Horomia Parekura: Obituaries — Te Arikinui Dame Te Atairangikaahu 
Horomia Parekura: Obituaries — Te Arikinui Dame Te Atairangikaahu 
[Volume:633;Page:4747] 
Hon PAREKURA HOROMIA (Minister of Maori Affairs) 
: 
 He tika ake au i runga i te tu nei i te mihi kau ana ki te whare o Te Arikinui a Te Atairangikaahu. Tika ake ano i te mihi ake ano ki nga tupuna e tukua ake ano te ahua nei o te Kingitanga. E mihi ake ano ki ona tamariki me tana tane a Whatumoana. Mihi kau ana ki te mana o te teitei o tona wahi ra a Taupiri. E mihi kau ana ki tana awa a Waikato e mihi hoki ake ano i te marae a Mahinaarangi. E mihi kau ana ki a tatou katoa nga kanohi Maori i konei i tae kaha ake ano ki te mau ake ano te roimata i te marae i te taha o wetahi o tatou hoa mahi. Koutou e Pita o Te Tai Tokerau i a koe e Pita me te wahi o Kahungunu i a koe te hoa o Te Arawa e mihi kau ana i a koutou. 
[An interpretation in English was given to the House.] 
[ 
It is fitting that I stand to acknowledge the household of Te Arikinui Te Atarangikaahu. It is fitting too that I acknowledge the ancestors who handed down the Kingitanga legacy and also her children and husband Whatumoana. I acknowledge the uniqueness of her mountain Taupiri her river Waikato and the courtyard of Mahinaarangi. Acknowledgments to all of us Maori here and some of our colleagues for our strong presence at the marae: namely Pita of Te Tai Tokerau Pita of Ngati Kahungunu and the colleague from Te Arawa. My acknowledgments to you. 
]  
I would like to join in and thank all the leaders and all the members who came the Prime Minister for her effort and all of the efforts put in at the tangi. 
Kingitanga or the Maori King movement made itself widely known over the past week. A blend of Maori tradition historical mystery and pervasive modern media combined to create a funeral event of unparalleled size. Of course the word “funeral” does not fully capture the meaning of a tangi. “Tangi” as a verb means to weep. As a noun however it is an all-consuming Maori traditional gathering to farewell the dead where emotions see-saw between grief and laughter. This woman was widely known throughout the Pacific amongst all the Maori tribes and by all political parties. She eschewed the loud clamorous approach to leadership and preferred a quiet reserved style. 
It is extraordinary that this institution has survived for 148 years. How many of us and our families can speak about our own history in a manner that parallels the story as we have heard it today of the Waikato-based Kingitanga movement? It is an extraordinary story. On the marae at Turangawaewae there were two major streams of interest. The first was displays of oratory eulogising the departed monarch and comments of anticipation about the monarch to be. Since we learnt of the passing a week ago of this dearly revered leader we have all witnessed an outpouring of respect and loyalty the likes of which we may probably never experience again in our lifetimes. What was significant for our country was that all New Zealanders were able to partake in the experience of Te Atairangikaahu’s tangi because even if one was unable to be physically present at the tangi the extensive media coverage throughout the week in English and te reo Maori enabled us to all attend. Even though it may be a rare occasion I want to commend the press for that effort. 
So surely this is a sign of a maturing country. If we are serious about nationhood then this gives us a window of opportunity to become more serious about practising it. As I speak I can still see the many expressions of respect demonstrated for Te Atairangikaahu the woman who supported and stood steadfastly as the core of te kohanga reo movement of the Maori Women’s Welfare League of the rugby league organisations and of a host of other organisations around the country. 
What were the sights? Thousands of people gathered upon the sacred Taupiri maunga and performed in unison the ancient chants of our people as Te Atairangikaahu made her final ascent. It was a truly moving experience to witness. Pakeke and rangatahi alike lined the pathway to the summit of Taupiri maunga and with their combined strength and unified cooperation they ensured the safe arrival of their queen to her final resting place after she travelled from her marae at Turangawaewae in the waka  
Tumanako 
 along her beloved Waikato River. 
