Bruce Stewart was born in Hamilton, grew up in the Wairarapa and was educated at Wairarapa College. He has worked as a bushman, farm worker, deer culler, driver, singer and builder. He started writing in prison in 1974. He attended a writers’ workshop led by Michael King and in the following five years attended other writing workshops led by Christine Cole Catley and Fiona Kidman. In 1980 he received a grant from the Queen Elizabeth II Arts Council and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to represent New Zealand at the fifth triennial ACLALS [Association for Commonwealth Language and Literature Studies] Conference held at the University of the South Pacific in Fiji. In 1982 and 1984 he was president of the Māori Artists and Writers’ Society, now renamed Nga Puna Waihanga. He writes short stories which have appeared in many anthologies and journals, including Alumni, Te Kaea, and Shirley Temple is a Wife and Mother. His stories have been broadcast on Radio New Zealand and he has written plays for radio and television, and a television series, "Shangrila", which was commissioned by New Zealand Broadcasting. He has been writing a novel for twenty years and has a lot of other work in progress. He has read his work at the New Zealand Writers’ Conference in 1979; the Commonwealth Writers’ Conference in Suva, Fiji, in 1980; and the New Zealand Writers’ Guild (Inc) Symposium in 1991. In 1990 he was awarded a NZ Commemoration Medal. He is founder and kaumatua of Tapu Te Ranga Marae in Island Bay, Wellington, and writes posts on the "Daybook" blog on the marae’s web site www.taputeranga.maori.nz.
Biographical sources
- Correspondence, emails and phone conversation with Stewart: 8 June 1992, Aug. 2, 1998, and 13 Oct. 2006.
- Interview with Stewart at Nga Puna Waihanga annual hui at Omaka.
Fiction
- Te Au-A.
- Yet to be completed.
- "Boy." Shirley Temple is a Wife and Mother: 34 Stories by 22 New Zealanders. Ed. Christine Cole Catley. Whatamongo Bay, Queen Charlotte Sound: Cape Catley, 1977. 59-68. Rpt. in Into the World of Light: An Anthology of Māori Writing. Ed. Witi Ihimaera and D. S. Long. Auckland, N.Z.: Heinemann, 1982. 153-159. Rpt. in Countless Signs: The New Zealand Landscape In Literature. Comp. Trudie McNaughton. Auckland, N.Z.: Reed Methuen, 1986. 196-202. Rpt. in Royal New Zealand Foundation - Talking Book for the Blind. 1988. No further details. Rpt. in Tama And Other Stories. Auckland, N.Z.: Penguin, 1989. 109-118.
- This story traces the childhood years of Boy, whose life hovers between the divergent cultures of his Māori mother and Pakeha father. From his mother he is nurtured, encouraged and supported while his father is distant, remote and unfeeling. This story, which has been slightly altered in Tama And Other Stories, is the first part of a four-story sequence which is printed in full in the second part of Tama And Other Stories. The four stories chronicle the life of Boy, or Tama as he is also known, as he comes to terms with his Māori identity and learns to survive in the bush by himself.
- "Papa." Te Kaea: The Māori Magazine 1 (Dec 1979): 18-20. Rpt. in Into the World of Light: An Anthology of Māori Writing. Ed. Witi Ihimaera and D. S. Long. Auckland, N.Z.: Heinemann, 1982. 159-165. Rpt. in Royal New Zealand Foundation - Talking Book for the Blind. 1988. Rpt. as "Tama." Tama And Other Stories. Auckland, N.Z.: Penguin, 1989. 121-128.
- This story follows "The Boy" in Stewart’s chronological sequence of four stories and begins after the death of Boy’s mother. After a distressing altercation with his racist teacher, Mr Bull, Boy runs away to the Tararua mountains where he lives alone in the bush and slowly conquers all the high mountains. The story ends with Boy mastering the highest mountain and recognising he is no longer feels like a boy but a king.
