Māori Queen emotionally gifted whale jawbone at Nelson marae

In her first official visit to the top of the South Island, Māori Queen Te Arikinui Kuini Nga wai hono i te po, was gifted a large whale jawbone, a taonga that brought her to tears.

It was the first time a Māori monarch has visited Te Tauihu since former Queen Dame Te Atairangikaahu, Te Arikinui's grandmother opened the Whakatū Marae wharekai, Mauriora, in 2005.

The Queen was welcomed onto the marae on Saturday by the eight iwi of Te Tauihu, with the event led by Tainui Waka iwi (Ngāti Koata, Ngāti Rārua and Ngāti Toa Rangatira).

The kaupapa of the event was to honour the late King Tūheitia and receive his kawe mate (mourning ceremony), alongside reaffirming the shared whakapapa and commitment between Te Tauihu and the Kiingitanga.

Te Arikinui and members of the Kingitanga and Waikato-Tainui iwi were addressed by representatives of each of the eight Te Tauihu iwi during a powhiri, the Queen joined in the whakangahau kapa haka and enjoyed a formal lunch that included crayfish, kina and creamed paua, before planting a tree on the marae grounds.

She was then presented with a long awaited gift - a whale's jawbone (kauae parāoa) and its teeth (niho) - in an emotional ceremony, nearly a decade after the whale washed ashore.

Barney Thomas, who represented the eight Te Tauihu iwi making the gift, said it was originally intended for Te Arikinui's grandmother, to acknowledge the support her grandmother, Dame Te Atairangikaahu, had shown Te Tauihu iwi, particularly in the establishment of Whakatū Marae.

The jawbone and teeth came from a bull sperm whale that washed up on Rabbit Island from Tasman Bay in 2016. It was more than 18 metres long and weighed between 60 and 70 tonnes.

Thomas said they named the whale Koro and had intended to present it to King Tūheitia before his death, but he had been too unwell to receive it.

The 4.2 metre jawbone and 48 teeth had been held in trust by the eight iwi since being removed from the whale and it symbolised the whakapapa ties between Te Tauihu and the Kingitanga.

Strengthening connections between Kingitanga and Te Tauihu

Waikato-Tainui leader Tuku Morgan said the visit to Whakatū Nelson marked the return to a place that had been very special for the family as the late Dame Te Atairangikaahu had sought refuge in Te Tauihu.

"This is a place where she came to talk to some very close friends, notwithstanding the fact that we are genealogically aligned to the tribes here in this region, the [former] Māori Queen found this a very special place."

"It's remarkable because it's nearly 30 years since the opening of the meeting house (Kaakati), it was opened by her grandmother and for her to retrace her steps come today is hugely important."

Morgan said it was difficult to find the appropriate words to explain exactly how Te Arikinui felt about the significance of the gift she had been presented with.

"These are things that actually come once in a generation, you don't see this kind of gift, this sort of taonga, given all that often."

He said it was also special that she had chosen to participate in kapa haka during the visit, which was not common.

"The fact that she got up on her feet and performed alongside her iwi is a clear indication that this hui at Te Tauihu is hugely important, it just connects us as a people, it's a celebration of who we are and she was moved by it."

Morgan said Te Arikinui supported Te Tauihu's bid to host Te Matatini in 2027 and had attended the two previous national kapa haka competitions hosted in Nelson, Te Mana Kuratahi in 2023 and Te Huinga Whetū in 2024.

Te Arikinui, who performed at Te Matatini herself, was a staunch supporter of kapa haka.

"It is the cultural showcase of this nation, it is the lifeblood of the Māori people. It is the heart and soul of who we are as a people and she's a total supporter of the cultural renaissance in this country and more especially, Te Matatini."

Morgan said it was more important than ever, for iwi to be united.

"Across this country, we are suffering the consequences of some some of the most racist policies by this government, hard-fought policies and laws that have been passed over time have been removed, got rid of, wiped out by this government. So, this is an important time for us to stand together, to work together not only politically but also economically."

Excitement for the royal visit in Whakatū, Nelson

Ngāti Kuia representative Tiana Alesana said there was much excitement among the many tamariki and rangatahi who had come from across the region to see the Queen, who they felt an affinity with given her youth and support of kapa haka.

"There's been this real resurgence of understanding of Māori, especially here in Te Tauihu among our tamariki. They know more than what I knew and what our kaumātua were able to know and I think all the generations know how special it is to be here and to look after our ariki for the day.

Alesana said Te Arikinui represented her father at the kapa haka primary school nationals in Nelson in 2023 and the secondary school nationals the following year, which meant she was recognisable by tamariki and rangatahi.

Then with her crowning and becoming Te Arikinui Kuini Ngā wai hono i te po, with social media, with the availability of live streaming of kaupapa, have this affinity to her already.

Te Ātiawa o te Waka-A-Maui chair Rachel Hāte said for some, it was a once in a lifetime event to host the Kiingitanga.

The iwi had hosted both King Tūhitea and Dame Te Atairangikaahu at Waikawa Marae in Picton and were now able to welcome Te Arikinui Kuini Nga wai hono i te po at Whakatū Marae in Nelson.

"Seeing our Queen rise up, stand and whakamana a kaikōrero on her side, for our babies to see that, that was huge."

Ngāti Tama ki Te Waipounamu associate trustee Daniel Solomon said the queen's visit had strengthened South Island iwi connections with the Kiingitanga.

"I have two young daughters and my oldest, she idolises the Queen and as a parent it's awesome to see someone of that standard for our people, being an icon and an example."

Ngāti Koata pou whakahaere (general manager) Turi Hippolite said the Queen's visit was a reminder of the importance of the strength of kotahitanga.

"From an iwi perspective where Māori are currently going through challenges, whether it be political or socially, but this visit here reminds us that with a bit of a kōtahitanga and that we can actually bind together and stay strong.

"It's significant that we can actually build that relationship with our Tainui cousins again, significant that our young people see the Queen and her readiness for our rangatahi to aspire to higher things."