News Release

Audio Recording of 19th Century Mormon Missionary in New Zealand Comes to Light

“A unique audio recording has been captured of John Taylor, a Mormon missionary of the 1800s, telling of his experience with the Māori  of Parihaka,” TVNZ reports this week.

Taylor was the first Mormon to connect with the Parihaka people simply because the American learnt to speak Te Reo Māori.”

The missionary was from Los Angeles, United States, and served in New Zealand from 1896 to 1901.

In the audio recording Taylor tells what happens when he went to visit Māori leaders Te Whiti-o-Rongomai and Tohu Kakahi in Parihaka. He also sings the hymn “Koutou katoa ra” (Come to the Saviour). 

Latter-day Saint historian, Rangi Parker, is interviewed in the TVNZ report.

Watch the TVNZ Te Karere news report about the recording here.