Ihakara Puketapu

Ihakara Porutu (Kara) Puketapu is a leader of the Te Āti Awa iwi in Waiwhetū, Lower Hutt, New Zealand. He has a doctorate from the University of Chicago.[1]

Kara was born to Ihaia Porutu (Paddy) Puketapu of the Te Āti Awa iwi and Taranaki-born Vera May Yeates (1904-16 March 1991), a Pākehā, who were both on their second marriages.[2]

Puketapu grew up in Taranaki and rose through the ranks[3] of the Ministry of Maori Affairs (later named the Ministry of Māori Affairs and ultimately Te Puni Kōkiri) to become Secretary of Maori Affairs.[4] During his time he chaired the management committee of Te Maori, the first international exhibition of Māori objects as art. After a triumphant run at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Saint Louis Art Museum and the M.H. de Young Memorial Museum, Te Maori toured New Zealand.[5]

Puketapu also rose in standing within his iwi, to become chairperson of the Te Āti Awa Runanga (tribal council).[6] The Te Āti Awa Runanga run a primary health organisation in their Waiwhetū area[7][8] and a radio station (Atiawa Toa FM). Recently they have clashed with local authorities over the custodianship of waka.[9]

Puketapu was top rugby league player in his youth,[10] and later became involved in coaching. Puketapu became involved with the Wainuiomata Lions both as a coach and serving as President.[11][12] During the 1995 Lion Red Cup Puketapu briefly served as the coach of the Hutt Valley Hawks.

In 2008, Puketapu resigned from the Port Nicholson Block Treaty Settlement Trust chaired by Sir Ngatata Love over the compensation for Waiwhetū land confiscated by the Crown in the 1940s.[9]

References

  1. ↑ Annette Hamilton and Fred Hamilton (1979). "Warriors of the Pacific Part II". Black Belt. Retrieved 2 October 2011.
  2. ↑ Obituary for Vera May Puketapu, Evening Post March 1991. Wellington, New Zealand.
  3. ↑ "TE AO HOU The New World [electronic resource]". teaohou.natlib.govt.nz. 2011. Retrieved 2 October 2011. Cover Photo: Mr Whatarangi Winiata and Mr Ihakara Puketapu, both members of the Maori Young Leaders Conference. Mr Puketapu is welfare officer in Wellington; Mr Winiata, a public accountant, has gone abroad on a scholarship awarded by Rotary. (Photo: Peter Blanc.)
  4. ↑ "Providing Quality Advice and Service under Changing Parameters". firstfound.org. 2010. Retrieved 2 October 2011. Ihakara Puketapu, former Secretary of Maori Affairs
  5. ↑ "Te Maori exhibition opens in New York". nzhistory.net.nz. 2011. Retrieved 2 October 2011. The following year Cabinet formally approved the proposal and the formation of a Te Maori management committee, chaired by the Secretary for Maori Affairs, Kara Puketapu.
  6. ↑ "Balancing Commercial". firstfound.org. 2010. Retrieved 2 October 2011. Ihakara Puketapu, Chairman, Te Atiawa Runanga
  7. ↑ "Health". atiawa.com. 2011. Retrieved 2 October 2011.
  8. ↑ "Charities Register entry for Tamaiti Whangai PHO". register.charities.govt.nz. 2011. Retrieved 2 October 2011.
  9. 1 2 "Iwi infighting stalls wharewaka plans". stuff.co.nz. 2011. Retrieved 2 October 2011. At a meeting in Waiwhetu last month, Waiwhetu Maori leader Kara Puketapu told Port Nicholson Block Treaty Settlement Trust chairman Sir Ngatata Love that no agreement existed for the waka to be moved from Te Maori Museum in Waiwhetu to the new wharewaka.
  10. ↑ Sharples - Kaitoko Whānau Launch scoop.co.nz, 29 October 2009
  11. ↑ Wellington Grand Final Programme rleague.com, 2 September 2002
  12. ↑ LOWER HUTT CITY (NAME OF CITY COUNCIL) BILL : Introduction New Zealand Parliamentary Debate, 15 August 1990
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