Tūheitia Potatau Te Wherowhero VII (born Tūheitia Paki; 21 April 1955), crowned as Kīngi Tūheitia, is the

Māori King Māori or Maori can refer to: Relating to the Māori people * Māori people of New Zealand, or members of that group * Māori language, the language of the Māori people of New Zealand * Māori culture * Cook Islanders, the Māori people of the C ...

. He is the eldest son of the previous Māori monarch, Te Arikinui Dame

Te Atairangikaahu Dame Te Atairangikaahu (23 July 1931 – 15 August 2006) was the Māori queen for 40 years, the longest reign of any Māori monarch. Her full name and title was Te Arikinui Dame Te Atairangikaahu. Her title Te Arikinui (meaning ''Paramount ...

, and was announced as her successor and crowned on 21 August 2006, the day her

tangihanga ''Tangihanga'', or more commonly, ''tangi'', is a traditional Māori funeral rite held on a marae. While still widely practised, it is not universally observed in modern times. Each iwi (tribe/nation) differs on how they honour those who pass. '' ...

(funeral rites) took place.

Family

King Tūheitia (born Tūheitia Paki) is the son of

Whatumoana Paki Whatumoana Paki (1 February 1926 – 22 September 2011) was a New Zealand Māori royal elder. Paki was the husband of the Māori Queen, Te Atairangikaahu, who reigned from 1966 to 2006. He and Te Atairangikaahu were the parents of the present M� ...

(1926–2011) and Te Arikinui Dame

(1931–2006), who married in 1952. He was educated at Rakaumanga School in

Huntly Huntly ( gd, Srath Bhalgaidh or ''Hunndaidh'') is a town in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, formerly known as Milton of Strathbogie or simply Strathbogie. It had a population of 4,460 in 2004 and is the site of Huntly Castle. Its neighbouring settlement ...

Southwell School Southwell School, is an independent co-educational Anglican boarding and day school set in 32 acres of park like grounds in central Hamilton, New Zealand, Hamilton, New Zealand. Southwell offers education to children aged 5 to 13 years. A numbe ...

Hamilton Hamilton may refer to: People * Hamilton (name), a common British surname and occasional given name, usually of Scottish origin, including a list of persons with the surname ** The Duke of Hamilton, the premier peer of Scotland ** Lord Hamilt ...

and St. Stephen's College (Te Kura o Tipene) in

Bombay Mumbai (, ; also known as Bombay — the official name until 1995) is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra and the ''de facto'' financial centre of India. According to the United Nations, as of 2018, Mumbai is the second-m ...

, south of

Auckland Auckland (pronounced ) ( mi, Tāmaki Makaurau) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. The most populous urban area in the country and the fifth largest city in Oceania, Auckland has an urban population of about ...

. He has five sisters and one brother: Heeni Katipa ( Paki); Tomairangi Paki; Mihi ki te ao Paki; Kiki Solomon ( Paki); Manawa Clarkson ( Paki), and brother Maharaia Paki. He is married to Makau Ariki Te Atawhai and they have three children: Whatumoana, Korotangi, and Ngawai Hono I Te Po. Following his ascent to the throne, the Makau Ariki was appointed patron of the Māori Women's Welfare League in 2007 and Te Kohao Health, a Māori public health organisation.

Duties and background

The King generally speaks publicly only once a year, at the annual celebrations in

Ngāruawāhia Ngāruawāhia () is a town in the Waikato region of the North Island of New Zealand. It is located north-west of Hamilton at the confluence of the Waikato and Waipā Rivers, adjacent to the Hakarimata Range. Ngāruawāhia is in the Hamilton U ...

of his coronation. Since ascending to the throne his official duties have included attending the following events: * funeral of King Taufa'ahau Tupou IV of

Tonga Tonga (, ; ), officially the Kingdom of Tonga ( to, Puleʻanga Fakatuʻi ʻo Tonga), is a Polynesian country and archipelago. The country has 171 islands – of which 45 are inhabited. Its total surface area is about , scattered over in ...

, September 2006 * opening of

Pūkawa Pukawa or Pukawa Bay ( mi, Pūkawa) is a bay and a small township on the southern shores of Lake Taupo on New Zealand's North Island. It is off State Highway 41 between Turangi and Taumarunui, in the Taupo District and Waikato region. It is ...

Marae A ' (in New Zealand Māori, Cook Islands Māori, Tahitian), ' (in Tongan), ' (in Marquesan) or ' (in Samoan) is a communal or sacred place that serves religious and social purposes in Polynesian societies. In all these languages, the term a ...

on the shore of

Lake Taupo A lake is an area filled with water, localized in a basin, surrounded by land, and distinct from any river or other outlet that serves to feed or drain the lake. Lakes lie on land and are not part of the ocean, although, like the much larger ...

