Kīngi Tuheitia: Proceedings confirmed for tomorrow's funeral, Te Whakawahinga
As Kīngi Tuheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero VII is laid to rest tomorrow, his funeral service promises to be a historic, poignant event.
A ceremony to anoint his successor will also be held in the hours before Kīngi Tuheitia is laid to rest.
Here is what to expect from the occasion.
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Te Whakawahinga – the raising up ceremony for the new Māori monarch
The anointment of a Māori monarch is steeped in ritual and ceremony. Known as Te Whakawahinga, or ‘the raising up’, this ceremony will take place ahead of the final funeral service for Kīngi Tuheitia.
The Kiingitanga has revealed the ceremony will start tomorrow at 10am where the Tekau-mā-rua (King’s advisory council) will “usher the new Maaori monarch to the throne”.
Karakia is heavily involved and includes traditional Māori takutaku and Christian prayers. Parts of the ceremony are shielded from those present due to the sacredness of the proceedings.
The Māori monarch does not wear a crown. Instead, the placing of a Bible over their head by Te Tumuaki o Te Kiingitanga [the Kingmaker] is seen as the moment of 'crowning'.
Hone Taamihana holds the role of Te Tumuaki and he will be using the same Bible that his ancestor, Wiremu Taamihana, used to raise up the first Māori King, Pootatau Te Wherowhero, in 1858.
The Anglican Archbishop Don Tamihere will then bless the new monarch with sacred oils.
From marae to maunga – final funeral service and tangi procession
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The final funeral service for Kīngi Tuheitia will take place immediately after Te Whakawahinga.
He will then be taken from the marae to the banks of the Waikato River, guided by a guard of honour made up of haukāinga Ngāti Māhanga and the New Zealand Defence Force.
The King will be placed on the waka Tātahi Ora, and three other waka – Waikura, Tākitumu and Te Tīmatanga - will accompany him in a river procession to Taupiri Maunga.
The journey on the river from the marae to Taupiri is around 10km and is expected to take up to two hours.
Burial
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Once the fleet of waka arrive at Taupiri Maunga, the King will be handed over into the care of members of the Taniwharau and Tūrangawaewae Rugby League Clubs, and rope handlers from the Raungaiti Rugby Club who will carry him to his final resting place at the summit of the mountain.
Return to Tūrangawaewae Marae
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Following the burial, the Tekau-mā-rua will lead the Whare Ariki (Members of the Royal House) back on to Tūrangawaewae Marae. A hākari will then take place to conclude the tangihanga of Kīngi Tuheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero VII.
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TVNZ1, 1News.co.nz and TVNZ+ will have live coverage of proceedings from 9.30am tomorrow.
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Note: The use of double vowels in this article reflects the dialect used by the Kiingitanga/Kīngitanga which uses double vowels (aa, ee, ii, oo, uu) in place of macronised vowels (ā, ē, ī, ō, ū).
Glossary
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Te Whakawahinga – ceremony to “raise up” the new Māori monarch
takutaku – reciting of traditional Māori karakia, incantations
Tekau-mā-rua – King’s advisory council
Te Tumuaki o Te Kiingitanga – known as the Kingmaker role, the person who holds the hereditary title is tasked with placing the Bible over the head of the new monarch during Te Whakawahinga
maunga – mountain
haukāinga – local people
waka – canoe
Whare Ariki – Royal House
hākari – feast
tangihanga – funeral
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www.1news.co.nz...
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There’s growing debate about whether New Zealand’s extended Christmas break (and the slowdown that comes with it) affects productivity.
Tracy Watkins has weighed in ... now it’s your turn. What’s your take? 🤔
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16.2% Hmm, maybe?
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10.7% Yes!
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Minimum wage to increase from April next year, Govt commits to bigger rise than last year
The Government will increase the minimum wage by 2% from April next year.
Workplace Relations Minister Brooke Van Velden announced the hourly wage would move from the current $23.50 to $23.95 in line with advice from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment.
“Moderate” increases of the minimum wage formed part of NZ First’s coalition agreement with National.
Van Velden says the new rate, which would impact around 122,500 New Zealand workers, strikes a right balance between keeping up with the cost of living – the Reserve Bank expects inflation to fall to around 2% by mid-2026 – and no adding more pressure to the costs of running a business.
The starting out and training minimum wage would be move to $19.16 to remain at 80% of the adult minimum wage.
The minimum wage was last increased on April 1 this year. That 1.5% increased to $23.50, affecting between 80,000 and 145,000 workers, was not at the time in line with inflation which sat around 2.5% in March.
“I know those pressures have made it a tough time to do business, which is why we have taken this balanced approach. With responsible economic management, recovery and relief is coming,” Van Velden said.
“I am pleased to deliver this moderate increase to the minimum wage that reflects this Government’s commitment to growing the economy, boosting incomes and supporting Kiwis in jobs throughout New Zealand.”
Official documents from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) show the department provided the Minister with seven options for the minimum wage, ranging from maintaining the current rate or increasing by 3% up to $24.20 per hour.
A 2% increase was recommended, the Ministry said, as this was ”considered to best balance the two limbs of the objective - protecting the real income of low-paid workers and minimising job losses."
“CPI inflation forecasts suggest annual inflation will ease to be within the 2–2.5% range in the first half of 2026 and remain relatively stable at around 2% from June 2026 through to 2028.
“These forecasts indicate that a 2% increase would largely maintain the real income of minimum wage workers relative to the level of the minimum wage when it last increased on 1 April 2025.”
Officials said a 2% increase wouldn’t have significant employment restraint effects.
But given recent economic data, including a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) contraction and elevated unemployment, MBIE said it favoured a “cautious approach”.
“A 2% increase to the adult minimum wage is expected to affect approximately 122,500 workers, including those currently earning at or below the minimum wage, or between the current rate and $23.95.”
The key groups that would be impacted include youth, part-time, female, and Māori workers, as well as sectors like tourism, horticulture, agriculture, cleaning, hospitality, and retail.
“While these workers would benefit from a wage increase, they may also be more exposed to employer responses to increased labour costs such as reduced hours or adjustments to non-wage benefits,” the ministry said
“The estimated fiscal cost to government from this increase is relatively modest, at $17.5 million annually, consistent with the small cost estimates across all rate options.”
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