Kiingi Tuheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero VII has been laid to rest, after his death last week.
Te Puhi Ariki Ngawai Hono i te Po Paki, Kiingi Tuheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero VII's daughter, has been crowned the eighth Māori monarch. Kuini Nga wai hono i te po, 27, is the second woman to hold the position. The first was her grandmother, Te Arikinui Te Atairangikaahu, who died in 2006.
Thousands descended on Turangawaewae Marae in Ngāruawāhia, Waikato, to pay their respects to Kiingi Tuheitia, 69, who spent 18 years on the throne.
A special waka carried the king along Waikato River before his burial at Taupiri Maunga.
"The funeral represents the last moment where Kiingi Tuheitia the person becomes Kiingi Tuheitia the ancestor," Kiingitanga chief of staff Ngira Simmonds said.
Kiingi Tuheitia's body is transported by waka up the Waikato river towards Taupiri, his final resting place. Photo: RNZ/Marika Khabazi
Kiingi Tuheitia is laid to rest at Taupiri maunga Photo: RNZ/Nick Monro
Kiingi Tuheitia's final resting place Photo: RNZ/Nick Monro
Taupiri Maunga. Photo:
Kiingi Tuheitia is laid to rest at Taupiri maunga Photo: RNZ/Nick Monro
Kiingi Tuheitia is laid to rest at Taupiri maunga Photo: RNZ/Nick Monro
Kiingi Tuheitia is laid to rest at Taupiri maunga Photo: RNZ/Nick Monro
Kiingi Tuheitia is laid to rest at Taupiri maunga Photo: RNZ/Nick Monro
Kiingi Tuheitia is laid to rest at Taupiri maunga Photo: RNZ/Nick Monro
NZDF personnel at Taupiri during Kiingi Tuheitia's burial Photo: RNZ/Nick Monro
NZDF personnel at Taupiri during Kiingi Tuheitia's burial Photo: RNZ/Nick Monro
Clergy await the arrival of Kiingi Tuheitia at Taupiri maunga. Photo: RNZ/Nick Monro
Kiingi Tuheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero VII's body is being taken to the waka which will carry him on the Waikato River towards his his final resting place at Taupiri Maunga. Photo: Screenshot
Waka transporting Kiingi Tuheitia's body to Taupiri Maunga. Photo: RNZ / Marika Khabazi
Crowds outside Turangawaewae Marae wait for Kiingi Tuheitia's body to be transported up the Waikato river to his final resting place at Taupiri maunga Photo: RNZ/Marika Khabazi
Onlookers wait for Kiingi Tuheitia's body to arrive at Taupiri maunga Photo: RNZ/Nick Monro
Onlookers wait for Kiingi Tuheitia's body to arrive at Taupiri maunga Photo: RNZ/Nick Monro
A man at Taupiri holds a photograph of someone dear as he watches Kiingi Tuheitia's body move up Taupiri maunga Photo: RNZ/Nick Monro
Waka transporting Kiingi Tuheitia's body to Taupiri Maunga. Photo: RNZ / Marika Khabazi
Kiingi Tuheitia's body is transported by waka up the Waikato river towards Taupiri, his final resting place. Photo: RNZ/Marika Khabazi
Crowds outside Turangawaewae Marae wait for Kiingi Tuheitia's body to be transported up the Waikato river to his final resting place at Taupiri maunga Photo: RNZ/Marika Khabazi
Waka paddlers wait to take Kiingi Tuheitia to Taupiri via the awa. Photo: Layla Bailey-McDowell / RNZ
Waka and other boats pulled up alongside the Waikato River, before the procession taking Kiingi Tuheitia to his final resting place on Taupiri. Photo: Layla Bailey-McDowell / RNZ
A waka paddler waits to take part in the procession of Kiingi Tuheitia to be buried on Taupiri. Photo: Layla Bailey-McDowell / RNZ
Rangatahi react during the announcement of Kuini Nga wai hono i te po. Photo: Layla Bailey-McDowell / RNZ
Tamariki watching the livestream while Nga wai hono i te po was crowned Kuini Photo: Layla Bailey-McDowell / RNZ
Manuhiri at Tuurangawaewae Marae during the announcement of Kuini Nga wai hono i te po Photo: Layla Bailey-McDowell / RNZ
Justin Tipa, kaiwhakahaere [chairman] of Te Rūnanga Ngāi Tahu at Tuurangawaewae Marae. Photo: Layla Bailey-McDowell / RNZ
People watch as the new Māori queen Te Puhi Ariki Ngawai Hono i te Po Paki is announced. Photo: Layla Bailey-McDowell / RNZ
The Morning Report team at the tangi for Kiingi Tuheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero VII and the naming of the new Māori monarch, 5 September 2024. Photo: Layla Bailey-McDowell / RNZ
Thousands came for the tangi for Kiingi Tuheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero VII and the naming of the new Māori monarch. Photo: Layla Bailey-McDowell / RNZ
Thousands gathered to farewell Kiingi Tuheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero VII at Tuurangawaewae and the naming of the new Māori monarch. Photo: Layla Bailey-McDowell / RNZ
Road closures and traffic management were in place around the marae during the tangihanga at Tuurangawaewae. Photo: Layla Bailey-McDowell / RNZ
People gathered at the tangi for Kiingi Tuheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero VII and the naming of the new Māori monarch, 5 September 2024. Photo: Layla Bailey-McDowell / RNZ
People await the announcement of who will be the new Māori monarch, 5 September 2024. Photo: Layla Bailey-McDowell / RNZ
Te Puhi Ariki Ngawai Hono i te Po Paki, the new Māori queen. Photo: RNZ
Kiingi Tuheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero VII's body is transferred to a hearse. Photo: Layla Bailey-McDowell / RNZ
People gathered on the main bridge into Ngāruawāhia on the Thermal Explorer Highway, 5 September 2024. Photo: Pokere Paewai / RNZ
The first train to Taupiri Maunga from the Māori king's tangi. Manaakitanga shown by the Te Huia staff handing out kai packs and water. Photo: Layla Bailey-McDowell / RNZ
The train carrying people from the tangi of Kiingi Tuheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero VII to his burial site. Photo: Emma Andrews
Supporters on motorbikes await Kiingi Tuheitia's body arrival at Taupiri maunga Photo: RNZ/Nick Monro
Onlookers wait for Kiingi Tuheitia's body to arrive at Taupiri maunga Photo: RNZ/Nick Monro
Thousands came for the tangi for Kiingi Tuheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero VII and the naming of the new Māori monarch. Photo: Layla Bailey-McDowell / RNZ
Many kura around the motu sent delegations to the tangihanga. Photo: Layla Bailey-McDowell / RNZ
Thousands came for the tangi for Kiingi Tuheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero VII. Photo: Layla Bailey-McDowell / RNZ
People gathering Thursday morning are greeted by the hundreds of smiling volunteers like Tui at the tangi for Kiingi Tuheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero VII. Photo: Layla Bailey-McDowell / RNZ
Kiingi Tuheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero VII's body is transferred to a hearse. Photo: Layla Bailey-McDowell / RNZ
Thousands came for the tangi for Kiingi Tuheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero VII and the naming of the new Māori monarch. Photo: Layla Bailey-McDowell / RNZ
Hundreds of people were already making their way to Tuurangawaewae as the sun rose on a beautiful misty morning, 5 September 2024. Photo: Layla Bailey-McDowell / RNZ
Hundreds of people were already making their way to Tuurangawaewae as the sun rose on a beautiful misty morning, 5 September 2024. Photo: Layla Bailey-McDowell / RNZ