St Michael's Roman Catholic Church, Ohinemutu

Rotorua's 1^st Catholic Mission Station c 1841 

Marist priests, Father Borjon & Brother Justin, arrived at Maketu and commenced their mission there. They also travelled to Ohinemutu via Lake Rotoiti. Father Borjon was well liked by the people there but sadly Father Borjon died at sea in 1843.

Father E. Reignier is sent to Maketu in 1842 but decided to take up residence at Ohinemutu.  The Roman Catholic Church is sold 3 ½ acres on Pukeroa Hill for £10 10s. This was duly paid by Bishop Pompallier. 

A wooden church was built in the Maori style and dedicated to St Joachim. By 1847 he had also established 3 other chapels. One at Kaiteriaria (Rotokakahi – Green Lake), one at Rotomahana and one at Paehinahina (Rotoiti.) 

The Mill Hill Father’s

Fr Becker arrived in 1888 and found there was neither church nor a priest’s house at Ohinemutu. No papers could be found to verify the land previously sold to the church, so after much debate it was decided they could have the one freehold section available at this time, the site of the current day St Michael’s Church. 

Father Becker was based at Matata and had a very large parish and was often away during his time. Toward the end of 1889 Fr. Becker at the request of Bishop Luck left Rotorua for the Hokianga. Fr. Smiers is sent to the Tokaanu-Taupo area.

[St Michael's Church - Ohinemutu],Hammond, Thomas William George Howard, 1868-1967,
compiler,ca. 1897,PH-ALB-357-9-P9-1 With thanks to Auckland Museum.

Father Holierhoek  was in Ohinemutu by 1892. He opened the new church near Taheke which was dedicated to St Joseph.

Father Kreijmborg takes over from Fr. Holierhoek and is in Ohinemutu until 1896 when he moves to Waihi. Fr. Kemp from the Hokianga takes over the parish. 
Mother Mary McKillop, founder of the Sisters of St Joseph’s Convent in Australia, arrives in Rotorua c1902 for treatment of her rheumatism. While staying at the Thirwell she walked to St Michael’s to teach school. In 1903 a school opens behind the convent at Ohinemutu.

In 1904 Father Kreijmborg built a church at Whakarewarewa which was dedicated the ‘Church of the Immaculate Conception” also known as St Mary of the Cross.

By 1906 Father Kreijmborg is back and is busy altering and adding to the St Michael’s Church and Convent.  He also built a church at Owhatiura (St Joseph’s) and then goes on to build one at Mamaku this is finished by October 1906 and dedicated to St Joseph by the Very Rev. Dean Lightheart on the second Sunday in October.  

Father Kreijmborg leaves the district in 1907 to take up a position at Opotiki.  Rev. Dean Lightheart is left in Rotorua as Parish Priest.  Father Kreijmborg returns to open the new Roman Catholic Church ‘Church of the Immaculate Conception’ at Ngongotaha in 1915 as Dean Lightheart is in Tauranga recovering from a recent car accident.

1922-24 A new school is built, as the one at Ohinemutu is now too small, (this is the first St Michael’s) on Ranolf Street and the convent, St Joseph’s,  purchased a house next to the school.  In 1926 a chapel is opened in the convent and called “Chapel of Ease” which locals are welcome to attend services there.

1940s the school expands adding a new classroom.  And in 1950 two wings are added to the main building and in 1954 St Mary’s Church opens with Father McKenna as Priest.

1958 a new school is built and this becomes St Michael's and the other on Ranolf Street becomes St Mary’s School. A convent is built as part of the school buildings.

1960s brings more growth to the region and St Michael’s is now too small. It was decided to build a new one around the old one.  

St Michael's Catholic Church, c2013.

With thanks to Kete Rotorua.

St Faiths Anglican Church of Ohinemutu

The Maori Church 

St Faith's was known as the Maori Church during the late 1880's to early 1900's.

1880-1881 Principal Arawa chiefs are making moves to set aside a piece of land at Ohinemutu to build a church, it was to be called St Faith’s.  Part of the Muruika Peninsula is decided on and locals called in Tuhoto to lift the tapu on the area which was a burial ground for earlier residents of that pa. 

