Kingi to visit Far North marae

New Maori monarch Kingi Tuheitia will make his first formal visit to Te Tai Tokerau tomorrow, when he will attend a ceremony at Potahi Marae at Te Kao.
He is expected to arrive in the Far North settlement in the Kingitanga coach about 1.30pm, accompanied by another bus carrying Tainui kaumatua and kuia and cars and vans carrying the rest of his entourage.
The visit is in response to an invitation from Te Aupouri. Kingi Tuheitia's grandmother, Francis Paki (nee Brown), came from Te Kao. Tainui officials told the Northern Advocate the late Maori Queen Dame Te Arikinui Te Atairangikaahu, who died on August 15, had made at least two visits to Te Kao during her 40-year reign.
It is believed the Maori king was invited north to strengthen whanaungatanga (kinship) ties between the Kingitangi movement and northern tribes.
Potahi Marae chairman Mark Nathan said there would be a 10am powhiri tomorrow for the Muriwhenua people who would then sort out the speakers for the 2pm powhiri for Kingi Tuheitia.
The royal visit may also present an opportunity for Kingi Tuheitia to carry his late mother's spirit to the north in the kawe mate tradition.
The Tainui entourage is expected to return to the Waikato tomorrow evening. The king may stay overnight at a private residence and head south after breakfast and a short church service at the marae on Sunday morning.
Ngapuhi have expressed a desire to host Kingi Tuheitia during the Treaty of Waitangi anniversary commemorations at Waitangi in February next year. An iwi hui in the Ngapuhi Runanga office at Kaikohe earlier this month also unanimously decided to invite the king to the Bay of Islands and Far North to meet the people of Te Tai Tokerau.
Erima Henare, of Ngati Hine, said that Dame Te Ata had visited the North many times as a member of the Waitangi National Trust Board and for other duties.
Other royals had also visited the North over the years since the Kingitanga movement was formed at Pukawa on the shores of Lake Taupo in 1856 and Tainui chief Potatau Te Wherowhero was chosen as its first king.
Mr Henare said that, when Potatau's successor Tawhiao visited Ngati Hine leader Maihi Paraone Kawiti at Waiomio in 1885, he left behind his niece Heningarino who became Kawiti's third wife and gave birth to six children, from whom many of today's prominent Ngati Hine were descended.
The Ngapuhi chief Tamati Waka Nene had attended the Pukawa hui in 1856 at which the Kingitanga movement had been born. Among his descendants were Te Tai Tokerau MP Hone Harawira and Ngapuhi Runanga chairman Sonny Tau.
Mr Henare said he expected a strong contingent from the North to attend the Kingitanga 150th anniversary hui at Pukawa in November 18 when a new meeting house would be officially opened and future unity for Maori would be discussed.