Shane Te Pou (Ngāi Tūhoe) is a commentator, blogger and former Labour Party activist.
OPINION
E te Kīngi Tūheitia Potatau Te Wherowhero VII, ko koe te tauira o te kotahitanga, te kīngi o te motu, te kīngi o te manaaki tangata, haere atu rā kite torona tapu a Ihowa. Hoki wairua atu rā ki ngā mātua tīpuna kua wehe i mua i a koe ki te kāpunipunitanga o te kāhui ngaro. E te kīngi, tēnei te mihi aroha ki a koe, haere, haere, haere atu rā!
The passing of Tūheitia Pōtatau Te Wherowhero VII, the Māori King, is a loss for all people of Aotearoa New Zealand. It will not be the end of his work and, I hope, it will be a turning point in the discussion of the place of Māori in our culture and politics into the future.
Kingi Tūheitia was a humble man shaped by working-class sensibilities, embodying the spirit of kotahitanga (unity) throughout his life.
Raised in simplicity, he understood the struggles of his people, which fuelled his passion for justice and equality. In his final days, his heartfelt call for peace revealed the essence of a man deeply committed to harmony and understanding. He envisioned a nation where Māori and Tiriti partners stood together, united in identity and purpose.
His legacy inspires us to embrace our differences and work towards a shared future, reflecting the true strength of our collective spirit. He never really sought the role he was called to play.
In fact, he was surprised when he was offered it during the tangi of his beloved mother Te Arikinui who reigned for 40 years – but he served ably and with mana. Politicians and ordinary people from across Aotearoa have recounted this week the influence that he had on our country, by being a living example of the values he advocated.
Tūheitia promoted unity and Māori causes, becoming a respected leader and diplomat. Photo / Waikato Tainui
I’m Tūhoe. We are not part of the Kīngitanga movement.
I’m pleased, however, that the Kīngitanga brings a sense of unity across iwi Māori, and it was wonderful to see people from all parts of Aotearoa and from overseas at the tangi.
I was impressed by Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s speech in honour of Kīngi Tūheitia last weekend at Tūrangawaewae. It seemed very heartfelt: “Kīngi Tūheitia was a humble leader, and it was through that personal humility that he held his influence... his commitment to kotahitanga, unity, will have a lasting impact on our country.”
Hopefully, this is an opportunity for Luxon to reflect on Kīngi Tūheitia’s call for unity and reconsider the divisive direction his Government has taken.
Kīngi Tūheitia was a leading voice against the Luxon Government’s anti-Māori policies, including bringing together 10,000 people for the national unity hui earlier this year, and stoutly opposing the Act Party’s Treaty Principles Bill. Luxon could put meaning behind his words and truly honour Tūheitia by withdrawing that disgraceful planned bill, and calling an end to nasty policies that seek to vilify Māori at every turn.
To say we should not “keep politics out of it” is itself political – from people who would suck the meaning out of the Kīngitanga.
You can’t talk about the life of Tūheitia and the history of Kīngitanga without talking about politics. From its first days, the Kīngitanga has been a political project – aimed at protecting the rights of Māori from encroachment by the Crown. Along with the Rātana Church and the Urban Māori authorities, Kīngitanga is a key post-colonial Māori political institution that transcends iwi lines.
Kuini Ngā wai hono i te pō, we will support you as your tīpuna have supported our people throughout the ages. It is good to see that the legacy of the Kīngitanga is in such good hands.
The first Māori monarch of the Kōhanga Reo generation, she will be a strong advocate for Māori and for Tiriti justice. I predict she will be more than willing to push governments for faster action and will be a fierce defender of Māori rights.
Let us be inspired by the life of Kīngi Tūheitia, and let his successor continue in his work.
