Prime Minister Mark Brown arrived at Tūrangawaewae Marae yesterday for the tangihanga (tangi) of Kīngi Tūheitia Pōtatau Te Wherowhero VII, the seventh Māori king, and to pay his respect to the Kīngitanga.

Kiingi Tūheitia died at the age of 69 last week.

PM Brown was surrounded by a Cook Islands delegations including Te Kaumaiti Nui Tou Travel Ariki, Pa Marie Upokotini o Vaka Takitumu, Julian Aupini – Te Ao Marama Va’a Tuatua no te Ui Ariki o Mitiaro, former prime minister Henry Puna and his wife Akaiti Puna MP for Manihiki, Cook Islands High Commissioner to New Zealand Kairangi Samuela, Cook Islands Consul General Keu Mataroa, Caren Rangi and Rosie Blake.

Kaumaiti Nui, Tou Ariki will be staying in Aotearoa for the burial on Thursday (NZ time).

Kīngi Tūheitia’s successor is expected to be announced on Thursday (NZT).

In a statement, PM Brown stated: “Kia Orana tatou katoatoa i te aroa maata o te Atua – kia akameitaki ia aia no tona au takinga meitaki ia tatou i te au ‘atianga ravarai.”

“Ko matou teia, mei Avaiki tautau, Avaiki Raro, mei te enua o Aitutaki, te anau a te Kūki ʻĀirani.

“Nga tango e toru o te basileia kua takai mai ki te marae ko Tūrangawaewae. To te enua, to te evangelia, e to te ture.

“Nga pare ariki tei rangatira i to matou vaka i teia ra - Te Kau Maiti Nui, Tou Ariki o Nukuroa Enua, Pa Upokotini o Vaka Takitumu, Te Peremie akangaroi “Enere Puna e te tokorua, te Mema Paramani o Manihiki, Nga orometua ngateitei i rotopu ia matou.

“E to matou waka tangata, tei tae mai ki Tūrangawaewae i teia ra – pera ratou e no’o maira i te enua o te ipukarea, e takapini uake i teia ao.

“Mei Tumutevarovaro, mei Nukuroa, mei Te Fuinga o Niva, mei Araura, mei Au’au, mei Enuamanu, mei Akatokamanava, mei Tongareva, mei Te Ulu o te Watu, mei Tapua’hua, mei Pamati.

“Mei to Paihia i tokerau o te motu e tae uatu ki Waihopai i te Tonga o te motu.

“Teia matou te tuakana, teia matou te matakeinanga, ei akapuma’ana no to tatou tumatetenga i te takoto’anga o Te Kīngi Tūheitia…

“Ko taua araveianga o te au Peremia  i te to’ora, e akamaara’anga teia na Te Kiingi Tuhetia kia akara tatou ki te piri’a-rangi – kia anga’anga kapiti tatou, na te vaerua kotahitanga.

“Ko taku ka ma’ara ua rai i Te Kīngi Tūheitia – e tangata vaerua ta’aka’aka, e tangata vaerua maru, tei irinaki pakari e me taokotai tatou iti tangata Māori, iti tangata o Te Moana Nui a Kiva, te tangata whenua o Aotearoa e to te ao katoa, ka rangatira ta tatou tamariki no te au tuatau ki mua.

“Kua moe Te Kīngi Tūheita – kia tatou e vai – ka tu, e ara, ka rave.

“Ariki mai i teia taonga na te anau a Te Kuki Airani ei tauturu i to tatou tumatetenga.

“No reira waka Waikato-Tainui waka, Te Kiingitanga whanui, me nga whanaunga Māori hurinoa i te motu, tena kotou.

“Tena tatou e tangi nei mo to tatou Arikinui e takoto mai nei.

“Ka nui te aroha, me te pouri.

“E te Ariki Tūheitia, haere.

“Haere kia ratou ma, o tuupuna kua wheturangihia.

“Moe mai, moe mai, moe mai i roto i te Atua.”