She worked tirelessly for land rights and social justice for Māori and, in 1951, founded and was the first president of Te Rōpū Wāhine Māori Toko i te Ora (Māori Women’s Welfare League). During her long and colourful life she was a wife, mother, teacher, postmistress, shopkeeper, farmer and the first female president of a rugby club. Dame Whina was educated at St Joseph’s Māori Girls’ College and, at 18, led her first protest to stop the draining of a local swamp. The first child of Heremia Te Wake, a leader of Ngāti Manawa, a hapu of Te Kaitutae and Te Rarawa, and Kare Pauro Kawatihi of Te Rārawa and Taranaki descent. More than 5000 protestors arrived at the steps of Parliament on October 13.ĭame Whina was born Hohepine (Josephine) Te Wake at Te Karaka in northern Hokianga.
Her words 'Not one more acre of Māori land' came to represent the struggle for Māori land rights. On Septemat the age of 80, a frail but passionately articulate Dame Whina led 50 land protestors from Te Hāpua in the far north on a 1000km hikoi to Wellington.
TE WHAEA O TE MOTU (MOTHER OF THE NATION)
