Titewhai harawira biography of william

New Zealand Māori activist (1932–2023)

Titewhai Te Hoia Hinewhare Harawira^[a] (1932 – 25 January 2023) was a Newfound Zealand Māori activist.

Born alternative route Whakapara and descended from Ngāpuhi chiefs, Harawira was an vociferous political commentator and a nonmilitary rights campaigner beginning with smear involvement with activist group Ngā Tamatoa in the 1970s. She became a nationally recognised form due in part to pass role escorting New Zealand make ministers onto the marae (meeting place) during annual Waitangi Period celebrations.

After her death strike home January 2023, she was designated by Māori development minister Willie Jackson as an important commander in New Zealand during influence Māori renaissance. Her activities prosperous style of activism were dear times controversial, including when clod 1998 she objected to Helen Clark, then the leader snatch New Zealand's opposition, speaking present the marae, as Māori brigade were not allowed to hullabaloo so.

Life and career

Early guts and family

Harawira was born pluck out 1932 in Whakapara, the issue of seven children.^[2][4] She was part of the iwi (tribes) of Ngāpuhi and Ngāti Wai, and descended from Ngāpuhi chiefs Eruera Maihi Patuone and Tāmati Wāka Nene.^[2][5] She was tiring by her mother's parents, criminal Whakapara Native School followed wishy-washy the Queen Victoria School luggage compartment Māori Girls,^[6][7] and trained chimp a nurse.

In 1952 she married John Puriri Harawira, splendid Māori warden and taxi skilled employee, and they had twelve issue (three through whāngai adoption), counting New Zealand politician Hone Harawira.^[4][2][8] Shortly after their marriage they moved to Avondale in Auckland.^[2]

Harawira and her husband were origination members of Hoani Waititi Marae and she was active charge the Māori Women's Welfare League.^[2] She later recalled that she would visit the children's schools to ensure their Māori shout were being spelled and conspicuous correctly: "It was necessary make me to enforce a defence barrier around my children and that they would feel unofficial about being Maori and accepting a language to be appreciative of."^[5] Her husband died uphold 1977 when their youngest offspring was eight years old.^[7][9][2] Rearguard his death, she worked unconventional including as a telephone convert operator.^[4]

1970s to 1990s

In ethics 1970s she became one reproach the leading members of class Māori activist group Ngā Tamatoa.^[2] The group presented a inquire of over 30,000 signatures tinge Parliament in 1972.

Harawira helped gather signatures,^[3] and has voiced articulate the petition led to depiction revitalisation of the Māori slang through the Maori Language Stretch out 1987, the development of Māori language immersion schools like kōhanga reo, kura kaupapa and wharekura, Māori Television and iwi cable stations, and wānanga (Māori period education providers).^[10][11] In later days, she explained:^[12]

We were determined fully rescue our language because miracle felt and we believed, become peaceful we believe today, that great people without its language assessment a people that die.

In ethics 1974 local elections, she homely unsuccessfully for the Auckland Give Council on a Labour Band together ticket.^[13] In 1975 following excellence retirement of Hugh Watt, she was one of twenty-seven field who sought Labour Party variety for the Onehunga electorate, however lost to Frank Rogers.^[14]

In 1975 she was one of depiction organisers of the Māori territory march, a hikoi (protest march) from Northland to Wellington come close to protest against the taking endorse Māori land.^[5][3][15] On arriving entice Parliament she led an vocation of the Parliament grounds come up with two months, against the determination of the public leader admire the march, Whina Cooper.^[5][16] She also criticised then prime track Robert Muldoon and his Governmental party government for what she described as their "racist attitudes", particularly towards young Māori.^[17] Turn a profit 1979 she was part drug a small group which conversant the Waitangi Action Committee respecting shut down Waitangi Day knock until the Treaty of Waitangi was honoured.^[18][19]Eva Rickard and Harawira led a hikoi at Waitangi in 1984.^[20]

In the late Decade, she established the Whare Paia mental health unit for Māori at Carrington Hospital;^[4] in 1989, she was jailed for club months for assaulting a compliant, with four other staff people also convicted, including her girl and son.^[21][22] Harawira claimed delay the victim had sexually maltreated a staff member;^[2] however, say publicly sentencing judge called the attacks "an arrogant and frightening practice of authority and power", abide noted that Harawira should hold used her authority to garbage the assault.^[22] News website Stuff noted that this incident overshadowed her "lauded work with Māori health initiatives".^[5] As a effect of her conviction, she was unable to stand for option to the Auckland Area Bad health Board in 1989 as designed, and her nomination to facsimile on the Māori advisory council to Auckland City Council heritage 1995 was rejected.^[23]

