi Tuheitia and Makau Ariki was at Waitangi where we shared a dinner together.”
Prior to Waitangi, they saw each other at Windsor Castle for King Charles’s coronation.
“I remember we were all sat on a bench in this reception which was filled with Kings and Queens and presidents… We were sort of all nudging each other [saying to each other] who would have thought we would be here. I really treasured those moments.”
Former Race-Relations Commissioner Meng Foon
Former Race Relations Commissioner Meng Foon was also in attendance earlier today where he shared his connection with Kiingi Tuheitia.
“Aro ake ki te whānau o Kiingi Tuheitia mō tona wehenga atu. [I] mua kua haere mai ia ki te tautoko ki a mātou i Te Tai Rāwhiti, ki ngā momo hui, ā, ko te iti, te rahi kua tae mai. Ko tona mana, he whārakihia mā tātou, nō mātou te whiwhi, nō mātou te waimarie.
We focus our attention on the family of Kiingi Tuheitia, now he is departed . In the past he would come to support us on the East Coast to a number of events, joined by many. His honourable status was laid before us, for which we were grateful.
Foon mentioned Ngāti Porou kaumātua Tame Te Maro and Whaia McClutchie.
“He rangatira te rangatira, he ariki te ariki. Kei raro i te korowai o te whakakotahitanga mai rā anō mātou nō Ngāti Porou e haere mai ki koneki ki Tūrangawaewae, ko Tame TeMaro, ko Whaia McClutchie ko te kaupapa ko te whakakotahitanga. Koirā te mea nui.
A chief is a chief, a paramount chief is a paramount chief. Ngāti Porou are cloaked by a commitment to unity, coming to Tūrangawaewae since the time of Tame Te Maro and Whaia McClutchie, brought together in unity. That is important.
The contribution made by Tuheitia left a strong impression on Foon, who saw his visible involvement in events and activities throughout the motu.
He said the efforts of Tuheitia were instrumental in launching significant initiatives.
‘He did really amazing’ – Moana Maniapoto
Musician and journalist Moana Maniapoto was one of many who visited Tūrangawaewae Marae today recalling warm memories of Tuheitia and his mother Te Atairangikaahu.
“She was a lovely dignified graceful woman. I remember singing in front of her and she’ll be sitting there with Tumu and just enjoying it. It was like whānau, it was lovely.
“He was a very smiley person and I’d bump into him at different things and sort of go ‘Tēnā koe Moana’ and we’ll have a little laugh and chuckle, so he was very warm and affable.”
Despite it being an end of an era, she said he will be remembered fondly.
“He did really amazing. Some people are reluctant leaders. He stepped into a role that he wasn’t exactly hanging out for it.
“It’s a legacy that represents what the Kiingitanga is all about, kotahitanga. Trying to build those relationships and networks and not without its tensions.”
‘A man of the people’ - Paraone Gloyne
Māori language advocate and follower, supporter and orator for the Kiingitanga, Paraone Gloyne who has been at Tūrangawaewae since the beginning of the tangihanga is helping welcome the many gathering at Tūrangawaewae Marae today.
Gloyne who has been a prominent figure in the Kiingitanga for the majority reign of Tuheitia reflects fondly on his leadership.
He says while the King was an advocate for national Māori unity all questions of whether Māori can still achieve so, should be put to the side.
“E rongo ana au i tētahi kaunoti hikahika i roto i te puku. Ahakoa kua ngaro, anō nei kua kaha ake. E rongo ana i tērā wairua i roto i ō tātou ngākau, kei takoto kau noa āna kōrero ki a tātou me te kite mai i te wā i tū ai te hui ki konei i Tūrangawaewae, ko te hui mō te mana motuhake tērā ki roto o Ōmāhu, ā, i takoto i a Ngāi Tahu tana reta pōwhiri ki te Kiingi, otirā ki ngā iwi kia urupeke tātou ki runga o Ngāi Tahu ā te Oketopa e tū nei. Nō reira kāre e moumou, engari ko tāku ki a tātou kaua e ruke kia moumoutia ngā kupu, mā tātou anō tērā e whakatinana.”
