Kingi Ihaka was a distinguished clergyman who attained senior leadership positions within the Anglican Church while still remaining true to his Maori identity and culture. He grew up at a time when such was not encouraged and many believed that to become a brown European (pakeha) was the future for Maori.
Kingi Ihaka was to become a priest, an archdeacon and ultimately vicar general of Aotearoa. In 1961 Rev. Ihaka worked as an advisor on a film production of Sylvia Ashton-Warner. His acute observations of American life as he observed it from Hollywood were published in Te Ao Hou (The New World) of 1 March 1961.
He followed a philosophy of partnership between the races within the Church and was distinguished by his contribution to Maori youth, especially his work within the expatriated Maori community in Australia, where he was stationed from 1984-87. Rev. Kingi was also a Maori Language Commissioner, a role dedicated to promotion and development of Maori as an official language of New Zealand. Sir Kingi, having previously been awarded the MBE in 1970, was knighted in 1989. The citation in the London Gazette simply reads ‘For services to the Maori people.’
Ihaka, (Sir) Kingi
Died 1 Jan 1993
aged 71 years
Block G Row 14 Plot 9
