Haami Piripi was born in Kaitaia and was educated at Ahipara Primary School, Kaitaia Intermediate and Kaitaia College. He continued his studies at Massey University and graduated with a Bachelor of Social Work majoring in social work and sociology in 1983. Piripi has worked as an office clerk, youth worker, Vocational Guidance Counsellor, Treaty Claim negotiator and policy manager. He is currently Māori Language Commission Chief Executive.He writes political commentary.
Biographical sources
- Correspondence from Haami Piripi, 3 Apr. and 1 May 1998.
Non-fiction
- "Te Tiriti O Waitangi." Te Hikoi Ki Waitangi 1984. Otara, N.Z.: Waitangi Action Committee, Aug 1984. 51-53.
- Piripi asserts that colonisation has left a sizeable group of young Māori ‘unaware of the significance of the Treaty of Waitangi’. He discusses the existence of Kotahitanga amongst Māori and notes that Māori ‘already have a lot of mini Kotahitanga’ but maintains that Kotahitanga cannot occur on a nation-wide basis until there is ‘Māori independence from Pakeha rule.’
- "Evaluation of Waitangi Hui 4-6 Feb., 1985." Te Hikoi Ki Waitangi, 1985. [?:Waitangi Action Committee, 198?]: 60-62.
- Piripi writes a strongly worded criticism of many aspects of the Waitangi Hui which he describes as ‘not a Māori hui but a Government hui run by Māoris.’ Piripi states that the most disappointing features of the hui were the ‘refusal of our leading Kaumatua to give any credibility to the rangatahi’ and ‘[t]he reality of seeing our so called representative members of Parliament (ie Māori Members) bumble and blunder their way through proceedings’ in an unintelligible manner.