Maori King, Kiingi Tuheitia, arriving at Huria Marae to pay his respects to Dr Morehu Ngatoko Rahipere. Photo/George Novak
Maori King, Kiingi Tuheitia, arriving at Huria Marae to pay his respects to Dr Morehu Ngatoko Rahipere. Photo/George Novak
The Māori King has been welcomed on to Tauranga's Huria Marae with a moving haka powhiri.
Maori King, Kiingi Tuheitia, arriving at Huria Marae to pay his respects to Dr Morehu Ngatoko Rahipere. Photo/George Novak
Kiingi Tuheitia spent yesterday at the marae in Judea to pay respects to Dr Morehu Ngatoko Rahipere, leader and elder of Ngāti Ranginui, who passed away on Tuesday.
Dr Ngatoko Rahipere was brought toHuria Marae yesterday morning where he would lay in state until his funeral service on Friday, before being taken to his final resting place at Motuōpae.
Pou Pihama, 13, welcomes the Maori King, Kiingi Tuheitia, arriving at Huria Marae to pay his respects to Dr Morehu Ngatoko Rahipere. Photo/George Novak
The haka powhiri was performed by local men and students from Tauranga Boys' College. Students from Tauranga Girls' College and Te Wharekura o Mauao were also present.
Kingitanga spokesperson Rahui Papa said Dr Ngatoko Rahipere had been a caretaker for the Poukai, an annual series of visits by the Māori King, for more than 50 years.
"The Kingitanga (the Māori King movement) has a very strong relationship with Tauranga Moana and Morehu was part and parcel of that relationship," he said.
A spokesperson for Dr Ngatoko Rahipere's family, Charlie Rahiri, expected thousands of people to visit the marae over the next two days.
