The Māori King, Kiingi Tuheitiau, has given his blessing to the new Olympic feathered cloak, or kākahu, that will be worn by New Zealand’s flag bearers at the Olympic Games. The unveiling and blessing of this hand-woven cloak happened on Tuesday at Tūrangawaewae Marae in Ngāruawāhia. Among the guests was Beatrice Faumuina, who carried the flag at the 2004 Athens Olympics.
Kiingitanga spokesperson Ngira Simmonds described the cloak as a beautiful piece of art that symbolizes great mana, or power and respect, and was worthy of the king’s blessing. He mentioned that the king’s late mother, Te Arikinui Te Atairangikaahu, had performed a similar ceremony for the cloak worn at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens.
The new kākahu was created by Ranui Ngarimu, a member of the New Zealand Olympic Committee, and took about 16 months to complete. It has been named Te Hono ki Matariki and will be worn by New Zealand’s flag bearers at the opening ceremony of the summer Olympics in Paris this year and the Winter Olympics in Italy in 2026.
NZOC president Liz Dawson said the kākahu represents the Māori traditions that are central to the Kiwi team’s culture. She thanked Ranui for creating this treasure and Kiingi Tuheitia for his blessing. Dawson also mentioned that the unveiling day was about strengthening the NZOC’s relationship with the Kiingitanga, a bond that was first established with the late Māori Queen 20 years ago.
Kiingi Tuheitia has accepted an invitation from the NZOC to attend the Paris Olympics.
