Maori People of New Zealand Appoint New Queen Following King’s Passing

New Zealand’s Maori Selects a New Monarch

The Maori people of New Zealand have ushered in a new era with the selection of a 27-year-old queen, Nga Wai Hono i te Po, following the passing of her father, Kiingi Tuheitia. This symbolic yet significant role comes at a time when some of the hard-earned rights of the Indigenous group are facing challenges and rollbacks.

Kiingi Tuheitia, who served as king for 18 years, was laid to rest in a series of funeral rites that concluded on Thursday. His daughter, Nga Wai Hono i te Po, has now taken on the mantle as the eighth Maori monarch since the establishment of the role in 1858, a position created to unify the tribes amid the encroachment of European settlers.

In a ceremony filled with emotion, Maori leaders formally introduced the new queen in front of thousands who gathered to pay their respects to Kiingi Tuheitia. The event was organized by the Kiingitanga, the Maori King Movement. Live footage broadcasted by Radio New Zealand showcased the queen as she took her place on an intricately carved wooden throne beside her father’s coffin, with cheers of support from the crowd and heartfelt tears from attendees.

The king’s body was honored in a solemn procession to Mount Taupiri, located in the Waikato region of New Zealand’s North Island, where the Maori monarchs traditionally rest.

A Legacy of Leadership

Nga Wai Hono i te Po is the second woman to ascend to this leadership role, following in the footsteps of her grandmother, Te Arikinui Dame Te Atairangikaahu, who reigned for four decades beginning in 1966. At just 27 years old, she is the second-youngest Maori monarch ever. Previously, she represented the Maori people on the Waitangi National Trust, engaging in the management of this historic site.

In 2022, she traveled to London as her father’s representative, where she had a significant meeting with then-Prince Charles. During that visit, she expressed her internal conflict regarding the encounter with royalty from the country that colonized her people’s land. However, she emphasized her commitment to sharing the stories of her ancestors and fostering positive relationships between the Maori and the British.

“I feel angry, but it’s only right that I feel angry,” she shared in Maori, as depicted in a short documentary about her visit. “I have a loud mouth, so I need to be careful.”

The Contemporary Context

According to the 2023 census, nearly one million New Zealanders identify as being of Maori descent, representing about a fifth of the total population. However, the current government, which is considered the most conservative in a generation, has initiated policies that have raised concerns within the Maori community. Since taking office last year, the government has dismantled a Maori health agency and is actively pursuing the abandonment of various policies aimed at benefiting the Maori population, which continues to face higher incarceration rates and poorer health outcomes compared to the general populace.

Welcoming the new queen in a social media post, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, who is currently on a trip to South Korea, expressed his admiration, stating that she “carries forward the mantle of leadership left by her father.”