Kuini Nga Wai Hono i te Po, the youngest child and only daughter of the late King Tuheitia, has been named the new Māori queen, becoming the eighth to hold the title. At 27, she is the second-youngest Māori monarch and the second woman to ascend the throne, following her grandmother, Te Atairangikaahu, who passed away in 2006.
While Kuini Nga Wai Hono i te Po was a favored choice, the selection was not guaranteed. Her father had two sons, Te Ariki Tamaaroa Whatumoana Paki and Te Ariki Turuki Korotangi Paki, both of whom had significant roles. Whatumoana, the eldest, initially assisted his father, while Korotangi runs a successful Tā Moko business. In 2016, Korotangi even donated a kidney to his father for a transplant.
The final decision about the new monarch was made by Tekau Maa-rua, the council of twelve representatives from various iwi, alongside other leaders. It’s unclear whether King Tuheitia had expressed a preference for his successor before his death.
Kuini Nga Wai Hono i te Po gained prominence in 2020 when she was appointed to the Waitangi National Trust, representing Māori south of Tāmaki Makaurau. This seat has a long lineage, previously held by significant figures such as King Koroki, Sir Hepi te Heuheu, and her grandmother Te Atairangikaahu.
Kuini Nga Wai Hono i te Po holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Waikato and a Master’s Degree in Tikanga Māori. She also has a background in Kapa Haka, performing with the group Ngaa Pou o Taniwharau, where both of her parents had performed as well. Her first appearance at the Te Matatini competition was in 2013.
She was named by her grandmother, Te Atairangikaahu, and in 2016, in celebration of her father’s 10th year as King, she received her moko kauae alongside her mother, Atawhai, and her cousin Nanaia Mahuta. Although the Māori monarchy is not strictly hereditary, all the monarchs so far, from Pōtatau Te Wherowhero to Tuheitia, have been direct descendants of their predecessors.
Kuini Nga Wai Hono i te Po’s brothers, particularly Whatumoana, were also considered for the role. During a period of illness for their father in 2013 and 2014, Whatumoana stepped in as his representative. A council was established to guide him in this role, as he was only 22 at the time. Despite this preparation, the council ultimately chose Kuini Nga Wai Hono i te Po to succeed her father, a decision that mirrors Kiingi Tuheitia’s own unexpected rise to the throne.
