Kiingi Tūheitia Pōtatau Te Wherowhero VII
Kua takitahi ngā whetū o Matariki i te rironga atu o tō tātou Kiingi, a Kiingi Tūheitia Pōtatau Te Wherowhero VII. Ko Aotearoa kua uhia ki te kapua pōuri, ko te ao Māori kua pōtaetia ki te pare kawakawa.
Ko Te Papa Tongarewa tēnei e tangi mōteatea atu nei ki a Kīngi Tūheitia e takoto tīraha ana i tōna marae, i Tūrangawaewae. E tangi ana rā ki a koutou, kei te Kāhui Ariki nui tonu, mō koutou e pupuri nei i te taonga o te mate i tēnei wā, tēnei ka tangi, tēnei ka mihi.
Kua eke ki te tekau mā waru tau nō te matenga o tōna whaea, a Te Ātairangikāhu, te ariki tapairu, nāna hoki a Te Papa Tongarewa i whakatuwhera i te wā i a ia. Tēnā tātau katoa i te kotahitanga o Kiingi Tūheitia Pōtatau Te Wherowhero VII.
It is with great sadness we learn that King Tūheitia Pōtatau Te Wherowhero VII passed away early this morning. Māoridom and our nation will mourn a great leader who brought unity and Kotahitanga for Aotearoa.
Te Papa has a long association with the Kīngitanga through events such as the opening of Te Papa, ‘Tai timu, Tai pari: Tainui: Journey of a people’ iwi-in-residence exhibition from 2011–2014. In 2007 the Mauri Ora exhibition of Māori treasures from Te Papa opened at the National Museum of Tokyo with the Kiingtanga’s support; this was the first overseas engagement for Kīngi Tūheitia.
E te Kiingi, e rere atu rā ki te pūtake o tō maunga whakahī, ki Taupiri. Rire, Rire Hau! Paimārire.
– Kaihautū Arapata Hakiwai
Memorial books
From Friday 30 August until Thursday 5 September there will be two memorial books at Te Papa to acknowledge the passing of Kiingi Tūheitia Pōtatau Te Wherowhero VII. These memorial books are for visitors to share thoughts and pay tribute to Kiingi Tūheitia and will be presented to the Kiingitanga at a later date. One memorial book will be in the Wellington Foyer on Level 2, and one on Rongomaraeroa Marae, on Level 4.
As a mark of our deepest respect, the Tino Rangatiratanga flag and the New Zealand flag are flying at half-mast on our forecourt.