30th August 2024

Kua tau mai te te kohukohu ki runga Taupiri Maunga, te tanuhanga o Kuiini Te Atairangikaahu, me te rārangi Kiingi.
Riporipo kau ana te awa tapu o Waikato, kia tae atu rā anō ngā waka o Te Motu.
Waikato taniwha rau, he piko he taniwha, he piko he taniwha.
Kua whakakākahuria te raorao o Waikato ki te rongo o te mate.

E tangi ana a Waipapa Taumata Rau i te rongotanga mai, kua riro nei te mata mene o te Motu, a Kiingi Tūheitia Pōtatau Te Wherowhero VII. Te upoko o Te Kiingitanga.
I whakanohongia a Kiingi Tūheitia ki te torōna a ōna mātua tūpuna i te tau 2006, i muri mai te rironga o tōna māmā a Kuiini Te Atairangikaahu.
Tekau mā waru tau i tū ai a Kiingi Tūheitia ki te tūranga rā, hei aporei mō te iwi Māori, i roto i ngā au piki, me ngā au heke o te wā.
Heoi anō, e te Kiingi e Tūheitia okioki mai rā. Anei rā mātou ō karanga maha o Waipapa Taumata Rau, e tangi auē ana.

Fog gathers over the sacred mountain of Taupiri, the resting place of the late Māori Queen Te Atairangikaahu, and Māori monarchs before her.

Waikato river swirls in anticipation of the arrival of many waka throughout the nation.
Waikato River, upon every bend a chief.

Sadness cloaks the Waikato Region following the announcement of this significant passing.
Waipapa Tamatau Rau add our own lamentations to the many which have been expressed following the news of the passing of the smiling King, Kiingi Tūheitia Pōtatau Te Wherowhero VII GCCT KStJ, the late leader of the Kiingitanga.

Kiingi Tūheita came to the headship of the Kiingitanga following the passing of his mother, Queen Te Atairangikaahu ONZ DBE OStJ, in 2006.

For 18 years Kiingi Tūhetia served as Māori monarch with humility and dignity.
Waipapa Taumata Rau enjoyed many wonderful interactions with the King throughout his reign. And when his health  allowed, he would attend the Māori Business Leaders Awards dinner on the lawn of Old Government House.

Many of us will mourn his death, and will no doubt take the opportunity to attend his tangi, and the enthronement of his successor.

Our thoughts and prayers are with the royal family.

Kiingi Tūheitia is survived by his wife Te Makau Ariki Te Atawhai and their two sons Whatumoana and Korotangi and daughter, Ngā Wai hono i te pō Paki.

It is the tradition of the Kiingitanga, that a successor is announced, and enthroned on the day of the funeral deceased monarch.

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