There was a significantly strong presence of dignitaries and leaders from the Pacific Islands throughout the duration of the tangi as delegations of royalty and chiefly and Government representatives from Tonga the Cook Islands Hawaii Samoa Niue and Fiji came to pay their respects. A steady stream of many New Zealanders quietly filed past Te Ata’s casket when Waikato Tainui opened the marae and suspended protocol for hours to allow the general public an opportunity to pay their respects. Such generosity of spirit to accommodate visitors on to the marae was characteristic of Waikato Tainui and visibly in keeping with the nature and lifetime example of the queen. 
I was also moved by the acts of ordinary and extraordinary New Zealanders from across the motu as they too expressed their respect for Te Ata. The All Black captain’s first post-match words after Saturday’s test against the Wallabies were of condolences for Tainui and Te Atairangikaahu’s whanau—and she would have been happy let me assure you that the All Blacks won. Simon Dallow’s eloquent mihi ahead of the start of the mainstream 6 o’clock television news coverage every evening; the full coverage simulcast on mainstream and Maori television of yesterday’s succession and funeral; the special train from Auckland put on by the workers and the companies with its special fare for those wanting to attend the funeral—these are only a few examples but they lead me to believe that we are maturing as a nation in a way that enables Maori and Pakeha to coexist respectively alongside each other—ahakoa nga piki nga heke 
even though we have ups and downs. 
Te Ata’s passing has left me profoundly aware of the impact her life had on the nation as a whole—on Maori on Pakeha on Pacific on all peoples who live in this motu. The sixth and longest-serving monarch from the House of Potatau Te Ata was born on 23 July 1931 as Piki Mahuta the only child of King Koroki and Te Atairangikaahu. Dame Te Ata—The Lady as she was known—was later joined by whangai adopted siblings including her much-beloved brother and trusted adviser the late Sir Robert Mahuta and I want to remember him today.  
Dame Te Ata was born into a modest world. She was raised at Waahi Huntly and attended Rakaumanga native school. Later she attended the Waikato Diocesan School For Girls. When her father King Koroki became ill her aunt the great Te Puea Herangi took her across the country to represent the Kingitanga at numerous ceremonies and functions as she has done with the present King Tuheitia. She warmly embraced everyone she came into contact with regardless of ethnicity politics religion or Maori. She was as comfortable hosting international dignitaries politicians and royalty as she was chatting with the cooks at Mahinaarangi. She put at ease all those she met with her beaming and wonderful smile and quiet manner. So many stories have emerged over the last week that testify to this. Her long and illustrious reign will be remembered for all times as one that unifies us. In fact it unified all people. When we think of her from now on we will recall her humility her wisdom and the legacy she has left behind.  
Tuheitia Te Arikinui te king he has all of those things. He has the steel the quickness the courage the passion and enough intelligence to steer his people. The crowning of the new monarch was a rare glimpse of an ancient ceremony that combined the use of a historic Bible pre-European incantations and modern media. Tribes from the four winds arrived and we have heard that talk here today. At Pukawa in November 1856 one of my ancestors along with a whole lot of Maori ancestors in here hikoi-ed there to talk about the kaupapa—the philosophy not a structure—and that is where I believe the king will take his people maintaining what they have been confident in for a long long time. We can be confident that after a lifetime of grooming for his ascension to the Kingitanga throne and with the loving guidance of his mother from on high Tuheitia Paki’s leadership will be through service and for the love of his Maori people and country.  
We will forever remember Te Arikinui Dame Te Atairangikaahu yet we also look forward to the new ariki’s reign. That Maoridom has more than performed in sending their great queen off and has rallied around to serve the new king is something that we in this House should remember. Kia ora.