Photo: RNZ/Tania Page
For some, the relationship between Christianity and Māori atua (gods) is very complex.
But Te Hira Paenga sees the two as complementary.
Te Hira Paenga was the first PhD candidate to do a doctorate in Theology at the University of Otago in te reo Māori. He even defended his phD completely in te reo, in front of about 100 people.
His PhD was a deep dive into how the very first interactions between Christian missionaries, and how those relationships were captured and incorporated into kapa haka.
He's also a judge at this year's Matatini — the national kapa haka championships.
