New Zealand’s Maori King Tuheitia Dies at 69 After Heart Surgery
Kiingi Tuheitia, New Zealand’s Maori king, has died at the age of 69, shortly after celebrating his 18th year on the throne. His death was confirmed early on Friday morning, August 30.
A statement announced, “Kiingi Tuheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero VII has died peacefully … accompanied by his wife Makau Ariki and their children Whatumoana, Korotangi, and Ngawai Hono I Te Po.”
Tuheitia had been in the hospital recovering from heart surgery. “It didn’t quite go as we had all hoped,” said the Kiingitanga’s chief of staff, Ngira Simmonds, to Radio New Zealand.
Tuheitia ascended to the throne in 2006, following the death of his mother, Te Arikinui Dame Te Atairangikaahu. His funeral is expected to take place next Thursday, with burial planned on the sacred Taupiri Mountain alongside his mother and previous Maori kings.
New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon led tributes to the late king, with flags on government and public buildings flown at half-mast. “Today, we mourn,” Luxon said in a statement from Tonga, where he is attending the Pacific Islands Forum.
“His unwavering commitment to his people and his tireless efforts to uphold the values and traditions of the Kiingitanga have left an indelible mark on our nation. I will remember his dedication to Aotearoa New Zealand, his commitment to mokopuna [young people], his passion for te ao Maori [customs], and his vision for a future where all people are treated with dignity and respect.”
Britain’s King Charles III, New Zealand’s formal head of state, expressed his shock at the news, having recently spoken with King Tuheitia by phone. “My wife and I were profoundly saddened to learn of the death of Kiingi Tuheitia,” King Charles said in a statement.
“I had the greatest pleasure of knowing Kiingi Tuheitia for decades. He was deeply committed to forging a strong future for Maori and Aotearoa-New Zealand founded upon culture, traditions, and healing, which he carried out with wisdom and compassion,” he added, using the country’s Maori and English-language names.
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