Rua and the Maori millennium

Book Description

In the remote wilderness of New Zealand's Urewera ranges, a remarkable spiritual movement took shape at the dawn of the twentieth century. This compelling historical account explores the extraordinary journey of Rua Kenana, a Maori prophet who envisioned and established a sacred community called Maungapohatu in the forest's heart.

Peter Webster chronicles how over a thousand followers joined Rua in creating what they believed would become a New Jerusalem, a spiritual sanctuary where indigenous people could live according to their own beliefs and traditions. Set against the backdrop of a sacred mountain, this community represented both a physical retreat from colonial pressures and a profound spiritual quest for cultural preservation and renewal.

Through careful research and vivid storytelling, Webster reveals how this millennialist movement emerged from the collision between traditional Maori spirituality and the challenges of European colonization. The narrative captures the hopes, struggles, and ultimate fate of a people seeking to forge their own path toward spiritual fulfillment and cultural survival.

This work offers valuable insights into indigenous spirituality, the power of prophetic leadership, and the universal human desire to create sacred spaces where communities can thrive according to their deepest values. For readers interested in spiritual movements, cultural resilience, and the intersection of faith and social change, this historical account provides both inspiration and profound reflection on the courage required to pursue visionary ideals.