People watch as Maori warriors paddle waka canoes down towards Taupiri Maunga during the funeral ceremony of New Zealand's Maori King Tuheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero VII in Ngaruawahia on September 5, 2024. New Zealand's Maori chiefs anointed a 27-year-old queen as their new monarch on September 5, a surprise choice hailed as a symbol of change for the country's sometimes troubled Indigenous community. Nga Wai hono i te po Paki was cheered by thousands as she climbed atop a high-backed wooden throne during an elaborate ceremony on the country's North Island. (Photo by DJ MILLS / AFP)