Miriama Ritihia was born in Rarotonga and was educated at Queen Margaret College. She continued her studies at the University of Auckland/Te Whare Wānanga o Tamaki Makaurau and graduated with a B.A. in Sociology, History and Anthropology in 1979. In 1980 she began a Masters in Sociology. Miriama has worked as an Administrative Assistant for the Ministry of External Relations and Trade and has been Advisory Officer for the Department of Internal Affairs. She was a lecturer at Te Whare Takiura o Manukau (the Manukau Institute of Technology) and the Centre for Social Work at Te Kura Akoranga o Tamaki Makaurau (the Auckland College of Education). Currently she has returned to Te Whare Takiura o Manukau and has her own consultancy business assisting agencies in strengthening their social service delivery to tangata whenua peoples. She writes non-fiction articles, papers, and reviews.
Biographical sources
- Correspondence with Miriama Scott, 9 Feb. 13 and 14 July 1998, and 14 May 2004.
Non-fiction
- From Birth to Death II. The Second Overview Report. Prepared by Judith Davey and Michael Mills. Wellington, N.Z.: New Zealand Planning Council, 1989.
- "Pirihira Raukura Waioeka Heketa. [Ko Renata Te Tangata]." Biography Of New Zealand Women: Ko Kui Ma Te Kaupapa. Ed. Charlotte MacDonald, Meremere Penfold and Bridget Williams. Wellington, N.Z.: Bridget Williams, 1991. 280-283.
- Scott writes about her Nanny Pirihira, Ngāti Te Whatuiāpiti kuia, Pirihira Heketa née Renata, and includes various excerpts from John Lee Zimmerman’s book Where the People Sing: Green Land of the Māoris in which Pirihira recounts her childhood years making taniko, preparing flax for piupiu and the process of receiving her moko. Pirihira was well versed in tikanga Māori (especially Ngāti Kahungunutanga) and had a deep commitment to pass this on to the younger generations who met together at Ngāti Poneke - a club she helped to establish.
- Evaluation youth work training scheme. [Wellington, N.Z.]: Department of Internal Affairs, 1991.
- "Mana Wahine Māori." Broadsheet: Twenty Years Of Broadsheet Magazine. Comp. and introd. Pat Rosier. Auckland, N.Z.: New Women’s Press, 1992. 58-90.
- Scott was responsible for making the final selection and writing the introduction for this chapter.
- "Te Tiriti o Waitangi: What happens on Monday?" Learning For life. 1992. No details.
- "Part 2: Te Kaupapa Akona No Nga Iwi O Aotearoa." The Fourth Sector: Adult and Community Education in Aotearoa/New Zealand. Ed. John Benseman, Brian Findsen, and Miriama Scott. Palmerston North, N.Z.: Dunmore, 1996. 79-80.
- Scott provides an Introduction to the second section of this publication which focuses on issues surrounding Māori and community education.
- "So, Whose Logic is it Anyway? The Dilemma of Working as a Person of Iwi Descent in a Tertiary Educational Institution." The Fourth Sector: Adult and Community Education in Aotearoa/New Zealand. Ed. John Benseman, Brian Findsen, and Miriama Scott. Palmerston North, N.Z.: Dunmore, 1996. 136-145.
- Scott looks at issues of identity, cultural safety, and iwi-tauiwi relationships and expectations within the context of tertiary institutions.
- The Fourth Sector: Adult and Community Education in Aotearoa/New Zealand. Ed. John Benseman, Brian Findsen, and Miriama Scott. Palmerston North, N.Z.: Dunmore, 1996.
Papers/Presentations
- The Dialectic Of Research. Presented to an NZACCE workshop. 1991. No further details.
- Co-authored with Margot Roth.
- Evaluation of the Home Detention Scheme. 1997.
- Scott was on contract to the Ministry of Justice as a co-researcher and co-author for this evaluation.
Reviews
- Rev. of The Challenge Of Racism: A Discussion Document, by Richard Thompson. Social Work Review 11.2 (June 1999): 40-41.
- Rev. of Wahanga Tu Kōrero/Talklink Trust for the Ministry of Health. 2003. No details.