, Aotearoa, on 17–19 November 2006 * opening of "Mauri Ora" an exhibition of Māori artefacts from

Te Papa The Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa is New Zealand's national museum and is located in Wellington. ''Te Papa Tongarewa'' translates literally to "container of treasures" or in full "container of treasured things and people that spring f ...

on exhibition at the

Tokyo National Museum The or TNM is an art museum in Ueno Park in the Taitō ward of Tokyo, Japan. It is one of the four museums operated by the National Institutes for Cultural Heritage ( :ja:国立文化財機構), is considered the oldest national museum in Japan, ...

Tokyo, Japan Tokyo (; ja, 東京, , ), officially the Tokyo Metropolis ( ja, 東京都, label=none, ), is the capital and largest city of Japan. Formerly known as Edo, its metropolitan area () is the most populous in the world, with an estimated 37.468 ...

on 22 January 2007 * funeral of

Malietoa Tanumafili II Malietoa Tanumafili II (4 January 1913 – 11 May 2007), addressed Susuga Malietoa Tanumafili II, was the Malietoa, the title of one of Samoa's four paramount chiefs, and the head of state, or '' O le Ao o le Malo'', a position that he held f ...

Samoa Samoa, officially the Independent State of Samoa; sm, Sāmoa, and until 1997 known as Western Samoa, is a Polynesian island country consisting of two main islands ( Savai'i and Upolu); two smaller, inhabited islands ( Manono and Apolima); ...

, 19 May 2007 * re-opening of the marae/war memorial hall in Ngaiotonga, Whangaruru 2007 * opening of the Māori garden in

Hamilton Gardens Hamilton Gardens is a public garden park in the south of Hamilton owned and managed by Hamilton City Council in New Zealand. The 54-hectare park is based on the banks of the Waikato River and includes enclosed gardens, open lawns, a lake, a nur ...

, 2008 * unveiling of Te Kawerau a Maki's new pou for the Arataki Visitor Centre in the

Waitākere Ranges The Waitākere Ranges is a mountain range in New Zealand. Located in West Auckland between metropolitan Auckland and the Tasman Sea, the ranges and its foothills and coasts comprise some of public and private land. The area, traditionally kno ...

in 2011 *

haka Haka (; plural ''haka'', in both Māori and English) are a variety of ceremonial performance art in Māori culture. It is often performed by a group, with vigorous movements and stamping of the feet with rhythmically shouted or chanted accompani ...

and speech for the fleet of 110

waka Waka may refer to: Culture and language * Waka (canoe), a Polynesian word for canoe; especially, canoes of the Māori of New Zealand ** Waka ama, a Polynesian outrigger canoe ** Waka hourua, a Polynesian ocean-going canoe ** Waka taua, a Māori w ...

to commemorate 160 years of Kiingitanga in 2018 *private audience with

Pope Francis Pope Francis ( la, Franciscus; it, Francesco; es, link=, Francisco; born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, 17 December 1936) is the head of the Catholic Church. He has been the bishop of Rome and sovereign of the Vatican City State since 13 March 2013. ...

at the Vatican in May 2019 In May 2019, King Tūheitia and members of the Whare Ariki traveled to Italy where the King met Pope Francis in a Private Audience at the Vatican. The two met and discussed issues pertaining to Te Iwi Maori and indigenous peoples around the world. King Tūheitia also issued a formal invitation for the Pope to visit Turangawaewae Marae and Aotearoa. In 2018, to honour King Tūheitia and his leadership of the Kiingitanga, the General Synod of the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia, journeyed to Turangawaewae Marae to join with the multitudes in honouring the 160 years of this Monarchy. Tūheitia attends hundreds of events every year both nationally and internationally. He is the

patron Patronage is the support, encouragement, privilege, or financial aid that an organization or individual bestows on another. In the history of art, arts patronage refers to the support that kings, popes, and the wealthy have provided to artists su ...

to several key organisations; including

Te Matatini Te Matatini is a nation-wide Māori performing arts festival and competition for '' kapa haka'' performers from all of New Zealand. The name was given by Professor Wharehuia Milroy, a composite of ''Te Mata'' meaning ''the face'' and ''tini'' de ...

, the largest Māori Cultural Festival in the world, Kirikiriroa Marae a large urban Marae in Hamilton. He frequently receives International dignitaries, foreign Diplomats, members of other Royal families and members of Governments. In 2014 the King notably received 26 diplomats to discuss international and trade interests for the Kiingitanga. In 2009 King Tūheitia visited the New Zealand Parliament and was acknowledged in the valedictory speech of the former Prime Minister of New Zealand,

Helen Clark Helen Elizabeth Clark (born 26 February 1950) is a New Zealand politician who served as the 37th prime minister of New Zealand from 1999 to 2008, and was the administrator of the United Nations Development Programme from 2009 to 2017. She was ...

