Arikinui Ngawai hono i te po steps to be the patron of the national Kohanga Reo a position held by her grandmother Te Ata i Rangikaahu and her father Tuheitia. With us this morning we have the Co-Chair of Te Kōhanga Reo National Trust Raniera Proctor. When the Kōhanga Reo movement was born in 1982, it was more than a response to declining language fluency-it was a spiritual and cultural resurgence grounded in whakapapa, identity, and tino rangatiratanga. Among the movement’s staunchest early supporters and protectors was Te Arikinui Dame Te Atairangikaahu, the Māori Queen, whose leadership provided vital strength, mana, and visibility to one of Aotearoa’s most transformative Māori-led initiatives.
In 2024, Ngā Wai Hono i te Pō ascended as the eighth Māori monarch, succeeding her late father, King Tuheitia. She became one of the youngest Māori monarchs, chosen for her whakapapa, linguistic fluency, and strong leadership qualities-particularly among kaumātua who uphold te reo Māori and cultural revival.
Since her coronation, Kuīni Ngā Wai Hono i te Pō has continued her advocacy by:
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Participating in board meetings of the Kōhanga Reo National Trust, helping shape policy and governance .
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Acting as a patron and public advocate for te reo Māori education and kōhanga reo kaupapa across Aotearoa.
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Representing the movement at national hui, including large-scale Treaty protests, where her presence alongside iwi and whenua communities underscores her commitment to language and cultural autonomy
