Faith and Whakapapa on the Road to Peria

Holy Trinity Cathedral Young Adults Pilgrimage to Piako/Waikato.

From Holy Trinity Cathedral to Waharoa, Matamata and Peria — a road trip that became a journey through faith, history and whakapapa.

by Ben & Gardenia Taule’ale’ausumai

Members of the Cathedral Community

Six young adults, four mature chaperones, one van, and a journey into rural Piako/Waikato led to a day of discovering remarkable stories of faith, courage, forgiveness, and reconciliation in the early Anglican Church in Aotearoa.

Led by Dean Anne and Chris Mills, a group of ten young adults from Holy Trinity Cathedral departed Auckland at 8.25 am for a pilgrimage tracing the stories and footsteps of Wiremu Tāmihana and his young great-niece, Tarore.

Although heavy rain had been forecast, the weather held off as we travelled through the misty Waikato countryside, our anticipation growing as we headed towards places deeply connected with the Christian story in Aotearoa.

Beginning the Pilgrimage

Our first stop was the small Piako village of Waharoa, just north of Matamata, where Archbishop Emeritus Sir David Moxon welcomed us and guided us for the day.

Archbishop David gave each pilgrim a Pilgrim's Guide he had prepared and introduced us to the lives and legacies of two saints of Ngāti Hauā: Wiremu Tāmihana and Tarore, both of Waharoa.

A short distance away, at the Wiremu Tāmihana Memorial, we were joined by Ngāti Hauā kaumātua Frederick Haimona, a direct descendant of Wiremu Tāmihana.

Together, Archbishop David and Frederick shared stories of the Gospel's arrival in the region. They spoke of the nearby settlement of Tapiri, where Charlotte Brown and her husband Alfred Nesbitt Brown of the Church Missionary Society established a school at the Matamata pā in 1835 and taught from what became the first Māori translation of the Gospel of Luke.

Standing on the whenua connected to these stories, we learned about the young Wiremu Tāmihana, who would grow to become an extraordinary rangatira, peacemaker, and Christian leader. Through his Christian faith, he helped lead Ngāti Hauā to become pioneers of peace during a time when intertribal warfare was commonplace. His vision later influenced Māori-Pākehā relationships and contributed significantly to the spread of Christianity in Aotearoa.

The Story of Tarore

We also learned about Tarore, whose story of faith, tragedy, and forgiveness remains one of the most significant narratives in New Zealand's Christian history.

At her gravesite near Matamata Pā, we heard how Tarore began learning to read and write at just seven years of age using Te Rongopai a Ruka (The Gospel of Luke), the first Gospel and first book ever translated and distributed in te reo Māori.

Tarore's life was tragically cut short at the age of twelve during an intertribal conflict near Wairere Falls in the Kaimai Range. As she slept, she was killed by members of a Te Arawa war party while travelling towards the Tauranga mission station. She carried with her a treasured copy of Luke's Gospel.

What followed became an extraordinary example of Christian forgiveness. Rather than seeking utu (revenge), Ngāti Hauā chose a different path, reflecting the transformative impact of their new faith.

The Te Arawa war party took Tarore's Gospel with them when they returned to Rotorua. Initially discarded because few could read it, a literate slave later found the book and began reading it aloud. The Gospel's words deeply affected Te Arawa leaders and their people, contributing to their conversion to Christianity.

The Gospel then continued its journey, passing from Te Arawa to Taranaki and eventually to Ngāi Tahu in Ōtautahi (Christchurch). Along the way, Māori themselves became missionaries to other Māori communities, sharing the Christian faith through Scripture in their own language.

For our group, it was an extraordinary privilege not merely to read these stories in books, but to stand on the whenua where they unfolded and hear them shared by those whose connection to the stories remains living and personal.

Fellowship and Reflection

By midday, rain had begun to fall, and we made our way to the Ngāti Hauā Hauora Centre. There, sheltered from the cold weather, we shared a picnic lunch with our hosts.

The time together offered an opportunity for fellowship, conversation, and reflection on what we had learned that morning.

Sacred Spaces and Local History

After lunch, the pilgrimage continued to Matamata, where we visited the local Anglican church. The parish has honoured both Tarore and Wiremu Tāmihana through beautifully crafted stained-glass windows positioned on either side of the sanctuary.

The imagery within the windows vividly retells local stories and served as a powerful reminder of the enduring impact of these two figures within the Church and wider community.

Journey's End at Peria

Our final destination was Peria, northeast of Matamata, where Archbishop David led us to the site of Wiremu Tāmihana's last settlement and anointed us before we returned to Auckland.

Today, only a commemorative plaque and several historic karaka trees remain. Yet the site still speaks of Wiremu Tāmihana's remarkable vision of Māori and Pākehā living and working together in harmony as Christians.

At its height, the settlement included homes, schools, a church, farms, gardens, orchards, and even a flour mill. Although the community survived for only around fifteen years before Wiremu Tāmihana's death, it remains a powerful symbol of faith, leadership, and reconciliation.

As the rain intensified, Peria proved a fitting place to conclude our pilgrimage. Surrounded by this historic whenua, we listened to further kōrero about Wiremu Tāmihana's life, ministry, and enduring legacy.

At approximately 3.30pm, our pilgrimage officially ended, and the ten travellers climbed back into the van for the journey home. With the assistance of GPS and plenty of shared conversation, we arrived back at Holy Trinity Cathedral around 5.00 pm, perhaps a little tired, but carrying home far more in our hearts and spirits than when we had left that morning.

More Than a Road Trip

This was more than simply a day away from Auckland.

It was a pilgrimage into the whakapapa of our Christian faith in Aotearoa, offering our Young Adults the opportunity to encounter stories of courage, leadership, loss, forgiveness, reconciliation, and hope.

Most importantly, it reminded us that pilgrimage is not merely about visiting historic places. It is about listening to the stories held within the whenua, honouring those who have gone before us, and reflecting on how their faith and witness continue to speak into our lives today.

Our sincere thanks to Archbishop Emeritus Sir David Moxon, Frederick Haimona, and Ngāti Hauā for generously sharing their knowledge, stories, and hospitality.

We also extend our special thanks to Dean Anne and Chris Mills for leading our Young Adults on such a memorable and enriching journey.

Ngā mihi nui

Ben & Gardenia Taule’ale’ausumai

Members of the Cathedral Community