The Maori of New Zealand have chosen a new monarch named Nga Wai Hono i te Po, a 27-year-old queen, following the death of the previous king, Kiingi Tuheitia. Nga Wai Hono i te Po is the eighth Maori monarch and the second woman to hold the position. The role was established in 1858 to unite the tribes as European settlers arrived. The new queen was selected by Maori leaders and introduced in a ceremony attended by thousands. This development comes at a time when some of the Maori’s rights have been rolled back. The new queen has previously expressed conflicting feelings about meeting the royalty from the country that invaded and colonized her people’s land. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon of New Zealand has welcomed the new queen in a social media post.
