Kiingi Tuheitia

The residents of the Tonga island group of Vava’u are promising to honour the late Māori King’s call for whales to be given personhood.

A unique first took shape as the largest group of Māori broadcasters to ever work together collaborated with iwi to cover Kiingi Tuheitia's tangihanga and his successor's accession

Taatahi Ora, Waikura, Taakitumu, and Te Tiimatanga were the four waka taking the late king to his final resting place at Taupiri Maunga.

Watch the new ariki, Nga Wai Hono i te Po Paki, ascend the throne to become the new Māori kuini.

The decision, affirmed by iwi leaders, makes Ngawai Hono I Te Po the eighth in an unbroken line of succession.

After a week of tangihanga, today is the Rā Nehu (the burial day) and Te Whakawahinga will be at 10am on Turangawaewae marae.

Acting Prime Minister Winston Peters led the Coalition contingent arriving at Tuurangawaewae Marae.

The Far North District Council’s Māori ward decision meeting is being postponed out of respect for leader Kīngi Tūheitia’s burial in Waikato on Thursday.

The day will begin at 10am on Tuurangawaewae Marae, where Tekau-maa-rua (The Kiingitanga advisory council) will bring the new Māori monarch to the throne.

Willow Jean-Prime, Carmel Sepuloni, Jenny Salesa, Shannan Halbert, Willie Jackskon and Chris Hipkins were the Labour MPs amongst the crowd this morning.