Hato Petera College

Hato Petera College (formerly called St Peter's Māori College) is an integrated, boarding and day co-educational college in Northcote Central, Auckland, New Zealand for students in Year 9 to Year 13. The school has a strong Catholic and Māori character. It is located on part of the land originally given by Sir George Grey, Governor of New Zealand, to Bishop Pompallier, first Bishop of Auckland in 1849 for education purposes. The school was established and staffed in 1928 by the Mill Hill Fathers and later the Marist Brothers provided staff.^[2] Hato Petera College is the only Māori Catholic co-educational learning institute in the world. ^[3]

History

The land

An area of land (9,500 acres) was purchased by Sir George Grey from " ... Ngāti Paoa and their related tribes of Ngāti Maru, Ngāti Tamatera, and Ngāti Whānaunga, Te Kawerau and Ngāti Whātua. Eruera Maihi Patuone, the Ngāpuhi chief was also concerned in the sale because his wife at that time was Riria, a member of the Hauraki tribes."^[2][4] The Governor set aside 359 acres of the purchase for educational purposes and of this 250 acres ("the Roman Catholic Endowment Block") was given to Bishop Pompallier, who endeavored to carry out this intention.^[2] The area which became the site of the college was an area of 32 acres. The area was partly occupied by a girls' orphanage which burnt down in 1913. A large house was also existing on the site in 1928 and this became the residence of the Mill Hill Fathers.^[5]

St Peter's Catechist School

Hato Petera College (then called Saint Peter's Catechist School but officially known as St Peter's Rural Training School^[6]) was founded as a school to train boys as catechists to assist Mill Hill priests in the Māori mission. The catechist tradition was created in New Zealand by Bishop Pompallier and many Māori catechists were trained at his St Mary's Seminary which began its existence near the present site of Hato Petera College.^[7] The Mill Hill priests came to New Zealand in 1886 to work amongst Māori. The value of catechists was soon recognised when it became apparent that there were not enough priests to carry out this task and that their formal training was necessary.^[8] The school was opened on 3 June 1928 by Bishop Cleary, the sixth Catholic Bishop of Auckland. This was with an enrolment of 13 students (Taniere Erihe, George Harris, Nahi Horomona, Akutina Karehana, Hakopa Karora, Petera Mahuta, Kamira Matini, Denis Murphy, Hare Parenara, Timoti Rewi, Gabriel Tohiraukura, Wiremu Tuiri, Kaperiere Waipouri^[9]). They were taught by two priests (Fathers Edward Bruning (Pa Eruera - Dutch^[10]) and John Spierings (Pa Hoane - also Dutch)^[11]) and two lay teachers (Mr Calloway and Mr Priestly). The intention was to train the boys to become men of prayer to give religious instruction and to help in other religious duties. They were chosen by the priests of the mission to be given the necessary training in Catholic Doctrine. The school was to support itself from its farm as no fees were charged.^[12] The first Rector was Father Bruning (1928-1929). He was succeeded by Father Joseph Zenna (Pa Hohepa - Austrian^[13]) (1930-1933). From 1933 to 1960, the Rector was Dean Martin Alink (Pa Matene - Dutch^[14]) who himself physically constructed much of the college as well as being the superior of the Mill Hill mission in New Zealand. He remained at the college until his death in 1964.^[8]

Hato Petera College

By the 1940s, it was becoming apparent that the school needed to fulfil a wider educational role for Māori youth than to be just a school for catechists.^[15] In 1946 the school was registered as a secondary school.^[16] The Marist Brothers, who had expressed a wish to be involved in Māori education on their own property near the school, instead agreed to provide staff for the secondary school from that year.^[17] At the end of 1969 the Mill Hill Fathers withdrew from the college and its administration was in the hands of the Marist Brothers from January 1970.^[18] The College changed its name from "St Peter's Māori College" to "Hato Petera College" in 1972.^[6]

Integration and co-education

In 1982 the proprietor of the college (the Catholic Bishop of Auckland) signed an integration Agreement with the Minister of Education and the college entered the State education system. The college admitted girls and so became co-educational in 1993.

Notable alumni

• Ralph Hotere, ONZ, (Te Aupōuri) - artist
• Paratene Matchitt, (Whanau-a-Apanui, Te Whakatōhea and Ngati Porou) - sculptor and painter.
• Wiremu Te Awhitu (1914–1994), (Ngāti Hauaroa and Ngāti Maniapoto) - first Māori Catholic priest.
• Ranginui Walker (Ranginui Joseph Isaac), DCNZM, (Te Whakatōhea) - Māori academic and writer.

See also

• Roman Catholicism in New Zealand
• Māori people
• Jean Baptiste Pompallier
• St Mary's Seminary
• Roman Catholic Diocese of Auckland

References

Sources

External links

• Hato Petera College