Our missionaries living Pentecost.
Over the last week, in our lectionary, we have
remembered Maori who recognised Christ in their culture and took the gospel
around Aotearoa, and particularly around our Diocese.[1] It
began on Monday 13th when we commemorated
Ihaia Te Ahu of Nga Puhi. We
continued with a series of commemorations chosen from many Maori Christians as
representative of the outstanding Maori witness that caused the gospel to be
sown and to take root in Aotearoa.
Ihaia was one of the earliest Maori clergy. He went with Thomas Chapman
of the Church Missionary Society to Rotorua and then to Maketu. On Chapman’s
retirement in 1861 Ihaia was ordained, serving first in Maketu and then in 1882
becoming the first vicar of the Ohinemutu Pastorate. Ihaia’s godly, patient
ministry in complex and challenging circumstances was very influential.
On Tuesday 14th we remembered Ngakuku, father of Tarore, and a
Ngati Haua chief of the Waikato. He accompanied Archdeacon A.N. Brown on
missionary journeys and was a missionary in his own right in the Bay of Plenty,
Urewera, and East Coast areas. He was involved in pioneer work in the Opotiki
area. After the tragic death of his daughter Tarore in a raid in 1836, he was
able to forgive those who took her life and encouraged others to do likewise.
Wednesday 15th was the commemoration of Piripi Taumata-a-kura of Ngati Porou. In the early 1830s on
his return from the north, Piripi introduced the gospel to his people in the
East Cape. He taught and preached, using short prayers and hymns and referring
to Bible texts written on scraps of paper. He successfully negotiated restraint
based on Christian principles in an inter-tribal battle in 1836. He gained
great mana among his people and eventually made the way possible for a
missionary training team of nine young Maori from Paihia to carry on his work.
Te Wera, a Nga Puhi chief, was remembered on Thursday 16th.
Te Wera settled at Mahia on the East Coast, creating peace with his former
enemies there and providing a mantle of protection and solidarity throughout a
large part of Ngati Kahungunu. Because of the peace and order he introduced,
hospitality towards missionaries became possible. By the time of his death in
1839 an indigenous Maori Christian mission was growing within the kinship
networks of the area.
On Friday May 17 we also commemorated Wiremu Te Tauri, Missionary in
Wanganui, and on Saturday May 18th Te Rauparaha,
son of Te Rauparaha and Missionary to Te Wai Pounamu.
At this Pentecost may we pray for the courage, strength and wisdom of
these our tipuna in Te Haahi Mihinare, and so that we too can continue to join
the Risen Christ in God’s mission.
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