Koroneihana celebrations at Tūrangawaewae Marae. Photo: Image courtesy of Te Tari o te Kiingitanga
Tūrangawaewae Marae heaved under the weight of Tainui Waka today, as thousands of mourners and Kiingitanga followers flooded into Ngāruawāhia for the annual Koroneihana celebrations.
Tuesday marked Ngā Kawe Mate o Tainui Waka - the first day of the celebrations - where people gathered to mourn their whānau who have died over the past year.
Many of them clutched pictures of their loved as ones as they made their way through the gate and it took nearly 40 minutes for everyone to get in.
Photo: Image courtesy of Te Tari o te Kiingitanga.
The annual koroneihana celebrations mark the ascension of the Maori monarch, Te Arikinui Kuini Nga wai hono i te po.
It is also an opportunity to reflect on the legacy of her father Kiingi Tuheitia Potatau Te Wherowhero VII, who died in August last year.
Long-time Kiingitanga spokesperson Rahui Papa said that even one year on from his Kiingi Tuheitia's death, he still missed him.
"With the air of sadness there's always the era of opportunity and I suppose he's left an awesome legacy for Te Arikinui Kuini Ngā wai hono i te po to follow along in the footsteps of Kotahitanga and into the future."
Photo: Image courtesy of Te Tari o te Kiingitanga.
Papa also remembered Huti Waitere, a stalwart of the movement.
"Uncle Huti, he was the one that raised the flags in the days of King Korokii, right through the days of Te Atairangikaahu, right through the days of Tuuheitia, and just passed away just a few months ago - now his tamariki take on the mantle." he said.
"It's those stalwart kaumaatua that have been here throughout, generation upon generation of Ariki. Those are the ones at the top of my mind."
Fiona Hunter and her whanau at Turangawaewae Marae. Photo: RNZ / Tuwhenuaroa Natanahira
Fiona Hunter came with whānau to remember their mother Erihipeti Monga, the last of 21 brothers and sisters.
Hunter told RNZ she remembered seeing Kiingi Tuheitia at various marae around the rohe and shared the grief many will still be feeling.
"Kare e kore kei konei i tātou katoa te maumahara i ā ia hoki, me te tini me te mano."
Maia-Jade Karena came to remember her Aunty Ra.
She said Te Arikinui Kuini Nga wai hono i te po's relatively young age was an inspiration to her generation.
"It's cool, especially with some of her values coming through, with rangatahi being more present and more seen," Karena said.
"It's nice to see that the younger generations are getting more involved as well - including myself. It's really cool to see these values being passed down."
Photo: Image courtesy of Te Tari o te Kiingitanga
Papa said while politicians were always invited to attend the celebrations, they would not be the focus this year.
"Politics of the day will be a secondary focus, or a thirdly focus, or a fourthly focus" he said
"It's going to be about our Tamariki, it's going to be about our pakeke, it's going to be about celebration, it's going to be about being us being Māori all day, every day."
Koroneihana will run from Tuesday through to Saturday, with Te Arikinui Kuini Nga wai hono i te po due to give her first speech on Friday.
As thousands of people descend on Turangawaewae this week for the first Koroneihana of Te Arikinui Nga wai hono i te po, the key theme of kotahitanga remains strong, carried forward by the next generation of rangatahi. Photo: Image courtesy of Te Tari o te Kiingitanga
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