Eight thousand people from across the motu gathered at Tūrangawaewae Marae today to mourn Kiingi Tuheitia.
Today marks the fourth day of mourning for the country, a unified grief for a man who has been praised as the ‘king of unity.’
Waikato-Tainui leader Rahui Papa says the arrival of nearly 10,000 people shows the impact the King had on his people.
“It’s a clear indication of aroha spilling over and kotahitanga in its purest form. And it’s absolutely wonderful to see again the call of the king has gone out to the country and the country has heeded that call. It’s all the sadness of the memories of the particular iwi with Kiingi Tuheitia but it’s actually a testament to the kotahitanga call of Kiingi Tuheitia,” he says.
Ngāpuhi, Taranaki Whānui, Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāi Tahu, Mataatua and more tribes from around the country flocked to the grounds of the Kiingitanga. Many rangatahi were seen, embodying the saying,’ leaders of tomorrow’.
“It was actually a strategic plan and a conscious decision from the king to include rangatahi in all facets. It’s not to push away the kaumātua, it’s actually to augment and support them in their roles, and building up for longevity really of the Kiingitanga it’s going to be in the hands of our rangatahi,
“All of the kura that are here - this is education at its best.”
Some of the orators also shared memories of their time with the King to remember in times to come.
Prominent Māori academic Dr Taiarahia Black spoke at the welcoming ceremony this morning and reminisced about sharing schools with the king as boys.
“Anei anō tētahi kōrero. E rua noa iho ngā mea i pāhi i Tīpene, pāhi whiwhi kura tiwhikete, arā atu, arā atu. Ko ia, me au, ko ērā katoa rā e noho mai rā i kōrā, kāre i pāhi.”
Here is another story. There were only two people who passed School C at Tipene, that year. The king and I, the rest of them sitting there didn’t pass.
“I pau kē ā māua wā i te titiro i ngā tuhituhi whaiāipo a Te Waihoroi. I mea mai ia ki ahau, ko ia a Hakipea..... Koirā ā māua kōrero ko te Kiingi i a ia e Tuheitia mai ana i te taha o tō māua moenga.”
Our time was rather wasted looking at the love poems of Waihoroi. He told me he was Shakespeare ....Those were our conversations when he was Tuheitia in our dorms, he says.
The outpouring of love was boundless as Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei spokesperson Joe Pihema showed.
“Ko wai kei tō taha? Ko Ngāti Whātua kei tō taha! Ko wai kei tō taha? Ko te motu kei tō taha. Takoto, takoto, takoto mai rā!”
Who is by your side? Ngāti Whātua is by your side! Who is by your side? The nation is by your side!
Grief and sorrow flowed from the country, and it will be the same tomorrow as more tribes are expected to farewell the unity king at Tūrangawaewae.