Muru Walters

Te Rarawa, Te Aupouri

1935 - 2024

Muru Walters was born in Kaitaia and was educated at Ahipara Primary School, Kaitaia College and Auckland Teachers’ College. In his third year at teachers’ college, he was selected for the art specialist course in Dunedin. In 1955 he became organizing teacher of arts and crafts to both Board and Māori Schools in the Kaitaia District and in 1957 he was assigned to the Bay of Islands. In 1959 Walters took up a position of teaching arts and crafts to teachers in 47 schools in the Whangarei and Northland District. In 1965 he moved to Gisborne to take un ap advisory position in the Northern Hawkes Bay. Walters was appointed lecturer in art at Dunedin Teachers’ College and later established the College’s Māori Department. He subsequently took up an appointment as lecturer in Māori Studies at St John’s Theological College, Auckland, and became the first Ahorangi of Te Rau Kahikatea (Māori Theological College). In 1992 he was elected Anglican Māori Bishop for Wellington, Masterton, Otaki, Palmerston North, Waiouru, Wanganui and Taranaki and consecrated on 7 March 1992 at Ohinemutu by the Most Rev. Brian Davis and Bishop of Aotearoa, the Rt Rev. Whakahuihui Vercoe. He was a Māori Radio NZ Broadcaster and from 1983-2003 he wrote for the Kupu Korikori New Zealand Radio Broadcast. Walters was highly regarded for his haka compositions and contributions to the educational development of Te Pihopatanga o Aotearoa.

Biographical sources

  • Correspondence from Bishop Walters: 26 Nov. 2004.
  • “Personality Study: Muru Walters.” Te Ao Hou 35 (1961): 28-29. Te Ao Mårama: Contemporary Måori Writing. Comp. and ed. Witi Ihimaera. Contributing ed: Haare Williams, Irihapeti Ramsden and D. S. Long. Vol. 1: Te Whakahuatanga O Te Ao: Reflections of Reality.Auckland, N.Z.: Reed, 1992. 248.
  • The Press 5 Feb. 1992: 4.
  • The Press 10 Mar. 1992. No details.

    Papers/Presentations

  • Carving. Wellington, N.Z.: Art and Craft Branch, Dept. of Education, [n.d.].
  • Co-authors Para Matchitt, Muru Walters, and Clifford Whiting.
  • "Let’s Put the Joy into our Worship." He Toenga Whatiwhatinga: Essays Concerning The Bishopric Of Aotearoa Written In Honour Of The Visit Of The Most Reverend And Honourable The Lord Archbishop Of Canterbury, Dr Robert Runcie, M.C. Turangawaewae Marae, Ngaruawahia, New Zealand. 22-23 April, 1983. Ed. Rev. John Paterson. Rotorua, N.Z.: Holmes, 1983.
  • Awhi Whanau. Rotorua, N.Z.: Te Pihopatanga o Aotearoa, 1987.
  • A Te Pihopatantga o Aotearoa Social Services Project based on information gathered about Māori whanau, and developing life giving programmes which can be applied as a positive step towards reducing the destructive and almost inhuman practices Māori today are imposing on Māori.
  • Awhiwhanau, Te Pihopatanga o Aotearoa. [Rotorua: Te Pihopatanga, 1987]
  • Co-authors Lorraine and Muru Walters.
  • "A Wrong Righted." NZ Listener 16 Jan. 1988: 22-23.
  • Muru provides a history of the policies and actions of the Crown last century in divesting Ngāti Whatua of much of its land and writes of the successful Ngāti Whatua claim to the Waitangi Tribunal from which the Government, on 27 November 1987, ‘announced it was prepared to look favourably on the judgement of the Waitangi Tribunal regarding Ngāti Whatua’s claims.’ He also notes the role of Joe Hawke in this process.
  • "Tikanga Pakeha, Māori Tikanga." With All Humility and Gentleness: Essays on Mission in Honour of Francis Foulks. Ed. Allan Davidson and Godfrey Nicholson. Morrinsville, N.Z.: Arrow, 1991. No further details.
  • Te Reo Māori Mo Nga Mahi Minitatanga: Māori Language For Ministry. [Auckland, N.Z.]: St John’s College, 1992.
  • A Māori language resource for use by theological colleges.
  • "Māori Religious Freedom: Traditional or Christian Spirituality." Freedom of Religion: Basis for Peace and National Development. Sponsored by the International Religious Liberty Association, Suva, Fiji, 7-10 June 1993. Warburton, Victoria, Austral.: Signs, 1993.
  • "La Liberte Religieuse Chez Les Māoris – Un Choix Entre La Spiritualite Chretienne." Conscience Et Liberte, St Albans, 1994. No details.
  • "A New Vision Of God Towards A New Humanity In Christ: The Story Of Māori." God, Christ & God’s People in Asia. Ed. Dhyanchand Carr. Kyoto, Jap.: CCA Theological Concerns, 1995.
  • "The Perceived Meanings Of The Sufferings In The Consciousness Of The Suffering And Struggling Peoples Of Asia: A Māori Anglican Perspective." CCA Theological Concerns. Chiang Mai, Thailand: 1996.
  • "Kahui Tane: A Challenge to Māori Male Sexuality." Counselling Issue & South Pacific Communities. Collected and ed. Dr Phillip Culbertson. Auckland, N.Z.: Accent, 1997.
  • "Atuatanga 101." The Study of Atuatanga Lectures since 1999. Otaki, N.Z.: Te Taapapa o Te Upoko o Te Ika.
  • "Poor Carry Blame For Politicians Failings: A Response To The Hikoi Of Hope." Anglican Taonga. Anglican Commission on Communications, 1999. No further details.
  • "Integration of Learning: A Session by Muru Walters." Tahuhu Matauranga Whakahaere, Master of Māori Management Lectures since 2000. Otaki, N.Z.: Te Whare Wananga o Raukawa. No further details.
  • "The Future of Christianity in the West: ‘Te Upoko o Te Ika Karaitianatanga’." Colonialism and Christianity. Wellington, N.Z.: Tamihana Foundation, 2003.
  • "Te Upoko o te Ika Karaitianatanga." The Future Of Christianity – Historical, Sociological, Political And Theological Perspectives From New Zealand. A Theological Forum With A Collection Of Essays Focussing On A Theological Investigation Of The Interaction Between The Christian Faith And Issues Of A Cultural, Social Or Scientific Nature. Ed. John Stenhouse and Brett Knowles. Adelaide, Austral.: ATF, 2004.

