Hirini Te Rito Whaanga Explained

Hirini Te Rito Whaanga (1828 - 1905) was a notable New Zealand Mormon missionary.

Early life

Whaanga was born in Māhia Peninsula, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand in 1828. Of Māori descent, he identified with the Ngati Rakaipaaka iwi. Widowed twice, he married his third wife, Mere Mete Whaanga when she was 21. Together, they had three daughters and a son. However, one daughter and their son did not survive past childhood.

Conversion

In 1884, Mormon missionaries came to Hawke's Bay and his wife was receptive to them. The couple were baptized on 30 November by Mormon missionary John C. Stewart.^{[1] [2] [3]} The Whaanga family were some of the first Maori tribe members to be baptized, and they were followed by more than 200 members of their tribe in several weeks. He served as a missionary in New Zealand. Eventually, he moved to Utah with Mere and a group of family members.

Death

He died and was buried there in 1905.

Notes and References

1. Newton, Marjorie (2014). Her Very Presence is a Sermon: Mere Mete Whaanga. In Richard E. Turley Jr. and Brittany A. Chapman (Eds.), Women of Faith in the Latter Days (Vol. 3). Salt Lake City, UT: Deseret Book.
2. Book: Lineham, Peter J. . 1993. Story: Hirini Te Rito Whaanga. Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. 2. Auckland, New Zealand. Auckland University Press.
3. Web site: Early Mormon Missionaries: Mere Mete Whaanga. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 14 October 2016.