Muru Walters
New Zealand bishop, author, artist and rugby union player (1935–2024)
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Muru Walters (16 January 1935 – 14 February 2024) was a New Zealand author, master carver, broadcaster, artist, rugby union player and Māori Anglican bishop.[1] He was the first Pīhopa (bishop) of Te Pīhopatanga o Te Upoko o Te Ika from his consecration on 7 March 1992 until his retirement in 2018.[2]
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Muru Walters | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Te Pīhopa o Te Upoko o Te Ika | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Walters in 2012 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Province | Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Diocese | Te Pīhopatanga o Te Upoko o Te Ika | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Installed | 7 March 1992 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Term ended | 2018 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Predecessor | New diocese | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Successor | Wai Quayle | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal details | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 16 January 1935 Kaitaia, New Zealand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Died | 14 February 2024 (aged 89) Mangawhai, New Zealand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Denomination | Anglicanism | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Alma mater | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Biography
Muru Walters was born in Kaitaia.[3] He affiliated to the Te Rarawa and Te Aupōuri iwi.[1] A talented rugby player, Walters represented New Zealand Māori, and won the Tom French Cup for the Māori rugby union player of the year in 1957.[4] He studied at Auckland Teachers' College. After working in arts and crafts education in schools, he became a lecturer in art at Dunedin Teachers' College. In 1980, Walters completed a master's degree on Māori archaeology at the University of Otago.[5] He was later a lecturer in Māori Studies at St John's Theological College in Auckland.[3] In October 2020, Walters was made a Life Fellow of Selwyn College Dunedin.[6]
Walters died at his home in Mangawhai on 14 February 2024, at the age of 89.[7][8]
