Ralph Makere Rangiatea Love

Te Āti Awa

1907 - 1994

Ralph Love was born on Arapawa Island in the Marlborough Sounds, was raised by his aunt Nui Te Hei and went to school in Petone. He began his administrative career in 1925 as a Māori cadet in the Native Trust Office and later worked as a development officer. During the Second World War he worked as a liaison officer for the Māori War Effort Organisation. He was a private secretary to Sir Eruera Tirakatene and was Deputy Registrar of the Māori Land Court. He worked in the Māori Affairs Department in title and industrial integration. He was elected mayor of Petone in 1965. He was a member of the New Zealand Rugby Union from 1947 and in 1952 became co-manager of the New Zealand Māori Rugby Team. He was knighted in 1987.

Biographical sources

  • "Touring with N.Z. Māori Rugby Team." Te Ao Hou 2 (1952): 62-64.
  • "People and Places." Te Ao Hou 53 (1965): 26-27.
  • Te Kaea: The Māori Magazine 1 (1979): 13.
  • "Tireless Worker on Land Rights." Sunday Star-Times 7 Aug. 1994: C5.

    Non-fiction

  • "Sport Among the Māori People." Te Ao Hou 1(1952): 60-64.
  • Love looks at the ‘founders of all amusements and pastimes’ in Māori history and mythology and lists the traditional Māori sports and games practised before European settlement. He notes the increasing involvement by Māori in European sports and looks specifically at Māori competing in basketball, hockey, swimming, surf lifesaving, golf, table tennis, tennis, rugby, rugby league, athletics and rowing.
  • "Touring with the N. Z. Māori Rugby Team." Te Ao Hou 2 (1952): 62-64.
  • On July 26 1952 a special rugby match was played as a tribute to Governor General Freyberg and Lady Freyberg between the New Zealand Māori team and the All Blacks (?) at Athletic Park, Wellington. In preparation for this match the Māori team travelled to the South Island and played a number of games against South Island teams. Love gives an account of the trip to Motueka, West Coast and Blenheim.

    Other

  • "People and Places." Te Ao Hou 53 (1965): 26-27.
  • Watkins, Leslie. "Tireless Worker on Land Rights." Sunday Star-Times 7 Aug. 1994: C5.