ASHLEIGH PUTT-FALLOWS (SHE/HER) | NGĀTI WHĀTUA, NGĀPUHI, TŪHOE
Kiingi Tuheitia death - 29th August 2024
Kiingi Tuheitia has died at age 69, just days after his coronation anniversary. He passed away peacefully following heart surgery, surrounded by family. A leader of Māori issues, Tuheitia will lie in state at Tuurangawaewae Marae before being laid to rest at Taupiri Mountain. Many have gathered at Tuurangawaewae for the tangihanga of kiingi, including government officials from Aotearoa and across the Pacific, Tame iti and Dame Cindy Kiro, Iwi leaders and representatives and of course Māori and whanau from around Aotearoa. Many iwi have given acknowledgement to kiingi, his contribution and mahi and all government flags were flown at half-mast to acknowledge his death.
Kuiini Nga Wai Hono i te Po Paki succeeds her father
On Thursday 5th of September we saw Rā nehu of Kiingi Tuheitia and Te Whakawahinga, the rising up of a new Māori Monarch. Nga Wai Hono i te Po Paki has succeeded her father, Kiingi Tuheitia, as the eighth leader of the Kiingitanga. Affirmed by iwi leaders, Nga Wai bypassed her older siblings for the role. During the sacred Te Whakawahinga ceremony, Archbishop Don Tamihere blessed her. Nga Wai has overseen the Kiingitanga collection and served on the Waitangi National Trust board since 2020.
Manawatāwhi’s new Pāua
A new pāua species, Haliotis pirimoana, has been discovered around the remote Manawatāwhi/Three Kings Islands. Proposed by Ngāti Kuri, the name means "the pāua that clings to the sea." Growing up to 40mm, this species is unique to Aotearoa New Zealand. Although not commercially valuable, it highlights Manawatāwhi's biodiversity.
Removal of Taiwan from The Pacific Islands Forum
The Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) has removed Taiwan from its summit communique after pressure from China. China's Ambassador, Qian Bo, demanded the correction, calling the Taiwan reference a "mistake." PIF leaders, including Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown, agreed to amend the document. Kiribati expressed concern over the ‘error’, emphasizing respect for China’s One China policy. The situation has both highlighted and brought up concerns around China's growing influence in the region.
Some Pacific Island Visitors to Pay Increased NZ$100 Levy for New Zealand Entry
From October 2024, visitors from certain Pacific Island territories, including French Polynesia, New Caledonia, Wallis and Futuna, Guam, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. will need to pay NZ$100 to enter New Zealand, up from the previous NZ$35 International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy (IVL). Exemptions apply to Australian citizens, most Pacific Islanders, RSE workers, and those on diplomatic, military, or humanitarian visas. The levy, introduced in 2019, funds public services and tourism maintenance, with no recent changes to the criteria determining who must pay.
6.4-magnitude earthquake strikes Bougainville Island, Papua New Guinea
A 6.4-magnitude earthquake struck Bougainville Island, Papua New Guinea, on 2nd September, at 7:13 a.m. local time. The quake, centered near Tokuaka on the southern coast, was initially estimated at 6.6 magnitude and occurred at a depth of 41 kilometers. About 32,000 people live within 30 kilometers of the epicenter, and up to 366,000 may have felt the quake. There are no immediate reports of damage or casualties, and no tsunami warning was issued. Papua New Guinea, prone to earthquakes and landslides, experienced a deadly 7.6-magnitude quake in 2022 and devastating tremors in 2018. Papua New Guinea is situated on the Pacific "Ring of Fire," an arc of intense seismic activity that stretches through Southeast Asia and across the Pacific basin.