Bernadette Roka Arapere (Ngāti Raukawa, Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Ngāti Maniapoto) has been sworn in as a Hastings District Court judge, a significant moment for Māori representation in Aotearoa’s legal system.
With more than 20 years’ experience, the Te Reu Reu descendant brings deep cultural grounding and a long-standing commitment to Māori legal perspectives.
“E tū whakaiti ana tēnei mokopuna o Pikiahu Waewae, o Whakatere, o Parewahawaha ki te eke ki tēnei o ngā tūranga hei kaiwhakawā,” Judge Arapere says.
Admitted to the bar in 2005, she has worked extensively across public law, civil litigation, Māori legal issues, Treaty matters and land cases, appearing at all court levels including the Supreme Court.
She has held senior roles within public commissions and iwi organisations, and co-founded Kōkiri Chambers, a kaupapa Māori barristers’ collective dedicated to embedding tikanga Māori in legal practice.
Miriama Kereama says the appointment is a proud milestone — not only for Te Reu Reu and Tokorangi, but for the wider motu.
“It is so good for us to have one of our own, and it just shows you the commitments she made to studying and doing her job, being intelligent, all of those things, so it’s a really fabulous day.”
He māngai mō Te Reu Reu, he māngai mō te motu
Last week, leading Māori legal figures, including Caren Fox, Ophir Cassidy and Alana Thomas, joined hau kāinga at Poupatatē Marae, about 40km north of Palmerston North, to celebrate the appointment. Their presence, Judge Justice Joe Williams says, reflects the growing strength of Māori within the legal profession.
“I tae katoa mai ngā kōti atu i tētahi. Katoa o ngā kaiwhakawā o ēra kōti i tae mai, he Māori. Nō reira he tohu tēnei o te ao hou kei te heke mai, kei konei tonu nei.”
However, Judge Williams says Māori judges continue to face systemic challenges.
“He uaua te whakamahi i te ture e te ngākau Māori. Ka kite ko ētahi o ngā tirohanga o te ture e whakatakitahi nei te whakaaro o te mana tangata, ko tā te Māori he takitini kē.”
The task ahead, he says, is bringing those frameworks together.
“Kia ruia i ēnā whakaaro ki te whakaaro Māori, ki tēnei mea ki te whanaungatanga, ki tēnei mea ki te mana, ki tēnei mea ki te whakaea, ki tēnei mea ki te kaitiakitanga.”
He kanohi kitea mō ngā tamariki mokopuna
Judge Arapere says Māori visibility in the justice system is vital — especially for young people.
“He pai mō ngā tamariki Māori, mō ngā mokopuna Māori te kite i ngā kanohi Māori, ngā moko kauae, ngā moko kanohi i roto i te kōti.”
Kereama agrees, saying representation helps counter the impacts of colonisation.
“We know with colonisation and how our people have been treated, and then to have people who have learnt that, who can guide us and know how to write things,” she says.“I just think she’ll be the best you can have, and also, there are many others too, so we acknowledge them.”
Judge Arapere will take up her position at the Hastings District Court, where she begins her duties immediately.
