Ranginui Joseph Isaac Walker, DCNZM

New Zealand Order of Merit

The New Zealand Order of Merit is an order established in 1996 "for those persons who in any field of endeavour, have rendered meritorious service to the Crown and nation or who have become distinguished by their eminence, talents, contributions or other merits."The order includes five...

 (born 1932 of Māori and Lebanese

Lebanon

Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...

 descent) is a Māori academic and writer living in New Zealand

New Zealand

New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...

. He was educated at St Peter's Maori College

Hato Petera College, Auckland

Hato Petera College is an integrated, boarding and day co-educational college in Northcote Central, Auckland, New Zealand for students in Year 9 to Year 13. The school has a strong Catholic and Māori character...

, Auckland, Auckland Teachers' Training College and Auckland University. Walker is a member of the Whakatōhea

Te Whakatohea

Te Whakatōhea are a Māori iwi located in the eastern Bay of Plenty region of New Zealand. The iwi comprises six hapu: Ngāi Tamahaua, Ngāti Ira, Ngāti Ngahere, Ngāti Patumoana, Ngāti Ruatakena and Te Ūpokorehe. In the 2006 Census, 12,072 people claimed an affiliation with Te Whakatōhea.The iwi is...

 tribe of Opotiki

Opotiki

Opotiki is a town in the eastern Bay of Plenty in the North Island of New Zealand. It houses the headquarters of the Opotiki District Council and comes under the Bay of Plenty Regional Council.-Population:* of the town: 4176 - Male 1,989, Female 2,187...

 in the Bay of Plenty

Bay of Plenty

The Bay of Plenty , often abbreviated to BOP, is a region in the North Island of New Zealand situated around the body of water of the same name...

. Walker was a member of Māori activist group Ngā Tamatoa

Nga Tamatoa

Ngā Tamatoa was a Māori activist group that operated from the early 1970s until 1979, and existed to fight for Maori rights, land and culture as well as confront injustices perpetrated by the New Zealand Government, particularly violations of the Treaty of Waitangi.Nga Tamatoa emerged out of a...

. He later went on to become the Professor and Head of Māori Studies at the University of Auckland

University of Auckland

The University of Auckland is a university located in Auckland, New Zealand. It is the largest university in the country and the highest ranked in the 2011 QS World University Rankings, having been ranked worldwide...

. In 2003 Walker became a member of the Waitangi Tribunal

Waitangi Tribunal

The Waitangi Tribunal is a New Zealand permanent commission of inquiry established under the Treaty of Waitangi Act 1975...

.

Books

He has published a number of books including:

• Perceptions and Attitudes of the New Generation of Maoris to Pakeha Domination (1981)
• History of Maori Activism (1983)
  • The Treaty of Waitangi (1983)
• The Political Development of the Maori People in New Zealand (1984)
• The Meaning of Biculturalism (1986)
• Nga Mamae o te Iwi Maori: Te Ripoata o te Hui i Turangawaewae (1987)
• Nga Tau Tohetohe The Years of Anger (1987)
• Ka Whawhai Tonu Matou / Struggle Without End (1990)
• Liberating Maori from Educational Subjection (1991)
• Nga Pepa a Ranginui The Walker Papers (1997)
• He Tipua The Life and Times of Sir Apirana Ngata (2001)

Sources

• Margie Thomson, "Bridging the Gap", Dominion Post, 09 May 2009, "Your Weekend", p. 10.
• Paul Spoonley, Mata Toa: The Life and Times of Ranginui Walker, Penguin, Auckland 2009.