Sir Haare Mahanga Te Wehinga Williams is a New Zealand educator, broadcaster and writer. He is described as a pioneer in

Māori Māori or Maori can refer to: Relating to the Māori people * Māori people of New Zealand, or members of that group * Māori language, the language of the Māori people of New Zealand * Māori culture * Cook Islanders, the Māori people of the C ...

broadcasting, credited for his role in establishing a joint venture between Aotearoa Radio and the South Seas Film and Television School.

Early life and education

As a young child Williams was brought up by his grandparents at Ōhiwa Harbour, with them he was immersed in te reo Māori (the Māori language). Williams started school when he as eight and learnt English then. His grandparents had previously been at

Te Urewera Te Urewera is an area of mostly forested, sparsely populated rugged hill country in the North Island of New Zealand, a large part of which is within a protected area designated in 2014, that was formerly Te Urewera National Park. Te Urewera is t ...

but were dispossessed by government actions. Williams's heritage is Māori and he descends from the nations Tuhoe, Rongowhakāta and

Ngāti Porou Ngāti Porou is a Māori iwi traditionally located in the East Cape and Gisborne regions of the North Island of New Zealand. Ngāti Porou is affiliated with the 28th Maori Battalion and has the second-largest affiliation of any iwi in New Zealand ...

. His secondary school was Ōpōtiki College, and then Ardmore Teachers’ College where he graduated in 1955.

Career

After completed his teaching certificate Williams taught in Tauranga, Taupō and Mātauri Bay. Ngā Puna Waihanga, the Māori Artists and Writers Association was co-founded by Williams and other in 1973 in

Te Kaha Te Kaha is a small New Zealand community situated in the Bay of Plenty near Ōpōtiki. The New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage gives a translation of "the rope" for . The full name of Te Kaha is Te-Kahanui-A-Tikirākau. Te Kaha is ...

. Williams was the inaugural president of the organisation and stayed in the role for nine years. In 1978, Radio New Zealand’s established a Māori station, Te Reo o Aotearoa, and Williams was the inaugural general manager. At Aotearoa Radion he held the role general manager. At Unitec in Auckland Williams was the dean of Māori education and Māori advisor to the chief executive. He was awarded an honorary doctorate from Unitec in 2017. Williams oversaw the beginning of the South Seas Film and Television School with the goal 'to train te reo Māori speakers as producers and operators in film and television'. At the 150th anniversary of the Treaty of Waitangi he was involved in waka (Māori boats) construction and assembly. In 1992 he stood for the Labour Party nomination for the seat of ahead of the , but lost out to regional councillor and former All Black Ken Gray. He has been the cultural advisor for Auckland City Council. Williams is a published author, writing poetry, books and for film and television. He has also exhibited paintings. Williams is part of Kotahi Rau Pukapuka, 'which aims to produce 100 great books in te reo Māori'. His book, ''Words of a Kaumātua'', was published in 2019. It won an award in 2020 in the te reo Māori category at the Society of Authors’ Heritage Book Awards. In the

2018 New Year Honours The 2018 New Year Honours are appointments by some of the 16 Commonwealth realms to various orders and honours to recognise and reward good works by citizens of those countries. The New Year Honours are awarded as part of the New Year celebratio ...

, Williams was appointed a

Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit The New Zealand Order of Merit is an order of merit in the New Zealand royal honours system. It was established by royal warrant on 30 May 1996 by Elizabeth II, Queen of New Zealand, "for those persons who in any field of endeavour, have ren ...

, for services to Māori, the arts and education. He was promoted to Knight Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to Māori, literature and education, in the

2023 New Year Honours The 2023 New Year Honours are appointments by some of the 15 Commonwealth realms to various orders and honours to recognise and reward good works by citizens of those countries. The New Year Honours are awarded as part of the New Year celebration ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Williams, Haare Living people New Zealand Māori people Knights Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit New Zealand justices of the peace Year of birth missing (living people) New Zealand Labour Party politicians