On Thursday morning, New Zealand’s Māori community crowned their second-ever queen, 27-year-old Queen Nga Wai Hono i te Po, following the passing of her father, King Tuheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero VII. Thousands gathered in the North Island town of Ngaruawahia to witness the anointment of the youngest child and only daughter of the late king, who was revealed as the new queen on the final day of the six-day tangihanga (funeral), marking the dawn of a new generation.

King Tuheitia, aged 69, passed away peacefully in his sleep following heart surgery.

The soon-to-be queen was escorted to Turangawaewae Marae, the ancestral meeting place where her father’s casket lay covered in feathered cloaks. Crowds lining the banks of the Waikato River erupted in cheers as they awaited the arrival of the funeral procession.

The ceremony was attended by leaders of all political parties, former prime ministers, leaders from Pacific Island nations, diplomats, and representatives of the British Crown, alongside Māori tribal leaders.

During the anointment, a Bible that has been used since 1858 was placed upon Queen Nga Wai Hono i te Po’s head. Using sacred oils, Archbishop Don Tamihere bestowed upon her the prestige, sacredness, power, and spiritual essence of the role.

Following her ascension, Queen Nga Wai accompanied her father in a traditional flotilla of canoes along the river, as Māori warriors guided him to his final resting place.

The Kingitanga (Māori royal movement) holds a ceremonial mandate, rather than a legal one, and was established after British colonization to unite tribes in resistance to the forced sale of indigenous land and the erosion of Māori language and culture.

#MaltaDaily