Ihaia Te Ahu, one of the earliest of the Maori clergy, was a missionary to the people of Te Arawa for more than 50 years.

From 1833 he lived with Thomas Chapman and his wife at Kerikeri, then Paihia and Rotorua in 1835 where they founded the first mission station there. Ihaia was a missionary assistant. He married Rangirauaka of Ngati Riripo, and both were baptised by A.N. Brown on 9 May 1841, when he took the name Ihaia (Isaiah). By 1845 he was Chapman’s leading teacher and entrusted with conducting the Sunday services when Chapman was absent. Chapman noted that Ihaia’s abilities were “fully acknowledged around by all”. As a Nga Puhi from the north, Ihaia was able to move with some freedom during the tribal conflicts in the Rotorua area.

The Chapmans, with Ihaia and his family all moved to Maketu in the Bay of Plenty in 1846. In 1857 he began preparing for ordination. He went to Tauranga to study under A.N. Brown, then during the autumn and winter of 1858, he went to St Stephen’s School, Auckland. He came first in a class examination and was given a Bible as his prize. Poor health forced him to return to Maketu before his studies were completed. He returned to mission work and eventually took over from Chapman when the latter went to Auckland in 1861. On 3 November 1861 Ihaia was ordained deacon by Bishop William Williams.

Ihaia continued to work at Maketu and was responsible for the building of St Thomas’ Church opened in 1869. He spent time at Rotorua, and was appointed the first vicar of the Ohinemutu pastorate in Rotorua in 1882, starting a drive to build a church. During the 1860's mission work suffered as a result of the Maori Land Wars. The Hauhau movement and the events surrounding Te Kooti also contributed to the unsettled state of affairs. The people of Te Arawa had seen something of “the hollowness of the Christianity of civilised men”. Ihaia had to re-establish the work of the church in the Rotorua area. This he did to such great effect, that he became known as the “hero of missionary effort” in Rotorua. His plans to build a church were completed by the consecration of St Faith’s Church, Ohinemutu, on 15 March 1885, by Bishop E.C. Stuart of Waiapu. The extent of his influence can be gauged from the following lines:

Ihaia left Ohinemutu in 1889. He served briefly at St Stephen’s College, Auckland, but had retired by 1892 and moved to Kaikohe. He was buried at Maketu.

BORN:c.1823, Te Uri Taniwha hapu of Nga Puhi in the Okaihau area, New Zealand.

DIED: 7 July 1895, Kaikohe, New Zealand.