Britain’s King Charles III has paid a moving tribute to the late Maori King Kiingi Tuheitia, who has died at age 69. Reports indicate that Tuheitia died peacefully and surrounded by loved ones after undergoing heart surgery. King Charles issued a statement saying that he and his wife Camilla were “profoundly saddened to learn of the death of Kiingi Tuheitia.” Charles stated that he had the “great pleasure” of knowing the Maori king for decades and that he was deeply committed to securing a strong future for New Zealand’s Maori population and the preservation of their culture and traditions.
Born in 1955, Tuheitia rose to the Indigenous Maori throne following his mother’s death in 2006. Queen Te Arikinui Dame Te Atairangikaahu led the Maori population of New Zealand for 40 years—longer than any other leader. The King’s successor will be chosen by senior figures in the Maori movement, known as the Kiingitanga.
Former New Zealand Prime Minister Dame Jacinda Ardern joined with current Prime Minister Christopher Luxon to pay tribute to Tuheitia. Mr. Luxon said King Kiingi Tuheitia and his “commitment to his people” had left an “indelible mark” on New Zealand. Ms. Ardern described him as a leader who fought for “fairness, justice, and prosperity.”
The indigenous Maori people make up around 20% of New Zealand’s population. The first Europeans arrived in the country in 1642, and thousands more in the centuries that followed. In his records, Britain’s Captain James Cook, who landed in New Zealand in 1769, specifically noted the intelligence of the Maori people. Relations between the indigenous population and European settlers were initially peaceful until Britain took full control of New Zealand’s islands in the 1840s, prompting a backlash and the growth of the Maori King Movement.
Today, 33 Maori lawmakers sit in the New Zealand Parliament—approximately 27% of the total. Protests erupted last year when a new right-leaning government pledged to roll back the promotion of Maori traditions and initiate a single cultural approach. Lawmaker David Seymour stated that New Zealand cannot be a country where people receive different treatment from the state, dependent upon their ancestry.
