Māoridom pulls together aid supplies for Tonga recovery
Friday, 28 January 2022
This week has seen the Kiingitanga partner with local iwi Ngāti Tamaoho in Te Karaka near south Auckland to help their Pacific neighbours.
They have been collecting water, kai, non-perishable food, water blasters, masks, goggles, gloves and other items to send on a container ship to Tonga.
The Kiingitanga were hoping to collect as many contributions as they could towards the bulk delivery but were “particularly mindful of omicron” and were observing Covid-19 restrictions to protect each other.
Ngira Simmons, Chief of staff and private secretary to the Māori King said they wanted people to delivery non-perishable items that were already packed in their own parcels.
“That might be some canned food, some flour, a bag of rice and just you know, pop it in a box, tape it up, write on the box what’s in it.
“What they can do is pull up in their car, open the boot, we’ll grab the box, and they can drive off”.
He said for the Kiingitanga, it wasn’t necessarily an offering of aid but more so a way to model the long-standing partnership and ongoing commitment the two royal houses have always made towards one another.
“It’s responding to a particular need.
“What we’re trying to do is work with them, it’s a partnership, it’s a reciprocal relationship and Tonga have provided critical support for the Kiingitanga in years gone by…we support each other all the time.
“For generations there has been a strong link between the two royal households, of Tupou and Te Wherowhero, the current and the last two kings of Tonga have been particularly close with Kiingi Tūheitia, his mother Queen Te Atairangikaahu and Princess Te Puea,” said Simmonds.
Everything delivered will be packed into a shipping container at the Hangaia road site in Te Karaka where Ngāti Tamaoho resides.
The kaupapa has also been organised with the help of Sir Michael Jones and the Tongan Consul General.
Delivery times for donations are: Saturday January 29, 9am- 12pm and Monday January 31, 9am- 3pm
The aid will be shipped out of Auckland to Tonga on February 2.