KEY POINTS:
A waka taua shaped by master carvers in honour of Maori King Tuheitia made its maiden voyage along theWaikato River yesterday as celebrations for the anniversary of the Kingitanga movement continue.
Named after a sacred pool near Waahi pa in Huntly where Tuheitia's grandfather King Koroki bathed, the canoe Taatahiora yesterday led aprocession of waka to the point where the Waikato and Waipa Riversconverge in Ngaruawahia.
For many of the hundreds present, the occasion was an emotional one with people cheering and clapping as elderly women offered karanga to each passing of the nine waka.
And for some the occasion was an overwhelming and completely new experience.
"It's fantastic, I've never seen anything like it apart from on television or in books," said Mary Davidson, a 56-year-old Pakeha Wellingtonian who came along to the river "to see what everyone was up to".
"It's a shame there aren't too many other Pakeha people here to experience this, it's truly wonderful,"she said.
Yesterday marked 150 years to the day that Wiremu Tamehana Tarapipipi touched the Bible upon Potatau Te Wherowhero's head to symbolise his ascension to become the first Maori King at Haurua in the King Country in 1858.
The latest successor, King Tuheitia, was accompanied by his wife, Te Atawhai, Tainui kaumatua, Destiny Church leader Brian Tamaki, Minister of Maori Affairs Parekura Horomia and his predecessor Koro Wetere to honour the occasion as the nine waka crew broke into a haka.
In his brief address on Turangawaewae Marae yesterday, King Tuheitia asked for unity among Maori to support "this treasured gift called the Kingitanga" before paying tribute to his mother.
In Maori he said: "How do we achieve this? I think we should look to the past to guide us tomorrow."
Tainui Labour MP and relative of King Tuheitia, Nanaia Mahuta, said the publicity-shy leader would take time to develop his own style.
"King Tuheitia is the head of the movement and won't be defined by what the media thinks.
"He's there to lead the movement, he's already sent some early signals about the importance of rangatahi [youth] and the importance ofeducation."
Mark Waiti, a teacher trainee from Ngati Maniapoto, said it "could be a couple of years yet" before the King makes himself more publicly known.
But he said the new leader deserved a fair go.
PRESSURE ON TUHEITIA TO SPEAK OF FUTURE
He worked in an open-cast mine and drove trucks before becoming King.
Described as a hard-working family man, after 18 months in the job, Joe Public still has little real idea about who King Tuheitia is or where he sees the Kingitanga going.
And he's not likely to tell us, says tribal spokesman Tuku Morgan. That is a job for politicians like himself.
"We stand for the development of our people. We stand for unification."
Asked if that would carry greater weight coming from the monarch, Mr Morgan said it had to be remembered that Tuheitia's mother, Dame Te Atairangikaahu, very rarely gave interviews.
Instead, other people within the tribe such as Sir Robert Mahuta became the accepted spokesmen.
It would be the same with her son.
And at Turangawaewae Marae it is clear that there is reverence from those who've grown up with the 53-year-old, Huntly-raised leader.
But there are also those, among the families who keep the movement going by working to keep the largest marae in the country - Turangawaewae - functioning, who are starting to question what they are following. Their support is heartland support.
They want the king to articulate a future vision.
One mother, who asked not to be named, said: "We want our children to believe in this. But what are they following? That's what I want them to know."
Frustration from some quarters of Waikato-Tainui was not unfounded but there had to be recognition that there was "huge pressure on the king", said the tribe's parliamentary chairman, Tom Roa.
"He has the weight of the Maori world on his shoulders, if he gets it wrong it reflects on the whole of Maoridom."
The difficulty Tuheitia faced was that because it was never certain he would be the king, it wasn't something he could plan for.
"If the rangatira themselves didn't know who they were going to pick, how could he? So a lot of people initially saw this discomfort, but again he's a humble man. He's going to grow into it."
What we do know is that respected leaders outside Waikato-Tainui are assisting Tuheitia. Tuhoe's Wharehuia Milroy is one who is involved.
Mr Milroy said it was something he couldn't easily talk about.
"One of my difficulties - I will always defer to Tainui protocol - in terms of when and where I make comment in a public way because I feel I might be going beyond what they would expect me to say."
But he was helping the Kingitanga in an advisory role.
"We haven't been with him long enough to be called mentors or tutors.
"Strictly speaking, we do offer advice. If he does wish to accept that advice, well and good, if he doesn't, so be it."
Takaroa Raihe, 55, is Waahi Pa born and bred. He went to school with Tuheitia, watched him tinker with cars and sees him dote on his three children.
He said it was up to Tuheitia to carve out his path, but either way his wishes should be respected.
- Yvonne Tahana
