Matiaha Pahewa (1818–1906) was a teacher and missionary. Of

Māori Māori or Maori can refer to: Relating to the Māori people * Māori people of New Zealand, or members of that group * Māori language, the language of the Māori people of New Zealand * Māori culture * Cook Islanders, the Māori people of the Co ...

descent, he identified with the

Ngāti Porou Ngāti Porou is a Māori iwi traditionally located in the East Cape and Gisborne regions of the North Island of New Zealand. Ngāti Porou is affiliated with the 28th Maori Battalion and has the second-largest affiliation of any iwi in New Zealan ...

iwi Iwi () are the largest social units in New Zealand Māori culture, Māori society. In Māori-language, Māori roughly means "people" or "nation", and is often translated as "tribe", or "a confederation of tribes". The word is both singular and ...

(tribe). He was born in

Tokomaru Bay Tokomaru Bay is a small beachside community located on the isolated East Coast of New Zealand's North Island. It is 91 km north of Gisborne, on State Highway 35, and close to Mount Hikurangi. The district was originally known as Toka-a- ...

, New Zealand, the son of Hone Te Pahewa and Te Pakou o Hinekau. Pahewa attended the Waerenga-a-hika school at the mission of the

Church Missionary Society The Church Mission Society (CMS), formerly known as the Church Missionary Society, is a British mission society working with the Christians around the world. Founded in 1799, CMS has attracted over nine thousand men and women to serve as mission ...

(CMS), which had been established by the Rev. William Williams. On 4 October 1863 he was ordained as a

deacon A deacon is a member of the diaconate, an office in Christian churches that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions. Major Christian churches, such as the Catholic Chur ...

and he was assigned to the

Diocese of Waiapu The Diocese of Waiapu is one of the thirteen dioceses and hui amorangi of the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia. The Diocese covers the area around the East Coast of the North Island of New Zealand, including Tauranga, T ...

as the minita (minister) at Tokomaru. Tokomaru Pariha (parish) was established by Pahewa and the chief

Henare Potae Henare Potae (?–1895) was a New Zealand tribal leader. Of Māori descent, he identified with the Te Whanau-a-Ruataupare hapū of the Ngati Porou iwi. His pā was at Te Mawhai on the headland that forms the south head of Tokomaru Bay. In 186 ...

. It was the second Anglican parish established by the Ngati Porou. Hikurangi Pariha was established by the chief

Ropata Wahawaha Ropata Wahawaha ( – 1 July 1897) was a Māori military leader and ''rangatira'' (chief) of the Ngāti Porou ''iwi'' (tribe) who rose to prominence during New Zealand's East Cape War and Te Kooti's War. Born in 1820 in the Waiapu Valley ...

and Reverend Raniera Kawhia in 1860. In 1865 there were fourteen clergymen – six European and eight Māori – in the Diocese of Waiapu. The Māori were: at Tokomaru, Matiaha Pahewa; at Wairoa, Tamihana Huata; at Turanga, Hare Tawhaa; at Waiapu,

Rota Waitoa Rota Waitoa (? – 22 July 1866) was a New Zealand Anglican clergyman, of Māori descent. Waitoa identified with the Ngati Raukawa iwi. He was born in Waitoa, Waikato, New Zealand. Waitoa's ordination as deacon at St Paul's, Auckland ...

, Raniera Kawhia and

Mohi Turei Mohi Tūrei (1829 – 2 March 1914) was a notable New Zealand tribal leader, minister of religion, orator and composer of haka. Of Māori descent, he identified with the Ngāti Porou iwi. He was the only child of Te Omanga Tūrei of Ngāti Ho ...

; at Table Cape, Watene Moeka; at Maketu,

Ihaia Te Ahu Ihaia Te Ahu (–1895) was a notable New Zealand teacher and missionary. Of Māori descent, he identified with the Te Uri Taniwha hapū of the Ngāpuhi iwi. He was born in Ōkaihau, Northland, New Zealand. In about 1832 he attended the ...

. By 1865 the

Pai Mārire The Pai Mārire movement (commonly known as Hauhau) was a syncretic Māori religion founded in Taranaki by the prophet Te Ua Haumēne. It flourished in the North Island from about 1863 to 1874. Pai Mārire incorporated biblical and Māori spiritua ...

movement (commonly known as Hauhau) was active on the East Coast; at Tokomaru, Pahewa continued to visit the Hauhau as long as they were willing to accept his ministrations, although by so doing so he incurred the wrath of Henare Potae, who looked upon his action as identifying himself with their movement. On 13 July 1897, he together with

Mohi Tūrei Mohi Tūrei (1829 – 2 March 1914) was a notable New Zealand tribal leader, minister of religion, orator and composer of haka. Of Māori descent, he identified with the Ngāti Porou iwi. He was the only child of Te Omanga Tūrei of Ngāti ...

, Eruera Kawhia and Piripi Awarau, assisted the Rev. H. Williams in conducting the burial service for

, who had fought the Hauhau. Pahewa undertook theological study at St. Stephen's College in

Auckland Auckland (pronounced ) ( mi, Tāmaki Makaurau) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. The most populous urban area in the country and the fifth largest city in Oceania, Auckland has an urban population of about I ...

. On 22 September 1878 he was ordained as a

priest A priest is a religious leader authorized to perform the sacred rituals of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and one or more deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particu ...

by Bishop

Edward Stuart Edward Craig Stuart (1827 – 15 March 1911) was the second Anglican Bishop of Waiapu, whose episcopate spanned a 16-year period during the second half of the 19th century. He was born in Edinburgh, the son of Alexander Stuart and Mary McKnig ...

and was assigned to the Diocese of Waiapu. He remained at Tokomaru Bay until his death on 5 June 1906. His son was the Rev. Hakaraia Pahewa (c1871-1949), who was appointed to the Diocese of Waiapu in Te Kaha Maori District, which was on the road from

Ōpōtiki Ōpōtiki (; from ''Ōpōtiki-Mai-Tawhiti'') is a small town in the eastern Bay of Plenty in the North Island of New Zealand. It houses the headquarters of the Ōpōtiki District Council and comes under the Bay of Plenty Regional Council. G ...

East Cape East Cape is the easternmost point of the main islands of New Zealand. It is located at the northern end of the Gisborne District of New Zealand's North Island. It can also refer to the broader Gisborne cape. East Cape was originally named "C ...

. In 1918 he became the first Māori to be appointed as a

Canon Canon or Canons may refer to: Arts and entertainment * Canon (fiction), the conceptual material accepted as official in a fictional universe by its fan base * Literary canon, an accepted body of works considered as high culture ** Western can ...

, when he was appointed that position at Napier Cathedral.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pahewa, Matiaha 1906 deaths 1818 births 19th-century New Zealand Anglican priests Ngāti Porou people New Zealand Māori religious leaders