- "Broken Arse." Into the World of Light: An Anthology of Māori Writing. Ed. Witi Ihimaera and D. S. Long. Auckland, N.Z.: Heinemann, 1982. 165-178. Rpt. in All Animals in Zoos are Dangerous. Ed. John Barnett. Auckland, N.Z.: Longman Paul, 1981. Rpt. in Royal New Zealand Foundation - Talking Book for the Blind. 1988. Rpt. in Tama and other stories. Auckland, N.Z.: Penguin, 1989. 79-96. Rpt. in Rim of Fire: Short Stories from the Pacific Rim. Canada: Vintage, 1992.
- A powerful story of the dehumanising impact of incarceration and the gradual breaking and institutionalising of a first-time criminal. In this harsh environment of violence, clear hierarchies and twisted prison warders there are no redemptive elements.
- "Dear Mum." Tama And Other Stories. Auckland, N.Z.: Penguin, 1989. 11-20.
- The story begins with Tama Hirini, a senior partner in a legal firm, writing to his deceased mother and confessing that although he is highly successful as a lawyer, he has lost touch with his Māoritanga. He remembers the time when his mother took him to his father’s grave and told him of his father’s struggle to regain family land. In the following days in court, Tama notices an old Māori man, Mr Wairua, and it transpires that the old man has been sent to Tama to rekindle his love and sense of responsibility for his home village which has become broken down and deserted.
- "Mangu." Tama And Other Stories. Auckland, N.Z.: Penguin, 1989. 23-48.
- The different philosophies of Tama’s parents are contrasted in this story. Tama’s Pakeha father, who is famous for his hunting and collection of stag trophies, believes in the survival of the fittest and pits his strength against the elements. Tama’s Māori mother and relatives have an affinity and sense of oneness with the land, and Tama fluctuates between the polarities of his parents. The story builds up to a powerful climax when Tama sets off with Koro to hunt the great stag, Mangu.
- "Obscene Man." Tama And Other Stories. Auckland, N.Z.: Penguin, 1989. 51-53.
- A denunciation of the racist tenancy services that rent substandard housing to Māori and Polynesian tenants.
- "Thunderbox.’ Tama And Other Stories. Auckland, N.Z.: Penguin, 1989. 57-61.
- When Miss Pettigrew, the English teacher, asks the class to write a paragraph about being honest, she recoils at the narrator’s short statement, ‘[w]hen I let off a good loud fart everyone knows who it belongs to’, and sends him off to the headmaster. This humorous story is a parody of the hypocritical sensibilities of so-called ‘polite society’.
- "TheConfirmation .’ Tama And Other Stories. Auckland, N.Z.: Penguin, 1989. 65-76.
- The narrator asks the reader to observe twin brothers Tama and Hone, who respond very differently to life as young Māori university students. Hone, pragmatic and compliant, believes that Māori must work within the system to improve it, whereas Tama, the visionary, operates on another plane. Through a series of dreams and flashbacks, Tama searches for truth and concludes that Māori have been insulted and demeaned by the whole process of colonisation and that his only recourse is to have no part of that system.
- "The Bull Paddock." Tama And Other Stories. Auckland, N.Z.: Penguin, 1989. 99-104.
- In this discourse on female beauty and men’s objectification of it the narrator contrasts the beauty of the sister with the centre-fold woman.
- "Tama." Tama And Other Stories. Auckland, N.Z.: Penguin, 1989. 121-128.
- This story with some minor changes is a reproduction of Stewart’s story "Papa", which was printed in Te Kaea in 1979.
- "Tapu Hau a Tane." Tama And Other Stories. Auckland, N.Z.: Penguin, 1989. 131-137.
- Flowing on chronologically from "Papa" and "Tama", this story continues with the narrative of Tama as he struggles to survive in the bush. In his loneliness and grief for his mother, Tama becomes transfixed by a family of tui and is heartbroken when a stoat destroys the entire family of birds. After a long dark night overwhelmed by sensations of defeat, Tama wakes with new strength and sees a vision of an old Māori man.
