Ariki

[3][4] Political leadership or governance in Māori society has traditionally come from two overlapping groups of people – the ariki and the rangatira.

[6] In particular, their "supreme rank [comes] from the conjunction of a number of senior descent lines from founding ancestors, and ultimately from the gods".

A modern example of a woman in this leadership role is Te Atairangikaahu (r. 1966–2006) the paramount head or Māori Queen of the Waikato federation of tribes.

[11] Many positions overlap, with ariki holding multiple roles, including "head of an iwi, the rangatira of a hapū and the kaumātua of a whānau".

Scholars Ron Crocombe and Jon Tikivanotau Jonassen have argued that it was created to marginalize the ariki, giving them dignity but very limited power.