Rakapa Sturm was born in Eastbourne, Wellington, and was educated at Te Wai Pounamu College. She continued her studies at Wellington Teachers’ College. She went into the Māori School Service and taught at Whakarewarewa, Parikino, and Silverstream School. Rakapa lived overseas for a number of years; she spent twelve years in Hawaii where she ran her own preschool and worked at the Polynesian Cultural Centre. She came back to Wellington and worked as national coordinator for the Ministry of Research Science and Technology Scholarships for women and Māori and Pacific Island students until her retirement in 1993. Rakapa has written a series of non-fiction articles and is currently writing about family history and whakapapa. She has always had a desire to be a children’s writer and would like to write children’s stories for her mokopuna.
Biographical sources
- Phone conversation and correspondence with Rakapa Sturm: 27 July and 1 Aug. 1998, and 16 Sept. 2004.
Non-fiction
- "Baden Pere." Tu Tangata 25 (1985): 57.
- A biographical account of Baden Pere who has worked as director of Cultural Education at the Polynesian Cultural Center in Hawaii and on the administrative staff of the Brigham Young Hawaii Campus University.
- "Greg Tata." Tu Tangata 25 (1985): 58.
- Sturm writes of the musical career of Greg Tata.
- "Chief Executive and Sports Go Hand In Hand." Tu Tangata 28 (1986): 22.
- A profile on Glen Haeroa Garlick who was appointed Chief Executive of the Waikato Hospital Board in 1985.
- "Only One In 10 Make It." Tu Tangata 29 (1986): 30-31.
- Sturm writes of Debbie Rimene’s experience as an American Field Scholar based in Hawaii in 1985-86.
- "Age No Barrier In The Triathlon." Tu Tangata 29 (1986): 34-35.
- A portrait of triathlete Alice Unawai who has lived in Hawaii since the mid-1960s when she was a member of the touring Māori Theatre Trust group which travelled to the Soviet Union in 1964.
- "Whanaungatanga Works Best Within Families [Part One]." Tu Tangata 35 (Apr./May 1987): 35.
- Sturm provides a guide on parenting skills and examines the dynamics that foster harmonious family relationships.
- "Whanaungatanga Works Best Within Families [Part Two]." Tu Tangata 36 (June/July 1987): 32.
- In this second part of her guide to parenting, Sturm writes about the importance of family traditions, and communication between parents and children, and provides key tactics for relating to the teenage child.
- "In The USA Airforce And Used To Travelling." Tu Tangata 43 (1988).
- A profile on Christian Sturm.