Pita Russell Sharples

Pita Sharples was born at Waipawa in the Hawkes Bay and educated at Takapau Primary School, Waipukurau District High School and Te Aute College. He continued his studies at Auckland Secondary Teachers’ College and Auckland University, graduating with a Diploma of Teaching and BA in Geography and Anthropology from Auckland University and MA (1st class Honours) in Anthropology in 1968. He continued with PhD studies while working at Auckland University as a tutor, temporary lecturer and a full-time lecturer in the Anthropology Department and completed his PhD in 1976. He worked as a teacher at Lynfield College for two years.

In 1972 he began working as CEO in the Office of the Race Relations Conciliator and in 1980 worked for the Māori Affairs Department for eight years. Hee has subsequently worked as a consultant for government departments, and was awarded a visiting fellowship to the Education Department of Auckland University. He “has sought to challenge the education and justice systems from a community base. Without making a fuss, he has quietly established community court hearings, set up kohanga reo and kura kaupapa Māori…. He has also been involved in setting up Hoani Waititi Marae, Auckland’s first multi-tribal, multi-cultural marae - of which he is now director. Sharples’ driving desire is to keep Māori culture alive. As well as leading the spectacular haka in the Commonwealth Games opening, [he] has previously choreographed and performed four Māori welcomes for Royalty.” He is the author of many papers on Māori and race relations. He is an Honorary Māori Welfare Officer for Western Auckland, and is a member of the Board of Governors of Rutherford Memorial High School.

In 1998 he took up a Professorship at the International Research Institute for Māori and Indigenous Education, Faculty of Arts at the University of Auckland. The following year he became a member of the Waitangi Tribunal. In 2000 he became inaugural chair of Te Rōpu Whaiti Māori Education Authority – Te Manatu Matauranga Māori. He was appointed adjunct Professor at UNITEC, Auckland in 2001 and in 2003 he became director of Arapita Limited. In 2005 he became director of Paerangi Ltd Education Board. In 2004 he was appointed co-leader of the Māori Party and is currently member of Parliament for Tamaki Makaurau. In 1990 he received the CBE for services to New Zealand in education.

Biographical sources

• "Auckland Race Relations Officer." Te Māori: The Official Journal of the New Zealand Māori Council 3.2 (1972?): 25.
• Christchurch Star 15 March 1991: 11.
• "Kura Kaupapa Māori." Education is Change: Twenty Viewpoints. Ed. Harvey McQueen. Wellington, N.Z.: Bridget Williams, 1993. 11-21.
• "Members of Parliament: Current MPs." New Zealand Parliament. http://www.parliament.nz/en-NZ/MPP/MPs/MPs/1/a/e/48MP125791-Sharples-Pita.htm 23 Oct. 2008.