Kōkiri Chambers
He āhuru mōwai mō ngā rōia tūtahi
A sheltered haven for barristers
Kōkiri Chambers is a kaupapa Māori, virtual barristers’ chambers that provides an āhuru mōwai (sheltered haven) for barristers committed to kaupapa Māori legal issues.
The chambers was founded in February 2022 by Rohario Murray and Judge Bernadette Arapere (during her time in practice).
Our name, Kōkiri Chambers, is inspired by the final kupu in Ka eke ki Wairaka, a pātere composed by Judge Arapere’s tupuna kuia, Rihi Puhiwahine Te Rangihirawea:
Ai ua, ai hau, ai marangai. Kōkiri!
Withstand the rain, the wind, the storms. Go forth!
Kōkiri means to go forth, to advance, to champion. It can also be a call to action, encouraging people to step forward and achieve their aspirations. This kupu reflects the kaupapa and aspirations that shaped the founding of our chambers.
Judge Arapere was appointed to the District Court in October 2025. We honour her vision and leadership in establishing the Kōkiri Chambers whare, and we continue to carry that kaupapa forward with integrity, independence, and aroha.
Today, our chambers is home to a small collective of barristers dedicated to kaupapa Māori legal issues.
Our Tohu
Te taurapa o te waka | The stern of the waka
Our tohu represents the taurapa (stern) of a waka and is a mirror-image of te pū tuatahi (first consonant) of Kōkiri (“K”) to represent different sides of a kōrero, te mātāpuna o te whakaaro (the comparison and the root of the conscience). The two taurapa also represent the waka hourua (double hulled canoe) of the two worlds – te ao Māori and te ao Pākehā, navigating the tides of tikanga and the tides of law.
Herenga waka, ture, tangata
The binding together of rivers and oceans, of waka, of tikanga and laws and the binding of people in Kōkiri Chambers under the same kaupapa.
Te Manatika | Scales of justice
An artistic impression of the scales of justice, often used to symbolise the balance between truth and fairness in the justice process.
Ngā tae | Colours
The colours represent the green of our ngahere (forests) and the blue hues of our awa (rivers) and moana (oceans).
Ringatoi | Artist
The tohu was designed by Reweti Te Raungaiti Arapere. Nō Ngāti Raukawa, Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Ngāti Porou ia. Reweti has exhibited his work throughout Aotearoa and overseas.
Kupu ture | Legal jargon
Barrister – A barrister is a type of lawyer who gives advice/opinions on specific or tricky legal questions. They usually are specialists in the courtroom and practice on their own.
Barrister sole – Is a lawyer whose practising certificate is only as a barrister who practices at the independent bar (a way of referring to the collection of lawyers who practice as barristers).
Chambers – A place where barristers share office space with others.
Virtual Chambers – A place where barristers gather and share whakaaro and kōrero virtually.
