King’s Birthday Honours 2024: Missioner Joseph Huta made Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit

The Venerable Joseph Huta has been appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to the Anglican Church, Māori and the community. Photo / Andrew Warner

The Venerable Joseph Huta has been appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to the Anglican Church, Māori and the community in this year’s King’s Birthday Honours.

Huta - Mātaatua, Ngāti Awa, Te Arawa, Ngāti Pikiao, Tūhourangi - has served his community through roles with the Anglican Church since 1992, notably as Archdeacon at St Mark’s in Rotorua since 2003.

Huta told the Rotorua Daily Post his late wife, Theresa Huta, their children Margaret, 29, and Joseph, 35, and their whāngai daughter Hannah, 30, had been a “huge support” throughout his career.

The 70-year-old said many parishioners used to call his wife Theresa “my little fox terrier”.

“She’d go running around after me picking up all my stuff ... my robes, my hymn books ... "

He said Theresa would have been “absolutely over the moon” about his appointment.

The pair were together for 33 years before she died several years ago.

Huta said he was “full of emotion” when he learned of the appointment.

“It means more than an individual achievement because it’s a team effort.”

The Venerable Joseph Huta at St Faiths Church in Ohinemutu. Photo / Andrew Warner

Originally from Whakatāne, Huta had been the district missioner in Waiariki for Te Hui Amorangi o Te Manawa o Te Wheke episcopal region within the Anglican Church in Aotearoa New Zealand and Polynesia.

Huta - who moved to Rotorua in the 1990s - said the role included providing administration and training at about 22 Māori Anglican churches from Tauranga to Tūrangi.

Huta was well-regarded for his dedication and commitment beyond his position to provide service and support for the church, his marae and iwi, impacting families and communities across the region.

This involved “being available 24/7″, he said.

“Someone’s sick, someone’s on their last breath so to speak ... I get the call, I go.

“It’s amazing how your presence can make a huge difference just being there amongst the family.”

Huta said this sometimes involved having a karakia or a blessing, religious, physical, or mental support.

Huta’s role as Archdeacon involved similar work where he enjoyed “empowering our people”.

He engaged with local organisations to address issues of poverty, homelessness, addiction and mental health, establishing partnerships to coordinate volunteer programmes and advocate for resources to support those in need.

Huta said this also involved offering people “someone ... to talk to”.

“I’ve always said the church needs to stop picking up the pieces at the bottom of the cliff and become the intermediary - intervene at the top of the hill.”

Huta was an advisory officer with the Māori Land Courts from 2006 to 2016, guiding Māori through the processes of utilising their land “to get somewhere” - something he deemed a “success”.

He still did advisory work but was mainly “taking it easy”, revealing his prostate cancer diagnosis last year.

While the cancer had been “slowing me down”, it was caught early. He had chemotherapy and radiation and would continue to monitor it.

Megan Wilson is a health and general news reporter for the Bay of Plenty Times and Rotorua Daily Post. She has been a journalist since 2021.