The passing of the King (Māori)...

 

Yesterday, it was announced all over the news that King Tuheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero VII had died at the age of 69 years.

I acknowledge the special legacy that he came from as a King who was gracious and often unassuming, however, he leaves a legacy behind of a King who cared for his people.

He is indeed a King for all of NZ, however, not all Māori tribes subscribe to him as their king and not all New Zealanders are aware of him or if they do, they see him as the Māori king as seen in this news clip from RNZ (Radio New Zealand). 

It is a sad day for New Zealand and especially for the Kingitanga, a movement that was grown out of the the 1950s as a answer to lots of land being taken from Maori (mostly illegally) and then resold to Europeans and other immigrants so much so that Māori own only 10% of New Zealand's land to date.

There have been tributes pouring in from all over New Zealand and all over the world from many nations who recognize his sovereign state as King as his mother was also known as a gracious Queen when he succeeded her.

According to the news, he is lying in state at the Kingitanga marae at Nguruawahia where only two weeks ago, he was at the celebrations of his coronation or Koroneihana. Many will be visiting his tangihanga or paying their respects for his passing before his burial on Thursday.

I visited the marae (or meeting house) called Turangawaewae Marae and observed a Koroneihana one year with a group of kaiako or teachers and students. At the time there were many speeches and singing waiata (Māori songs) and they catered for everyone there.

This time around it will be a massive undertaking with so many tribes and people paying their last respects to him i.e. NZ's politicians and Indigenous leaders from Pacific nations arriving to pay their last respects. There has also been speculation as to who will succeed him, which is a discussion for the leaders to make. 

There is a Maori proverb or whakatauki that when translated says that a mighty tree has fallen in the realm of Tane (god of the forest). It reminds me of a similar Samoan alaga upu or proverbial saying which says the heart and the earth weep at the passing of a beloved chief or leader...