2024 has had a lot of great moments to think of but none were as great as these.
As a holiday present, Te Ao Māori News has wrapped up this year’s viral moments into one article.
Pump the numbers!
In September, Aotearoa reclaimed something rightfully ours, the Haka World Record, breaking France’s 2014 record of over 4,000 participants.
Guinness World Records officials confirmed it, with over 6531 people present.
Before the record-smashing haka, the cultural ambassador for the event, Dame Hinewehi Mohi DNZM, called the haka a “unique symbol” of New Zealand.
“It is undeniably ours, and it is recognised and revered around the world. We need to bring this record back home.
“It is a powerful statement of national pride, cultural heritage, unity, and a landmark occasion to create a new world record and reclaim the title from the current holders, the French.”
Thousands of rangatahi waiata in unison
The haka wasn’t the only time this year that thousands gathered to perform in unison a waiata.
As Te Huinga Whetū first day came to a close many akonga and adults attending stood up and in perfect harmony sang ‘Nei Rā Te Kaupapa’ at Whakatū / Nelson’s Trafalgar Centre.
Many online showed their love for the viral moment with some leaving supporting messages.
“Proud to be a Kiwi even if I’m not Māori. Uplifting. Powerful and strong. The Future of New Zealand. 🖤🤍🖤🤎🖤🤍🖤🤎🖤,” said one commenter
Another commented, “I’d be crying my eyes out if I was there singing. Feel the wairua.”
By the end of the Secondary school kapa haka competition, Ngā Kura Kaupapa Māori o Te Puku o Te Ika (Te Puku) was named the overall champions for 2024.
‘Nō reira kia kamakama mai tātau katoa’
They weren’t the only rangatahi going viral this year, as a New World junior kaimahi delivered Ōpōtiki’s closing store announcement in te reo Māori.
“Tēnā tātau katoa e hika mā. Rima meneti ka katia ngā tatau o tēnei toa, nō reira kia kamakama te hokohoko o koutou kai. He hiahia nō matau ngā kaimahi ki te hoki atu ki o mātau kāenga, ki o mātau ake whare. Nō reira kia kamakama mai tātau katoa. Kia Ora.”
“Greetings to you all my friends. In five minutes the doors of the store will close. So, please be quick with your shopping. We, the staff, want to return home to our own houses. So let’s all hurry up. Thank you!”
Like the students in Nelson, this rangatahi received a lot of praise online.
One person commented: “I don’t care what it is. Every time I go past on my way to Gizzy or on the way back home in Hamilton, I’m stopping in to buy something from NW Opotiki and show support for a store like that. MEKE!!”
Another commenter said it needed to be the norm in every establishment.
“Kia Ora nau mai ki Te Reo Māori !!! Mauri Ora !!! 😉 This was a blessing to watch and to hea. Tena koe”
The royal hug
Aotearoa’s Black Ferns went viral on social media for showing their aroha in a special moment they shared with King Charles ahead of their match against the Red Roses in England in early September.
They shared their manaakitanga on social media, when player Ayesha Leti-I’iga cheerfully broke protocol and asked the king for a hug.
“We all wanted a hug but only if that’s okay with you,” she said.
In response, he said: “A hug? Why not.”
This then saw a scrummage of Black Ferns players come to hug him.
According to the New Zealand Herald, the king later made an impromptu speech, which made the squad laugh.
“I much appreciated this chance to meet you and have such a warm hug from most of you,” he added: “Very healing.”
The king also passed on his deep sympathy for the recent death of Kiingi Tuheitia.
New Māori Monarch
Following the tragic loss of Kiingi Tūheitia Pōtatau Te Wherowhero VII in late August, his daughter, Ngāwai Hono i te Pō, was crowned the new Māori kuini during his tangihanga.
The decision, affirmed by iwi leaders, made her the eighth in an unbroken line of succession, stretching back to Waikato chief Pootatau Te Wherowhero, who was crowned the first Māori King in 1858.
Prior to her coronation, the announcement was kept secret until the moment itself. As many gathered inside Tūrangawaewae Marae and hundreds watched from a large monitor outside, applause erupted when the new ariki entered to take the throne, situated right next to her father.
She is the youngest of Kiingi Tuheitia’s children.
Under her father’s reign, her main responsibility has been the oversight and maintenance of the Kiingitanga collection, which contains more than 3000 taonga.
Within the first few months of her reign, she carried on her late-fathers message of kotahitanga, incuding her attendance at the hīkoi on to parliament.
Tens of thousands turn up and show out
Talking about the hīkoi, there were many memorable moments to choose from, but we’ve narrowed them down to a few key moments.
We’ll present these in chronological order, highlighting the significant events during the nine-day march to Parliament - reminiscent of the 1975 hīkoi led by Dame Whina Cooper.
When people started gathering in North Shore, Tamaki Makaurau, there was one thing in mind crossing the Harbour Bridge
Police said an estimated around 5,000 people crossed the bridge but according to Te Pāti Māori and others online it was in the tens of thousands.
The point of the hīkoi dates were to end up in Wellington around the same times as the first reading of the controversial Treaty Principles Bill created by Act leader, David Seymour.
This was brought forward meaning the people travelling with the hīkoi was making there way to Rotorua from Kirikiriroa when it was being debated in the chamber.
Inside Parliament building was a whole another thing.
“Labour, the Greens, and Te Pāti Māori strongly condemned the bill, while Act’s coalition partners, National and New Zealand First, sought to distance themselves by stating their support had been limited to its first reading. Meanwhile, Act defended its position on the legislation.
The House was charged with emotion that day, as Labour MP Willie Jackson was ejected during his speech after Speaker Gerry Brownlee ordered him to retract a comment about David Seymour. Jackson refused to withdraw and apologise, explaining that he was quoting participants from the Auckland hīkoi, who had referred to the bill’s creator as a liar.
Outside he spoke to the media, saying he had a duty to report what the people said.
“When you go on a huge hīkoi and you get reminded by people of all different races, that they are offended by him and they’re constantly saying he‘s a liar, I’ve got a duty and obligation to relay that,” he said.
As the House tallied the numbers of those for and against the bill, Te Pāti Māori MP Hana-Rāwhiti Maipi-Clarke rose to announce her party’s six votes against it. She then started to perform the powerful and now-viral haka, “Ka Mate”.
All Opposition parties stood in support, joined by most Māori MPs on the left side of the chamber. The bill was temporarily paused after the chamber was suspended for an hour. As a result, Maipi-Clarke was suspended from the house for 24 hours and had her pay docked.
The incident quickly gained international attention after videos were posted online. It garnered around 450 million views on the Whakaata Māori TikTok page.
Despite the bill passing its first reading earlier than expected, the hīkoi continued on to parliament. Parts of Wellington city were blocked as people flooded the streets in opposition to the bill. Police estimated 42,000 attendees, though many disputed this number, claiming it was double or even over 100,000.
