Te Kōtuku rerenga tahi – a once in a lifetime visit from the rare white Heron.
When Queen Elizabeth visited New Zealand during 1953-54, she was compared to the kōtuku by Māori, the white heron.
The kōtuku is rarely seen outside its nesting area. If the bird was sighted, Māori considered it a once in a lifetime encounter, he tohu pai, a good omen. Carmen Parahi reports.
In 1953, the year of the Queen’s coronation, the 27-year-old was the first reigning monarch to ever visit Aotearoa New Zealand.
During the summer months, the royal entourage including husband Prince Philip visited numerous places across the country. One of the most significant for Māori was their stop at Tūrangawaewae marae in Ngāruawahia near Hamilton, the seat of the Kiingitanga, the royal Māori household.
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"It was supposed to be a seven minute visit, they weren’t even supposed to get out of the car," says Rahui Papa, an authority of Waikato tribal history.
Then Kiingi Kōroki and his daughter princess Piki, who later became Te Arikinui Te Atairangikaahu, hosted Queen Elizabeth at Tūrangawaewae Marae.
"Te Arikinui invited them into Mahinaarangi [the royal meeting house] for a cup of tea," says Papa. "Queen Elizabeth and the Duke agreed and they stayed for about 15 minutes. That was the first time the British monarchy had been on to Tūrangawaewae."
It was also the moment Queen Elizabeth would become known as Te Kōtuku.
The visit was significant for the Kiingitanga and its representation of Māori sovereignty.
But they weren’t the only Māori trying to gain an audience with the royal family prior to the tour and subsequently.
The reason stems from the Treaty of Waitangi, says Papa, signed by Māori leaders and Queen Elizabeth’s great-great-grandmother Queen Victoria in 1840.
Since the signing of the Treaty, a long-standing relationship between the royal family and Māori has developed, whether it was to show loyalty or to express grievances. A few Māori visited with Queen Victoria at Buckingham Palace during her reign.
Tamihana Te Rauparaha, the son of Ngāti Toa chief Te Rauparaha left for England, and was presented to Queen Victoria in June 1852.
When he returned he worked with others to help establish a Māori monarchy to deal with the impacts of colonisation, particularly land acquisition by settlers. The Kiingitanga began with Potatau Te Wherowhero at Ngāruawahia in 1858.
After the New Zealand Wars and subsequent land confiscations, King Tāwhiao, the second Māori king, visited England in 1884 but could not get an audience with Queen Victoria.
"He came back a little bit disappointed," says Papa.
In 1914 King Te Rapa went to England with a delegation and was received at Buckingham Palace by King George V and Queen Mary.
"That was the first time the Kiingitanga of Aotearoa and the Kiingitanga of England had met each other face-to-face," Papa says.
Papa says since the Queen’s visit in 1953, various invitations and engagements between the two royal households have developed into a warm relationship he expects will continue long after Queen Elizabeth’s reign.
In 1970, Te Atairangikaahu became the first Māori woman to be made a Dame Commander of the British Empire for services to Māori. Papa claims the title was gifted directly by Queen Elizabeth.
During the 70s, Te Arikinui, her husband Whatumoana and the late Hon Koro Wetere, a long-serving Labour MP were invited to attend a garden party at Buckingham Palace and to take a waka taua (war canoe) Tāhere Tikitiki to the royal regatta held on the Henley-on-Thames, says Papa.
Queen Elizabeth visited Tūrangawaewae again in 1974.
The ongoing relationship between the two royal households led to another historical occasion in 1995.
Queen Elizabeth signed the country’s first Treaty settlement, a redress for Waikato-Tainui tribes and offered a formal apology from the Crown to Māori to be used in all settlements.
Chief negotiator Sir Robert Mahuta had insisted that it had to be an apology by the Queen, says Papa.
The deed of settlement was signed by Te Arikinui Te Atairangi Kaahu at Tūrangawaewae earlier in the year. Queen Elizabeth, visiting New Zealand later in the year attended the third reading where she gave the royal assent to the Waikato Raupatu Claims Settlement Act.
The Government reiterated it was not a personal apology from the Queen but Papa says the symbolism meant a lot to his people.
"Usually those things are signed by the Governor General of the time but because Queen Elizabeth was here she actually personally signed the apology in the presence of Te Arikinui," says Papa.
"That was just another stepping stone between the warm relationship. You could see them having a bit of a laugh with each other and a discussion, all those types of things women of mana do," he laughed.
Just as Queen Elizabeth is the longest serving head of state, Te Arikinui was also the longest reigning Māori monarch.
During her 40th coronation at Tūrangawaewae in May 2006, Prince Charles delivered a personal message from himself and his mother, says Papa.
When the Māori Queen died in August 2006, Papa says, there were warm wishes from Buckingham Palace to the Kiingitanga.
