By CATHERINE MASTERS
Brian Tamaki is following in the footsteps of a long list of Maori messiahs, says an expert in religions.
The charismatic leader of the Destiny Church, a predominantly Maori movement, might be wealthy and urbane, but he offers hope and love to the disaffected and the poor, says Massey
University religious historian Peter Lineham.
Professor Lineham said Destiny Church was not a cult but a pentecostal church, and in pentecostal churches the leader was extremely important.
"In a sense, the followers believe in him. He's not a substitute for Jesus but he is the immediate representative of Jesus on earth."
The public misunderstood the fact that followers gave 10 per cent of their income to the church.
"Most Destiny members are from very poor backgrounds and many of them have come through gang backgrounds or very tough situations ...
So Brian Tamaki is the symbol of their success, he's what they can be, he's kind of their hope."
Although Mr Tamaki technically keeps his church separate from the political movement Destiny New Zealand, Professor Lineham says Maori have not separated religion and politics.
"Right back into the 19th century, Maori have never seen politics and religion as separate, and so Te Kooti, founder of the Ringatu Church, leader of the later stages of rebellion against the British Government, Te Whiti, leader of the passive resistance against the seizure of the lands in Parihaka and the prophet Rua, the prophet of Maungapohatu.
"And Ratana ... if you look at Ratana down near Wanganui, on one corner is the Treaty of Waitangi and on the other corner is a little model of the Holy Bible. There is a complete blend of those two.
"Ratana said he would attract the Morehu, the nobodies, and he would put them together and he would give them a sense of purpose and a voice and a meaning.
"That's very much what Brian Tamaki's doing, so there is a very long tradition."
