Cletus Maanu Paul

Cletus Paul was born in Murupara. He was a student at Hamilton Teachers’ College and graduated with a Teaching Certificate in 1974, a Diploma in Teaching in 1976 and a Bachelor of Social Science from the University of Auckland in 1977. Between 1975-1980 he taught in various secondary schools. He was a teaching fellow at the University in 1981 and from 1982-1984 was Liaison Tutor at Waiariki Polytechnic. In 1984 he studied training and re-training as a Fullbright Scholar at USA universities and community colleges and from 1985-1988 was Continuing Education Officer for the Department of Education. In 1987 he was a guest lecturer at the Indigenous Peoples’ World Conference on Education at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, where he had a paper on tribal strategies for survival published in the conference journal.

In 1990 Paul delivered a paper to the International Conference on Pacific Political Studies at Brigham Young University in Hawaii and in the same year was a member of the research team on Victims Task Force. In 1991 he gave a paper on Tino Rangātiratanga at the 12th Annual Conference of Political Studies Association at the University of Waikato. Later in the year he presented a paper on Ko Ta Te Māori Matauranga, The Body of Knowledge Māori, to the Union/Tertiary Research Conference at Victoria University, Wellington. He co-ordinated a working party on bicultural development to pervade the Bachelor of Education degree at the University of Waikato in 1991. From 1989-1993 he was a lecturer in bicultural education at the University of Waikato. In 1992 he presented a paper to the Indigenous Pacific Peoples’ Conference at the University of the South Pacific, Suva, Fiji, and also graduated M. Phil from the University of Auckland. In 1993 he organised and chaired the Indigenous Peoples’ of the Pacific Health Conference at Moerewa in Northland.

In 1997 Paul was appointed consultant lecturer of Masters students at the School of Business Management Studies at the University of Waikato. From 1997-2002 he was Executive Chair of the New Zealand Māori Council. He is a former chair of the now disbanded Te Waka Hauora o Aotearoa, The Māori Treaty Partner in Health. He currently chairs Mataatua District Māori Council and is on the executive committee of Te Waka Kai Ora, the Māori National Organic Organisation.

Paul operates a research and development company mainly involved in the Treaty of Waitangi claims. He owns and operates a twenty-acre organic kiwifruit orchard and is a director of Aotearoa Kiwifruit Exports Ltd. Paul was the executive chairperson of a national Māori fishing company and is a National Fisheries Negotiator.

Paul is a tribal member of Te Runanganui o Ngāti Awa, Whakatane and tribal consultant of Te Runanganui o Te Ika Whenua that covers Kaingaroa, Murupara, Waiohau, Te Whaiti and Minginui. He has been a company executive/director, research consultant, and principal of the Paparangi Consultancy Ltd. He has managed Sec. 438 Trusts, Māori Incorporations, Māori Trust Boards and Māori Companies. Paul has been Waiariki District Māori Council chair and is a recognised kaikōrero (orator) on the marae. He has Tohunga status in education and is a leading authority in bicultural development that is founded in the Treaty of Waitangi. He has a strong interest in seeking justice for all people: Tangata Whenua, Tauiwi and Manuhiri. As a descendant of Wairaka, he is schooled in the Māori feminine philosophy. Paul has written non-fiction articles published in New Zealand and has also had an article published in a Canadian educational magazine.

Paul was made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for Services to Māori in 2019.

Biographical sources

• Correspondence and phone conversation with Paul, 10 and 19 July 1998.
• Paul, Cletus. "Tribalism & Education." New Zealand Monthly Review 321 (Nov./Dec.1989): 4-5.
• "Māori Control Is Essential."Tu Tangata 33 (1986/87): 11.