This interview with George Parekowhai explores the life and legacy of his tupuna Pera Tūtoko, placing his story within the wider cultural, political and spiritual transformations of 19th-century Aotearoa. Parekowhai reflects on a period marked by conflict, religious change, and the challenges Māori faced as European political and economic systems became increasingly dominant.

The interview covers Pera Tūtoko’s connections to the Anglican mission at Ōpōtiki, the events surrounding the killing of missionary Carl Völkner and the subsequent imprisonment of Māori involved in the conflict on the Chatham Islands. Parekowhai considers how these experiences were shaped by the tension between traditional Māori worldviews, Christian teachings and the emergence of movements such as Te Kooti’s Ringatū faith.

Central to the discussion is the spiritual dimension of Pera Tūtoko’s legacy. Parekowhai recalls stories passed down through generations, including a prophecy associated with the opening of Te Kakenga church. Through these reflections, Parekowhai reveals how his own life has been shaped by a continuing search for balance between ancestral knowledge and Christian belief. This interview presents Pera Tūtoko as a figure whose legacy continues to inform contemporary understandings of identity, spirituality and cultural resilience.