23 JULY 1931 – 15 AUGUST 2006

HRH Princess Salote Mafileo Pilolevu and Hon. Tuita, Minister of Lands, Survey and Natural Resources and delegation pays respect to the Maori Queen Te Arikinui Dame Te Atairangikaahu at the Turangawaewae marae, on Saturday 19 August 2006.

The matapule in attendance, Reverend Kilifi Heimuli spoke on behalf of the royalties and Tonga. The matapule spoke in fluent Maori, of the late Maori Queen likened to the Pohotukawa tree, a rare native kiwi tree, implied to arikinui and achievements.

The late Maori Queen Te Arikinui Dame Te Atairangika’ahu, 23 July 1931 – 15 August 2006, shared with Queen Halaevalu Mata’aho’s Eightieth birthday in Atalanga, Auckland in May 2006. Throughout her reign the Maori Queen consistently visited Tonga and on one occasion named a house, paihere, good luck.

The late Maori Queen maintained very close ties with pacific nations, and on her burial, representatives from the Queen of Great Britain, Cooks, Fiji, French Polynesia, Hawaii, Samoa, former governor generals, former prime ministers, attended the funeral service and burial.

During the funeral service of the late Maori Queen, the new Maori King Tuihetia was crowned. King Tuihetia is the eldest male son of the late Queen and Hon. Whatumoana Paki.

Along the Waikato River banks the Tainui and many others lined from Mahinarangi to Maunga Taupiri. They stood to pay respects to their Queen on its last journey to the resting place of the Tainui, high on Taupiri Mountains, to the heavens.

Forty years ago when the young princess was crowned The Maori Queen, it was thought that the Kiwitanga movement was incomplete. Forty years later her achievements of working in a stable relationship with the New Zealand government, retaining ties with pacific island nations, educating her people, promoting peace, providing spiritual guidance, contributed to the rise, growth and success of Maoridom.