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Story: Ngā hāhi – Māori and Christian denominations

Mormon president with tokotoko

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Mormon president with tokotoko

In 1976 S. W. Kimball, the president of the Mormon Church worldwide, visited New Zealand and spoke at a national Mormon conference at Church College in Hamilton. During his visit Māori Mormons presented him with a hand-carved tokotoko, a walking stick traditionally symbolising eloquence and authority.

Using this item

Alexander Turnbull Library, Dominion Post Collection (PA-Group-00685)

Reference: EP/1976/0716

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page

Hirini Kaa, Ngā hāhi – Māori and Christian denominations – Mormon Church, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/30650/mormon-president-with-tokotoko (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Hirini Kaa, published 7 April 2011, updated 1 March 2017.