Diplomats, judges, the Governor-General — there’d been plenty of high-flyers welcomed to Waitangi already.
But then there was the queen.
Waitangi Day commemorations kicked off for real on Wednesday with the pōhiri of Māori Queen Nga wai hono i te po at the Treaty grounds — an event that brought with it a warning ahead of this year’s election.
The pōhiri — one without angst towards the manuhiri (guest) — came a day ahead of the official (and likely much less warm) welcome to political leaders at Te Whare Rūnanga.
Gathered at the event too were NZNO kaiwhakahaere Kerri Nuku along with members of NZNO’s Māori governance board, Te Poari.
Heading back to Waitangi was always good said Nuku, who would be speaking as part of an economics panel at Te Tiriti o Waitangi Marae on Thursday.
“It’s good to be around Māori and to feel the energy. It’s amazing.”
Part of that Waitangi energy came from the likes of the queen, said Nuku.
“It’s triumphant to see her here and her stewardship and her leadership and her motivation, her particular vision, and the vision of her father — of kotahitanga (solidarity).”
Members of Te Poari said they were hoping for change from the political front, for Māori and for health. Te Poari’s Tāmaki Makaurau chair Kathryn Chapman said they also wanted to see more rangatahi getting involved in voting.
Getting those such as young people — not necessarily regular voters — to enrol, popped up regularly in the speeches during the pōhiri.
The pōhiri, a formal welcome by mana whenua (home tribes) and an important part of the Māori cultural landscape, had a particularly political flavour for election year.
Kaikōrero (formal speaker) Tukoroirangi Morgan, a Tainui leader and former politician himself, spoke about Prime Minister Christopher Luxon.
“I mua i tā mātou taenga atu ki te marae nei ka whuia te kōrero ki te Pirimia: “Pirimia, mōhio tonu koe, kei konei mātou i tēnei taha o te tēpu mō te āke, āke tonu atu, engari a koe? He pātai anō tērā. Mēnā ka ū tonu koe, ka noho tonu koe hei kāwanatanga — mō tātou.”
(“Before we came onto the marae, the PM got thrown a message: Prime Minister, you should understand, we’re here on this side of the table, and we’ll be here forever. But you? That’s another question. Whether your government continues — that’s for us to decide.”)
Morgan had a simple message for those gathered at the pōhiri to spread in the young people in their communities: “Kia rēhitatia, mō te pōti.” (“Get registered to vote.”)
Māori queen, Nga Wai hono i te po’s ope (group) is welcomed onto Te Whare Rūnanga at Waitangi Treaty ground for her pōhiri.