King Tūheitia is expected to attend the funeral of haka exponent Dr Ngapo Wehi QSM.
Spokesman for the Māori King Rahui Papa says Ngapo Wehi was the longest serving coronation attendee.
Rahui Papa says Wehi had attended all the coronation celebrations for Dame Te Arikinui Te Atairangikaahu since the beginning of her 40 year reign as the Māori Queen in 1966.
Māori performing arts exponent Ngāpō Wehi holds the most senior national kapa haka titles.
Wehi attended and performed at coronation celebrations with national winning haka groups Waihīrere and Waka Huia.
Rahui papa says the connection between the Kīngitanga and the Wehi family was established in the reign of the fifth Māori King where Te Aitanga a Mahaki chief Te Kani Te Ua became a loyal supporter of King Koroki in the 1960s.
Tomorrow morning King Tūheitia and Tainui Waka are due to attend the funeral at Parihimānihi Marae near Gisborne.
For more on this story watch Te Kāea 5:30pm tonight.
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