Tauroa was born in Okaiawa, Taranaki, the son of a Methodist minister. His schooling began at Waima Primary School in the Hokianga. He won a scholarship to Wesley College for one year before going on to Hawera Technical High School. He won a Māori scholarship to Auckland University and graduated with a Bachelors in Agricultural Science from Massey University in 1951. From 1951-54 he was a Māori All Black. He studied Diploma in Education papers at Victoria and Massey Universities. He graduated from Training College and taught in schools in Taranaki, Kaeo, Hawera, and Okaihau. He was Deputy Principal at Wesley College for three years and went on to become Principal at Wesley College for six years, followed by six years as Principal of Tuakau College. From 1979-1985 he succeeded Harry Dansey as Race Relations Conciliator; during this time he wrote a number of articles and publications on race relations in New Zealand. He worked as secretary on Māori Treaty issues in the office of Doug Graham for some years and then worked for a year with Maurice Williamson. In 1989 he took up a senior research fellowship in the Māori Studies section of the Auckland University’s Anthropology Department and returned to his home base in Kaeo. In 1990 he was appointed chair of the Runanga o Whangaroa and chair of Te Mangai Paho. He has been an elected member of the Auckland Regional Council and has had memberships on the New Zealand Sports Foundation, the New Zealand Council for Educational Research, the United Nations Indigenous Peoples’ Trust Fund Board and the Mental Health Foundation. He is a member of the Te Patunga Marae Committee and has been on the Te Tai Tokerau Māori Trust Board. In 1998 he was a commissioner of a school in Northland. He is a Methodist lay preacher, a Justice of the Peace, and has been awarded the CMG.
Biographical sources
- Phone conversation with Hiwi Tauroa on 12 Aug. 1998.
- Te Kaea 2 (1980): 10.
- Te Iwi o Aotearoa 25 (1989): 19.
- Tauroa, Hiwi. Healing the Breach: One Māori’s Perspective on the Treaty of Waitangi. Auckland, N.Z.: Collins, 1989.
Other
- Foreward. Race Against Time. Hiwi Tauroa. Wellington, N.Z.: Human Rights Commission, 1982. 5.
- "I had only twenty-one days...": Report on the Visit of Hiwi Tauroa, Race Relations Conciliator, to South Africa. Auckland, N.Z.: Office of the Race Relations Conciliator, 1982.
- Tauroa writes a report on his visit to South Africa and his research on the proposed Springbok tour of New Zealand. He concludes by writing his reasons for recommending that the tour should be postponed.
- Report Of The Advisory Committee On Youth And The Law In A Multi-Cultural Society. [Wellington, N.Z.: Department of Social Welfare], 1983.
- This report came out of a meeting of people focusing on youth and law with particular discussion on the behaviour of youth. The report is the group’s recommendation on how the law should be applied to youth.
- "Call of the Spirits at Waitangi: Today We Left a Man Sitting, Waiting and Hoping." Māori Wardens News: The Official Publication Of The N.Z. Māori Warden’s Association 5.1 (May 1984): 40-41.
- "Today We Left A Man Sitting, Waiting and Hoping." Te Hikoi Ki Waitangi 1984. [Otara], N.Z.: Waitangi Action Committee, Aug. 1984. 49-50.]
- "Office of the Race Relations Conciliator." Māori Wardens News: The Official Publication Of The N.Z. Māori Warden’s Association 5.2 (Aug 1984):12.
- "Te Runanga Waitangi Committee." Māori Wardens News: The Official Publication Of The N.Z. Māori Warden’s Association 5.2 (Aug 1984): 13+.
- Māoritanga in Practice. [Auckland, N.Z.]: Office of the Race Relations Conciliator [1984].
- Tauroa discusses the incorporation of taha Māori into a New Zealand state school and in Appendix A demonstrates ‘how every subject in every school...can incorporate aspects of the Māori and Polynesian cultures.
- Report Of The Māori Delegation To China, 8-22 May, 1984. 1984.
- In 1981 Tauroa was invited to go to China with the China Friendship Society and a vision was born to send Māori leaders to China every two or three years to develop leadership and cultivate a relationship with China. This is a report of the first group of Māori visiting China.
- Nga Waiata Māori. Design and Layout by Leata Laulau. Wellington, N.Z.: Trade Union Education Authority, 1984.
- Co-authored with Nora Rameka. A collection of twenty popular waiata.
- "Advantages and Disadvantages of Separate Representation." Nga Tumanako: Māori Representation Conference, Turangawaewae Marae 26-27 April 1985. Ed. Ranginui Walker. Auckland, N.Z.: Centre for Continuing Education, U of Auckland, N.Z., May 1985. 15-19.
- The Dilemma of the All Black Tour of South Africa - 1985. [Auckland, N.Z.]: Office of the Race Relations Conciliator, 1985.
- Tauroa lists the conflicting views of the 1985 New Zealand Rugby Union Tour of South Africa and concludes that the key issues are: apartheid is wrong, as a member of the United Nations, South Africa must work interdependently with other nations, and ‘the freedom of black South Africa should be an issue which transcends the enjoyment of any sport’. In South Africa, Tauroa writes, ‘sport cannot be isolated from the apartheid practices’ and as Race Relations Conciliator, Tauroa recommends that the 1985 All Black tour of South Africa not proceed.
