Kahu Stirling

Te Whānau a Apanui

1939 -

He was born at Te Araroa and was educated at Te Araroa Māori District High School/Te Waha-o-Rerekohu. He spent a year in the freezing works and then went to Training College in Wellington. He worked as a primary school teacher in Whakatane, Rotorua, Te Kao, Ruatoria and Wairoa up until the end of 1986. From Wairoa, he went to the College of Education in Palmerston North and has been HOD of Māori Studies at the College of Education since 1988. He has always written in Māori and mainly writes waiata, poetry and Māori language guides. His aim in writing is to build up Māori language resources to help the teaching of the Māori language and the retention of the language. His material is primarily available to his Māori language students training to be teachers. He also writers action songs and haka.

Biographical sources

  • Interview with Stirling 19 August 1992.

    Fiction

  • "Ka Kitea he Ingoa." Te Wharekura 34 Wellington, N.Z.: Learning Media, Ministry of Education, 1991. 28-29. In Māori.

  • Music

  • "Te Kopara/ The Bellbird." No details.
  • Poems in Māori and English.
  • "Te Ruru/The Owl." No details.
  • "Te Tiwaiwaka/The Fantail." No details.
  • "Te Pipiwharauroa/The Shining Cuckoo." No details.
  • "Te Kereru/The Wood Pigeon." No details.
  • "Let’s Get Counting..." No details.
  • Counting Rhymes by Kahu Stirling.
  • "Te Totara." Palmerston North, N.Z.: New Zealand Natural Heritage Foundation, 1990.
  • Poem in Māori in poster form. More to be published by National Heritage.
  • "Nga Manu a Tane." Prime Time: Classroom Themes. Comp. Christina Ward. July 22, 1991.
  • "Tariana Poaka Puihi." Te Wharekura 34. Wellington, N.Z.: Learning Media, Ministry of Education, 1991. 10-11.
  • A Collection of Short Poems and Waiata. Palmerston North, N.Z.: Māori Studies, Kanuka Grove Teachers Centre, College of Education/ Te Kupenga o Te Matauranga, 1992.
  • Package of published posters with poems written by Stirling in Māori and English that are aimed at Kohanga Reo and Primary Schools.
  • "Te Manu." Palmerston North, N.Z.: Māori Studies, College of Education/Te Kupenga o Te Matauranga. 1992.
  • Poem and Māori studies teaching guide by Kahu Stirling.
  • "Waiata." Palmerston North, N.Z.: Māori Studies, College of Education/Te Kupenga o Te Matauranga. 1992.