Hiona St Stephen's Church is the site of the "Völkner incident", which saw the execution of Church Missionary Society missionary Carl Sylvius Völkner in 1865. Local Māori adherents of the Pai Mārire faith had grown suspicious of Völkner, believing he was acting as a government spy. On 2 March 1865, a group captured Völkner, hanged him from a willow tree near the church, and decapitated his body.

The Crown used Völkner's death to justify harsh action against Pai Mārire. The government invaded the eastern Bay of Plenty and confiscated vast tracts of Te Whakatōhea land. Several individuals were executed by the Crown for the killing, including the Te Whakatōhea rangatira Mokomoko, whose character and mana were formally restored by legislation.

The church building and its grounds feature a memorial and serve as a physical reminder of the incident and the subsequent land confiscations.

Learn more

• Whakatōhea Deed of Settlement (New Zealand Government)
• Mokomoko (Restoration of Character, Mana, and Reputation) Act 2013
• NZHistory.govt.nz - The death of Carl Völkner
• NZHistory.govt.nz - Hiona St Stephen Memorial
• Wikipedia - Völkner Incident
• Heritage New Zealand - Waiapu Diocese