Governor-General Dame Cindy Kiro will be welcomed back to the north by many prominent figures in Māoridom. Photo / Mark Mitchell
Governor-General Dame Cindy Kiro will be welcomed back to the north by many prominent figures in Māoridom. Photo / Mark Mitchell
Governor-General Dame Cindy Kiro will be officially welcomed back home to Tai Tokerau (Northland) on a day of strong significance to New Zealanders, particularly in the north.
Kiro, named Governor-General in October last year, will be travelling alongside her whānau to Northland late next week where celebrations of her appointment led by iwi and Māoridom will take place.
On Thursday, Kiro will head north to Mōtatau marae near Kawakawa where she will be presented with a korowai made by the mother of Defence Minister and proud Tai Tokerau man, Peeni Henare.
After a dinner celebrating birthdays for her son and moko, Kiro would continue north to Waitangi on Friday where she will make her first official visit to the upper marae, Te Whare Runanga, as Governor-General.
Te Whare Runanga at Waitangi holds central significance in New Zealand's history. Photo / NZME
It was understood the visit was originally planned for Waitangi Day but had to be delayed, given Waitangi Day commemorations were postponed due to Covid-19.
The new date, May 13, held historic significance as it was the day the last signature in the north was recorded on the Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
The signatory, Te Ruki Kawiti, was in fact an ancestor of Kiro, who is of Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Kahu, Ngāti Hine, Ngāti Rēhia and Ngāti Māhia descent.
"It's obviously a huge pleasure and privilege for me to be able to go home," Kiro said.
"I've always thought of the North as my home, I still do."
Kiro highlighted the relevance of the date, referencing an incredible depth of feeling the event would possess.
"The ability to connect with the past and stand on the shoulders of the people who've gone before, these are easy things to say but they have resonance."
While she lives in Wellington, Kiro says her true home is in the north. She is pictured with her husband, Dr Richard Davies, with their dogs, Lucy (left) and Pebbles. Photo / Mark Mitchell
As part of her welcome to Waitangi, Kiro would walk with members of Ngāpuhi, who would deliver her to members of the local hapū and various iwi leaders, including the Māori King, Kiingi Tuheitia Pōtatau Te Wherowhero.
"Could you imagine the honour I feel about that," she said.
"It's huge, I couldn't ask for more."
Kiro was the first wahine Māori to hold the position of Governor-General, and the first from Tai Tokerau.
Kiro, who was incredibly proud of her British heritage, acknowledged the value of bringing her role as representative of the Queen and proud member of her iwi to Waitangi.
It came after Kiro revealed to the Herald she would soon meet the Queen in person when the monarch celebrated her platinum jubilee in June.
"I'm looking forward to an audience with [the Queen] or certainly with senior members of the royal family and I expect to see quite a number of them at various events celebrating and acknowledging her service," Kiro said.
Prior to her confirmation as Governor-General in October last year, Kiro did meet the Queen in an audiovisual setting, which was later posted to the royal family's Twitter account.
