Rangiahuta Alan Herewini Ruka Broughton

Ngā Rauru

1940 - 1986

Ruka Broughton was raised in Whanganui and educated at Te Aute. He worked as a farmer before undertaking theological studies in 1961. He became the first Māori to be ordained in St Pauls’ Cathedral, Wellington, in 1964. In 1980 he wrote an MA thesis on the history of the Ngā Rauru people and later became a lecturer in Māori Studies at Victoria University, Wellington. He was awarded various prizes for his waiata compositions including first place in the lyric section of the 1966/7 NZBC Māori Song Contest, and first equal in the poi. He judged several Polynesian competitions and supervised the carvings for the marae at Ohakune and the model pa in the church grounds at Putiki. Broughton’s poems were written in Māori and translated by others into English. His unsubmitted PhD thesis on Titokowaru was published posthumously and has been described as “a valuable work for Taranaki style and Taranaki dialect.”

Biographical sources

  • Te Kaunihera Māori 1.3 (1967): 29-31.
  • Te Kaea 3 June 1980: 27.

    Non-fiction

  • "Kaumatua Hui: Ruka Broughton Looks at a Historic Gathering of Elders." Te Kaea: The Māori Magazine 4 (1980): 2-4. Rpt. in Māori only as "He Hui Kaumatua" in Te Ao Mārama: Regaining Aotearoa: Māori Writers Speak Out. Comp. and ed. Witi Ihimaera. Contributing ed. Haare Williams, Irihapeti Ramsden and D. S. Long. Vol. 2: He Whakaatanga O Te Ao: The Reality. Auckland, N.Z.: Reed, 1993. 193-194.
  • Written in Maori and English. Broughton reports on a hui organised by the Department of Māori Affairs at Waiwhetu which was attended by elders from all the major tribes.
  • Te Taumata Rau Tahi. 1981. No further details.
  • Co-authored with Hirini Moko Mead. A Māori language textbook for university studies.
  • "Rautau O Te Raa O Te Paahua Ki Parihaka/Parihaka - Is There a Lesson for the Future." Tu Tangata 4 (1982): 13-14.
  • Broughton writes briefly in Māori and English of the sacking of Parihaka in 1881 and describes the centenary commemorations held at Parihaka on November 6, 1981.
  • "The Origins of Ngā Rauru Kitahi." Archifacts: Bulletin of the Archives and Records Association of New Zealand: Conference Papers 2 (1985): 42-44.
  • In this conference paper presented at the 7th Annual Conference of the Archives and Records Association of New Zealand held in August 1984, Broughton discusses the Taranaki confederation of tribes and writes of his MA thesis topic change from a history of the Ngā Rauru tribe to one of examining the impact of the Aotea migrants on Ngā Rauru.
  • "Incompatibility between Māoritanga and Christianity." Tu Tangata 27 (1985/86): 5-7.
  • In this interview with Tu Tangata, Broughton describes his dilemma of reconciling Christianity with Māori spirituality after being an ordained Anglican clergyman for some twelve years while being well acquainted with taha Māori. Ultimately Broughton chose Māori spirituality over Christianity and he describes the practical outworking of his own perception of Māori spirituality.

    • Other

  • "Ngaa Paiaka o Ngaa Rauru Kiitahi." Te Paanui: a Wikitoria. 2. Ed. W. Parker and J. Malcolm. Wellington, N.Z.: [Victoria UP], 1979. 28-29.
  • Written under the name Ruka Broughton.
  • Ngaa Mahi Whakaari a Tiitokowaru. Wellington, N.Z.: Victoria UP, 1994.
  • Written under the name Ruka Alan Broughton. This Māori language text is Broughton’s unsubmitted PhD thesis which has been published posthumously.

