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Te Aka Puaho
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Collection DescriptionThe Rev. James Duncan was sent out by the Reformed Church of Scotland as the first Presbyterian Missionary to the Māori. He settled at Te Awahou, known today as Foxton in 1844 and worked among the Manawatu Māori until 1870. On his death he ordered his daughter to destroy all his personal papers.
The Rev. J.F.H. Wohlers of the North German Missionary Society (Moravian Mission) settled on Ruapuke Island in Foveaux Strait until the population dwindled in 1868 and the mission was transferred to Stewart Island. At this point he came under the jurisdiction of the Synod of the Presbyterian Church.
Rev Wohlers remained on Ruapuke and continued a ministry among those remaining on the Island.
Rev Abram Honore became assistant to the Rev Wohlers. He was ordained at Riverton as Missionary to the Māori. He spent a short time at the Otago Heads. On his moving to the Manawatu, Mission evangelistic work among the Māori ceased. He took over from the Rev James Duncan under the auspices of the Presbyterian Church, and continued his mission work until 1894.
Māori Missionary activity by the Presbyterian Church in the Otago and Southland region began in 1862 with a grant allocated for a teacher to open a school at the Otago Heads. The Rev. J.T. Riemenschneider of the North German Mission was appointed but the position did not remain for long.
The Rev. Alexander Blake from the Free Church of Scotland was settled at the Otago Heads as missionary in 1869. He spent his first months acquiring the language and making periodic visits to Waikouaiti, Moeraki, and the Taieri. Due to his wife’s poor health he retired from his evangelistic work among the Māori and resigned in 1872.
From 1895 a more serious Presbyterian Māori mission began to be set in place with the settlement of the Rev. Henry Fletcher at Taupo. He proposed a mission station to be developed in the Taumarunui area which resulted in the appointment of the Rev. John E. Ward in 1902 and an assistant, the Rev. James I Monfries, in 1907.
The first Deaconess Sister Alison began work in 1908 first at Taupo then in Taumaranui. She was followed by a steady stream of Deaconesses who were given responsibility for the many small stations that emerged.
The Presbyterian Māori Mission activity expanded into the Urewera area, Northern Hawkes Bay and Bay of Plenty, on the East Coast of the North Island, where many small but compact mission stations were opened up.
Two significant educational institutions were opened in the early decades of the 1900s. The Turakina Māori Girls’College was opened by the Hon. J. Seddon in 1905 and the Manunui Māori Boys’ Agricultural College in 1913.
The beginning of the Māori Mission Printery, later known as Te Waka Karaitiana Press, in 1933 added some independence among Māori.
The Rev. John Laughton was appointed Superintendent of Māori Missions in 1933 and acted in that capacity until he retired in 1962. In 1945 the General Assembly set up a Māori Synod ‘Te Hinota Māori’ to begin to take full responsibility for the Māori Church in the area. Its Office is centred in Whakatane and the Marae is at Ohope.
The Synod’s activities went beyond the immediate Tuhoe area with support of young Māori by the provision of hostels in NZ major cities.
Te Hinota Māori moved from its ‘missionary’ status to full independence in 1954.
Items below are just some of the highlights from this collection - please use the search bar to locate more.
Collection SummaryWe hold historical material relating to the Maori missions (particularly in relation to Tuhoe). More recent material concerning Maori within the Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand is held by Te Aka Puaho, the Maori Synod.
The Rev. J.F.H. Wohlers of the North German Missionary Society (Moravian Mission) settled on Ruapuke Island in Foveaux Strait until the population dwindled in 1868 and the mission was transferred to Stewart Island. At this point he came under the jurisdiction of the Synod of the Presbyterian Church.
Rev Wohlers remained on Ruapuke and continued a ministry among those remaining on the Island.
Rev Abram Honore became assistant to the Rev Wohlers. He was ordained at Riverton as Missionary to the Māori. He spent a short time at the Otago Heads. On his moving to the Manawatu, Mission evangelistic work among the Māori ceased. He took over from the Rev James Duncan under the auspices of the Presbyterian Church, and continued his mission work until 1894.
Māori Missionary activity by the Presbyterian Church in the Otago and Southland region began in 1862 with a grant allocated for a teacher to open a school at the Otago Heads. The Rev. J.T. Riemenschneider of the North German Mission was appointed but the position did not remain for long.
The Rev. Alexander Blake from the Free Church of Scotland was settled at the Otago Heads as missionary in 1869. He spent his first months acquiring the language and making periodic visits to Waikouaiti, Moeraki, and the Taieri. Due to his wife’s poor health he retired from his evangelistic work among the Māori and resigned in 1872.
From 1895 a more serious Presbyterian Māori mission began to be set in place with the settlement of the Rev. Henry Fletcher at Taupo. He proposed a mission station to be developed in the Taumarunui area which resulted in the appointment of the Rev. John E. Ward in 1902 and an assistant, the Rev. James I Monfries, in 1907.
The first Deaconess Sister Alison began work in 1908 first at Taupo then in Taumaranui. She was followed by a steady stream of Deaconesses who were given responsibility for the many small stations that emerged.
The Presbyterian Māori Mission activity expanded into the Urewera area, Northern Hawkes Bay and Bay of Plenty, on the East Coast of the North Island, where many small but compact mission stations were opened up.
Two significant educational institutions were opened in the early decades of the 1900s. The Turakina Māori Girls’College was opened by the Hon. J. Seddon in 1905 and the Manunui Māori Boys’ Agricultural College in 1913.
The beginning of the Māori Mission Printery, later known as Te Waka Karaitiana Press, in 1933 added some independence among Māori.
The Rev. John Laughton was appointed Superintendent of Māori Missions in 1933 and acted in that capacity until he retired in 1962. In 1945 the General Assembly set up a Māori Synod ‘Te Hinota Māori’ to begin to take full responsibility for the Māori Church in the area. Its Office is centred in Whakatane and the Marae is at Ohope.
The Synod’s activities went beyond the immediate Tuhoe area with support of young Māori by the provision of hostels in NZ major cities.
Te Hinota Māori moved from its ‘missionary’ status to full independence in 1954.
Items below are just some of the highlights from this collection - please use the search bar to locate more.
Collection SummaryWe hold historical material relating to the Maori missions (particularly in relation to Tuhoe). More recent material concerning Maori within the Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand is held by Te Aka Puaho, the Maori Synod.Images
Search the collection
Te Aka Puaho. Presbyterian Research Centre, accessed 13/07/2025, https://pcanzarchives.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/625
