Waireti Walters was born in Kaitaia and was raised by her grandmother for her first ten years in Te Paatu (on the outskirts of Kaitaia). She was educated at Pamapuria Primary School and Kaitaia College. She then went on to study nursing in Dargaville. Waireti has subsequently completed five papers towards a B.A. at the University of Auckland. Alongside selling insurance, teaching and office work, Waireti has devoted forty years to the health sector. She founded Whare Rapu Ora (Glen Innes Health Centre) and was part of the Kia Tupato Survey, a Māori child safety programme. Her "passion has been to promote good health for Māori women and children by emphasising the importance of wairua".
Biographical sources
- Correspondence from Waireti Walters on 9 Nov. 2004.
- Melbourne, Hineani. "Waireti Walters." Māori Sovereignty: The Māori Perspective. Auckland, N.Z.: Hodder Moa Beckett, 1995. 53.
Non-fiction
- "Waireti Walters." Māori Sovereignty: The Māori Perspective. Hineani Melbourne. Auckland, N.Z.: Hodder Moa Beckett, 1995. 53-61.
- In this discussion on Māori sovereignty with Hineani Melbourne, Walters states that Māori sovereignty means ‘the right for Māori to have control over their own destiny’ and this necessitates the right to access resources.