In Pictures

Maori in New Zealand anoint a new queen

Nga Wai hono i te po Paki was chosen during ceremonies to honour her late father, who was buried on Thursday.

New Maori queen Nga Wai hono i te po Paki. She is wearing a headdress of fern leaves and a light brown cloak, She has a carved whalebone necklace around her neck. She has a traditional moko tattoo on her chin. — New Maori Queen Nga Wai hono i te po Paki. [Kiingitanga via AFP]

New Zealand’s Maori chiefs have anointed a 27-year-old queen as their new monarch.

The choice of Nga Wai hono i te po Paki was welcomed as a symbol of change for the Indigenous community.

She is the youngest child and only daughter of King Tuheitia, who died last week.

After being selected by a council of chiefs, Nga Wai was ushered to the throne by a group of men bearing ceremonial weapons who chanted, screamed and shouted in acclamation.

“The new monarch was raised up in a ceremony known as Te Whakawahinga, in front of thousands of people gathered for the tangihanga [funeral and burial] of Kiingi Tuheitia,” a spokesperson for the Kiingitanga, or royal family, said.

Maori cultural adviser Karaitiana Taiuru told the AFP news agency that it was a “privilege” to witness a young Maori woman become queen.

“The Maori world has been yearning for younger leadership to guide us in the new world of AI, genetic modification, global warming and in a time of many other social changes that question and threaten us and Indigenous Peoples of New Zealand,” he said.

“These challenges require a new and younger generation to lead us.”

The new monarch was chosen ahead of the funeral of King Tuheitia, whose body has been lying in state for six days.

Wearing a headdress of leaves, a cloak and a whalebone necklace, Nga Wai sat beside her father’s coffin as rites, prayers and chants were performed.

He was then taken along the river to Mount Taupiri in a flotilla of four waka, or war canoes. A group of rugby players carried the coffin to the summit for the king’s burial alongside previous Maori monarchs, including his mother.

New Zealand’s Maori make up about 17 percent of the population or about 900,000 people.

Maori citizens are much more likely than other New Zealanders to be unemployed, live in poverty or suffer cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and suicide.

Maori life expectancy is seven years less than other New Zealanders.

The Kiingitanga, or Maori King movement, was founded in 1858 with the aim of uniting New Zealand’s tribes under a single sovereign in the face of British colonisation.

The Maori monarch is a mostly ceremonial role with no legal status but has enormous cultural significance as a symbol of Maori identity and kinship.

Queen Nga Wai is the eighth Maori monarch and the second queen.

Her grandmother, Queen Te Arikinui Dame Te Atairangikaahu, held the position for four decades until 2006.

The new queen studied at New Zealand’s Waikato University and holds a Master of Arts in Tikanga (societal lore of) Maori.

To mark the 10th anniversary of the king’s coronation in 2016, she received a traditional Maori “moko” tattoo on her chin.

Mourners gather for King Tuheitia's funeral. They are dressed n black and standing outside the Turangawaewae Marae. The building has a red carved roof — The king's funeral took place at the Turangawaewae Marae after he had lain in state for six days. [Alan Gibson/AP Photo]

Three women mourners. They are dressed in black. Two of them have wreaths of leaves on their heads. They look sombre — Thousands of mourners attended the funeral. Many wore leaves on their heads as a sign of mourning. [Alan Gibson/AP Photo]

Two women mourners greet each other at the funeral for King Tuheitia. They are kissing each other o the cheek. One is wearing a leaf headdress. The other woman has silver grey hair — King Tuheitia died last week in hospital where he was recovering from heart surgery. [Alan Gibson/AP Photo]

New Maori queen Nga Wai hono i te po Paki. She it wearing a headdress of green fronds, and has a traditional tattoo on her chin. — Nga Wai hono i te po Paki was anointed queen during the ceremonies leading up to the funeral of her father, King Tuheitia. [DJ Mills/AFP]

Maori warriors. They are running on the spot, bare chested and carrying weapons. — Maori warriors participated in the funeral ceremony. [DJ Mills/AFP]

A close up photo of a Maori warrior. The top of his face is painted black. He is wearing traditional dress. Another warrior is next to him. — A Maori warrior. [DJ Mills/AFP]

Maori warriors escort the hearse carrying the coffin of King Tuheitia. They have sashes across their chests, loin cloths and leaves in their hair. They are carrying canoe paddles. They have traditional tattoos on their faces and bodies. — Warriors accompanied the hearse carrying the coffin of the king. [DJ Mills/AFP]

Maori Queen Nga Wai hono i te po Paki sitting in the front of a canoe carrying King Tuheitia's coffin for burial. She is wearing a cloak and has leaves in her hair. There is a man at the front of the boat in traditional dress and one behind. They all look sombre. — Maori Queen Nga Wai hono i te po Paki accompanies the king's coffin in a flotilla of canoes towards Mount Taupiri. [DJ Mills/AFP]

The flotilla of war canoes makes it way along the river. The canoes are decorated with leaves. People are crowded on the bridge above to watch. Some are watching from the banks. There are mountains behind. — Crowds gathered on the river banks and on a bridge to watch the flotilla of four canoes go past. [DJ Mills/AFP]

Men carrying the coffin of the Maori king from a canoe. The coffin is covered in a brown fur and there are wreaths of flowers and leaves on top. Maori warriors are in a traditional canoe on the river behind. — Players from local rugby teams carry the king's coffin from the river bank up the mountainside for burial. [Alan Gibson/AP Photo]