Wira Gardiner: Difference between revisions

Wira Gardiner' (born 1942) KNZM is a former professional soldier and senior public servant. He is a Maori and his tribal affiliations are Ngati Awa, Ngati Pikiao, Whakatohea and Te Whanau-A-Apanui.

Early life

He was educated at Whakatane High School, University of Canterbury (BA) and King's College, University of London (MA (War Studies).

==Militery Career

and then spent the next 20 years as a professional soldier, seeing active service in South Vietnam. He retired from the Army in 1983 at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.

His public service career spanned 12 years, during which time he was the founding director of the Waitangi Tribunal, the founding General Manager of the Iwi Transition Agency and the founding CEO of the Ministry of Maori Development (Te Puni Kokiri). He was made KNZM (Distinguished Companion of the Order of New Zealand) in 2008 for his services to Maori.

Wira says his high school teachers would be surprised that he has come so far from being at the bottom of the class. He has pursued higher education, including a Bachelor of Arts from Canterbury University and a Master of Arts (War Studies) from Kings College, London University.

Wira has a simple message for young people: to get some determination and set some objectives. “They don't have to be 10-year visions, just get up in the morning and commit yourself to do well. It's surprising what will happen."

He has written and published several books: in 1992, a history on Maori at war, The Maori Battalion; in 1996 a history of Treaty settlement policies, Return to Sender; and in 2003 Haka (republished in 2007), which traces the story of the haka from its origins in Maori legend to its role in a contemporary commercial world.

Wira is married to Hekia Parata. They have two children together and three children from a previous marriag He is now working in the private sector in his highly successful consultancy company.