Baden Pere

Ngāti Kahungunu, Rongowhakaata, Te Aitanga a Māhaki



Baden Pere was born in Wairoa and raised in Gisborne. He studied at Auckland Teachers’ College and is a graduate of Brigham Young University (Hawaii Campus), and the University of Hawaii where he graduated with a Bsc and M.A. in Political Overseas Operations in 1963. He trained as a jet fighter pilot for the Royal New Zealand Air Force and was part of the 14th Squadron in Cyprus in 1954. He has been Director of Cultural ducation at the Polynesian Cultural Center in Hawaii. From 1973-76 he was Mission President for the New Zealand Mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

Biographical sources

  • Sturm, Rakapa. "Baden Pere." Tu Tangata 25 (1985): 57.

    Non-fiction

  • "Commercialising Culture or Culturizing Commerce?" Pacific Tourism: as islanders see it. Ed. Dr. Freda Rajotte and Dr. Ron Crocombe. [Fiji?]: The Institute for Pacific Studies of the University of the South Pacific in association with the South Pacific Social Sciences Association, 1980. 139-145.
  • Pere discusses the work of the Polynesian Cultural Center in Hawaii as an example of his concept of culturizing commerce.