Anglican Pilgrimage Strengthens Maori & Pasefika Ties, Highlights Climate Resilience
A group of Anglican leaders and members of the Compass Rose Society recently embarked on a pilgrimage to New Zealand and Fiji. The journey, hosted by the Māori Anglican Church, aimed to strengthen ties between Māori and Pasefika communities and educate international guests about Māori Anglicanism and ministry. The pilgrimage, led by Secretary General of the Anglican Communion Bishop Anthony Poggo and Rev. Canon Sammy Wainaina, focused on themes of indigenous Anglicanism, surviving colonization, Moana theology, and climate resilience.
The pilgrimage began in Hawkes Bay, where participants visited Te Hui Amorangi ki Te Tairāwhiti and Te Aute College. They also saw the former site of Hukarere Girls' College, which was devastated by Cyclone Gabrielle. The group then attended the biennial Te Matatini Kapa Haka festival in New Plymouth, hosted by Sir Selwyn Parata. In Fiji, the pilgrimage included a voyage on the va'a Uto Ni Yalu with young traditional navigators, observing climate change's impact on Suva Harbor's coastline. Here, they heard about the impact of climate change from Archbishop Sione Ulu'ilakepa and climate advocate Fe'iloakitau (Fei) Tevi. The pilgrimage fostered global Anglican connections, showcasing indigenous resilience, faith, and climate action, with a potential indigenous chapter of the Compass Rose Society envisioned.
The Anglican Communion pilgrimage in February 2023 provided an opportunity for international guests to learn about Māori Anglicanism and ministry, while also highlighting the church's work in climate resilience. The province's three-Tikanga system ensures equal representation at the General Synod for Tikanga Māori, Tikanga Pasefika, and Tikanga Pākehā, serving as a model of co-governance. The pilgrimage also included the Moana Water of Life conference and the Community Integrated Resilience Assessment (CIRA), further emphasizing the church's commitment to climate action and community support.
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