I feel a kind of fire in my belly. Despite the King’s passing, it’s as if it’s stronger. There is a spirit felt within our hearts, his words will not just lay dormant to us and you can see that from when the national hui was held here at Tūrangawaewae, the hui of unity at Ōmāhu and then Ngāi Tahu extending an invitation to the King and the country to head down south in October. So, they will not be wasted, but I say to us all, do not throw away those words to be left wasted, rather let us take action.
Last year the King was a beacon of support for Ngāti Kahungunu after the events of Cyclone Gabrielle offering a significant amount of financial support for the tribe to help them in a time of need.
The King also visited marae across the region, Ōmāhu and Takitimu in Te Wairoa.
Gloyne says there was a moment of panic during the visit to Te Wairoa.
“Tētahi o ngā rau maharatanga, ko te haerenga o te Kiingi, me tā māua ko Ngahuia haere hei tautoko i a ia, e heri nei i te aroha ki ngā iwi o roto i a Ngāti Kahungunu, i pākia e te marangai. Ka tae mātou ki runga o Wairoa, ka ngaro te Kiingi. ‘Kei whea te Kiingi, kei whea te Kiingi?’ Ka haere mātou ki muri i runga te Kiingi i tētahi bulldozer e āwhina ana i te iwi ki te neke i ngā paruparu kua pari mai ki runga i te marae o Takitimu. Koirā tana momo. He ringa raupā te Kiingi, he tangata pīrangi ki te mahi i ngā mahi me te kite i te hua o ērā mahi.”
One fond memory of mine was when the King, myself and Ngahuia who supported the King’s travel to offer his support and care to Ngāti Kahungunu who had just been hit by the cyclone. We arrived in Wairoa, then we lost the King. ‘Where’s the King, where’s the King?’ We went out the back and found the King in a bulldozer helping the people move silt which rose up onto Takitamu Marae. That’s who he was. He was a hard worker, a person who wanted to do the work and see the fruits of that labour.
And adding to the kind of man the king was, not only was he a hard worker, Gloyne says he was also a humble leader.
“Āe ehara! E mahara ana au ki ērā tau katoa, te wā i tīmata rā mai i tana whakawahinga i whai au i a ia ki roto o Te Arawa, te kawe i te mate o Te Arikinui i tērā wā. He tika tā taku pāpā me tā ētahi atu te kite, i hanepī tana kanohi mō tētahi wā, ā, ko te aroha. I tēnei Koroneihana nei tokonui mātou e mea ana, he wairua anō tō te Koroneihana kua mahue. Ka mea mātou, kātahi anō ka tau ōna waewae ki roto i tana tūranga. Tēnei ia kua ngaro. Nō konei ka whakamomori te ngākau.”
Yes definitely! I remember all of those years, the time when he was first appointed as King, I followed him to the Te Arawa region for a mourning ceremony of the the Queen at the time. My relative and others are right in saying that his face was quite confounded for a time there, but that was his love for his mother. This Koroneihana, many of us said there was a different feeling at this one. We were saying that he’s only just settled into his role. Now he’s gone. Here our hearts are stricken with grief.
Waihoroi Shortland remembers Kiingi Tuheitia
Veteren actor Waihoroi Shortland is with the Governor-General at Tūrangawaewae marae today, along with the thousands who have come to pay their respects to Kiingi Tuheitia.
Shortland, who is also an old boy of the recently renovated St Stephen’s College in Auckland, reflects fondly on the time he and the Māori king spent time together at school.
“Ka hoki ki tōna tamarikitanga, ko au tana mātāmua i a māua i Tīpene. Ka uru mai ia ki te kura, me pēnei te kōrero, i raro i tōku maru. Ināianei kua hoki mai au i raro i tōna maru. Nō reira ērā hononga e hoki nā ki ērā tau.”
I think back to when he was only a boy, I was his senior when we were at St Stephen’s School, I’ll put it like this, when he came to school he was under my wing. Now I have come back and am now under his shadow. So those bonds take me back to those years.
In the Māori pursuit of unity this year, Kiingi Tuheitia was a prominent presence at many national gatherings, namely, the hui-ā-motu, and Koroneihana.
