After a week of tangihanga, today is the Rā Nehu (the burial day) and Te Whakawahinga will be at 10am on Turangawaewae marae.
Kiingitanga spokesman Rāhui Papa says Turangawaewae marae is now at full capacity and people are being directed to a secondary area that’s been set up by the river.
Te Whakawahinga is the ‘raising up’ ceremony for the monarchial successor of Kiingi Tuheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero VII. Tekau-maa-rua, the Kiingitanga advisory council, will bring the new Māori monarch to the throne.
In the process, the new monarch is brought forward, there will be a karakia whakawahinga and then Tumuaki Hone Taamihana will place a Bible on the head of the new monarch. This Bible is the same one used for Kiingi Tuheitia’s crowning.
The new ariki will be blessed by Archbishop Don Tamihere with sacred oils.
Following this, Kiingi Tuheitia will be taken from the marae to the banks of Tupuna Awa (Waikato River) to be guided by a guard of honour from Ngāti Māhanga and the New Zealand Defence Force.
Taatahi Ora, Waikura, Taakitumu, and Te Tiimatanga will be the four waka taking the late king to his final resting place at Taupiri Maunga.
Members of the Tuurnangawaewae and Taniwharau rugby league clubs, and rope handlers from Raungaiti Rugby Club, will be at the maunga to carry him up.
After the burial, the funeral procession will return to Tuurangawaewae Marae where Tekau-maa-rua will lead Whare Ariki onto the marae, followed by a haakari to conclude the tangihanga.
There will be a no-fly zone over Taupiri Maunga, and the Waikato River will be closed between Pukete and Huntly boat ramps during the ceremony.
Watch Te Ao Māori News’ special broadcast of the Te Whakawahinga and Rā Nehu live, alongside broadcasts from Kiingitanga, Te Karere, Tahu News, Aukaha, Waatea, Te Ao with Moana, Tainui Live, Te Reo o Te Uru, The Hui, and Whakaata Māori.