Close to 20,000 people from the four winds travelled to Te Pakira Marae at Whakarewarewa Village over the five day long tangihanga, to mourn, to acknowledge and to farewell Te Mauri Rangituhaha Kingi, widely known as Mauriora.
Amongst the masses were prominent kaumatua from all tribes, including the Maori King, Tuheitia. Te Arawa kaumatua Sir Toby Curtis says Te Arawa will grieve long into the future.
"He was a cultural giant who served his iwi, region and our nation like no other. Mauriora was without fear as he worked momentously to unify us all to make our mark in the world." The large numbers meant only three or four ope were welcomed on daily. Most had up to 10 speakers. It was an opportunity for the next generation of Tuhourangi speakers to practice what Mauriora had started teaching them over the last few months.
More than 1000 people attended the burial day alone, closing the village down as people lined the streets, filled courtyard, stretching back to the archway across the bridge over the Puarenga river.
While Te Arawa have claimed Mauiora, he was born in Mangapeehi, near Bennydale. His biological whanau belong to the Whatarangi whanau. Shortly after birth he was given away as a whangai to the Kingi family in Otaki, near Wellington, where he first practiced whaikorero.
