A Hole In The River
The Māori Queen's arrival and the absent King of K-Pop.
There's a hole in the river where her memory lies
From the land of the living to the air and sky
She was coming to see him, but something changed her mind
Drove her down to the river
There is no return
Songwriters: Neil Finn/Eddie Rayner
The king is dead; long live the queen!
Yesterday was a momentous day as Aotearoa farewelled the late King Tuheitia. An event unlike the historic milestones we see overseas involving kings and queens, presidents and prime ministers.
The pageantry rich with tradition, the ceremony rare and yet somehow familiar. It was different, though, because it was ours. Whether Māori or Pakeha, we know the landscapes, the river, and the mountains. The people are so clearly ‘us’.
I watched the television coverage as the crowd swayed and sang in unison and felt overwhelmed with emotion.
The contrast between this gathering of so many in love and respect with the sorry racism of our government felt too much. The chasm in dignity between the people and the small-minded populism we see from the coalition felt immense.
Events were reaching fever pitch, and there was an incredible intensity of emotion as the party containing the new monarch was welcomed so ferociously. Then there she was, calm at the centre of the maelstrom, the new monarch, the Queen.
The faces on the screen nodding, smiling, some with tears. That emotion that had reached an almost unbearable tension evaporated into waves of positivity until the new ruler sat beside her father, and there was silence. Then a voice, “Queenie”.
The disgust I’d felt gave way to a sense of hope. This young woman was the future, not the desires of those who wish to return to a time when their own privilege was unquestioned.
It was a stunning day with blue skies and sunshine to greet the mourners arriving in their thousands in cars, some on horseback, to the marae or to line the streets and bridges for a glimpse of the King on his final voyage.
I don’t know what it was like elsewhere, but the coverage from TVNZ was outstanding. I was struck by Maiki Sherman speaking te Reo so beautifully, and how sad it was that this was the first time I could recall hearing it.
It made me angry to think here is this intelligent young Māori reporter who can be so very good and yet often seems constrained on the evening news as to what she can say and how she can say it. Can’t have that switchboard lighting up to the horror of the pearl clutchers who expect TV1 to dilute news that makes their party look bad.
My friend Lathee commented, “Towards the end of the news I saw the four TV reporters. Two of them spoke Māori as well as the woman who did the news tonight. I was crying because it reminded me of that saying, something like ‘no power on earth can stop an idea whose time has come’.
The government can do its darndest to stop te reo and Maori progress, but change is happening. The young want an NZ culture that pays homage to two strong and quite different cultures, and that is NZ’s future. Even if I won’t see that, my grandchildren will.”
If you missed the coverage yesterday, you can check out the offering from Stuff here:
Inevitably some saw the announcement, as they have the events of the last week, as an opportunity to post things mocking and belittling, unable to share in the joy and sorrow of those watching. Their emotions undeveloped beyond hate and anger.
In response to my tweets on the announcement of the new monarch and the events of the day, those devoid of empathy or decorum vented their impotent fury.
David messaged me, “I can hardly believe some of the comments on Twitter to your post about the new Queen. These people are off the charts, racists and misogynists to the core. Twitter has become an appalling place for people to attack other people and get away with it.”
I replied, “I hadn’t even looked, I don’t really read the comments on Twitter. Will have to see if any are worth writing about.”
Having looked at them, I’m not going to share them; they aren’t worthy of your attention. Although apparently, people like Chris Penk and Paula Bennett, who follow many of the most abusive accounts, find them irresistible.
Outside of Twitter, in the Guardian, Annette Sykes said of the new Queen, “She’s inspiring, the revitalisation and reclamation of our language has been a 40 year journey for most of us and she epitomises that, it is her first language, she speaks it with ease. Political, economic and social wellbeing for our people is at the heart of what she wants and in many ways she is like her grandmother, who was adored by the nation.”
“We’ve all watched her grow up, she’s very humble, I’ve watched her mature into this woman who has this thirst for authentic knowledge and brings this into the modern world. She’s someone who wears Gucci, and she wears moko kauae. She is leading us into uncharted and turbulent waters, and she will do it with aplomb.”
What footsteps she follows from her father and grandmother. Their example of humble leadership and a desire to bring people together. I feel tremendously optimistic that Queen Nga Wai Hono i te po Paki will follow them in that and provide leadership to her people at a time when Aotearoa cries out for a leader to unite us.
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Where in the world is Christopher Luxon?
