‘True Colours’ is a Split Enz classic – an anthem of sorts, heralding in the age of Aquarius for us ageing hippies of the late-1970s and early-1980s who can still remember it today, writes Tommy Wilson.

‘True Colours’ and Ngāruawāhia go hand-in-hand, face-to-face and heart-to-heart, as it was there that the true colours of love peace and happiness – some called Ko Tahi Aroha or One Love, was born on the banks of the Waipā River at the very first Sweetwaters Festival of 1980.

For those of us who made the pilgrimage to Ngāruawāhia in Tainui territory back in the day, we were there to witness what went down at Sweetwaters 1980, and that was a whole lot of love, laughter and loud music, all enhanced by the permeating sweet smell of electric puha.

Fast-forward almost 50 years and something incredibly special has been born on the banks of the Waikato River at Ngāruawāhia again, this time at Tūrangawaewae Marae, following the sad passing of the late Māori Monarch Kīngi Tūheitia Pōtatau Te Wherowhero V11. Tūheitia died at the age of 69 last Friday morning surrounded by his wife, Makau Ariki, and their children Whatumoana, Korotangi, and Ngawai Hono I Te Po.

Kīngi Tūheitia, the seventh Maori monarch, died on Friday at the age of 69. Photo: supplied.

The last week has seen tens of thousands show up to share in the sadness and to also celebrate the legacy he’s left behind in a prophetic final message to his people.

The message (sidehead)

The message was one of Kotahitanga and how to conquer an approaching storm that was gonna cause havoc. He shared it only a few short days before his passing at the annual Koroneihana Festival held at Tūrangawaewae Marae in Ngāruawāhia, and just like Sweetwaters I’ll be forever grateful to have been there to see and hear his true colours.

Kotahitanga translated is trust and collaboration, sometimes more symbiotic than suited and it is a word we need to keep hearing until it is embroidered into our country’s korowai of conversation for every New Zealander of Aotearoa to understand.

I am, and have always been, a strong believer in Kotahitanga. In my last posting on the frontline of the Ps, Pandemic and Poverty, at Te Tuinga Whanau, it was our anthem of Kotohaitanga that kept us all pono to the kaupapa and going for 11 long years.

Kotahitanga, some say in the context of his message is all about unity and to a degree that is true, but for some of us it is unity of purpose as shared by Che Wilson, the spokesperson of Tekau ma rua, the King’s advisory council.

“Kīngi Tūheitia’s has given Maoridom a unity of purpose and direction to work together. We don’t need to think the same. We don’t need to act the same as long as we know where we are going,” said Mr Wilson.

“The nation has expressed a flood of love and in times of sorrow and adversity we need to lean into supporting each other. King Tūheitia’s tangi has been an example of how we should support each other as a nation.”

The silver lining (sidehead)

The silver lining in the sadness of our long white cloud was, for me, when Prime Minister Chris Luxon showed his true colours at Tūrangawaewae Marae by firstly showing up – kanohi ki te kanohi ‘face-to-face’ and then speaking from the heart.

He had parked his political potae (hat) and the people took their hat off to him. It was a turning point for many Māori who listened to raw unscripted and unrehearsed honesty by Prime Minister Luxon and in doing so we got to see a side of our country’s leader that was exactly the Kotahitanga our beloved King was talking about only a week before on the very same stage.

We all need someone to hold on to, somewhere to belong to and a set of values to give us hope in these challenging times of today, and perhaps the prophetic final message of Kotahitanga left as a legacy by the late Kīngi Tūheitia, is the same sweet waters message of one love yesterday which we can all live by today?

* Tommy Wilson is Bay of Plenty resident, best-selling author, and columnist for 17 years.

- SunLive