'The leaders of today': Rangatahi see path laid by Te Arikinui Kuini Nga wai hono i te po

"Ko te rangatahi, ko rātou ngā rangatira o nāianei. Karekau ko rātou ko te rangatira āpōpō ko rātou te rangatira o nāianei." - Kiingitanga spokesperson Rahui Papa."The youth are the leaders of today. They are not the leaders of tomorrow. They are the leaders of today."Rangatahi say Te Arikinui Kuini Nga wai hono i te po is showing a new generation of Māori what is possible through her leadership of the Kiingitanga.The Māori Queen is due to deliver her royal address around midday on Saturday.It's her second royal address since becoming head of the Kiingitanga movement, following the passing of her father Kiingi Tuheitia Potatau Te Wherowhero te tuawhitu, te Kiingi o te Kotahitanga.Layla Houpapa and Shakaliah Bishell travelled to Tūrangawaewae from Waitara, Taranaki.RNZ / Layla Bailey-McDowellLayla Houpapa, 18, from Waitara in Taranaki, told RNZ seeing a young Māori woman lead the Kiingitanga was inspiring."To see our Kuiini leading, it gives us rangatahi, and also the younger generations, it shows us that we can do it."Houpapa said Te Arikinui was standing strong in who she was and presenting that identity to the world."It's about having your head up high, knowing who you are, being strong in who you are, and presenting that to the world."The leadership of Te Arikinui showed young Māori the importance of embracing who they were, she said."Once you know who you are...you embrace it."Her message to Te Arikinui ahead of her royal address was to keep doing what she was doing."You're showing us rangatahi that we can do this."Twenty-two-year-old Shakaliah Bishell, also from Waitara in Taranaki, said rangatahi were already paving the way for those who came after them."It's really inspiring to see young Māori leaders, and seeing our rangatahi have a part in this kaupapa."Students from Ngā Tūmanako o Kahurangi, a whānau Māori unit at Auckland Girls Grammar School.RNZ / Layla Bailey-McDowellA contingent of students from Ngā Tūmanako o Kahurangi, a whānau Māori unit at Auckland Girls Grammar School travelled to Tūrangawaewae to share their awhi and aroha with Te Arikinui.For many, it was their first time attending a Koroneihana celebration."It's so special. It's so special to be coming here," Auckland Girls Grammar student Charlie said."We just admire her so much, she's such an inspiration to all of us, she's just such a Kuiini like that."We love you so much [Te Arikinui]."Janay Harding (Waikato-Tainui, Ngāpuhi) says Te Arikinui is paving the way for the next generation of Māori leaders.RNZ / Layla Bailey-McDowellJanay Harding, who has whakapapa to Waikato-Tainui and Ngāpuhi said Te Arikinui was paving the way for rangatahi and wāhine Māori."You can definitely see her paving ways and being a bit of a trailblazer in so many different facets, whether it be fashion or just her āhua or being graceful in a lot of spaces."She said Te Arikinui was allowing young Māori to see themselves in her leadership."Allowing so many rangatahi and wāhine Māori to look at her as an inspiration."Harding was studying te reo Māori at Te Wānanga Takiura, and said seeing Te Arikinui in the role had also been significant in her own journey.Harding grew up largely in Australia and said she did not always have the opportunity to connect with her Māori identity, and said returning to her tūrangawaewae and being immersed in kaupapa Māori had given her a greater connection to her culture.Her message to Te Arikinui ahead of her address to the nation was "we're all backing you"."Just honestly, just keep being you. I think you're doing amazing stuff in so many different ways."All eyes are on Te Arikinui as Aotearoa celebrates her second coronation anniversary.Image courtesy of Te Tari o te KiingitangaKiingitanga spokesperson Rahui Papa acknowledged the role that rangatahi play in leadership of te ao Māori, saying they were increasingly taking on prominent leadership roles at Tūrangawaewae and beyond."Ko te rangatahi, ko rātou ngā rangatira o nāianei. Karekau ko rātou ko te rangatira āpōpō ko rātou te rangatira o nāianei.""The youth are the leaders of today. They are not the leaders of tomorrow. They are the leaders of today.""Ko ō rātou whakaaro, ka whakahiato, ka whakatau i ngā rautaki haere whakamua."No reira, me whai wāhi rātou ki te whakarongo ki ngā iwi e whakaeke mai nei, me whai wāhi rātou ki te whakarongo ki ngā kōrero ā te paepae, ēngari ko rātou tonu ngā waewae me ngā ringaringa o te ao Māori haere ake nei.""Their innovation and insight will strengthen our strategic ability to realise the aspirations of our people going forward. They must be given space, and they must embrace the opportunity to listen to their iwi and others. The vision and aspirations are very clear. They will turn the vision into reality."Te Arikinui Kuini Nga wai hono i te po will deliver Te Kauwhau a Te Arikinui (the royal address) at 12:30pm on Saturday.