Waikato: The youngest child and only daughter of Kingi Tuheitia and Makau Ariki Atawhai has been appointed as the new leader of the Kingitanga movement. Kuini (Queen) Nga Wai hono i te po Paki was officially anointed while her father lay in state beside her, reminiscent of his own ascension nearly 18 years ago at Turangawaewae Marae in Ngaruawahia, which serves as the headquarters of the Kingitanga movement.
The new queen is a direct descendant of the first Maori King, Potatau Te Wherowhero, who was inaugurated in 1858. She is the eighth monarch to oversee the movement, with her ascension occurring just weeks before the anniversary of her late father’s coronation on August 21, 2006.
Kuini Nga Wai hono i te po Paki is only the second female to lead the movement; her grandmother, Te Arikinui Dame Te Atairangikaahu, previously held the title for four decades from 1966 until 2006. At just 27 years old, she represents a new generation of leadership.
Her education includes attending Te Whare Kura o Rakaumanga in Huntly, where she received a Sir Edmund Hillary Scholarship in 2016. She graduated from the University of Waikato, earning a Bachelor of Arts followed by a Master of Arts Degree with First Class Honours in 2022.
Born on January 13, 1997, the new queen was only nine when her father ascended to the throne.