KEY POINTS:
There will be a private moment today on Tainui's mountain, Taupiri, for the family of the late Maori Queen.
It is exactly a year since Te Arikinui Dame Te Atairangikaahu died, and New Zealand witnessed extraordinary scenes of the monarch's week-long tangi.
Maoridom's first family shared their grief with the country and as many as 100,000 people descended on Waikato for the moving ceremony.
It culminated in unforgettable scenes as tens of thousands broke into farewell haka on Taupiri as the coffin was carried up the maunga for burial, mourners' hands reaching out to touch the sides.
Iwi leader Tuku Morgan said there was no way Tainui could have kept people off the mountain last year.
"And we didn't want to. It was an opportune time for the nation to be there.
"But this year, the family want to have their time - it's an important moment for close family and their wishes should be respected."
Today marks the start of koroneihana, the ceremonies commemorating the coronation of the new King, Tuheitia. Next Tuesday will officially end his first year as King, and he is expected to address the public on that day.
And while last year's tangi was held at the public seat of the Kingitanga movement at Turangawaewae Marae in Ngaruawahia, the whanau have asked for today's memorial day to be held at Waahi Pa in Huntly, where Dame Te Ata lived.
It sits on the banks of Waikato River, the Huntly Power Station incongruous next to it.
Opening Waahi for the memorial is a privilege as it was a place Dame Te Ata worked hard to keep out of the public glare, Mr Morgan said.
"It was her refuge. It was the place where she walked freely despite her status and her mana."
Tomorrow, official koroneihana events will return to Turangawaewae. Police expect 50,000 to 60,000 people to take part in the week-long event.
Traffic warning
* Waikato police say motorists need to be aware that while there is no official ceremony at Taupiri mountain, where Dame Te Ata and the other Maori monarchs are buried, large numbers of cars are expected to be parked on State Highway 1 at its base.
* Motorists should also watch out for pedestrians crossing State Highway 1 to get to Taupiri, and should slow for a potential danger spot where River Rd intersects with the highway in Ngaruawahia.
* Diversions will be in place on River Rd close to Turangawaewae Marae.