Shortland believes we are able to continue the legacy of a man who has been touted as ‘Kiingi o te Kotahitanga.’ The king of unity.
“Mehemea e kore e taea e tātou, kua kore kē tātou i konei i tēnei rā. Kua kore kē tātou e tata ki te miriona. Koirā te oha nui kei mua i te ao Māori. Kua miriona tātou, 50 tau ka rua miriona tātou. Ka titiro atu koe, kei te tupu tātou, koinei tāna e karanga nei.”
If we cannot, we wouldn’t be here today. Neither would we be at nearly a million in population. That is the biggest legacy ahead for Māori. We are at a million people and in fifty years we will be at two million people. If you look, we are growing, this was his call.
However, as Shortland recalls the appointment of Tuheitia as King in 2006 it wasn’t an easy transition for him.
“I te tumeke katoa ia, i kite au i te mataku i roto i ana whatu i a ia e titiro ana, ‘He aha tēnei ao kua ūhia nei e koutou i runga i a au?’ Engari, i roto i ēnei tekau mā waru tau ka kite tātou i te tangata e puta mai ana i roto i te tūranga i ūhia e te iwi ki runga i a ia. Ētahi pea i whakaaro tēnā te tangata taraiwa taraka nei te mahi. Kua rite rānei ia mō te tūranga nui rawa o te motu, e taea e te motu te ū ki runga i a ia. Ka kī ngā kaumātua o tērā wā, kua rite koe.”
He was completely shocked, I could see the fear in his eyes when he looked, “What is this new world you have put on me?’’ But in over these past 18 years we have seen the man blossom in his role that Māori had placed him onto him. Some may have thought that he was only a truck driver. Is he ready for a national leadership role as grand as this? And the old people of that time said, ‘Yes you are ready.’
Shortland has arrived at Tūrangawaewae marae today with the Governor-General and draws a Māori approach to the mourning process of two leaders of the nation.
“I tēnei rā kua haere mai te tuahine ki te poroaki ki tana tungāne, kaua te Kāwana-Tianara. Āe, ka haere mai te tūranga Kāwana-Tianara kei runga i a ia. Engari te mea nui kia mahara tātou kei te haere mai te tuahine ki te tuku i te tungāne.”
Today a sister has come to mourn her brother, not the Governor-General. Yes, she brings that title of the Governor-General with her has come along before him. However, the main thing to bear in mind, is that a sister has come to farewell her brother.
Ngāti Kauwhata Anaru Himiona on reconnecting
Anaru Himiona (Ngāti Kauwhata) talks about their connection with Waikato and the Kiingitanga.
“I tua atu i te whakapapa i ngā wā o mua, i noho [ō] mātou tupuna i tēnei pito o roto i a Waikato, i mua i te heke ki tēnā pito i te tonga. Heoi anō i te heketanga o ō mātou tūpuna, i hokihoki tonu mai ō mātou kaumātua ki te tūhono i ngā whakapapa me ngā kaupapa - ko te Koroneihana, ko te Poukai, ēnā momo āhuatanga.
Beyond just our lineage, in the past, our ancestors lived in this part of Waikato before descending to our home further south. However, when our ancestors moved our elders continued to return to strengthen their genealogical bonds at Koroneihana, Poukai, all of those types of events.
When asked about his feelings upon returning to Waikato after recently reconnecting, Himiona reflected that it all started in the 1970s with the rebuilding of their marae, Te Iwa.
“I haere mai rātou kite tono mō tēnā tino kaupapa kei waenganui i a mātou, ko te whakatū anō i tō mātou marae i a Te Iwa, kua ngaro ki te pō. Nō reira i hoki mai ngā kaumātua i taua wā, i a Te Atairangakaahu. Nāna i tuku mai ngā kōrero kia tika te whakariterite, kia tika te whakakotahi, kātahi ka hoki mai.
They came to engage in the key issue for us [at that time], of rebuilding our marae Te Iwa, which no longer stood. The elders at that time came back, including Te Atairangaikaahu. She spoke and said that we need to ensure proper preparation and proper unity, then they would come back.
