| Tuheitia Paki | |
|---|---|
| Māori King | |
| Reign | 21 August 2006 – present |
| Coronation | 21 August 2006 |
| Full name | Tuheitia Paki |
| Born | 21 April 1955 |
| Birthplace | Huntly |
| Predecessor | Te Arikinui Dame Te Atairangikaahu |
| Consort | Te Atawhai |
| Offspring | Whatumoana Korotangi Ngawaihono |
| Royal House | Te Wherowhero |
| Father | Whatumoana Paki |
| Mother | Te Arikinui Dame Te Atairangikaahu |
Tuheitia Paki, or Te Arikinui Kiingi Tuheitia GCOCT, KCLJ, OStJ. (born 21 April 1955) is the current Māori King in New Zealand. He is the eldest son of the previous Māori monarch, Dame Te Atairangikaahu, and was announced as her successor and crowned on the same day as her tangihanga (funeral rites) took place, on 21 August 2006.
He was educated at Rakaumanga School in Huntly, Southwell School in Hamilton and St Stephen's College in Bombay.
On 27 November 2007, he was appointed an Officer of the Order of St John,[1].http://www.stjohn.org.nz/news/article.aspx?docid=102944 He was appointed to Grand Cross of the Order of the Crown of Tonga during the coronation ceremonies of King Siaosi V Of Tonga. http://www.royalark.net/Tonga/tongders.htm In 2010 he was appointed Knight Commander of the Order of St. Lazarus of Jerusalem. http://stlazarus.org.nz/media/yearbook_2010-11.pdf
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Tuheitia Paki's father, the late Whatumoana Paki, and his mother, the late Te Arikinui Dame Te Atairangikaahu, married in 1952. He is married to Te Atawhai and has three children: Whatumoana, Korotangi, and Ngawai Hono I Te Po.[2] He has five sisters and one brother: Heeni Katipa (née Paki) Tomairangi Paki, Mihi ki te ao Paki, Kiki Soloman (née Paki), Manawa Clarkson (née Paki) and lastly his younger brother Maharaia Paki. After Paki's assent to the throne, Te Atawhai was appointed patroness of the Māori Women's Welfare League in 2007.[3]
In 2011 Korotangi Paki, Tuheitia's middle child and youngest son was involved in a car accident after which he was charged with boy racer charges.[4][5]
Prior to becoming King, he was the Tainui Cultural Advisor to Te Wānanga o Aotearoa at Huntly.
He only speaks publicly once a year, at the annual celebrations in Ngaruawahia of his coronation.[6] Since ascending to the throne official duties include:
In March 2010, the King threatened to abdicate his title if tribal members "do not fall back into line."[10] He made the announcement after members of the tribe's parliament, Te Kauhanganui, questioned his use of tribal funds and his choice of company directors.[11] His office denied that he mentioned abdication.[12] At the heart of the allegations is the spending of Paki's office which has risen to an annual $1.2 million compared to $250,000 under his mother, with much of the spending going on travel.[13] The funds are provided by Tainui, which has assets worth more than $600 million.[14]
In December 2010 he attempted to sack the Te Kauhanganui chairperson Tania Martin, Hiiona Marae's elected representative on Te Kauhanganui in connection with a report which she tabled detailing financial issues,[15] however, the constitutional rules of Tainui's Parliament only allow for Te Kauhanganui itself to elect or remove its chairperson. As of January 2011, Mrs Martin remains the chairperson of Te Kauhanganui, having been reaffirmed by a vote.[16][17]
In March 2011, issues arose over travel expenses for Te Makau Ariki Atawhai and Te Ariki Tamaroa Whatumoana, Paki's consort and son.[18]
In June 2011, David Rankin of the Ngāpuhi iwi attacked both Paki and the Governments' use of the term Māori King to describe him, saying that not only had tribes such as Ngāpuhi never supported the kingitanga movement, but that Paki didn't even speak te reo Māori.[19]
| Māori Monarchy | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Te Atairangikaahu |
Māori Monarch 2006 –present |
Succeeded by Incumbent |
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