Dr Hirini Kaa
Historian & Author
Dr Hirini Kaa, of Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Kahungunu and Rongowhakaata, is a historian and Anglican minister (like family members before him). As Kaiārahi for the Faculty of Arts at the University of Auckland, he leads innovative projects to embed Māori and Pacific values in teaching and the faculty.
Dr Kaa has worked in the social services sector, for the Anglican Church, and for his iwi. Since researching and presenting the historical documentary series The Prophets for Māori Television, he has gone on to become a significant media commentator on a range of critical topics.
Dr Kaa's book Te Hāhi Mihinare | The Māori Anglican Church was released in November 2020 and is a finalist in the 2021 Ockham New Zealand Book Awards’ General Non-Fiction category.