The Tēkau-mā-rua ("The Twelve") is the official council of the Māori monarch of the Kīngitanga.
The council was originally established by King Tawhiao, who was inspired by the twelve apostles of Jesus, to assist in running the Kīngitanga.
Members were initially only selected from rangatira within Tainui, and replaced when they died.
As a result, when Henare Tuwhangai, the last remaining member, died in 1989 the council went into recess.
[1][3] In 2014, King Tuheitia re-established the Tēkau-mā-rua and expanded the membership to include rangatira from iwi from throughout New Zealand, not just Tainui.