  • Traditional

  • "Personality Study: Muru Walters." Te Ao Hou 35 (1961): 28-29.
  • Discusses Walters’ football prowess, his work as an artist and art teacher, and his comments on modern Māori art.
  • "Haka: He Huruhuru Toroa/Haka: The Feathered Albatross." Written in Māori with English trans. by Muru Walters. The Penguin Book of New Zealand Verse. Ed. Ian and Harvey McQueen. Introd. and notes by Ian Wedde and Margaret Orbell, consultant to the editors. Auckland, N.Z.: Penguin, 1985. 394-396. Rpt. in 1986, 1987. Rpt. in Māori only in Te Ao Mārama: Contemporary Māori Writing. Comp. and ed. Witi Ihimaera. Contributing editors: Haare Williams, Irihapeti Ramsden and D. S. Long. Vol. 1: Te Whakahuatanga O Te Ao: Reflections of Reality. Auckland, N.Z.: Reed, 1992. 248-249.
  • The editors of Te Ao Marama write that in this haka, Walters likens the feathered albatross to an orphan from Hawaiki returning to its confiscated homeland, New Zealand. Margaret Orbell writes in her notes in The Penguin Book of New Zealand Verse, that the various names in the haka such as Pukekura and Aramoana are all Māori place-names around Port Chalmers and that Araiteuru is ‘the name of the Māori culture club which won the 1982 South Island competitions with this haka’ (541).
  • "Turoro Karoro." Te Ao Mārama: Contemporary Māori Writing. Comp. and ed. Witi Ihimaera. Contributing editors: Haare Williams, Irihapeti Ramsden and D. S. Long. Vol. 1: Te Whakahuatanga O Te Ao: Reflections of Reality. Auckland, N.Z.: Reed, 1992. 249-250.
  • Written in Māori. The editorial notes in Te Ao Marama state that "‘Turoro Karoro’ was inspired when Muru Walters came across a battered seagull on Stewart island. He was reminded of the plight of women who, after being raped, are left physically and emotionally to die."
  • "He Poroporoaki." Te Ao Mārama: Contemporary Māori Writing. Comp. and ed. Witi Ihimaera. Contributing editors: Haare Williams, Irihapeti Ramsden and D. S. Long. Vol. 1: Te Whakahuatanga O Te Ao: Reflections of Reality. Auckland, N.Z.: Reed, 1992. 250-251.
  • Written in Māori. The editors of Te Ao Mārama write that "He Poroporoaki" ‘is a eulogy written on the occasion of the 28th Battalion’s tour of Europe in 1977.
  • "Whakarongo e te Iwi." Te Ao Mārama: Contemporary Māori Writing. Comp. and ed. Witi Ihimaera. Contributing editors: Haare Williams, Irihapeti Ramsden and D. S. Long. Vol. 1: Te Whakahuatanga O Te Ao: Reflections of Reality. Auckland, N.Z.: Reed, 1992. 251.
  • The editorial notes in Te Ao Mārama state: ‘a tribute to the titi and to Māoridom: ‘Prepare yourself new bedding, make it warm, Titi, or else you may be killed by the mutton-birders of modern times. Save yourself, Titi. Save yourself.’
  • "Anglican Māori Bishop." The Press 5 Feb. 1992: 4.