The seat of the King movement is Tūrangawaewae, a marae located at Ngāruawāhia. The name comes from a saying by King Tāwhiao:
Ko Arekahānara tōku haona kaha
Ko Kemureti tōku oko horoi
Ko Ngāruawāhia tōku tūrangawaewae
Alexandra [present day Pirongia] will ever be a symbol of my strength of character
Cambridge a symbol of my wash bowl of sorrow
And Ngāruawāhia my footstool. 1
Te Puea
The establishment of Tūrangawaewae marae during the 1920s and 1930s was guided by the influential Waikato – and indeed New Zealand – leader, Te Puea Hērangi, a granddaughter of King Tāwhiao. Te Puea succeeded in renewing the King movement as a vehicle to empower her people. That she was able to do this during a time of economic depression is a testimony to her considerable leadership skills.