NOONGAR LEADER TINA HAYDEN WELCOMES MĀORI QUEEN TO COUNTRY IN BOORLOO
Catherine Holland - Bilyarndi Studi
BY TANGIORA HINAKI
The arrival of Māori Queen Nga Wai Hono i te Po in Boorloo was marked with ceremony, song and deep emotion, as Noongar Leader Tina Hayden extended a heartfelt Welcome to Country. For Hayden, the moment was more than protocol — it was a continuation of family, cultural ties, and shared histories between Noongar and Māori people.
Hayden said the honour carried both personal and cultural significance.
“Back when the America’s Cup was here in Perth, the Māori Queen — the grandmother of the young Queen now — was welcomed to Noongar Boodja by my mum, Janet Hayden,” Hayden said. “Here I am today welcoming her granddaughter. It was really special.”
At the ball, Hayden delivered a powerful welcome.
“As I stand here tonight, I pay respects to my Elders and my Old People — those who walked this land before me and who stand with us still, in spirit. May we keep walking together wherever life’s journey takes us. To your beautiful Queen, thank you for coming to Noongar Boodja. It has truly been our honour to share our country and this special moment with you.”
Her connection to Aotearoa also gave the evening deeper meaning. She recalled time spent with the Waikato people and her spiritual bond to the river that flows through their lands.
“I stood in the Waikato River with my feet in the water, washed my hands, my face, and my underarm — my guard, my smell. That continued to be a part of me. To actually see the Waikato tribe bring the Queen here, it was always going to be special.”
The symbolism carried through to her attire. Hayden wore a Māori korowai in Aboriginal colours, gifted to her by a Māori friend.
“I wore the one Ra made me for my 60th birthday. It carries my mum and dad, my children, my grandchildren and my great granddaughter on it.”
For Hayden, the connection with Māori whānau stretches far beyond formal ceremonies.
“I’m not just someone who does a welcome to Noongar Country. I’m actually a part of them. My family, my grandchildren, my children — they’ve been blessed by the old kaumātua and nannies. They make me part of their family.”
Her resilience matches that strength of belonging. Speaking openly about personal loss, Hayden reflected on how she carries her daughter’s spirit.
“I’ve lost a daughter that no one will understand until they’ve lost a daughter that was close, like my girl. I carry her and she carries me. I can cry, but I get up stronger the next day. That resilience is in me. No one can break me.”
And in a lighter moment, Hayden laughed with her Māori whānau about the recognition she often receives.
“Anyone think you’re the Queen,” she recalled someone saying. “I said, I am — I’m the Noongar Queen.”
For Hayden, the visit of the Māori Queen was not just an international moment of ceremony — it was a reminder of cultural strength, intergenerational ties, and the enduring bonds between Noongar and Māori peoples.