Nga Wai Hono i te Po has been anointed as the new Maori Queen, succeeding her father, King Tuheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero VII, who passed away recently. The ceremony took place during the funeral of the late King, where she was raised up in a traditional Maori ceremony called Te Whakawahinga. The new Queen was not crowned, but instead had a bible placed on her head and was anointed with sacred oils by Archbishop Don Tamihere to bestow prestige and spiritual essence upon her.
Thousands of people gathered at Tuurangawaewae, the meeting place of the King movement, to bid farewell to King Tuheitia in a traditional funeral ceremony. After the anointment of the new Queen, the King’s coffin was taken to the Waikato River and paddled in a flotilla of traditional Maori waka to Taupiri Mountain, where he was laid to rest alongside other Maori royals.
The appointment of the new Maori Queen comes at a time when New Zealand is facing significant challenges to race relations, making her role even more crucial. The Kiingitanga or royal family announced that Nga Wai Hono i te Po was chosen by Maori elders to take on the important role of leading the Maori people during these challenging times.
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