“I also had meetings with local government and indigenous Mapuche Indian leaders in Temuco, a city in the south of Chile.
“Part of my objective is to help awhi (embrace) Mapuche and government transition into a peaceful solution for the long-standing indigenous injustices.”
Pastor McLeod has been asked to take the church kapa haka group there and to get to know the people and share stories.
“We are also looking at developing Maori cultural and tourism ties with Chile.”
The last visit to Chile was a success, as a result of a recent Gisborne Chamber of Commerce trade event with the NZ Foreign affairs and trade, he says.
“I now have new connections to help develop this process.”
He has received invitations to bring kapa haka into universities, cultural centres, indigenous meeting grounds, television programmes and churches in Santiago, Temuco, and other places in Chile.
Pastor McLeod also had an appointment with Moana Rapu Sanhueza, a representative of “Ma’u Henua” the indigenous organisation that controls Rapa Nui National Park/Easter Island.
“As a result of this meeting, I received an informal invitation to bring a kapa haka group to Rapanui. My trip was very productive in this respect.”
He has also made connections with bishops of major evangelical churches in Santiago, and a congressman in Chile.
“I work with a particular church in the suburb of Maipu called MCCA, led by Apostle Gabriel Torres. This is an exciting young church, making a powerful spiritual and social impact in their community of one million people.”
Pastor McLeod plans to take the church kapa haka team waka toa to launch the first cultural performance and connections next year.
In July he spent 10 days on his third visit to Pakistan.
“One objective was looking at the feasibility of taking a Maori cultural group to operate in a role as peacemakers from the west.
“Another objective was to investigate the possibility of rescuing children from child slave labour in the brick kilns.
“At the tiny rate of $10 a month, or $2.50 a week, a team can rescue a child from the kilns and place them in a school.
“I am participating in a rescue plan for children in the slave trade and if anyone wants information on how they can help, feel free to contact me.”
Another highlight recently was the House of Breakthrough Maranga event.
“In conjunction with the Maori new year, as a church we hosted Maori churches and leaders from around the nation to a hui to help activate new generation Maori leadership for the church in New Zealand.
“Archbishop Don Tamihere was the first speaker who taught about the connection between faith and whakapapa.
“The birth of Christianity among Maori was not imposed on us through colonisation, it was birthed through Maori inviting missionaries to come and tell them of the ways of Ihu/Jesus.
It was predominantly Maori evangelists who spread the gospel to Maori, not Pakeha missionaries.
“Many Maori replaced utu (revenge killing) and kaitangata (cannibalism) with the ways of Ihu.
“Although we do not have the problems of cannibalism among Maori any more, there is still a predominant spirit of utu and violence destroying our people.
“We believe that by raising up a new generation of young Maori church leadership that the gospel of Jesus Christ will help to turn this around.”
As a result of Maranga hui, every few months the church will hold training and strategy sessions with young Maori leaders to see how it can bring the relevance of Ihu over utu to many of its troubled people.