- "Patu Wairua." ibid. 141-154. Rpt. in The Penguin Book of Contemporary New Zealand Short Stories. Ed. Susan Davis and Russell Haley Auckland, N.Z.: Penguin, 1989. 324-335. Rpt. in Tabasco Sauce and Ice Cream: Stories by New Zealanders. Ed. Lydia Wevers. Auckland, N.Z.: The Macmillan, 1990. 7-19.
- Rangi Wairua tells the story of his eighth son, Patu Wairua, who, although disabled since falling out of a tree at the age of five, exhibits unique insight and leadership. It is Patu who motivates the family after Rangi’s redundancy and devises a plan to build a marae on the back sections of their state housing district. In the battles with local government bureaucracy, Tama (Boy from the earlier stories) miraculously appears and gives direction to the whanau and leadership to the youth.
- Tama And Other Stories. Auckland, N.Z.: Penguin, 1989.
- This collection of short stories is divided into two parts. In the first part, Stewart explores the disempowered state of Māori in the city environment and articulates the various guises of racism which Māori have to contend with. Stewart also describes the ambivalent identity of young people growing up part-Māori and part-Pakeha. The four stories in the second part describe, in chronological sequence, the experiences of Boy as he grows up and discovers his identity as a Māori.
Films/Video
- Broken Arse. Feature Film.
- Rights sold to Randal Scott of Christchurch, N.Z.
- Thunderbox. Short Film. Commissioned by Manuka Film Trust. 1989.
- Part of the series "E Tipu E Rea."
- Shangrila. Commissioned by Television New Zealand via Gibson Group. 1990.
- Completed but not yet shown on television.
Non-fiction
- "He Pō! He Pō! Ka Awatea!: Darkness! Darkness! Daylight!" He Mātāpuna: A Source: Some Māori Perspectives. New Zealand Planning Council. NZPC No. 14. Wellington, N.Z.: Te Kaunihera Whakakaupapa mō Aotearoa/ New Zealand Planning Council. Dec. 1979. 49-51. Rpt. in 1989.
- Stewart writes of the plight of the young generation of Māori who are growing up dependent on Social Security benefits, and contends that many are growing up with a deficit of spirituality, family strength, culture and economic security. He believes that aroha is ‘the essence of Māoritanga’ and that aroha has to be taught and modeled. He writes of his vision at Taputeranga and describes the kawa of the marae, the group decision-making processes, their learning to live off the land, and learning personal responsibility and respect for others. In conclusion, Stewart discusses the strengths and weaknesses of the various schemes to help unemployed Māori youth. He argues against ‘more government-run things’ and advocates instead ‘supporting those people who are already doing things on their own.’
- "Uncle Bill." "Te Moana." Nga Puna Waihanga Annual Hui: Te Rua Tekau Tau 1973-1993. Comp. Averil Herbert. [Rotorua, N.Z.]: Nga Puna Waihanga, 1993. 15.
- A short tribute to Bill Parker, portraying his role as a visionary in the sphere of contemporary Māori art.
- "Ko Wai Ahau?" Mana: The Māori News Magazine For All New Zealanders 1 (1993): 9.
Other
- O’Hare, Noel. "Faith and work." Listener 20 Nov. 1989: supp.
- "Daybook." Tapu Te Ranga Marae. 26 Oct. 2007. www.taputeranga.maori.nz/content/blogcategory/3/5/
Performing Arts
- Broken Arse. Wellington, N.Z.: Victoria UP, 1991.
- This play of six scenes in the first act and nine scenes in the second act is derived from Stewart’s short story "Broken Arse", which was published in 1982. It portrays the dehumanising effects of prison life and the methodical crippling of Henry, a newcomer to the prison. Broken Arse was first performed at the Depot Theatre in Wellington at the 1990 International Festival of the Arts and was directed by Rangimoana Taylor.
Reviews
- Rev. of Once Were Warriors, by Alan Duff. New Zealand Books 1.1 (1991): 9.
