Māori king's daughter crowned ahead of his burial

A caller queen has been crowned arsenic the eighth Māori monarch successful New Zealand.

Twenty-seven-year-old Ngā Wai hono one te pō was chosen arsenic Kuini by a assembly of New Zealand's indigenous Māori chiefs during an elaborate ceremonial successful the country's North Island.

She is lone the 2nd Māori queen, the archetypal being her grandmother, Te Arikinui Dame Te Atairangikaahu.

Ngā Wai hono one te pō is the youngest kid of King Tuheitia Pōtatau Te Wherowhero VII, who died past Friday astatine the property of 69.

Her crowning volition beryllium followed by the burial of King Tuheitia, for which thousands of mourners person gathered.

Sitting connected a carved woody throne, the caller queen was announced astatine a gathering astatine Tûrangawaewae Marae, which is the spot of the Kiingitanga oregon Māori king movement.

She sat successful beforehand of her father's coffin, wearing a wreath and a cloak arsenic prayers and chants were performed.

A flotilla of warfare canoes sat acceptable to instrumentality the king - who has lain successful authorities for six days - to his last resting spot connected Mount Taupiri, ineffable to the Māori people.

The king had been recovering from bosom country successful infirmary erstwhile helium died, conscionable days aft celebrating the 18th day of his coronation.

"The decease of Kiingi Tuheitia is simply a infinitesimal of large sadness for followers of Te Kiingitanga, Maaoridom and the full nation," Rahui Papa, spokesperson for the Kiingitanga oregon Māori king question said astatine the time. "A main who has passed to the large beyond. Rest successful love."

The king was calved Tūheitia Paki successful 1955. He was crowned successful 2006 pursuing the decease of his mother, Te Arikinui Dame Te Atairangikaahu.

Like his mother, King Tuheitia was seen arsenic a large unifying fig - precocious calling connected Māori to basal unneurotic successful the look of policies targeting them.

The Māori monarchy dates backmost to 1858, erstwhile the Māori radical decided to make a unifying fig akin to that of a European monarch successful bid to effort and forestall the wide nonaccomplishment of onshore to New Zealand's British colonisers and to sphere Māori culture. The relation is mostly ceremonial.