“Reverend Ihaia Te Ahu (who has steadfastly labored amidst many discouragements as an ordained clergyman of the Church of England since 1860 amongst his countrymen, the loyal tribe of the Arawa) is very desirous of erecting a church at Ohinemutu where he resides. He feels the great want of a suitable building in which the people may assemble for public worship…. I would therefore very earnestly appeal to the English residents, and to the many visitor and tourists… to contribute towards building of a commodious and suitable Church, such as will be an ornament to the new township.” This article is followed by a subscription list of those who have already contributed. Daily Telegraph 1881-06-01, pg. 4.

Bishop of Waiapu laid the foundation stone on 5 June 1884.

St Faith’s is consecrated in 1885.

Reverend Ihaia Te Ahu is appointed 1^st Vicar of St Faith’s in 1882 and remains until 1889.

Rev. F.H. Spencer (son of Seymour) took up residence there in 1887 and remains until 1895.

Showing exterior view of the old St Faiths Church at Ohinemutu
Photographer James Richardson c1895-1930s
'Sir George Grey Special Collections, Auckland Libraries, 4-6188'

Rev. S. Ingle arrived to take the post in 1896 and Ratema Te Awekotuku is admitted as a deacon. Te Awekotuku serves there until 1902 followed by Walter Tuahangata Fraser until 1905. Frederick Augustus Bennett (born Ohinemutu 1871) is ordained as a deacon in 1896, followed by in 1897 as a priest… takes charge of St Faith’s c1905-1917 he is ordained as the 1^st Bishop of Aotearoa. 

Serves until his death in 1950 and is buried under the sanctuary of ‘his’ church.  During his time the new St Faith’s was built and the older one moved and turned to face west c.1910 it was still used as a Sunday school & church hall until Feb 1936 when it collapsed during a severe gale. The pieces of the old church were then removed from the site altogether.

Showing exterior view of the new St Faiths Church at Ohinemutu
Photographer James Richardson
'Sir George Grey Special Collections, Auckland Libraries, 4-6187' 

For more information see the St Faith's website or their Facebook page.

With thanks to the Don Stafford Collection, Papers Past and Auckland City Libraries for the above info and images.

Missionaries and Early Rotorua Churches

Missions 1831-1880's : Church of England

c.1831 Thomas Chapman & Archdeacon Henry Williams. [Church of England] His 1st Visit to this region.

Part of an Embroidered Wall Hanging, showing the Chapman family,
done by Rotorua Embroider's Guild for the Rotorua Library.

c.1835 Te Koutu Mission Station - destroyed by Te Waharoa 6 Aug 1836.

c.1838 Chapman returns with Mr & Mrs Morgan set up on Mokoia Island.  Mrs Morgan gives birth to the first European child in the district, sadly he died just months later on 16 October 1838 and is buried on Mokoia Is. She had another son 1 month prematurely before leaving the island in 1839.

The Morgan’s left Rotorua c.October 1840 after Mrs Morgan began suffering ill health and it was decided she would be better in Tauranga.

Chapman carries on without the Morgan’s and work gets underway for a new mission at Te Ngae.

1843 Bishop Selwyn arrives on 31^st Oct and conducted the Confirmation within the bounds of the ‘Diocese of Waiapu’ 55 Maori were confirmed.

Chapman returns to Rotorua in 1843 and Rev. Spencer .... 

1843 Rev. Seymour M. Spencer arrived at the Te Ngae Mission and resides there until 1845 leaving the area due to ongoing unrest between tribes he moves his family to Kariri at Lake Tarawera where he establishes Te Mu, and is in residence there until c.1861 He is then posted to Auckland leaving the whole Maketu-Rotorua area in the care of Ihaia Te Ahu.     Spencer returns often but Te Kooti’s attack on Te Arawa forced the abandonment of Te Mu.

The 1870's passes without a permanent priest or church existing in the area. Periodically there were visits from various Priests - Marist, Benedictine and Franciscan. 

1876 Chapman returns to visit his Mokoia Island mission, only to die overcome by heat in Hinemoa’ s Pool on 22 Dec 1876. His body was taken to Maketu to be buried with his first wife who had predeceased him in 1855. 

