Her Royal Highness, Te Arikinui Kuini Ngā Wai Hono i te Pō, the Māori Queen, was formally welcomed with a traditional veiqaravi vakavanua ceremony at the Great Council of Chiefs (GCC) Complex in Suva on Tuesday, July 9, 2025.

The ceremony was conducted by the Ministry of iTaukei Affairs and included the symbolic presentation of a tabua (whale’s tooth), reflecting the deep respect and shared ancestral ties between the Māori people of Aotearoa and the Fijian chiefly hierarchy.

Her visit marks a historic moment of indigenous diplomacy, as the Māori Queen joins high-ranking dignitaries and Pacific leaders on Lakeba Island for the official installation of Ratu Tevita Uluilakeba Mara as Turaga Tui Nayau, Sau ni Vanua ko Lau, and Tui Lau.

In return, Māori representatives offered their own cultural tribute, symbolizing unity, mutual respect, and long-standing kinship across the Pacific.

The Māori Queen expressed her gratitude to the President of the Republic of Fiji, His Excellency Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu, and the Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Sitiveni Rabuka, for the warm reception and hospitality shown to her and her delegation.

This royal engagement highlights the significance of indigenous leadership and the strengthening of cultural bonds between Māori and iTaukei peoples – a powerful reaffirmation of shared values across Oceania.