REFLECTIVE INSIGHT #060 - THE SCHOLAR CHIEF: HONGI HIKA AND THE QUEST FOR KNOWLEDGE
A Mind For Learning
When people talk about the great Ngāpuhi chief Hongi Hika, they usually talk about muskets and battles. History books often paint him as just a fierce warrior who wanted to conquer his enemies. But there was another side to Hongi Hika that people rarely mention. He was an incredibly smart man with a deep hunger for learning. He understood that true power doesn’t come from weapons, it comes from knowledge, literacy, and understanding how the world works.
The Cambridge Journey
In 1820, Hongi Hika made the long journey across the ocean to England. He went there to see the world, but also to bring back tools that could help his people thrive. While he was there, he did something amazing. He went to Cambridge University and worked with a clever professor named Samuel Lee. Together, they spent weeks sitting down and figuring out how to turn the spoken sounds of Te Reo Māori into written words on paper. Hongi Hika was the main architect behind the first Māori grammar book and dictionary. He was a scholar chief, using his brilliant mind to preserve our language for future generations.
Seeking High Truths
Hongi Hika knew that if a community wants to stay strong, it has to be open to new knowledge. He wanted his whānau to master reading and writing so they could handle the massive changes coming their way. This desire to seek out truth and understanding matches the path that Ihu (Yeshua's name in the Paipera Tapu) laid out for us. Ihu taught us that when we actively look for wisdom and truth with an open heart, the doors of blessing will open for us.
A Direct Teaching of Ihu
The Bible tells us that we should never stop seeking the good things that the Creator has for us. Here is what Ihu said about our quest for truth:
"Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you." Ethiopian Orthodox Bible - Matthew 7:7 (Ethiopian Orthodox Bible)
Ge'ez text: ስእሉ፡ ወይትወሀብ፡ ለክሙ፤ ኅሡ፡ ወትረክቡ፤ ኳሕኩሑ፡ ወይትኃወት፡ ለክሙ።
Te Reo Māori, translated directly from Ge'ez: "Inoia, a ka homai ki a koutou; rapua, a ka kitea e koutou; patukia, a ka whakapuaretia ki a koutou."
Fixing Our Own Soil
When we focus on education, reading, and understanding our history, we are doing the vital work of fixing the soil in our communities. Today, we often see our young people struggling because they have been disconnected from their roots and from the tools of knowledge. Hongi Hika showed us that local action means taking responsibility for our own learning. We cannot wait for outside systems or government departments to teach our children who they are or how to succeed. We need to build our own spaces of learning right here in our marae, our homes, and our local organisations.
Sharing the Pie Fairly
Hongi Hika didn’t just want knowledge for himself, he wanted his whole iwi to grow and benefit. He looked at literacy as a way to ensure the long-term well-being of the collective. When a community values learning, it creates a fairer society where everyone has the tools to contribute. This is how we make sure we are sharing the pie properly at the grassroots level. By investing in the minds of our whānau, we are creating a long-term return for the whole community, built on peace, equity, and cooperation.
The Northern Light
I believe that Taitokerau will lead the transition to a better society because we have always carried this high frequency of intelligence. Hongi Hika proved that our people can sit at the highest tables of learning in the world and hold their own. We have an inherent abundance of wisdom inside our whakapapa. My prayer is that Wairua Tapu guides us to reclaim this scholar mind today. Let us turn away from the noise of modern politics and focus on building up the knowledge and well-being of our people, making the North a shining light to the rest of the world.
