Kuini Nga wai hono i te po is crowned Photo: Supplied
Young Māori have taken to social media to welcome their new queen with open arms.
Kuini Nga Wai Hono i Te Po was anointed as the new monarch during her father's funeral on Thursday.
Focus was now turning to how she would continue her father's call for Māori to unite.
RNZ host Mihingarangi Forbes told Morning Report there was immediate acceptance from those gathered at Tuurangawaewae on Thursday.
And the support on social media was effusive, she said.
"I had a quick look on the socials because Nga Wai Hono i Te Po is 27-years-old and the average Māori is also 27-years-old so this is the way this generation communicates.
"The feeds are overwhelmingly Māori women reaffirming here as their new queen. The posts, the tweets, the reels of support, honestly my feeds were just full of it."
There were claims her appointment was a rebirthing for Māori, Forbes said.
"There is just so much support for her over the last 24 hours."
Nga Wai Hono i Te Po was an academic and loved kapa haka and was well known and loved in those circles, Forbes said.
"She was mentored by some of Māoridom's most esteemed rangatira at Waikato University... she will grow into this role with a deep understanding of tikanga and mātauranga," she said.
