Hone Kaa

Archdeacon Hone Kaa (9 April 1941 – 29 March 2012) was an Auckland-based Anglican church leader, child welfare advocate^[1][2][3][4] and social-justice campaigner. He was a Māori of Ngāti Porou and Ngāti Kahungunu descent.^[1]

Born to Rev. Tipi (whenua) and Hohipine Kaa (née Whaanga) at Rangitukia on the East Cape, where Tipi was Vicar of Waiapu,^[5] Kaa grew up in Rangitukia and Bombay where he attended St. Stephen's School. One sister, Keri Kaa, rose to become chair of the UNESCO New Zealand Culture Commission^[6] and won a 2011 AMP award to publish te reo Māori audio books; a second sister was the writer and poet Arapera Hineira Kaa Blank.^[7] His brother was a well-respected New Zealand actor Wi Kuki Kaa. Hone trained as a priest at St John's Theological College in Auckland from 1963 to 1965, then got a BA in Maori studies and a MA (Hons) in Education at the University of Auckland. Kaa then left for a DMin at Episcopal Divinity School, then in Cambridge, Massachusetts, US.^[8]

After working in parishes in Taupō and Pōrangahau, Kaa returned to Auckland to the Auckland Anglican Maori Mission, where he was minister from 1977 to 1983,^[8] and to St John's College. He rose to become Archdeacon of Tāmaki Makaurau.^[9]

Kaa was involved with the World Council of Churches and the Christian Conference of Asia and a figurehead in the New Zealand support for the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa. He was White Ribbon Ambassador for the anti-domestic violence White Ribbon Campaign.^[10] He was considered to be a "gay community friend".^[11]

Kaa served on a number of official boards including the Māori Reference Group for Whānau Ora.^[12] He presented programmes on both Māori radio and Māori television.^[3]

Kaa died in Auckland after a short battle with lung cancer.^[13]