However, at that time there was extreme prejudice against Māori at Otago and he gave up his studies shortly after starting there to return to Tahoraiti, near Dannevirke.
Shortly after, the LDS Church mission president at the time, Matthew Cowley, visited that location.
From 1984 to 1986, Nitami and Hineapa Paewai served as missionaries for the LDS Church in India, Malaysia and Singapore.
[7] In the 1967 New Year Honours, he was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire, for services to the Māori people in the Kaikohe district.
[9] He was a candidate to stand as the Labour Party nominee at the 1963 Northern Maori by-election after the death of Tapihana Paraire Paikea.