New Māori Queen Crowned in New Zealand

On the 27th of October 2023, Nway Hono was crowned as the new Māori Queen of New Zealand after the death of her father, King Toitia, who passed away at the age of 69. Her selection was made by the Council of New Zealand's indigenous Māori chiefs, marking the start of her role just before the state funeral for King Toitia. The newly crowned Queen sat near her father's coffin during the ceremonial rites, clad in traditional Māori attire that included a headdress of leaves, a cloak, and a well backbone necklace. Following the six-day period of the king's body lying in state, the funeral procession took his body along the river of Mount Taranaki. A group of rugby players participated in carrying King Toitia's coffin to the summit for burial beside previous Māori monarchs. Nway Hono holds a master’s degree in Māori cultural studies and is only the second Māori Queen, carrying a role that, while ceremonial and without legal status, holds significant cultural importance for the Māori community, reinforcing traditions and identity among the indigenous Māori people, who constitute about 17.7% of New Zealand's population.