Jamie Millar, from Hastings, with step grandson Cary Ray Munro, 2, at Cornwall park next to the freshly planted kahikatea tree and plaque marking the coronation of King Charles III. Photo / Paul Taylor
Jamie Millar, from Hastings, with step grandson Cary Ray Munro, 2, at Cornwall park next to the freshly planted kahikatea tree and plaque marking the coronation of King Charles III. Photo / Paul Taylor
The coronation of King Charles III has been marked by starkly contrasting events across Hawke’s Bay this weekend, with some planting trees while others are burning effigies.
Hastings District commemorated the coronation of King Charles III, with the planting of a kahikatea tree at Cornwall Park and a plaque unveiling.
The public ceremony took place on Sunday morning at Cornwall Park, where the Coronation Fountain was installed to mark the coronation of King George V in 1911.
Hastings mayor Sandra Hazlehurst said both the tree and plaque would serve as a lasting reminder of the historic event and as a symbol of our country’s ongoing relationship with the monarchy.
“While the royal oak has been the tree traditionally planted for such occasions, for this we have turned to our own native kahikatea – the tree that built the township of Hastings from 1873, and a symbol of whanaungatanga; relationships and partnerships within te ao Māori,” Hazlehurst said.
“This year we also acknowledge the 150th anniversary of the naming of Hastings, and this will add to the names and associations of our Kings and Queens that are etched into the fabric of our district.
The plaque reads “This tree was planted to mark the Coronation of His Majesty Charles III, King of New Zealand, on 6 May 2023 - Māku te ra e tō ana; kei a koe te urunga ake o te rā.”
The whakataukī (proverb) is translated as “Let mine be the setting sun; yours is the dawning of a new day,” speaking of the natural cycles of life and wisdom from a te ao Māori perspective.
In starkly republican contrast to the council’s commemoration, an effigy of the newly crowned monarch was burned in a bonfire on the beach between Awatoto and the Napier CBD on Saturday night.
An effigy of King Charles III was burnt on Napier's beachfront on Saturday evening in an event organised by "Loca Cola, a collection of Loose Artists". Photo / Loca Cola
The organisers, a group calling themselves “Loca Cola, a collection of Loose Artists”, circulated a poster prior to the event that read: “If royalty makes you spew, we’ve got an event for you! Up Chuck!”
A spokesperson for the group said the event was a “friendly, fiery success,” with tourists, family groups and fire artists enjoying barbecues, marshmallows and even football with a burning ball.
“We don’t know if King Charles will get to hear of our wee protest but regardless, his ears were burning,” the spokesperson said.
“Not everyone there was a hardline republican but there was general agreement on the night that there is one true king, and that’s Elvis Presley.”
