Papa te whatitiri
Ka hiko te uira
Te tara ki te iringa
Ka hinga kei raro
Ka taka te tara o te marama
Haere ra koutou
E Rangi, kei taku Ariki
Whaimuri atu I ngō mātua, I ngō tūpuna, ngā rārangi Kiingi o te pō, I tō whaea
E moe ki Whakamoeariki ki Matangireia.
Today (Friday 30 August) Kia Puāwai sadly marks the passing of Kiingi Tuuheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero VII, who has died at the age of 69. We offer our deepest condolences to his Whare Ariki and the Kāhui Ariki.
Kiingi Tuuheitia was born in Huntly in April 1955. Upon his coronation in August 2006 after the death of his mother, Māori Queen Te Arikinui Dame Te Atairangikaahu, Tuuheitia became the seventh Māori monarch since the movement's foundation in 1858.
Tuuheitia took part in many important Māori celebrations across the motu, and in ceremonies with international dignitaries, both in Aotearoa and abroad.
At the recent 18th anniversary of his Koroneihana (coronation), Kiingi Tuuheitia commented on the need to strive for unity in the face of policies targeting Māori. "Let's keep pushing forward while we are currently facing a storm, there's no need to worry. In this storm we are strong. Together. The wind in our sails is kotahitanga, and with that we will reach our destination," he said.
Kiingi Tuuheitia is currently at Tūrangawaewae Marae. He will lie in state on the mahau of Māhinārangi meeting house throughout the duration of the tangihanga from Friday afternoon and our organisation will be represented at the tangi.
Apiti hono tātai hono
Koutou e Rangi te hunga kua nunumi ki te pō ki a koutou.
Apiti hono tātai hono
Tātou ngā kanohi ora ki a tātou.
Tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā tātou katoa.