NUKU’ALOFA, Tonga. Kiingi Tuheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero VII, the esteemed Māori King of New Zealand, passed away on Friday at 69, just days after commemorating his 18th year as the leader of the Kiingitanga movement. His death marks the end of an era for the movement, established in 1858 to unify New Zealand’s Indigenous Māori tribes against British colonization.
According to Rahui Papa, a spokesperson for the Kiingitanga, King Tuheitia died in the hospital following heart surgery. The news was confirmed through a post on Instagram, where Papa expressed the deep sorrow felt by the Māori community: “The death of King Tuheitia is a moment of great sadness for followers of Kiingitanga, Maaoridom, and the entire nation.”
Kiingi Tuheitia was the seventh monarch of the Kiingitanga, a role that, while largely ceremonial, holds significant influence in New Zealand, particularly among the Māori, who comprise nearly 20% of the country’s population. The movement, which aimed to halt the sale of land to non-Indigenous people, end inter-tribal warfare, and preserve Māori culture, remains a cornerstone of Māori identity and pride.
New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon paid tribute to the late king, noting his “unwavering commitment to his people and his tireless efforts to uphold the values and traditions of the Kiingitanga.” Luxon added, “I will remember his dedication to Aotearoa New Zealand, his commitment to mokopuna (young people), his passion for te ao Māori (the Māori world), and his vision for a future where all people are treated with dignity and respect.”
In his final months, King Tuheitia played a crucial role in leading national unity talks among the Māori in response to policies introduced by Luxon’s center-right government. These policies have been criticized for allegedly reversing gains made in favor of Indigenous rights and language.
International condolences, including from King Charles III, New Zealand’s constitutional head of state, and Queen Camilla, also poured in. King Charles remarked, “I had the greatest pleasure of knowing Kiingi Tuheitia for decades. He was deeply committed to forging a strong future for Māori and Aotearoa New Zealand founded upon culture, traditions, and healing, which he carried out with wisdom and compassion.”
The week before his passing, thousands gathered at Turangawaewae Marae, the headquarters of the Māori King Movement in Ngāruawāhia, to celebrate King Tuheitia’s ascension to the throne. His death leaves the seat of the Māori King, held by the Tainui tribes in the Waikato region, vacant, with no immediate successor announced.
“It is expected that Kiingi Tuheitia will lie in state at Turangawaewae Marae for five days before being taken to his final resting place on Taupiri Mountain,” Rahui Papa said, as the nation prepares to mourn the loss of a leader whose influence and legacy will be remembered for generations to come.
Paraluman P. Funtanilla
Paraluman P. Funtanilla is Tutubi News Magazine's Marketing Specialist and is a Contributing Editor. She finished her degree in Communication Arts in De La Salle Lipa. She has worked as a Digital Marketer for start-up businesses and small business spaces for the past two years. She has earned certificates from Coursera on Brand Management: Aligning Business Brand and Behavior and Viral Marketing and How to Craft Contagious Content. She also worked with Asia Express Romania TV Show.