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume X, Issue 1084, 30 August 1881 

from Papers Past

1880-1881 Principal Arawa chiefs are making moves to set aside a piece of land at Ohinemutu to build a church, it was to be called St Faith’s.  Part of the Muruika Peninsula is decided on and locals called in Tuhoto to lift the tapu on the area which was a burial ground for earlier residents of that pa.  

Reverend Ihaia Te Ahu is appointed 1^st Vicar of St Faith’s in 1882 and remains until 1889.

St Faith’s is consecrated in 1885. The following postcard shows both the original St Faith's 1885 and the new St Faith's 1914.

Postcard : Overlooking Ohinemutu, circa 1930s. St Faith's Church is visible.
Photograph taken by Sydney Charles Smith. PAColl-5932-33 Alexander Turnbull Library.

Rev. F.H. Spencer (son of Seymour) took up residence there in 1887 and remains until 1895.

Rev. S. Ingle arrived to take the post in 1896 and Ratema Te Awekotuku is admitted as a deacon. Te Awekotuku serves there until 1902 followed by Walter Tuahangata Fraser until 1905. 

Frederick Augustus Bennett (born Ohinemutu 1871) is ordained as a deacon in 1896, followed by in 1897 as a priest… takes charge of St Faith’s c.1905-1917 he is ordained as the 1^st Bishop of Aotearoa. Serves until his death in 1950 and is buried under the sanctuary of ‘his’ church.  During his time the new St Faith’s was built and the older one moved and turned to face west c1910 it was still used as a Sunday school & church hall until Feb 1936 when it collapsed during a severe gale. The pieces of the old church were then removed from the site altogether.

Find more information here on the official St Faith's website

Matariki : The Pleiades

The Pleiades 

Quoting from Elsdon Best's "Astronomical knowledge of the Maori" c.1922. pg's 42-45.

The far-famed star group exalted and venerated by many races from time immemorial...

Maori tells us that 'Matariki' their name for the group is a female... and speak of it as if it were a single-star.  Best quotes Colenso's writings in which he says "I found that the Maori could see more stars in the Pleiades with unaided eye than I could, they see 7 sometimes 8 stars" 

Best goes on to write "Matariki's task is to keep moving in a cluster, to foretell lean and fat seasons, and bringing food supplies to man. Thus Ao-kai is applied to it.  He quotes Sir George Grey's writings that give four other sayings 'Matariki ahunga nui (provider of plentiful supplies), Matariki tapuapua (abundance of pools of water in winter), Matariki hunga nui (has numerous followers) and Matariki kanohi iti (small eyed Matariki).

Best further writes 'A notable event in Maoriland greeted in two ways, by laments for those who have died recently, and by women with singing and posture dances. It is marked by a festival of feasting and universal joy' 

This booklet by Best is available to read in the Don Stafford Room, 2nd Floor of the Rotorua Library.

Review of : "Matariki : the Maori New Year" by Libby Hakaraia.

In her introduction Libby Hakaraia gives the reader a meaning of the word Mata = eyes Ariki = God.
Libby goes on to briefly give an overview of her subject. This is great for those wanting a meaning and reason why Matariki is so important to Maori and the Maori New Year.

For those readers who want to delve deeper into the historic celebration and astronomical lore of Matariki : The Pleiades and other stars of significance to planting, harvesting and storage of food, including birds and fish traditionally caught and preserved in times past.

Throughout this book the author has drawn on research already published, but also from the memories of people such as Hapimana Rikihana (Te Arawa) pg. 30-31, who recalls learning about Matariki with the use of Mahi Whai which recreated the patterns, and facilitated the passing on of stories, cosmology and Maori star law and knowledge.

New Zealand. Tourism Department. Maori girls playing a string game. Ref: PAColl-5671-34.
Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. /records/22710365

Libby Hakaraia goes on in her book to inform the reader of other view points and ancient cultures who have their own legends centered around this group of stars. Throughout this book the author starts each chapter with a quote or proverb and illustrates with photographs and drawings of the traditional kite of Matariki.

This book is available to borrow from the Maori Collection on the 1st Floor at 394.2614z HAK

This amazing kite was made by children who attended the 'Avalanche of Activities'
April 2013 holiday programme at Rotorua Library