Whaimatua Anaru was born in Tangoio in the Hawkes Bay and moved to Ratana Pa after the Napier earthquake of 1931. He was educated at a primary school in Napier, Ratana Pa Primary School and Wesley College where he was Dux of the school in 1940. Anaru tutored Māori language at Wesley College while still a student at the school and went on to study a paper at Auckland University. While working as a farm labourer, he married Manawa Mateparae, and in the early 1950s moved from Ratana Pa to Wanganui where he and Manawa raised a large family. In Wanganui Anaru was employed by Imlay Freezing Works where he continued to work for the rest of his working life. Growing up at Ratana Pa made a big impression on Anaru; he attended one of the last wānanga conducted by kaumātua, considered experts in Māori knowledge, and witnessed the dramatic healing ministry of T. W. Ratana. Anaru was an Āpōtoro Wairua in the Ratana Church for most of his adult life and was a member of the Ratana Church Executive and chair of the Communal Board of Trustees at Ratana for some twenty years. He served on school committees and was a Trustee for the Wanganui Savings Bank. In the 1950s he was private secretary to Haami Tokouru Ratana, MP for Western Māori, and later became a life member of the Labour Party. He was a Justice of the Peace. Anaru wrote stories for the school journals and wrote articles for the Ratana church. He translated into English parts of Whetu Marama which was published by the Ratana Church, and his teaching notes for classes on doctrine and church history were gathered together and reprinted after his death. He wrote waiata and patere - some of which were used by cultural groups. He was approached by Bruno Lawrence to write a song, ‘Tēnei he kōrero’, for the film Pallet on the Floor. He was an inspirational figure in the renovation of the Ratana Temple, the Manuao Block, and T.W. Ratana’s original homestead. He was a keen rugby player and rugby union supporter.
Biographical sources
- Correspondence and email from Rawiri Andrews, 29 March and 1 April 2004.
- Phone conversations and correspondence with Rawiri Andrews and Eva Smith, 17 and
19 June, and 13 July 1998.
- “Sam Andrews.” Wanganui Chronicle. Monday July 30,
1990.
Children's literature
- “Whai’s Kiwi: A Story Of The 1930s.” School Journal 2.3
(1989): 10-18.
- Anaru recalls a childhood story of catching a kiwi chick and taking it into
captivity.
- “Taku the Top Maker.” Illus. Murray Grimsdale. School Journal 2.3 (1989): 26-29.
- Shy Taku discovers his skill in top-making.
- “Making a Spinning Top.” Illus. Clare Bowes. School Journal
4.1 (1990): 22-25.
- An illustrated guide of the construction of various types of spinning tops.
- “Miriama’s Bangle.” Illus. Murray Grimsdale. School Journal
4.2 (1990): 39-41.
- A story from the 1930s in which a church minister discovers the identity of a
thief.
- “A Flax Sailing Canoe.” School Journal 3.2 (1991):
43-45.
- An illustrated guide on how to make a toy canoe out of a strip of flax.
Other
- Mo Te Haahi, Hei Mea Kia Marama Ai, Te Whakatupuranga O T. W. Ratana, Nga
Waiata Whakamoemiti.
- Rawiri Andrews writes: ‘These notes that my father put together for the study
sessions he conducted at Ratana Pa before he took ill have been re-printed by the Church
Office.’
- Nga Kupu A Te Mangai, He Taonga Hei Matakitaki Ake.
- Ture Tangata.
- Kupu Whakaari, Nga Ra Nunui, Te Temepara, Nga Reo.
- Te Kingitanga, extracts from newspapers.
Other
- “Sam Andrews.” Wanganui Chronicle 30 July, 1990.