Janice R. Andrews
New Zealand’s Maori tribe has crowned a new ruler, which is a historic change from hundreds of years of practice. The Maori council of chiefs picked Nga Wai hono i te po Paki, 37, as the new queen. She is the youngest and only daughter of the late King Tuheitia. On Thursday, thousands of people met on New Zealand’s North Island to see the important event, which marked the start of a new era for the Indigenous people who live on the country’s mainland.
A young Maori queen takes the throne
The Maori group is going through a big change with Nga Wai becoming the new ruler. In the past, the oldest kid, who was usually a boy, has been in charge. Nga Wai’s choice was a big change from the standard. Nga Wai had been trained for a long time to take over the job, even though she was young. But her meeting wasn’t a sure thing because she is the youngest child of King Tuheitia, who died just days before her appointment after heart surgery.
According to news stories in the area, her older brother, King Tuheitia’s oldest son, was first thought to be the likely heir. But in the last few years, Nga Wai has become a strong candidate to lead the Maori community. Her skills and ideas for the future are highly respected.
Karaitiana Taiuru, a Maori cultural advisor, told AFP, “It is definitely different from how Maori chiefs are usually chosen, who is usually the oldest child and a boy.” He said that seeing a young Maori woman take the throne was a “privilege” and emphasised how important the moment was.
In Maori history, Nga Wai is the eighth ruler and only the second woman to hold the title. Te Arikinui Te Atairangikaahu, her grandmother, was the first Maori queen and ruled until she died in 2006.
Ceremony of Great Significance
There were a lot of culturally important and traditional rites at the naming event. After being chosen by the council of tribe chiefs, Nga Wai was led to her wooden throne by a group of men with tattoos and bare chests who were each carrying traditional weapons. There were cheers and chants from the crowd when the young queen took her place. Nga Wai sat next to her father’s grave while old rituals were done. She wore a wreath of leaves, a traditional cloak, and a necklace made of whalebone.
King Tuheitia had been lying in state for six days. After the event, his body will be taken to Mt. Taupiri, a holy mountain, to be buried for all time.
There will be problems for the Maori community.
The Maori society is facing many problems, including an ageing leadership, and Nga Wai’s pick comes at a very important time. A lot of people see the young queen as a sign of hope who can lead the group through modern problems like AI, genetic engineering, and climate change.
Taiuru said, “The Maori world has been yearning for younger leadership to guide us in this new world.” This shows how much pressure is building on Indigenous groups to quickly adapt to changes in society.
Maori people, who make up 17% of New Zealand’s population, still have structural problems, like higher rates of poverty and unemployment compared to other citizens. Maori people in New Zealand also have a seven-year shorter life span than non-Maori people. This is because they have higher rates of cancer, heart disease, and suicide, which are big problems for the community.
Not only does the rise of Nga Wai hono i te po Paki mark a change in custom, it also shows that the Maori people have hope for the future.
