She was, at 37, the youngest woman to lead a government.
Jacinda Arden presented herself to the New Zealand parliament to bid her farewell on April 5.
She showed up in a gold, elegantly cut cape worn over a white dress, a piece that could almost pass for a fashion choice.
However, its significance is far from being purely aesthetic.
Jacinda Ardern, to say goodbye to her position as Prime Minister, chose to wear a
korowai
.
It is a traditional Maori dress, usually woven and decorated with feathers.
It can take an experienced weaver more than a year to make, and it is a symbol of greatness and respect.
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A traditional dress
The
korowai
is a solemn and family garment, initially passed down from generation to generation.
Several types of capes exist.
They are named according to their weaving technique, and each has meanings.
And if, originally, the dress is specific to the Maoris, things have changed over the past twenty years.
The typical capes are sometimes given to honored guests visiting the country, dignitaries and politicians for example, as a sign of equality, or even worn more widely, by the New Zealand population for occasions.
That of Jacinda Arden is worn like a prestigious coat.
And this is not a first.
Jacinda Ardern greets a Maori with a hongi.
(Sydney, July 6, 2023.) Don Arnold - Getty Images
Why such a choice on the part of the former prime minister? Jacinda Ardern has always fought for Maori rights and the preservation of their culture.
In 2018, she even declared that her daughter would learn the lost Maori language.
The same year, she wore the cape for a dinner at Buckingham Palace in the presence of Queen Elizabeth II, delighting the people concerned with the tribute.
This April 5, the stylistic act was linked to a moving speech.
“I hope I have demonstrated something quite different.
That you can be anxious, sensitive, kind and show your emotions.
You can be a mother or not, an ex-Mormon or not, nerd, cryer, hugger – you can be all of these, and not only can you be here, but you can lead.”
And even do it in
Korowai.