Wayne Whiu has been a Māori warden for over 24 years. Photo: RNZ / Layla Bailey-McDowell
Kiingi Tuheitia's death was something no-one expected, especially the people of Tainui Waka. But, in true Māori fashion, the haukainga sprung into action to prepare for the influx of thousands of manuhiri travelling from Ngā hau e whā to pay their respects to te Kiingi.
The King's Toki - his speaker - Rahui Papa says the whakatauki for the wharekai was 'Let's just make it happen'.
He says the workers will see the crowds and will adapt appropriately.
"One of the maxims here at Tuurangawaewae is 'no one should go home hungry,' so they're upholding the mana of the King in the way that they do things year in and year out."
RNZ spoke to volunteers who have been working hard on the ground to keep all corners of the marae ticking.
Kai, kōrero, and a whole lot of manaaki
Riingi Matatahi and her mum Tutata Matatahi. Photo: RNZ / Emma Andrews
Riingi Matatahi was taught "how to make sandwiches properly" by her mother Tutata, who now gets to sit down and have a kaputī.
They start at four o'clock in the morning to make delicious meat, egg, and chutney sammies for the thousands of manuhiri who come to pay their respects to Kiingi Tuheitia each day.
So far, she and the team have made 90,000 sandwiches, which is 1500 trays of 60.
"If I sit for too long, I get tired, but when we're working... nah, we're all good."
"I can't put what the Kiingi means to me in words, but I'm part of the kaupapa every year to help run our poukai, so it's just in me. I don't know how to say it in words, it's just in me to look after the people," Matatahi said.
Matatahi was born to help on the marae, in fact, she does not know any other way of being, she said.
She remembers running around with the other children while her mum prepared the kai.
"I'm 60, so I've been doing [work in the poukai] for 60 years, I learnt from my mum."
"My mum brought me to the marae in a pram, while she was doing the mahi, and when I was old enough to put a plate on a table, I learnt how to set tables, butter bread, and manaaki tangata."
And the kōhanga kids down the road learn the same way she did.
"We're here every year, but not normally twice in August."
Matatahi works at the Te Wharekura o Rakaumanga - a Kiingitanga school, finishes at 3pm and heads to the marae to carry on.
She said the tamariki at the kura live by the Kiingitanga values, and by the time the annual koroneihana comes around, the kids get to manaaki tangata.
"The rangatahi are our future, and we need them to carry [what we do] on."
And while the Kiingi rests outside the wharenui, the rangatahi from Te Wharekura o Rakaumanga are waitresses in kimiora.
Waitressing used to be Matatahi's job, but she has taught her kura tamariki too well.
"I used to be a worker, now I believe I'm a teacher because they're going to be taking over when I'm gone.
"Hopefully they will be in my shoes one day and keep our Kiingitanga going."
With thousands of people welcomed onto the marae each day, instead of having everyone flood into the tent, the kaimahi delivered kai to the people they could reach, and the wardens.
Māori wardens all heart for the Kiingi
Polly Panapa and Wayne Whiu. Photo: RNZ / Layla Bailey-McDowell
A Māori Warden who attended the tangi of the late Queen Te Ataairangikaahu 18 years ago is back volunteering at Tuurangawaewae, to pay his respects to the Kiingitanga movement.
Wayne Whiu (Ngāti Māhanga) is one of over 500 volunteers who have stepped up for the tangihanga of the late Kiingi Tuheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero VII.
Whiu has been a Māori Warden nearing 24 years and said it was rather special to return to Tuurangawaewae to support the Kiingitanga movement.
"It's an awesome atmosphere to be a part of, to support and help promote what the late Kiingi Tuheitia was saying in regards to kotahitanga."
Over the last couple of days, Whiu said he has seen kotahitanga among his people.
"It comes naturally with our people," he said
"When you look around and you have 10,000 helping hands, that a lot of people doing a lot of work."
Whiu expects thousands of people to attend Kiingi Tuheitia's tangihanga over the next coming days.
"If it's any indication to Te Ataairangikaahu, every day, there's five to seven thousands of people every ope that went on and there was three to four of those a day, so that's the multitudes of people that come to pay their respect to the kiingitanga, its just awesome."
Another volunteer, Polly Panapa, said she could not fathom that the Kiingi had died.
She was getting ready for work when she saw the news plastered on Facebook, so she headed straight to Tuurangawaewae Marae.
"I just want to help out wherever I can."
She said she was not able to be at the tangihanga of Kuini Te Ataairangikaahu, so she made sure she was at Kiingi Tuheitia's tangi.
"When our Kuini passed away I was living in Australia, so I missed out on that one. So, I made it my job to be here for our Kiingi.
"It's more sadness, pōuri [at Tuurangawaewae]. Our kaumatua are all pōuri, but we've got kotahitanga."
She looks forward to greeting and seeing Māori come together for Tuheitia throughout the week.
Stepping off the field to step up to marae duties
Taniwharau Rugby League. Photo: RNZ / Emma Andrews
The Taniwharau Rugby League Team have been working hard to help manuhiri feel as comfortable as possible, but it is no trouble to them.
On Monday they rallied around to find enough chairs to seat everyone while they wait to go on the marae.
One of the players told RNZ that his team was just there to usher and help wherever they could.
"The King did a lot for us Māoris, so it means a lot to give back."
They even sweated their way up the top of Taupiri Maunga for Kiingi Tuheitia's burial preparations.
"There's a number of clubs from around the Waikato that went up [Taupiri Maunga] to help out."
Another league club member said the boys went to tidy the track.
"Because of the rain, they've re-cut the stairs, put metal rocks down so the ground is firmer for when the King is walked up."
The team hiked buckets of metal rock granules 830ft from the foot of the hill to pave the route.
"It's definitely a two-day job."
Politicians and dignitaries will be welcomed on Wednesday, and there was no doubt that they will leave with a full puku.
Te Whiorangi Gray-King Photo: RNZ / Emma Andrews
Once a tidy Kiwi, always a tidy Kiwi
Two young rangatahi Matariki Gray and Te Whiorangi Gray-King have been picking up rubbish around the banks of the awa and marae because they do not want the aquatic life to get sick.
They were even keen to get into the awa to take out plastics that have flown in over the last few days.
"[Helping people] makes me feel good," Matariki said.
Matariki Gray Photo: RNZ / Emma Andrews
Their aunty Meola Matiu said Te Whiorangi gets right into it.
"His māmā taught him how to separate rubbish, how to save the climate, and not to burn plastic because it's got too many toxins.
"The kids don't see it as a chore, they actually enjoy keeping our country clean."
The whānau come to Tuurangawaewae marae at 6am every morning and leave at 9pm, and every day they have filled multiple rubbish bags.
She said she supports the tamariki by leading the way and they take turns at holding the rubbish bag and using the grabber tool.
"They're just so keen to help."
