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Maori leaders are speaking up for King Tuheitia
and the Kingitanga Movement.
The traditional welcome
for Prince William and his family onto Turangawaewae Marae
has been cancelled
due to the time constraints on such an event.
However, the pohiri was not only for Waikato-Tainui,
but for the country as a whole.
One of the main aims of Kingitanga is to maintain Maori traditions.
King Tuheitia felt welcoming the royals traditionally
would not have been achievable
within the 90-minute window they were offered.
It's degrading.
The King's staff tried to find some sort of middle ground.
They wanted to work out a way
that would be culturally suitable.
But to no avail.
Professor Ranginui Walker says
it's hard to put customs and protocols into timeframes.
We know the feast alone
would take an hour,
and the pohiri, another hour.
I think it's sad, as do others.
When Queen Elizabeth first visited Turangawaewae Marae in 1953,
she ended up staying longer than planned.
The Duke of Edinburgh suggested that they stay longer
and so they did.
That's a sign of a leader.
The planned welcome onto Turangawaewae
wasn't only for Waikato-Tainui,
but all the tribes of these islands.
Anzac Pikia, Te Karere.
We attempted to make contact
with King Tuheitia's office for comment,
but they have yet to reply.