Te Hauoterangi (Howard) and Gladys Karaka serve as Māori Evangelists with Te Pīhopatanga o te Manawa o te Wheke in the Port Waikato area. The Māori Evangelist initiative was an invitation for NZCMS to renew the old relationships the first CMS missionaries had with Māori in the 19th century. Howard was the first ‘new’ evangelist to partner with NZCMS in 2018, and his wife Gladys has recently joined him in this ministry.
In December 2022, Howard and Gladys came to the NZCMS office with a taonga (gift). They wanted to give NZCMS something that represented this partnership and relationship that has been formed between two people that had been divided; a ‘tying together’ of Te Puaha o Waikato (Port Waikato) and NZCMS.
Intending to give a taonga to NZCMS, Howard went to one of the ladies in his congregation and asked her to make something for us. Her name is Rereoke Shaw. He explained what he wanted the gift to represent, this partnership, and she suggested she hand make a Korowai (feathered cloak). This took her months to complete as she intentionally and prayerfully chose each element of the Korowai and hand-sewed them together.
“The korowai is very sacred to Māori,” Howard said. “It represents love, peace, unity and restoration. This Korowai represents the broken relationship being restored by God between NZCMS and the people of Te Puaha O Waikato, as we truly stand in unity.
“I believe God is bringing healing to Tangata Whenua and Pakeha. This gift represents this healing between two peoples. It represents the act of God putting NZCMS and Māori back together again. That we are now made one people, covered together by the love and presence of God.”
Our National Director, Rosie Fyfe, pictured wearing the Korowai with Howard and Gladys Karaka.
We have a vision to partner with ten full time Māori Evangelists across New Zealand. Learn how you can support Māori Evangelism.
The Korowai looks beautiful and is a special Koha and symbol.
A great vision for CMS to work towards.
Fantastic reconciliation
Fantastic reconciliation
Kia ora Rosie and NZCMS, On 25th June we will again commemorate the anniversary of CMS missionary Henry Williams first preaching the gospel of peace to Tauranga Moana Maori at Pilot Bay, Mt Maunganui on 25th June 1826. Your predecessor Steve Maina joined us for a special commemoration on 25th June 2014 and now we look ahead to the 200 year remembrance in 2026.
While a restorative and reconciliation process is underway with Tauranga Moana Maori and the Anglican Church following the betrayal over land – our prayer is that the gospel of the Kingdom will again be preached by Maori and Pakeha evangelists.
Thanks James. NZCMS has been involved in the important restorative process in Tauranga relating to historic CMS actions, and it’s good to know about the event coming up in 2026