150th Anniversary of the Maori King Movement.
Faith, Love & Law.
The Māori King Movement or Kīngitanga is a movement that arose among some Māori tribes in the 1850s to establish a symbolic role similar in status to that of the monarch of the British colonists. The position of a Māori monarch is a non-constitutional role with no legal power but it is a symbolic role of great prestige (mana). Since the 1850s the role has been vested in the Tainui iwi (tribe), centred in the Waikato region, who agreed to guard the position when it was created. The current Māori monarch, Tuheitia Paki, is descended from the first Māori king, Pōtatau Te Wherowhero, and was elected in 2006. His official residence is Turongo House at Turangawaewae Marae in the town of Ngaruawahia.
Since it was established, the Kīngitanga movement and influence has expanded and now is recognised and respected by Māori in many parts of New Zealand today. Some iwi such the Ngapuhi iwi of Northland are strongly against the Maori king movement and find the use of the name "Maori King" offensive.
While the Maori King has no direct connection with the New Zealand Government regarding the legal decision-making process, he/she is often consulted and advice taken on matters concerning Maori. It is also usual, but a tradition of respect rather than set in law, that the British monarch and the Maori monarch will meet if they are in the same country.
The position of Māori monarch is not hereditary in principle. The monarch is appointed by the leaders of the tribes involved in the Kīngitanga movement on the day of the previous monarch’s funeral and before the burial. However, to date, all Māori monarchs have been direct descendants of Pōtatau Te Wherowhero, the first Māori king, and each monarch has been succeeded by a son or daughter.
This position has been held by Pōtatau, Māori King (1856 – 1860); Tāwhiao, Māori King (1860 – 1894); Mahuta, Māori King (1894 – 1912); Te Rata, Māori King (1912 – 1933); Korokī, Māori King (1933 – 1966); Dame Te Atairangikaahu, Māori Queen (1966 – 2006); Tuheitia Paki, Māori King (2006 – ).
The Stamps.
In June 1858 at Ngāruawāhia, during the coronation of Pōtatau Te Wherowhero as the first Māori King, Te Heuheu of Tūwharetoa uttered “Pōtatau, on this day you are the King for the Māori people. You are one with Queen Victoria, the teachings of Christianity will guide and foster you, and the law of the land will guide your journey forever”. Pōtatau replied, “There is but one eye of the needle through which the strands (of humanity) must pass. The strand of white, the strand of black and the red strand. After me, hold fast to love, the law and faith.” This is the idea behind the artwork of each of these stamps.
Single 50c 'Miro Whero, Miro Mā, Miro Pango.'
Kotahi anō te kōhao o te ngira e kuhu ai te miro whero, te miro mā, te miro pango. In his speech of acceptance Pōtatau Te Wherowhero stressed the spirit of unity symbolised by the kingship, likening his position to the 'eye of the needle through which the white, black and red threads must pass'. The design above does show the three coloured threads passing through a brown needle.
Single $1.50 'He Piko He Taniwha.'
Ko Taupiri te maunga, ko Pōtatau Te Wherowhero te tangata, Waikato taniwha rau, he piko he taniwha, he piko he taniwha. Taupiri is the mountain, Pōtatatau Te Wherowhero is the man, Waikato of a hundred taniwha, at every bend a chief can be found. The silver is the bend in the river, against this is the brown of the chiefs and taniwha.
I muri au kia mau ki te whakapono, ki te aroha, ki te ture. Hei aha te aha. Hei aha te aha. After I am gone, hold fast to faith, hold fast to love, hold fast to the law. Nothing else matters now nothing.
I think this is the most interesting of these artworks. You look at the various shapes, trying to fit them together in your mind and then you read the caption and learn that the three arms represent the three most important things, faith, love and law. Well done! I would like to see this if it open to the public for viewing.
First Day Cover - 2 May 2008.
The whāriki (woven mat) image used on the first-day cover represents the act of giving and gifting. The woven pattern of the whāriki (taki toru) has many meanings to followers of the Kīngitanga movement. Unfortunately, this full impact of this pattern has been lost in this image.
NGĀ POU O PŌTATAU
The images used in this stamp series were sourced from the collection of major artworks by Fred Graham called Ngā Pou o Pōtatau that were acquired by the Waikato Raupatu Lands Trust in perpetuity for Tainui Iwi. The collection is a significant celebration of the Kīngitanga movement and speaks also of the richness of whakapapa, history, symbolism and metaphor. Pōtatau Te Wherowhero, the first Māori King, was a pivotal figure in binding past and future visions – as represented in the artworks.
This special stamp series depicted three significant works within the collection that are linked with the first King. These pieces are based on three well-known whakatauākī (proverbs) that Pōtatau is strongly identified with and continue to have relevance to followers of the Kīngitanga movement today.
Acclaimed Māori contemporary sculptor, Fred Graham, is Ngāti Koroki, Ngāti Kahukura and Ngāti Raukawa. He was born in Arapuni in 1928 and began his career in carving under master carver Pine Taiapa. Later, he was one of a group of Māori artists including Ralph Hotere, Arnold Wilson and Para Matchitt who were trained by Gordon Tovey as national art specialists for the Department of Education during the 1950s.
Fred Graham's artwork is also featured on the stamp, $2.00 "The separation of Rangi and Papa," found in our post on the 2014 Matariki issue 2014 Matariki - Papatuanuku and Ranginui.
Technical information
| Date of issue: |
2 May 2008 |
| Number of stamps: |
Three gummed stamps |
| Denominations and designs: |
50c, $1.50, $2.50 |
| Stamps and first day cover designed by: |
Len Hetet – Ocean 64 Ltd, Wellington, New Zealand |
| Printer and process: |
Southern Colour Print Ltd - by offset lithography |
| Number of colours: |
Four process colours + one special colour (silver) |
| Stamp size and format: |
40mm x 30mm - 50c and $1.50 (vertical), $2.50 (horizontal) |
| Paper type: |
Tullis Russell 104gsm red phosphor gummed stamp paper |
| Number of stamps per sheet: |
25 |
| Perforation gauge: |
14 x 14 |
| Special blocks: |
Plate/imprint blocks could be obtained by purchasing at least six stamps for a sheet. Barcode blocks were available in both A and B formats. |
| Period of sale: |
These stamps remained on sale until 1 May 2009. |
Some of the images in this post were used with permission from the illustrated catalogue of StampsNZ
Information for this post came from.
Here is a interesting post. I didn't really know about the Maori King.
ReplyDeleteKia ora Allan,
ReplyDeleteI have found your post above and found it of interest. Being from a iwi (tribe) from Northland and my late husband's iwi in the East Coast, I have not followed the King movement. I am pleased that while giving a good account of this movement's goals and ideals, you have stated that this "King" is not recognised by all Maori.
That aside, the post is another good one. Good details, nicely laid out and you allowed some of yourself to appear too. I have always said that while reading of the subject of these stamps, no matter what their subject, that you as the writer of this page should be seen as well.
Again I thank you,
Moa (real name withheld.)
Allan & Moa.
ReplyDeleteI have enjoyed these posts on Maori items and ideas up until this point, but this one confuses me.
I wonder what value this Maori King idea gives to the greater Maoridom when the King only represents some of the iwi. What about all the other iwi. Do they have Kings or leaders. Can they unit in times of need or do they remain separate?
Anne.