- "Te Iwi o Aotearoa...Hiwi Tauroa says..." Te Iwi o Aotearoa 1 (Oct. 1987): 2.
- In this tribute to the establishment of Te Iwi o Aotearoa, Tauroa observes that minority groups in society can often be the target of negative reporting or stereotyping. He writes that ‘New Zealand needs a paper served by people who are, at least, bi-cultural and who can therefore ‘feel’ as well as ‘see’ a situation.’ And he adds that ‘Māoridom needs, too, a paper that will report on their interests, and activities. It needs a vehicle to explain accurately, its hopes and dreams. It needs reporters prepared to research and report on reasons for behaviour.’
- Te Marae: A Guide to Customs & Protocol. Photographs by Gil Hanly. Auckland, N.Z.: Reed Methuen, 1986. Rpt 1987.
- Co-authored with Pat Tauroa.
- "He Tangata, He Tangata." Future Times: Journal of the New Zealand Futures Trust Autumn (1988): 6.
- Tauroa writes of race relations in New Zealand and ponders on the future relationship between Māori and Pakeha.
- "A Time For Firm Direction, Control And Unity - Report." Te Iwi o Aotearoa 17 (Jan. 1989): 16.
- Tauroa reports on the closure of Whare Paia at Carrington Hospital, lists the future provisions made for the patients and staff and discusses the 1989 position of the Whare Hui, which Tauroa states is not closed but is in a state of ‘whakatarewa’.
- "An Exciting Challenge." 1840-1990: A Long White Cloud? Essays for 1990. Ed. Tom Newnham. Auckland, N.Z.: Graphic; Citizens’ Association for Racial Equality, 1989. 37-40.
- Tauroa writes of his childhood years, recalls various encounters with racism and acknowledges that while the ‘growing together of Māori and Pakeha continues to present numerous challenges....our country’s hope lies with those who see our future as an exciting challenge with room for us all to develop and grow.’
- "The Māori Divided." Healing The Breach: One Māori’s Perspective On The Treaty Of Waitangi. Auckland, N.Z.: Collins, 1989. Rpt. in Te Ao Mārama: Regaining Aotearoa: Māori Writers Speak Out. Comp. and ed. Witi Ihimaera. Contributing ed. Haare Williams, Irihapeti Ramsden and D. S. Long. Vol. 2: He Whakaatanga O Te Ao: The Reality. Auckland, N.Z.: Reed, 1993. 241-244.
- Tauroa writes of the different divisions appearing in Māoridom - some compounded by Pakeha institutions and some emerging amongst Māori themselves as the Māori traditions of leadership, speaking rights, status of kaumatua and tangata whenua are challenged by Pakeha ideology.
- Te Kawa O Te Marae: A Guide To Marae. Wellington, N.Z.: Trade Union Education Authority, 1989.
- Tauroa writes that the purpose of this publication is ‘to familiarise the tauhou (stranger) with aspects of a marae and to give guidelines that could assist with a marae visit.’ Tauroa provides explanatory notes for many aspects of the marae including its physical layout, the people, the spiritual values, the kawa of the marae, and Māori tikanga
- Healing The Breach: One Māori’s Perspective On The Treaty Of Waitangi. Auckland, N.Z.: Collins, 1989.
- This book is divided into four parts. Tauroa begins by presenting answers to twenty commonly asked questions about the Treaty of Waitangi. Part 11 is a detailed history of the Waitangi Tribunal. Part III entitled "The Māori divided" is a short chapter on struggles within Māoridom. Part IV looks to the future and Tauroa argues for a commitmment by all New Zealanders to resolve Treaty issues within the next ten years. The book concludes with five Appendices which include a list of resources on the Treaty; a copy of the Treaty in its various versions and translations; Paul Tuhaere’s parliament at Orakei; the findings of the Waitangi Tribunal concerning the Manukau claim, Appendix V ‘Findings of the Waitangi Tribunal on an application by Aila Taylor for and on behalf of Te Atiawa tribe in relation to fishing rounds in the Waitara District (the Motunui claim); and a Declaration of principles adopted by the United Nations Indigenous People’s Preparatory Meeting held at Geneva, 27-31 July 1987.
Other
- "Hiwi Tauroa." Te Kaea: The Māori Magazine 2 (Mar./Apr. 1980): 10.
- This article contains brief biographical notes about Tauroa on the occasion of his appointment as the Race Relations Conciliator in 1980.
- Reweti, Debra. "Tu Tangata Finding Its Feet Says Race Conciliator." Tu Tangata 14 (Oct./Nov. 1983): 4-5.
- Reweti talks with Tauroa about his position as Race Relations Conciliator.
- "Ex Conciliator Gains Fellowship." Te Iwi o Aotearoa 25 (Sept. 1989): 19.
- Taane, Lyn. Te Karanga: Canterbury Māori Studies Association 3.2 (Aug. 1987): 38.
- Info Choice: A Buying Guide for Secondary School Libraries 4 (1990): 5.
- PPTA Journal 1 (1990): 44.
- The Press 28 Apr. 1990: 27.
- Jackson, Moana. "Monopoly Rules." Rev. of Healing the Breach, by Hiwi Tauroa, and The Sovereignty Game, by Peter Cleave. Listener & TV Times 5 Feb. 1990: 107.
- New and Notable: Books for the Secondary School Library 7.1 (1990): 10-11.