The Pīhopatanga serves communities from Potaka in the north, to Woodville in the south.[4] In general this covers the Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Kahungunu and the Turanga-nui-a-kiwa iwi. According to the 2013 census[update], there are approximately 17,000 Māori Anglicans within this area.[1]Te Tairāwhiti is one of five pīhopatanga, or episcopal units, that comprise Te Pīhopatanga o Aotearoa, the Māori Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand.[3][5]
Archbishop Brown Turei was elected as the first Pīhopa o Te Tairāwhiti (Bishop of Te Tairāwhiti) in 1992. Turei was also Te Pīhopa o Aotearoa (Head of the Māori Anglican Church) and Archbishop of the Anglican Church in Aotearoa-New Zealand and Polynesia.[5] Turei died on 9 January 2017, two months before his scheduled retirement.[9][10] He was aged 92 years and the oldest primate in the Anglican Communion.[11]
In March 2016 Donald Tamihere was elected to succeed Turei at an electoral synod held at the Toko Toru Tapu Church, Manutuke, following the announcement of Turei's retirement earlier in the year.[12] Tamihere was ordained and installed as the second bishop of (Pīhopa o) Te Tairāwhiti at a service held at Waiomatatini Marae, Ruatoria on 11 March 2017.[13][14] Tamihere also became Te Pīhopa o Aotearoa on 7 March 2018, following his nomination at Te Runanganui, September 2017 and the consent of Te Hīnota Whānui / General Synod; and automatically Pīhopa Matāmua / Primate and Archbishop.[15]
Maui Tangohau serves as Vicar General of Tairāwhiti.[6]