It seems that every time something important happens, our Prime Minister is nowhere to be seen. He’s off overseas, doing god knows what, shaking the hands of bewildered leaders who wonder why he’s there and why he has so little awareness of personal space. Leave room for the Holy Ghost there, Christopher.
At other times, when bugger all is going on, well, he’s overseas then too. What the heck is going on Flaky Lux? Did your Platinum status lapse when you left Air NZ, and are you now trying to get it back?
Luxon met with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol.
Yoon graciously said, “NZ is a long-standing friendly nation that fought alongside us in the Korean War, and the noble sacrifices of New Zealand veterans became the cornerstone of South Korea’s development.”
Luxon replied that Korea “is a country best known to NZers for the energy and creativity of your K-pop and your TV shows.”
This would have been cringe-inducing if it were anyone else; however, given Luxon’s propensity for embarrassing clangers, it barely registered a blip. Personally, I was surprised to learn that the PM was such a K-Pop fanboy, although I guess it fits with the whole TikTok persona.
But surely he was being modest. Isn’t there something else timely that we know about South Korea, Prime Minister?
A certain company that makes ferries? You know, like the ones that Nicola Willis cancelled with a couple of texts saying…
11:07am This is Nicola Willis, Finance Minister extra ordinary, pls cancel NZ’s ferry order. Got anything cheaper?
11:16am Flag it. I’m going with a second-hand Corolla. Got it cheap from Bish. I’ll send the boss to smooth the waves. Let’s call it even.
Remember that South Korea, Christopher? Might pay to apologise to them while you’re there, and if we’re talking about things you should be sorry for - how about this little beauty that happened in your absence, but also in your name.
It was one of many attacks by this coalition on Māori, with more seemingly being announced every week.
Christopher Luxon - you have earned the right to rule this country and a pretty penny you’ve paid on our behalf to minor parties with fringe desires for the opportunity to put yourself upon that throne.
It’s time to stop telling us who you are and instead listen to who we are.
But that isn’t leadership. You cannot lead this country with any moral authority or support from a large part of the population - many more than will ever support Seymour, the snake who tempts you with the fruits of populism. Not while you support that Treaty Principles Bill to its first reading.
You cannot lead Aotearoa and support that, no matter how expedient it is. It’s time to come home from all these pointless big-noting trips and put aside the silly act with the TikToks and cringe-inducing jokes as if you’re some sort of less relatable David Brent.
It’s time to talk to your people. Do you remember them? It’s time to stop telling us who you are and instead listen to who we are.
Listen. This country cries out for you to stop.
Watching the Kings tangi, was for me, a sight to behold. Those mobilized to travel in great numbers to tautoko the Kaupapa. The amazing orators, the theater, the whakapapa (genealogy) of how we link each to the other, the history, the humour. The words of support from indigenous nations, for Maori to continue to be Maori, while being closely watched by other indigenous nations. That Tuheitias whanau and Tainui allowed cameras to record and share, tena koutou katoa... Watching TPMs youngest MP, share her thoughts of Tuheitia, when she asked him what she can bring to the movement. He told her to just be herself. To see the iwi that I connect to, arrive in six coaches. The thousands who turned up. Then the arrival of the new Kuini, walking in with her whanau and supporters. Described by one reporter, that while there is a figurehead, it is a movement of people. I have great faith in the new leader, as Hana Maipi Clarke said on her elevation to Parliament. The Kohanga generation is here. Its taken a few years. of chipping away, and finally that voice is here. Meanwhile as a lone independent, I took time out to take myself off to the local Council meeting to give my support for the retaining of Maori wards. A new arrival to the little town, knowing very few here, but also knowing that every voice matters. To speak on behalf of all my moko.
While waiting for the meeting proper to start, a large group of young primary aged children stood up, and sang a waiata.
A couple in the front seats stood up, looked around, and waved an open hand of dismissal and disrespect towards the young group, phhttt! and walked out. I thought to myself, yes, and thats the actions of those opposed to change, for equity, for equality and fairness. It strengthened my resolve to be brave and have the courage to voice my opinion. Adding to my korero, of the encouragement from Turangawaewae and the Kings words, of Kotahitanga, Unity.
Excellent korero re the Maori Queen - she is the face of the inspirational change that we want to see in Aotearoa New Zealand. She will lead and unite. If you are expecting Luxon to lead and unite - he won’t! Luxon and Seymour are both Atlas Network aligned as are many ministers across National and ACT. So it’s not the tail (ACT) wagging the dog (National) it’s the tail and the dog wagging together. The only out is to throw National
and ACT out of Govt plus NZ First in 2026!