Sound recordings
- "Boy." National Radio, 1979.
- "Mangu." National Radio, 1979.
- "Tane." National Radio, 1979.
- "Obscene Man." National Radio, 1987.
Other
- "Broken Arse on at Depot." Evening Post 26 Feb. 1990: 24.
- Collins, Heeni. "Heroes On The Hill." Evening Post 25 Sept. 1999: 13.
- Lucas, Janet. "Stewart's marae threatened." Evening Post 25 May 1991: 1,3.
- McNaughton, Iona. "Tales Of An Angry Young Māori." Dominion 27 May 1989: 10.
- Scott, L. E. "Black Kiwis." Tu Mai: Offering An Indigenous New Zealand Perspective 78 (2006): 12-13.
- Simmons-Donaldson, Lana. "Willing To Conform Only To Nature." Kia Hiwa Ra: National Māori Newspaper Nov. 1997: 588.
- McNaughton, Trudie. "Biographical Notes and Selected Bibliography." Countless Signs: The New Zealand Landscape in Literature. Comp. Trudie McNaughton. Auckland, N.Z.: Reed Methuen, 1986. 381.
Reviews
Broken Arse.
- Budd, Susan. "Marae Play Excites, Impresses." Dominion 6 Mar. 1990. 11.
- Cooke, Patricia. "Cultural Richness In Theatrical Themes." Dominion Sunday Times 11 Mar. 1990: 18.
- Cooke, Patricia. "Jeannie Once Rounds Off Trilogy." Dominion Sunday Times 29 Sep. 1991: 20.
- Reviews of Renée’s Jeannie once, and Stewart’s Broken Arse.
- Dale, Judith. "The True Sexual And Racial Violence Of (Post-) Colonial History." New Zealand Books 1.4 (Mar. 1992): 8.
- Reviews of Renée’s Jeannie once, and Stewart’s Broken Arse.
- Webby, George. "Writing Shines In Two Fine Plays." Evening Post 23 Aug. 1991. 5.
- Reviews of Renée’s Jeannie once, and Stewart’s Broken Arse.
- Welch, Denis. "Pain and passion." Listener 10 Sep. 1990: 108.
- Reviews of Stewart’s Broken Arse, Riwia Brown’s Te Hokina, and Apirana Taylor’s Te Whanau a Tuanui Jones.
- "Broken Arse on at Depot." Evening Post 26 Feb. 1990: 24.
- Boynton, Mere and Cushla Parekowhai. "Te Rakau Hua o te Wao Tapu." Illusions 14 (1990): 16-18.
- Mere Boynton and Cushla Parekowhai review "Te Rakau Hua o te Wao Tapu", the programme of contemporary Māori performing arts held during the New Zealand International Festival of the Arts in March 1990. Boynton reviews "He Oriori Mo Te Tamariki", a children’s theatre production created by Whetu Fala, Tina Cook and Makerita Matepelu, and also Bruce Stewart’s play "Broken Arse". Parekowhai reviews two of John Broughton’s plays, "Te Hara" and "Nga Puke", in the form of a letter to her mother.
Tama And Other Stories
- "Book Review." Te Iwi o Aotearoa 21 (May 1989): 19.
- Duggan, Sally. "Solace In Heritage." New Zealand Herald 19 Aug. 1989: 6.
- Eggleton, David. "Collection Challenges Imported Values." Evening Post 27 May 1989: 31.
- Faith, Rangi. "Books: Tangata Ngakau." Listener 24 June 1989: 71.
- King, Michael. "Books: Knowing The Territory." Metro (Auckland) 9.96 (1989): 184-186.
- McEldowney, W. J. "Caught Between Two Races." Otago Daily Times 5 July 1989: 24.
- Mackrell, Brian and Ben Johnson. "Wildlife Bookshelf." New Zealand Wildlife 11.88 (1989): 32.
- Taylor, Apirana. "Reflections In A Mirror." Dominion Sunday Times 4 June 1989: 17.