Hundreds of Pacific leaders gathered at Tūrangawaewae Marae in Ngāruawāhia to pay tribute to the Māori monarch, Te Arikinui Kuini Nga wai hono i te po Photo: Facebook / Kiingitanga
Hundreds of Pacific leaders gathered at Tūrangawaewae Marae in Ngāruawāhia to pay tribute to the Māori monarch Te Arikinui Kuini Nga wai hono i te po on the third day of Koroneihana in Waikato.
This year's Koroneihana holds particular significance, marking one year since the Queen's anointment. Those in attendance included 45 high commissioners and ambassadors.
Photo: Image courtesy of Te Tari o te Kiingitanga
Recurring messages among Pacific delegates throughout the day have reinforced unity between the Pacific and Aotearoa.
Members of the Pacific Leadership Forum (PLF) were welcomed with a pōwhiri, acknowledging the deep whanaungatanga between the Kiingitanga and Pacific nations.
The grounds were alive with kapa haka, colour, flowers, woven mats, traditional tapa cloths, lively performances from Pacific groups - including Rotorua's Cook Islands group, who performed at the recent 60th celebrations, and special gifts.
Among the distinguished guests were Tonga's Crown Prince Tupoutoʻa ʻUlukalala; Kaumaiti Nui Travel Tou Ariki, High Chief and President of the Cook Islands House of Ariki; Ariki Teriihinoiatua Pomare of Tahiti, Prince Quentin Kawānanakoa and Prince Riley Kawānanakoa of Hawai'i; and Na Gone Turaga Bale na Tui Nayau, Sau ni Vanua ko Lau, Tui Lau Ratu Tevita Lutunauga Kapaiwai Uluilakeba, Paramount Chief of Fiji's Lau Province.
Longtime Kiingitanga spokesperson Rāhui Papa described the Pacific turn-out as part of a much older legacy.
"We have a whakapapa connection that predates the coming of Europeans into the Pacific," he said.
"In recent times, Te Puea travelled around the Pacific with her grand-niece, Princess Piki. Those relationships were really entrenched.
Photo: Image courtesy of Te Tari o te Kiingitanga
"Then we have Kiingi Tuheitia, who was well-travelled across the Pacific. Pacific [nations] have come to Koroneihana time after time, really fastening those ties between te ao Māori and the cousins of the Pacific. So today is one part of another step in the relationship."
Cook Islands high commissioner Kairangi Samuela said there has always been a mutual respect among Pacific Islands and this has contributed to their relationship.
"I think the importance for us is that we're all… Pacific Islanders. The ties that bind us have actually grown a lot in the last 100 years, as we recognise our ownership of our country, our ownership of our lands, and this is something that we share right across the Pacific.
"The Queen has, in the last year, visited a number of Pacific Island countries, and there's also been this new age of chiefs, of Ariki, ascending to their respective thrones. So… this is special."
She added that for women all over the Pacific, the Queen represented that despite gender, you could lead.
"It's also a recognition that in this modern age, that it doesn't matter what sex you are, you are able to lead and… bring people together. This is something that I've been able to see with her coronation… and I think that's wonderful," Samuela said.
Tuvalu's high commissioner Feue Tipu said: "We are proud to honour the Queen today, and this is our diplomatic call to be here."
Throughout the day, performances and speeches from Pacific representatives honoured Te Arikinui, offering whakaaro and kōrero that reinforced shared ideas of shared values and vision.
Among them was Tongan community leader Pakilau Manase Lua.
"Te Arikinui, you stand on the shoulders of great ancestors, including your late father, who's wisdom and strength have shaped the path you now take," he said.
"You embody the spirit of your lineage, stepping into a position of sacrifice and resilience. Your ancestors laid the groundwork for the values we cherish today. It is through your leadership and your people, we find renewed hope and inspiration."
The Pacific's presence at the Koroneihana has been a reminder of the mutual whakapapa, unity, and shared future across Te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa. Photo: Facebook / Kiingitanga
New Zealand-Samoan politician Aupito William Sio spoke to the significance for Pacific communities living in Aotearoa.
"In the context of us people living here in Aotearoa, we want our people to be proud of their moana heritage, and just as much to be tangata Tiriti.
The only way we can better understand one another and be united around the big challenges is to continue to engage, talk, and help each other learn from one another."
As Koroneihana continues, with the final day rounding out with a festival on Saturday, the Pacific's presence has been a reminder of the mutual whakapapa, unity, and shared future across Te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa.
