Ruatoka (1846? – 12 September 1903) was a Protestant Christian missionary in British New Guinea (now

Papua New Guinea Papua New Guinea, officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is an island country in Oceania that comprises the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and offshore islands in Melanesia, a region of the southwestern Pacific Ocean n ...

). The son of Christian converts, he was born in Tamarua,

Mangaia Mangaia (traditionally known as A'ua'u Enua, which means ''terraced'') is the most southerly of the Cook Islands and the second largest, after Rarotonga. It is a roughly circular island, with an area of , from Rarotonga. Originally heavily popul ...

Island,

Cook Islands The Cook Islands is an island country in Polynesia, part of Oceania in the South Pacific Ocean. It consists of 15 islands whose total land area is approximately . The Cook Islands' Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) covers of ocean. Avarua is its ...

. In about 1868 he attended Takamoa Theological College,

Rarotonga Rarotonga is the largest and most populous of the Cook Islands. The island is volcanic, with an area of , and is home to almost 75% of the country's population, with 10,898 of a total population of 15,040. The Parliament of the Cook Islands, Coo ...

, then under James Chalmers. He was one of six Polynesians chosen to convert New Guinea, and with his wife, Tungane, landed at Manumanu on the coast of Papua in November 1872. In February 1873 they left due to fever. Five months later Ruatoka and three colleagues sailed for

Port Moresby (; Tok Pisin: ''Pot Mosbi''), also referred to as Pom City or simply Moresby, is the capital and largest city of Papua New Guinea. It is one of the largest cities in the southwestern Pacific (along with Jayapura) outside of Australia and New ...

, where he remained until his death. As well as being a successful evangelist, he served as a guide, interpreter and advisor to the English missionaries. He was also noted for his work as a mediator in land disputes. His name is commemorated by Ruatoka Road, Port Moresby, and Ruatoka College, Rigo, Papua. His portrait appears on a 1972 Papua New Guinea postage stamp. Ruatoka and his wife taught the locals of Papua New Guinea, Cook Islands dancing and songs; more than 100 years later "Aito Pakapaka" was sung by Moses Tau and Te Marama which is sung by the People of Ruatoka.

Sources and external links

*''Australian Dictionary of Biography: Ruatoka'

Biography

* Joyce Reason, ''Take My Life: Ruatoka of Papua''. London: Edinburgh House Press, 1947 {{DEFAULTSORT:Ruatoka Congregationalist missionaries in Papua New Guinea Cook Islanders 1846 births 1903 deaths Cook Island Congregationalist missionaries Cook Island expatriates in Papua New Guinea