    • Poetry

  • "Ko Tainui te Waka/ Tainui is the Canoe." Trans. Te Aomuhurangi Temamaka Jones. The Penguin Book of Contemporary New Zealand Poetry/ Nga Kupu T˚tohu o Aotearoa. Ed. Miriama Evans, Harvey McQueen and Ian Wedde. Auckland, N.Z.: Penguin, 1989. 62-63.
  • Written in Māori with English translation. Broughton briefly touches on the whakapapa of the Raukawa people, defines their geographical boundaries and looks to the younger generations of Te Ati Awa, Ngāti Toa and Ngāti Raukawa, who by the year 2000 will hopefully "consummate the hopes and aspirations/of the humble and of the great." This poem was possibly written at the time of the inception of "Project 2000" by Te Ati Awa, Ngāti Toa and Ngāti Raukawa.
  • "He Waiata mō Te Herenga Waka/ A Song for Te Herenga Waka." Trans. Miriama Evans. The Penguin Book of Contemporary New Zealand Poetry/ Nga Kupu T˚tohu o Aotearoa. Ed. Miriama Evans, Harvey McQueen and Ian Wedde. Auckland, N.Z.: Penguin Books, 1989. 63-64. Rpt. in Māori only in Te Ao Mārama: Contemporary Māori Writing. Comp. and ed. Witi Ihimaera. Contributing ed. Haare Williams, Irihapeti Ramsden and D. S. Long. Vol. 1: Te Whakahuatanga O Te Ao: Reflections of Reality. Auckland, N.Z.: Reed, 1992. 275.
  • Written in Māori with English translation. Miriama Evans writes that this waiata was written at the foundation stages of Victoria University’s Te Herenga Waka marae building programme to "encourage dedication to the project amongst the Māori community at Victoria University." She adds that "it was initially performed as a waiata with a brisk tempo but has latterly become a waiata tangi, a song of lament in remembrance of the poet." [The Penguin Book of Contemporary New Zealand Poetry/ Nga Kupu Totohu o Aotearoa. 22]
  • "He Ngeri/ A Ngeri." Trans. Te Aomuhurangi Temamaka Jones. The Penguin Book of Contemporary New Zealand Poetry/ Nga Kupu T˚tohu o Aotearoa. Ed. Miriama Evans, Harvey McQueen and Ian Wedde. Auckland, N.Z.: Penguin, 1989. 64-65.
  • Written in Māori with English translation. In this chant, Broughton calls the people at the Victoria University marae, Te Herenga Waka to "hold fast to [their] mana."
  • "He Pātere mō te Hunga Wahine/ A Pātere about Famous Women." Trans. Miriama Evans. The Penguin Book of Contemporary New Zealand Poetry/ Nga Kupu Totohu o Aotearoa. Ed. Miriama Evans, Harvey McQueen and Ian Wedde. Auckland, N.Z.: Penguin Books, 1989. 65-67. Rpt. in Māori only in Comp. and ed. Witi Ihimaera. Contributing ed. Haare Williams, Irihapeti Ramsden and D. S. Long. Vol. 1: Te Whakahuatanga O Te Ao: Reflections of Reality. Auckland, N.Z.: Reed, 1992. 275-276.
  • Written in Maori with English translations. In this patere Broughton highlights notable women from Māori history including Topeora, Mahinarangi, Hinematioro, Wairaka, Hinemoa, Ruaputahanga, Mere Rikiriki and Te Ara-o-Rehua.

    • Theses

  • "Ko Nga Paiaka o Nga Rauru Kotahi." (Victoria UP, 1979) [Written in Māori.]
  • An investigation of the origin of Broughton’s tribe.
  • "The Origins of Nga Rauru Kotahi: Wellington, N.Z.: [Department of Māori Affairs], 1983.
  • English translation.
  • "Ko nga Tuhituhi a Te Kahui Kararehe o Taranaki ki a Te Mete, 1893-1906" [Wellington, N.Z.]: Department of Māori Studies, Victoria UP, 1984.
  • [He Whakairiwhare, ISSN 0111-3879, no. 4].
  • "Transcriptions of Letters Written by Te Kahui Kararehe of Te Atiawa to S. Percy Smith". Comp. J. Broughton. 1984. No further details.

  • Traditional

  • "A Taniwha Story." Te Māori August/September [1980]:36-37.
  • Written under the name Ruka Broughton. Broughton writes that this story written in English and Māori versions is "the abridged version of Aohkehu’s slaying of Tutaeporoporo - Aotea’s St George and the dragon tale!" The story describes how Tuariki’s pet taniwha, Tutaeporoporo, sought to avenge the murder of his master by killing all those who used the Whanganui river. Devastation follows until Aokehu the taniwha slayer is called in to destroy the taniwha.
  • "Te Ruahuihui Henare." Te Kaea: The Māori Magazine 5 (1981): 2.
  • A short tribute in Māori and English to Mrs Te Ruahuihui Henare of Te Ati Haunui-a-Paparangi who died in 1980. Broughton writes that she was "a learned elder in the arts of her ancestors, especially in weaving kits, mats, the highly embroidered type of mats and similar works of art."
  • "Rangimotuhia Katene." Tu Tangata 1 (1981): 3.
  • Written in Māori.
  • "Te Ripoata A Te Tiamana O Te Kohanga Reo: He Poroporoaki Kia Ruka Broughton." Tu Tangata 30 (1986): 37-38.
  • Written in Māori.

    Other

  • Te Kaea: The Māori Magazine 3 (1980): 27.
  • A short note on Broughton’s appointment as lecturer in Māori Studies at Victoria University.
  • "Māori Song Contest." Te Kaunihera Māori 1.3 (1967): 29-31.

  • Reviews

    Ngaa Mahi Whakaari a Titokowaru.
  • Evans, Miriama. "A Seed For The Future." New Zealand Books 4.3 (1994): 4-5.
  • The Origins of Ngaa Rauru Kiitah
  • "Original Tangata Whenua: The Origins of Ngaa Rauru Kiitahi." Rev. of "The Origins of Ngaa Rauru Kiitahi" by Rangiahuta Alan Herewini Ruka Broughton. Te Iwi o Aotearoa 7 (1988): 25.

  • Traditional

  • Bird, Henry Tahawai. "Kaumatua Kōrero." Tu Tangata 30 (1986): 25.
  • Written in Māori.