Rota Waitoa

Rota Waitoa (? – 22 July 1866) was a New Zealand Anglican clergyman, of Māori descent. Waitoa identified with the Ngāti Raukawa iwi. He was born in Waitoa, Waikato, New Zealand. Waitoa's ordination as deacon at St Paul's, Auckland, on 22 May 1853, was the first ordination of a Māori into the Anglican church.

From 1843 he attended St John’s College at Te Waimate mission and then in Auckland when Bishop Selwyn moved St John’s College to Tamaki. He became master of the junior department of the Māori boys' school and a catechist.

Waitoa was ordained as a deacon at St Paul's Church, Auckland, on 22 May 1853 and was licensed to the mission district of Te Kawakawa. and appointed to Te Kawakawa. Raniera Kawhia joined Waitoa at Te Kawakawa after he was ordained deacon in February 1860.

In 1865 there were fourteen clergymen – six European and eight Māori – in the Diocese of Waiapu. The Māori were: at Tokomaru, Matiaha Pahewa; at Wairoa, Tamihana Huata; at Turanga, Hare Tawhaa; at Waiapu, Rota Waitoa, Raniera Kawhia and Mohi Tūrei; at Table Cape, Watene Moeka; at Maketu, Ihaia Te Ahu.

Waitoa opposed the Māori King Movement, which was a means of attaining Māori unity to halt the alienation of land at a time of rapid population growth by European colonists. He also opposed the Pai Mārire movement (commonly known as Hauhau) when it gained influence in the East Coast, and in 1865–66 he was forced to abandon Te Kawakawa mission for a short period of time.

In 1866 he suffered a fall from a horse. Waitoa died on 22 July 1866 and was buried at St Stephen's cemetery, Judges Bay, Auckland.