Kiingi Tuheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero VII died, aged 69, on August 30 and was laid to rest following his tangi at Tūrangawaewae Marae yesterday.
Tekau-maa-rua, the Kiingitanga advisory council, chose his youngest child and only daughter, 27-year-old Kuini Nga Wai Hono i te Po, to succeed him.
Te Rūnanga o Ōtākou upoko Edward Ellison, who attended the tangi, described Kiingi Tuheitia as "a quietly spoken man" who did much to bring Māori together under the cloak of kotahitanga (unity).
However, it was still too early to know whether the new Māori Queen’s leadership style would be similar, he said.
"She will have been brought up in that environment and seen her father and the Tainui Maniapoto — how they function — so she’s likely steeped in the culture and ways."
"And then, of course, the wraparound support that Tainui Maniapoto will put around the new Queen will be as superlative as it was for Kiingi Tuheitia," Mr Ellison said.
"So I think there is every chance that she will be given the opportunity to grow into the role, just as her father did."
He looked forward to seeing what her leadership style would look like.
"Since the ascension of Pootatau, each generation has faced challenges and threats to the survival of our culture and language.
"Our tīpuna’s actions have helped ensure not just the survival of Māoridom but its revitalisation today.
"Her ascension now places the responsibility on us to continue that journey, to honour their sacrifices and pass on a bicultural Aotearoa that they could have only dreamed of."
Kiingi Tuheitia was a "unifying figure" and he believed the Queen would do the same, while bringing a balanced approach to understanding both sides of the argument, he said.
"Although I see them as similar, like any passing of the torch, she will bring her own style of leadership.
"She will bring not just the lessons learned at her father’s side, but also an understanding of the challenges we face in an era of uncertainty and misinformation, in a way that only someone brought up in the digital age could.
"Looking forward, I am confident that the Kiingitanga is in good hands."
Mr Ellison said Kiingi Tuheitia’s tangi was "a momentous occasion", and the atmosphere was much like the man himself — "very calm and peaceful".
"The marae has been superlative, in terms of manaakitanga, considering the thousands of people who have come through here each day.
"It was a marvellous send off and tribute to Kiingi Tuheitia — it was befitting a king.
"The Tainui people conduct themselves with quiet humility, and they are very gracious to their guests.
"He reflected them and they reflected him," Mr Ellison said.
There had been a lot of tears, but also a lot of good memories shared at the tangi.
"There were a lot of memories of Kiingi Tuheitia and his various roles, particularly around his kotahitanga ethos towards his iwi and other iwi and the nation ... It was recognition of his importance to that.
"We saw people from all arcs of the community here, besides iwi."
Mr Cromb said while there were feelings of loss and sorrow at the loss of a leader with great mana, there was also a sense of pride for the legacy that Kiingi Tuheitia left behind, and the history of the moment.
"The livestreams and photos showed such an outpouring of emotion from all those in attendance, which highlighted just how much he meant to the people and the movement itself."
