James Buller was born in 1812 in Cornwall, son of James Fuller, deacon of the Helston Baptist Church.
As soon as he had arrived in Hokianga, he set about mastering the Maori language. At that time, there was no lexicon for reference so he studied printed translations of church manuals, bible texts and had daily conversations with Maori. Next he compiled a grammar and vocabulary treatise for his own use in order to help his missionary school work. Towards the end of his first year’s time in the Hokianga, he made an attempt to preach in Maori which aroused much interest in his audience who appreciated his efforts and thanked him profusely.
This was a major achievement and of great value to him at the commencement of his long apostleship. He wrote of this later, "At the end of the year I made my first attempt at preaching in Maori. I afterwards found that I had made some ludicrous mistakes." Nevertheless, by 1837 the Wesleyan District Meeting was congratulating him on his proficiency in the difficult language.
His three years of mission work in the Hokianga were successful. Cannibalism was checked, slavery discouraged, schools erected, and large congregations listened to the preaching of the gospel. In 1839, Buller was moved to a new station called Tangiteroria on the Wairoa river. The Kaipara was very different then from what it is today. Buller’s first recorded impression was. ‘The station, situated upon the banks of a winding stream, is closely environed by sombre, impenetrable forest and a universal gloom prevails.’ He was to spend the next 15 years there as missionary to the Maori. Because the new parish was very extensive, his work involved long absences from home on journeys of up to 120 miles in order to reach settlements, including the new one in Auckland.
Buller soon found that "with savage tribes, the missionary is thrown upon his own resources, not only for the conveniences but sometimes for the necessities of life." He had to be jack of all trades in order to maintain and extend his mission property; he had to be a trader to obtain certain essential goods; and to the Maori he had to be pastor, evangelist, doctor, magistrate, schoolmaster and counsellor.’ A Dr Morley praised Buller’s achievements: "Tangiteroria, with its excellently laid out orchard and neat, trim outbuildings, soon became an object lesson to the Maoris." At several villages he had built for his own use small cottages so that he could stay several days. In time, a number of villages could boast their own chapels and Church membership by 1843 had risen to 169 on trial, while two hundred and sixty men and women attended Sunday Schools.
But life, especially for Mrs Buller, was lonely. European contact was rare and mail was infrequent. "For more than 15 years", wrote Buller in 1878, "this solitude was my home. There, nine of my children were born, and two of them buried." For one of the family these years were invaluable. Young Walter became interested in the flora and birdlife of New Zealand and grew up to be one of the most distinguished men of his time, leaving us a remarkable heritage in his famous books about the history of New Zealand birds. When James Buller’s sojourn in the Kaipara ended, he ministered to Wesleyans in many parts of the country and set up church organisations during the West Coast and Coromandel gold rushes. Throughout his life he demonstrated extraordinary stamina and administrative ability but always cherished a deep interest in Maori wellbeing.
In 1876 he retired from active work and paid a visit to England where he stayed for five years, engaged in writing ‘Forty years in New Zealand’ and ‘New Zealand: Past and Present’. He returned in 1881 to reside in Christchurch where rendered services to churches in St Albans. He died of an illness in 1884. (DEIRDRE ROELANTS)