Raroa Murray was the son of Wata Murray and Akinihi Puku.

Raroa’s father Wata was the 10th child of 13 siblings born to a Scottish man John Alfred Borrowdale Murray and Katarina Te Koni, who are the ancestors of many Murray's throughout the country today.

His mum, Akinihi Puku, was affectionately known as Nanny Miraka, her and her siblings were a well-known and well-established whanau in the Whangape area.

Raroa's siblings were Rina Wiri Leefe, Tuakana Karaihe, Reewe, Maraea Douglas Kendall and Napi.

Raroa like many other's had joined the Army young and successfully gain service as part of the 30th Reinforcements unit. After serving overseas he returned home and hardly spoke of his time in service but drank often.

Raroa later married Tare Dolly Ngawaka, the daughter of  Ani Te Paa and Parore Ngawaka, a descendant of Tarutaru & Ruapounamu.  Tarutaru was a renowned chief of Te Rarawa Kaiwhare. (See more on this story at https://www.terarawa.iwi.nz/history/history-of-iwi ).

Raroa and Dolly built their homestead which was known as Torikiriki next to the ancestral maunga (mountain), called Rangiputa.  Together they had 19 children; 1st) Kerewai Conrad (27 Sept 1921), 2nd) Ngahuia/Kaate Tahu (30 Oct 1922), 3rd) Andrew/Anaru (9 June 1924), 4th)Para #1 no issue (16 Jan 1926), 5th) Gene (20 Oct 1927), 6th) Nganeko #1 no issue, 7th) Te Mere/Mary Trebilcock (9 May 1929), 8th) Margaret Yates (27 Nov 1930), 9th) Miha (30th Aug 1932), 10th) Karaihe (16 Aug 1933), 11th) Marara Parker (23Dec 1935), 12th) Nganeko Pomare (10th Nov 1937), 13th) Maggie Petera (31st Dec 1938), 14th) Para #2 (26 March 1940), 15th) Te Ruki/ Jerry (12 Apr 1941), 16th) Taari Williams (22 July 1942), 17th) Rima /Joey (23 Nov 1943), 18th) Nikki/Fred (23 Dec 1947), 19) Annette no issue (27 Dec 1948).

Raroa was well known as a gentle-natured man, who was a skilled practitioner or tohunga of rongoā Māori (Maori Medicine). He delivered many of his own children as well as many throughout the valley in Whangape.

Over time, Raroa continued to struggled with his drinking, several failed interventions over the years were attempted to cease this addiction, including a time when his wife Dolly or Māmā as she was better known, sent him to live in Taheke with his son Jerry, however, his kind and loving nature melted the hearts of many who could not deny him of anything he requested.  

In later years his failing health resulted in the loss of his legs but he remained at their homestead Torikiriki in Whangape where he lived out the rest of his days surrounded by his whanau until his passing in 1970.