[Anglican Communion News Service] The Māori Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia (Te Hāhi Mihinare ki Aotearoa ki Niu Tīreni, ki Ngā Moutere o te Moana Nui a Kiwa) has hosted a pilgrimage to deepen ties between Māori and Pasefika communities and enabling international guests from the Anglican Communion to learn more about Māori Anglicanism and ministry.
The province serves as a model of co-governance, having revised its constitution in 1992 to adopt a three-Tikanga system. This structure ensures equal representation at the General Synod for Tikanga Māori (indigenous Māori), Tikanga Pasefika (Polynesian communities across New Zealand and the Pacific), and Tikanga Pākehā (New Zealanders of European descent). Each Tikanga has its own archbishop and primate, all working within a single province.
Taking part in the pilgrimage was secretary general of the Anglican Communion Bishop Anthony Poggo, The Rev. Canon Sammy Wainaina from Lambeth Palace, and members of the Compass Rose Society, including Bishop Todd Townshend of the Diocese of Huron, Canada, and the Rev. Doug Horner, representing Pennsylvania Bishop Daniel Gutiérrez. Since 1994, The Compass Rose Society has provided funding towards the work of the Anglican Communion Office and other communion projects.
Hosted by the Most Rev. Don Tamihere, archbishop and primate of Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia, the pilgrimage involved a series of services and community visits, where the group heard more about themes of indigenous Anglicanism, surviving colonization Moana theology and climate resilience.
The pilgrimage began in Hawkes Bay, on the East Coast of New Zealand from Feb. 19-13. A visit was made to Te Hui Amorangi ki Te Tairāwhiti, the bishopric and home of Archbishop Don Tamihere. Here, the group was immersed in the rich traditions of Māori Anglicanism, where faith and culture are inextricably intertwined.
The pilgrims went to the cathedral, where they saw intricate Māori woven designs inspired by the Porourangi Poutama pattern (a pattern favoured by the Ngāti Porou weavers on the East Coast). They also visited Te Aute College, a prestigious Māori Anglican boarding school. There, principal Rachel Kingi welcomed the visitors with a pōwhiri (ceremonial welcome) and showcased Māori customs including the waiata (song) and haka (dance) performed by the students.
Significant time was given during the pilgrimage to meet Anglican leaders and environmental advocates to discuss pressing climate challenges facing the region, which is causing sea level rise and extreme weather events.
In Hawkes Bay, the pilgrimage visited the former site of Hukarere Girls’ College in the Esk Valley, which was devastated by the floods caused by Cyclone Gabrielle in February 2023. The students were evacuated just hours before a flood rushed the valley and school.
The pilgrimage continued to Suva, Fiji, Feb. 24-26. The group heard from the Most Rev. Sione Ulu’ilakepa, archbishop and primate of Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia, who explained that the cyclone season now lasts all year-round due to climate change.
Climate advocate Fe’iloakitau (Fei) Tevi spoke and warned that climate change could destroy up to 80% of coral reefs, threatening vital services for 11 million Pacific people, a region rich in marine life and contributing 57% of global GDP.
The church is involved in some influential and impactful work in climate resilience, through the Moana Water of Life conference and the Community Integrated Resilience Assessment (CIRA). Run by young Anglicans in Tonga, CIRA maps each household in a community to ensure all are resilient to climate disasters. It also mobilizes church youth to support people at risk in a disaster scenario. It is now featured in a key report from the U.N. Special Rapporteur on the “human right to a healthy environment.”
The pilgrimage also incorporated a voyage on the va’a Uto Ni Yalu, accompanied by some of the youngest certified traditional navigators in the world. Some of them have spent 6-8 months on blue water voyages, navigating to destinations such as Hawaii, the Americas, Chile, Easter Island, Rarotonga and New Zealand. They observed how climate change has altered the coastline in Suva Harbor.
Ulu’ilakepa said, “Our voice alone is not strong enough,” urging the pilgrims to amplify the Pacific’s message. “This is a matter of life and death for us.”
The final part of the pilgrimage was to New Plymouth Feb. 27-March 2 to attend the biennial Te Matatini Kapa Haka festival, one of the largest gatherings of Māori people and culture. Here, they were guests of Sir Selwyn Parata, chair of Te Pīhopatanga o Aotearoa and Te Matatini Festival.
On their final day, the pilgrims attended a Eucharist at Mere Tapu (St. Mary’s). Once a symbol of colonial oppression for Māori in the 1800s, it has since become a place of peace making. A trip was also made to Te Manu Hononga, an educational center dedicated to Sir Paul Reeves, the first Māori archbishop and governor-general, which offers programs and events supporting the ongoing process of reconciliation for local hapū Ngati Te Whiti, Puketapu, and the people of New Plymouth.
The pilgrimage fostered global Anglican connections, showcasing indigenous resilience, faith and climate action. Pilgrims returned with a renewed commitment to partnership and a vision for a potential indigenous chapter of the Compass Rose Society, amplifying Māori and Pasefika voices within the Anglican Communion.
Of the visit Poggo said, ““This has been an enriching visit and time of fellowship, where I have learned more about lives and ministry of Māori Anglicans. They honor the land, their heritage and their relationships. Hospitality and community is central to how they live and embodies God’s call to “love your neighbour as thyself.” I have been inspired by the CIRA project and Archbishop Sione’s encouragement to have hope and resilience in the face of climate change. It has also been a joy to pilgrim alongside members of the Compass Rose Society, whose generous support to the communion is deeply valued. I give thanks to Archbishop Don Tamihere and all the communities of Māori Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia for their wonderful hospitality and example to us.”