Letters By and About Rota Waitoa, the first Māori ordained minister

Rota Waitoa was the first Māori ordained Minister in New Zealand

The John Kinder Library is fortunate to hold letters written by Rota Waitoa the first Māori ordained minister spanning the whole of his Christian life from 1845 – 1866. Waitoa received his initial Christian education from Octavius Hadfield at Waikanae then in 1843 he entered into training for ministry at St John’s Theological College.

The earliest of letters were mostly written to Bishop Selwyn who became a close companion, the letters related to his ministry work amongst Māori communities. Rota was keenly aware of the pain his people were experiencing through losing control of their land after the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi. In 1847 Waitoa wrote to Selwyn, “My heart is heavy…… the Governor is pushing the people too hard over the land.” The same “heavy heart” was expressed in a letter to William Williams after the defeat of the Hauhau in the Waiapu Valley.

Waitoa was finally ordained deacon by Selwyn at St Paul’s Church, Auckland, on Trinity Sunday, 22 May 1853 and then ordained on 22 May 1853, becoming the Maataamua or “firstborn” of the Māori clergy, and spent his whole ministry at Te Kawakawa, Te Araroa.

There are letters written to Waitoa by clergy, politicians, and chiefs alike for whom they all respected Waitoa for his hard work, generous spirit and humility.

A touching letter by Thomas Chapman recorded and detailed Rota’s death for Bishop Selwyn and wrote, “It has pleased God to take to Himself our faithful friend and brother in Christ, Rota Waitoa.”

Sir William Martin organised the funeral, and on 24 July 1866 Rota Waitoa was buried in the chapel yard at St Stephen’s, Taurarua (Judges Bay), by a very distraught Robert Maunsell. A flat stone marks his grave, inscribed with these words:

Rev. Rota Waitoa

Died 22 July, 1866

Te Matamua o nga Minita Māori