NameBishop Wiremu Netana PanapaBorn1898HistoryWiremu Netana Panapa was born in Dargaville in 1898.
Panapa was educated at Maropiu School and St Stephen’s Native Boys’ School, Parnell. His grandfather encouraged him to study the Bible and guided him into the service of the Anglican Church. Panapa then entered Te Rau Theological College, Gisborne, where he was on the committee of the Māori newspaper Te Kopara. He then moved to Auckland and obtained his licentiate in theology from St John’s College. He was ordained a deacon in 1921 and a priest in 1923.