Mr Whatumoana Paki and family, and the people of Tainui,
I extend my condolences on the death of Te Ariki Dame Te Ata-i-Rangikaahu. Dame Te Ata gave a lifetime of service and dedication. I remember warmly my own visit to Turangawaewae and my meetings with Dame Te Ata. Her leadership, dignity and compassion will long be remembered.
ELIZABETH R
Papa reflected on how the Kiingitanga would feel on Queen Elizabeth’s passing.
"It’s going to be a sad day because Queen Elizabeth is a woman of mana," says Papa.
"She is and has been a leader for successive generations now.
"A lot of the people of the Kiingitanga that’s all they’ve known about the British royalty, it has been the time of Queen Elizabeth.
"It’ll be a sad day from the Kiingitanga perspective because Queen Elizabeth has visited. She has invited the Kiingitanga to her home in England, so did her father before her. Those constant relationships don’t go away easily."
In the deep south, near Dunedin city, Ōtākou kaumatua is very clear why his whānau, extended family and hapū were loyal to the royal household particularly Queen Elizabeth – the Treaty of Waitangi.
"I do see her having a place in that frame as the head of the state as the Queen of England, the descendent of Queen Victoria, who our chiefs signed the Treaty with her representatives.
"The relationship with the royal family directly relates to being the head of the Crown who were the Treaty partner in our view," says Ellison.
"When we have difficulty with the Treaty domestically we do tend to look to them the Crown, as in the Queen or the royal family to be observant of the Treaty."
Ellison says the founding document has a significant place in his life, the future and the way Māori relate to the Treaty partners in Aotearoa New Zealand.
“Our people have been adherent to the Treaty of Waitangi. They see the relationship with the royalty as a significant component of that partnership.
"I’m just observing my elders who were always very courteous and respectful of the royal family."
His ancestor Taiaroa represented the people of Ōtākou during hui or gatherings in the North Island to discuss the Kotahitanga movement, a Māori Parliament and the Kiingitanga.
Taiaraoa was present at Pukawa on Lake Taupō in 1856 when Pōtatau Te Wherowhero was nominated as king, refusing the title at first but agreeing to it two years later.
In 1860, Taiaroa was one of many rangatira or chiefs who gathered at Kohimarama to discuss the fighting in Taranaki.
"Our people were alert and alive to the political issues and ways to try and find a platform to position Māori to be on an equal footing with Queen Victoria," says Ellison.
"To engage with her and say hey look at what your rascals are doing, can we fix this?"
Ellison’s father George and uncle travelled with the famous Waiata Māori Choir that toured Australia and the United Kingdom in 1937. Europe’s political tensions were building but the group believed they needed to honour the schedule and it was an opportunity to represent Māori.
"They were touring Great Britain and while they were in London the Waiata Māori Choir had an opportunity to go to Buckingham Palace," says Ellison. "They did and that’s where they met the King, Queen and Princess Elizabeth who was not that old."
Walking in the palace left a lasting impression on George Ellison.
"I don’t think he’d walked on carpet or plush carpet before. He said it was remarkable how their footprints were left in the plush carpet," Ellison laughed.
"He was impressed with the down to earth nature of the royal family. Very easy to talk to. He was quite fond of them really.
"I know my father and aunty were pretty proud of that connection."
Ellison says since the 1950’s the Queen Mother, Princess Anne and Prince Charles have visited his village and Taiaroa Heads, named after his tipuna (ancestor), to see the albatross colony.
He says the passing of Queen Elizabeth will be significant given the duration of her reign.
"I think because of the manner in which she has conducted herself during that time," he says. "Quite a significant influence beyond her own people, beyond England."
"I do respect Queen Elizabeth, I admire the way she’s handled her role in the effort which has been constant from the time she became Queen to now. I’m very much a supporter."
Although she did not sign the Ngāi Tahu settlement Ellison helped to negotiate, he says the apology she gave on behalf of the Crown to all Māori during the Waikato-Tainui signing was remarkable.
"We would have liked her to sign ours but that didn’t happen. The apology from the Crown was quite significant for our people in thinking of the generations who had suffered from the breaches of contract. It was no small thing for our people."
Ellison says Māori hold varying views of Queen Elizabeth and the royal household.
Over the years many have publicly shown their contempt for the royals in the past during the New Zealand Wars, to modern insults of baring bottoms, to throwing eggs and hurling a wet black t shirt at Queen Elizabeth and Māori leaders refusing to swear an oath to the Crown.
In 1990, during the 150th anniversary of the Treaty signing, attended by Queen Elizabeth, she was challenged by the Anglican Bishop of Aotearoa Whakahuihui Vercoe.
In what is considered one of the most memorable speeches given in New Zealand, Vercoe spoke passionately about Treaty breaches and the marginalisation of Māori.
"And so I come to the waters of Waitangi and weep for what could have been a unique document in the history of the world of indigenous people against the Pākēhā. And I still have the hope we can do it. Let us sit and listen to one another." – Bishop of Aotearoa Whakahuihui Vercoe
Ellison thinks New Zealand will eventually become a republic.
