Highest Māori in the world: Tino Rangatiratanga flag makes it to Mt Everest

The Māori flag flies high at Everest base camp.

The Tino Rangatiratanga is flying high at Mt Everest’s base camp, with one Māori man determined to get it to the summit.

Matawhero Lloyd (Ngā Ariki Kaipūtahi) is the one of the few Māori at the Mt Everest Base camp and is known for building a village on his pā site in Whatatutu a few years ago.

Lloyd said the journey on the maunga started when his children put a challenge to them and their whānau.

“I saw this as an opportunity to come along and to leave a lasting memory as a father to his boys. Along the way I started to get some extra thoughts and think my haki [flag] here I’ve taken all over the world.

Matawhero Lloyd. Photo / Facebook

“I couldn’t think of a more special place to represent Māori and our flag at base camp. The challenge now is someone has to take it to the summit so, for everyone out there now listening, I’ve taken it the first leg and the last leg is the summit.”

Lloyd is encouraging Māori to make the trip over to Mt Everest.

He hopes a delegation of Māori will come to Everest to share Māori culture and language.

A lot of people want to see the haka but “that will come and too tired to do it up at base camp yesterday”, he said.

To prepare for his journey he and his whānau climbed Tītīrangi (Kaiti Hill) in Gisborne.

“A mate of mine did a calculation said that if you climb it 68 times, it’s the height of Everest. It became the greatest challenge to our whānau in Te Tai Tairāwhiti to climb it 68 times.

“A great health boon for all of our whānau and I totally got behind that and agreed. I reckon if you can do maybe eight Kaiti Hills every day with two layers of scarves on and wearing stuff like this, that’s good training and preparation.”