Donna Patricia Rapira

Ngā Puhi, Tainui

1958 -

Donna Patricia Rapira was born in Auckland and spent much of her childhood in Otaua and Maramarua. She was educated at Glen Eden and Glendene Primary Schools, Kelston Intermediate and High School, and Avondale College. She writes: "I owe much of my knowledge of understanding Māoritanga to my Grandparents. I first began writing Letters to the Editor with weekly publications such as Sunday News, 8 o’clock, and Truth in 1984. Prior to this, we lived on the farm and because we were so far away from any library or school, I began writing and illustrating stories for my children. Simple little stories to get my eldest daughter started in reading." In February 1991 Donna received a Diploma in Writing and is currently studying for Bachelor of Education through the Northland campus of Auckland College of Education in Whangarei. She writes fiction and non-fiction work and has a collection of poetry in preparation. Donna has had her short stories "The Putty Car" and "Te Paura Horoi" and a play "And That’s For Sure" accepted for publication by John Bonallack and Brent Southgate, Editors for the Ministry of Education. She is the Northland Correspondent for The National Catholic Weekly - The Tablet and has had numerous articles published in this periodical. She writes waiata for children and himene but these have not been published or recorded professionally. Rapira attended a Marion Music Workshop hui which was convened for the composition of himene and was hosted at Hato Petera in May 1992. She has been awarded a Certificate for Māori Theology.

Biographical sources

  • Correspondence and phone conversation with Donna Rapira, 21 Nov. 1992, and 23 July 1998.

    Children's literature

  • "Sports Day." School Journal 2.2. (1989): 14-18.
  • A story about a girl who is embarrassed by her mother’s large size.
  • "Hinu, Please." School Journal 1.2 (1990): 6-11. Rpt. in Te Ao Mārama: Contemporary Māori Writing for Children. Comp. and ed. Witi Ihimaera. Contributing ed. Haare Williams, Irihapeti Ramsden and D. S. Long. Vol. 4: Te Ara o Te Hau: The Path of the Wind. Auckland, N.Z.: Reed, 1994. 157-158.
  • When a little girl is sent by her Nanna to buy hinu [oil] at the local shop neither the shopkeeper nor the girl know what the word means.
  • "Pai to Rare e Moko?" School Journal 3.3 (1990): 13-17.
  • A play in which Nanna Rawi keeps the upper hand with her mischievous mokopuna.
  • "Pinga Champ." School Journal 3.3 (1990): 34-41.
  • A story about Grandpa Kura’s solution for winning Matt Whiu’s prize pinga.
  • "No Sugar." Illus. Murray Grimsdale. School Journal 3.1 1991): 20-24.
  • Papa Joe uses his glass eye to keep his three nieces in order when he leaves the house.
  • I’m Glad I’m Me. Illus. Ann Skelly. Windmill Books Ser. Set F. Auckland, N.Z.: Heinemann, 1992.
  • "Washing Day." School Journal 1.3 (1993): 10-15. Rpt. in Te Ao Mārama: Contemporary Māori Writing for Children. Comp. and ed. Witi Ihimaera. Contributing ed. Haare Williams, Irihapeti Ramsden and D. S. Long. Vol. 4: Te Ara o Te Hau: The Path of the Wind. Auckland, N.Z.: Reed, 1994. 166-167.
  • Young Rehina’s decision to help with the washing causes havoc when she inadvertently places her bright red tank top with the rest of the washing.
  • "The Putty Car." School Journal 3.2 (1993): 48-54. Rpt. in Te Ao Mārama: Contemporary Māori Writing for Children. Comp. and ed. Witi Ihimaera. Contributing ed. Haare Williams, Irihapeti Ramsden and D. S. Long. Vol. 4: Te Ara o Te Hau: The Path of the Wind. Auckland, N.Z.: Reed, 1994. 172-174.
  • A story about Janine and Regina’s sense of shame about their family car breaking down in front of their friends.

    • Fiction

  • "Grandma Rawi’s Mokopuna." NZ Listener 12 Dec. 1987: 92.
  • When Hare hears he is chosen for the school billet scheme he has to demonstrate his diligence in looking after his horse Blossom before Grandpa Niko gives his permission.

    • Music

  • Nga Kotuku Iti.
  • Mother Dear, I Love You.
  • Take Hold of This Pain.
  • Kororia.
  • Enei Taonga.
  • Two Things Most Precious.
  • Te Tohu A Te Atua.
  • Ko Koe Te Whaea Tapu.

  • Non-fiction

  • "Ma te Wa." The National Catholic Weekly - The Tablet. Ed. Kevin Molloy. 1991. No details/

  • Performing Arts

  • "And That’s For Sure." School Journal 3.1 (1993): 26-32.
  • A play set in a standard four classroom where Josephine and Samantha conjecture on the nature of the relationship between Mr Thomas and Mrs Potts.

    • Poetry

  • "Who Am I?" Poetry NZ 3 (1991): 31. Rpt. in Te Ao Mārama: Contemporary Māori Writing. Comp. and ed. Witi Ihimaera. Contributing ed. Haare Williams, Irihapeti Ramsden and D. S. Long. Vol. 3: Te Puāwaitanga O Te Kōrero: The Flowering. Auckland, N.Z.: Reed, 1993. 21.
  • This poem articulates the loss of identity felt by Māori separated from their whakapapa. The speaker stands within the meeting house and asks the carved ancestral figure where she belongs and where her origins lie. In knowing her identity she can stand tall and know her turangawaewae.