Wihapi Winiata: Who Gave His Heart to the Four Winds

Ngāti Whakaue

Reverend Te Wihapi David Te Kanohimohoao Winiata was born in 1935 and lived most of his life in Rotorua. He attended Rotorua Primary and Whakarewarewa Native Schools, before he headed off to Te Aute College in Hawke’s Bay. Because of medical problems, he returned from Hawke’s Bay to continue his education at, what was then, Rotorua High and Grammar School.

Reverend Winiata was steeped in the traditions of the Māori Anglican Church and was a lay member of Ōhinemutu’s St Faith’s Church until 1978. He then entered the ministry, serving in the Ōhinemutu, Te Ngae, Whakarewarewa, Ngāpuna, Ōwhata, Mourea, Rotoiti, Western Heights, Ngongotahā, Mamakū, Taupō, Waitetoko and Tūrangi pastorates for more than 30 years.

He was a modest man and found it hard to accept that many people referred to him as ‘the paramount chief of Te Arawa’. Following his death, he lay in state in Tamatekapua, the premier meeting house of Te Arawa.

The year that his father died, Reverend Winiata left school at 19 to join the workforce to support his family. He began working in the Māori Land Court section of the Department of Māori Affairs and remained there for 33 years until he retired in 1989.

Reverend Winiata began working for his people on the marae in the 1960s. He sat as a board member or advisor on more than 30 local Māori committees and organisations. He was also involved in working with government departments, educational institutions (including Rotorua Museum) and health services. Reverend Winiata’s contribution to Māori and the wider community was recognised in 2005, with a community service award from the Rotorua District Council.

Reverend Winiata was a talented artist, majoring in art at school. He designed monograms and logos for local organisations including Te Papa Tākaro o Te Arawa and the Whakarewarewa Rugby Club.

A keen rugby supporter, he played for Whakarewarewa and Waikite for nearly 20 years. He was a referee in the mid-1970s and became a kaumatua (elder) and life member of the Waikite Rugby Football Club. In 1953, he designed the mascot ‘Hori Bop’ for the Bay of Plenty Rugby Union.

At the time of Reverend Waiata’s death, his nephew Robert Biddle said his uncle had been an asset not only to Māori and Pākehā, but to all people.

“He was even the president of the Rotorua French Club. He gave his heart to everyone, to Ngā Hau e Whā (the four winds). The iwi is going to miss him, especially Ngāti Whakaue. He was our pou tokomanawa (centre pillar). For the family he was Te Ahi o Ngā Uri Rangatira (our guiding light).”

‘Koro Hapi’, as he was affectionately known, died in 2005 after a long illness. Highly regarded throughout the country, he is remembered for his manaakitanga, whanaungatanga, rangatiratanga, kotahitanga and wairuatanga.

This story comes from the original Great Te Arawa Stories website created by Ngā Pūmanawa e Waru (NPeW) Education Trust in 2018. To ensure consistency, minimal updates were made to the text before it was transferred to this new site.