New Zealand's Maori King laid to rest, new Queen announced

The Star

A new Maori Queen was anointed Thursday (Sept 5), taking on the role at a time when New Zealand is facing some of the biggest challenges to race relations in two decades.  WATCH MORE: https://thestartv.com/c/news SUBSCRIBE: https://cutt.ly/TheStar LIKE: https://fb.com/TheStarOnline

Transcript

00:00Thousands of people on Thursday attended both the funeral of the Māori King and the anointment

00:09ceremony of a new Queen of the indigenous people in New Zealand.

00:14They witnessed Ngā Waihono i Te Pou being anointed as the new Māori Queen, who was

00:20chosen by Māori elders to replace her father, King Tuheitia Putatau te Werawero VII.

00:27The King died last week at the age of 69 following heart complications.

00:32Media reports said that the new monarch, who has two elder brothers, was favoured to ascend

00:38the throne.

00:39She holds a Master of Arts in Societal Law of Māori and has served on a number of boards

00:46include that of the Te Kōhanga Reo National Trust to revitalise the Māori language.

00:52Following the anointment ceremony, the King's coffin was taken to the Waikato River by hearse

00:57before being paddled in a flotilla of traditional Māori canoe to Taupiri Mountain, where he

01:03was to be buried alongside other royals and high-profile Māori people.

01:08New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said the government welcomed the new Queen's

01:13appointment to carry on the mantle of the Māori leadership.

01:18Her anointment comes at a time when the country is struggling with race relations.

01:23The new government has started undoing policies of previous governments, particularly those

01:28promoting the official use of the Māori language and the enhancement of indigenous living standards

01:34and rights.

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