. In the same year, the King accompanied Helen Clark to the United Nations upon her appointment as the United Nations Development Programme administrator. The King regularly attends significant events of Māoridom up and down the country. In July 2018, the King and Royal family attended the 150th Celebrations of the Ringatu Church; to which the King's eldest grandson, Hikairo, has been baptised. The King also frequently attends the annual 25 January celebrations of the Ratana Church expressing his continued support for all denominations and his deep desire to unify the people.

Poukai

The Poukai is an annual series of visits by the Māori King to Marae around and beyond the Tainui region, a tradition that dates back to the 19th century. Poukai were established by the second Māori King, Tāwhiao, who said "Kua whakatūria e ahau tēnei kaupapa hei whāngai i te pouaru, te pani me te rawakore, he kuaha whānui kua puare ki te puna tangata me te puna kai". (I have instituted this gathering to feed the widowed, the bereaved and the destitute, it is a doorway that has been opened to the multitudes of people and the bounty of food.) There are 29 Poukai every year and King Tūheitia attends each one. Poukai are a critical event in the Kiingitanga calendar. A unique element of Poukai is their focus on: te pani (the bereaved), te pouaru (the widowed) and te rawakore (the destitute). These events, led by the current monarch, are put in place to assist and help ease the burdens and challenges faced by people.

Political advancements

King Tūheitia has been at the forefront of many political issues, particularly pertaining to Māori. In 2018 the King launched, in collaboration with the New Zealand Police and Ministry of Justice, the Iwi Justice Panel. This approach to restorative justice aims to reduce incarceration rates among Māori, which are among the highest for an indigenous people in the world. In 2017, King Tūheitia led a groundbreaking moment for the Kiingitanga by signing a formal Accord with the Ministry of Corrections, on behalf of the Government of New Zealand. This award-winning Accord led to the development of the Iwi Justice Panels, and also a further partnership venture with Corrections to build a reintegration Center for incarcerated women who gave birth to a child while in prison. In an exclusive visit to a women's prison in Auckland, the King visited mothers and their children and pledged to do more for all incarcerated people. In 2014 the King received a group from White Ribbon NZ who were travelling New Zealand promoting an anti-violence campaign.

Tekau-ma-Rua and Te Kahui Wairua

In 2012 King Tūheitia formally established his Tekau-mā-Rua (the twelve, an advisory council); each monarch has had a Tekau-mā-Rua to offer advice and act as a senior council within the Kiingitanga. He also added a spiritual council, called Te Kāhui Wairua. These two councils work together in providing advice, guidance and a strategic platform for the King and the Kiingitanga. For the first time for the Kiingitanga, King Tūheitia's Tekau-mā-Rua is made up of members from outside of the Waikato tribal region (the King's direct tribe).

Tekau-mā-Rua

Te Kāhui Wairua

: ''*Archdeacon Simmonds is the Chaplain to the Kiingitanga and Private Chaplain to the King.''

Honours

* In 2009, King Tuheitia was appointed a Knight of the

Venerable Order of Saint John The Order of St John, short for Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem (french: l'ordre très vénérable de l'Hôpital de Saint-Jean de Jérusalem) and also known as St John International, is a British royal order of ...

by Queen Elizabeth II, and he was presented with the insignia for the honour by the governor-general, Sir

Jerry Mateparae Lieutenant General Sir Jeremiah Mateparae (born 14 November 1954) is a former New Zealand soldier who served as the 20th Governor-General of New Zealand between 2011 and 2016, the second Māori person to hold the office, after Sir Paul Reeves ...

in 2016 during the 10th anniversary commemorations of the King's coronation, * He was appointed to Grand Cross of the Order of the Crown of Tonga during the coronation ceremonies of King

George Tupou V George Tupou V ( Tongan: Siaosi Tupou, full name: Siaosi Tāufaʻāhau Manumataongo Tukuʻaho Tupou; 4 May 194818 March 2012) was the King of Tonga from the death of his father Tāufaʻāhau Tupou IV in 2006 until his own death six years later. ...

of Tonga. * In 2010 he was appointed Knight Commander of the

Order of Saint Lazarus The Order of Saint Lazarus of Jerusalem, also known as the Leper Brothers of Jerusalem or simply as Lazarists, was a Catholic military order founded by crusaders around 1119 at a leper hospital in Jerusalem, Kingdom of Jerusalem, whose care beca ...

. * In 2016, in celebration of the King's 10th Coronation Anniversary, the mayor of Hamilton awarded him the city's highest honour, the Freedom of the City. In the same year the King also received an honorary doctorate from the University of Waikato. * In 2022, the Secretary-General of Slovak NGO Servare et Manere awarded him the Tree of Peace Memorial Plaque, the highest award of the association for his merits to friendship and understanding between nations and interfaith dialogue.

References

External links

New Zealand Maori choose new king

New Zealand Herald: New Maori monarch takes throne

Pictures: Māori Monarchs since 1858
{{DEFAULTSORT:Paki, Tūheitia 1955 births Living people Māori monarchs People from Huntly, New Zealand Knights Grand Cross of the Order of the Crown of Tonga