But without the Treaty of Waitangi and the Waitangi Tribunal, many grievances caused since 1840 would not have been addressed by the Crown for Māori. He believes New Zealand has a long way to go before it can call itself a bicultural nation respectful of its indigenous people.
"It’s no easy feat to achieve that and then have an agreement or a constitution people will then honour and behold. We know while we’ve got the monarchy we have someone with incredible mana we can refer to, go back to. Once we get a constitution of a republic we don’t have that recourse."
Papa says he prefers New Zealand does not become a republic, believing there are too many questions around the status of Māori in an independent nation. He is looking forward to Prince Charles becoming the King.
"He’s visited Te Arikinui and he’s visited with Kiingi Tuheitia and I think they had a very warm relationship and kōrero. It was very cool seeing the two sitting together, the two royal houses sitting together."
But others are not convinced.
Young Māori leader, Ezekiel Raui, would prefer Prince Charles passed on the mantle directly to his son, Prince William.
"He should just pass the ball, as soon as he gets it, just pass the ball," says Raui.
From the Far North Raui was one of two young Kiwis who received the Queen’s Young Leaders’ awards in 2018. He was presented to Queen Elizabeth, met Prince William and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex twice, once in England and while the couple toured New Zealand in 2018.
Raui says he was looking forward to the end of the Queen’s reign.
"She’s done her dash," he says. "What I mean by that is because I’ve had the opportunity to meet the Duke and Duchess of Sussex as well as the Duke of Cambridge.
"I would say they’re very global, very understanding future leaders in the monarchy. I hope that leadership then filters through to relationships with indigenous people.
"I acknowledge her for the positive work she has done.
"But also probably one of the biggest achievements would have been preparing, what I would consider, two very strong leaders in the royal family, who have a massive amount of influence and direction of the Crown for the wellbeing of the Commonwealth."
Raui was one of 30 young Commonwealth leaders chosen from thousands to meet the Queen. He is a community advocate for young Māori dealing with mental health issues. Raui started his advocacy work while still in high school.
On his two week tour of England he learnt a lot from the other recipients and developed important networks around the globe.
"It was a wide range of young people and all absolutely amazing with their own challenges," says Raui.
"It was a massive eye opener for me. My work has been focused on mental health which is a major issue facing our young people here. But for those, for example, in the African countries, some of them were just trying to get electricity into their village which was a major barrier. Raui visited the University of Cambridge in the first week then had a series of business meetings in the second week.
They were taught by one of the royal guards how to behave, address the royal family, her majesty and as well to bow and curtsy.
On the last evening, Raui was introduced to the Queen. He wore his korowai, feathered cloak.
"It was about being proud of my whakapapa, my mum is Māori my dad is Cook Island and being able to be who I am regardless of which setting I’m in and the audience or the people I’m surrounded by."
The young leaders were paraded in last, seated in an audience that included a number of celebrities including David Beckham and Jamie Oliver, listened to an address from the Duke of Sussex followed by the medal presentation from the Queen.
"It was surreal even to this day, a surreal moment," says Raui. "I was definitely trying to take it all in, anxious, nervous all in one. I was probably an ugly mess," he laughed.
"In my mind I was so worried about tripping over on probably the flattest, most well kept piece of carpet in the world. I think the whole moment escaped me.
"Before I knew it, I received the medal had a very big conversation with her majesty and I was back in my seat feeling relieved.
Of all the young leaders, Raui had the longest conversation with the Queen. "She was a lot more down to earth than I could have ever imagined," he says.
"I say that because to me royalty has been portrayed in this way as very high standards and no room for fault or to falter.
"I didn’t expect to engage in a conversation to me that felt like a down to earth one. But that was the case which was fantastic."
After receiving his award from the Queen, he joined other young leaders from New Zealand and Australia in a private audience with Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan.
"And then to meet the Duke and Duchess of Sussex was even more grounding for me because they came across as just people," says Raui.
"There was humour, jokes, laughter it wasn’t as formal as I had prepared myself up to be. I guess that’s just the nature of the conversations they have."
"It felt authentic and grounded. There wasn’t the whole formality around it. It was a comfortable environment to share ideas."
When the pair toured New Zealand a few months later, Raui was asked to join them again to talk about youth matters.
He says there are plenty of examples when the relationship between Māori and the Crown hasn’t been great but has also benefited both Treaty partners.
"We can see on one end of the spectrum, an example of the relationship between Māori and the Crown at Ihumātao. On the opposite end of the spectrum we can see how the Crown and our relationship has acted as a catalyst for the success of Māori kaupapa being globalised.
Raui is advocating for a Māori advisor or indigenous Commonwealth advisor to sit next to or inside the royal household.
"I think the establishment of that body would be important for indigenous relationships with the Crown," says Raui.
"For both parties especially the Crown to acknowledge mistakes that have been made and in an attempt to rectify those, establish that body.
"So our voices are directly at the ears of the royals as opposed to being filtered by the Government."
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