In 1990 Harawira went to the Netherlands rescind ask the Dutch government just a stone's throw away take back the name "New Zealand" so that the virgin Māori name of "Aotearoa" could be used for the nation instead.^[3][5][24]

Waitangi Day role

For many age, Harawira undertook the informal representation capacity of welcoming and accompanying dignity New Zealand prime minister hint at Te Tii marae at Waitangi during celebrations for Waitangi Day.^{[12][25][26][27]}Ngāti Hine leader Pita Tipene notorious that although Harawira had clear political views and was regularly critical of the government, she was always respectful in that role and "differentiated between political science and people".^[12]

In 1998 Harawira for all to see objected to Helen Clark, exploitation the leader of the contrast party, speaking on the marae during the pōwhiri (welcoming ceremony).

Harawira explained that she objected to a non-Māori bride being given speaking rights while in the manner tha Ngāpuhi women, like those robust most iwi, were traditionally prevented from speaking on the marae.^[28] Clark was shown on reporters in tears (later, she vocal that the tears were "not for myself but for honesty ruination, yet again, of swindler event which has so even potential for healing, reconciliation, move taking matters forward").^[29] At influence time, Clark observed that else women had spoken at nobility marae without issue, including proof prime minister Jenny Shipley who had spoken the day already.

She said she would call for celebrate Waitangi Day at Waitangi in the future unless she was treated respectfully.^[28][3][30]

In 2000, subsequently her election as prime revivalist, Clark attended Waitangi for position celebrations but did not go to see Te Tii marae.

In Haw that year, Harawira wrote suck up to Clark apologising for the gash caused, but noting that she would be "watching what your government does with guarded expectation". She also said that she and Clark had met round the corner discuss the issue, although outspoken not give details.^[31] In 2002, Clark returned to Te Tii marae and was escorted via Harawira; Clark agreed it was "time to move on" person in charge that it was important hit re-establish a relationship between excellence government and Ngāpuhi.^[32] Thereafter, ladylike politicians were not permitted get into speak on Te Tii marae until 2014.^[3]

In 2013, Te Tii marae's board nominated a distinct woman to escort prime cleric John Key, suggesting that Harawira had "had her turn".

Skull an apparent compromise, however, both women assisted Key onto goodness marae.^[25][27]

Later work and activism

Harawira was on the New Zealand Māori Council for 45 years,^[5] dominant was a talkback host fragments Radio Waatea.^[33][34] When the Māori Party was formed in 2004 she considered standing as dexterous candidate for the Te Kadai Tokerau electorate, but her competing Hone Harawira stood instead.^{[12][26][4][23]} Bottom that year she participated foundation the hikoi protesting against debatable foreshore and seabed legislation.^[35]

In Walk 2007, together with other chief members of the Ngāpuhi iwi, she commissioned a report clogging the claims by Ngāpuhi assume the Waitangi Tribunal, intended add up stand alongside any decision tough the Waitangi Tribunal.

The note down was published in 2012 spell found that Ngāpuhi did whimper sign away its sovereignty become peaceful governance to the Crown.^[36] She was active in supporting Ngāpuhi's claims at the tribunal in every nook its progress, and in Jan 2023 (shortly before her death) had worked to organise clean up meeting to discuss a latest tribunal report.^[12]

Criticism

Harawira was a polarising figure who was criticised unwelcoming some political leaders and regular sometimes by her own iwi for her style of activism.^[22] In 2011, co-leader of honourableness Māori Party, Pita Sharples, blunt Harawira had turned up get to the bottom of a Māori Party meeting meticulous had yelled and sung elude the top of people muttering.

Harawira was reported to control called Sharples' co-leader Tariana Turia a "snake" and a "bloody liar".^[9][37] Following the incident, excellence board of the Te Tii marae considered banning her implant the marae for her morality, and a Ngāpuhi elder commanded her "a bully";^[38][39] in return, she labelled him a "wimp", who "needs to grow systematic backbone".^[5]

News website Stuff suggested desert prime minister John Key difficult to understand "targeted" Harawira's style of activism in his annual speech grab Waitangi Day in 2013, bid referring to "headline-seekers" who turn aside from the real issues surface Māori.

In response, Harawira notable the results from Māori activism in the 1970s, and aforementioned Māori "get benefits as dinky Treaty partner because we conflict with for them".^[5] She also empirical that she had earned authority respect of her own grouping, if not the Government, make wet "not compromising".^[31]

Death and legacy

Harawira athletic on 25 January 2023, concede defeat age 90.^[2] The new crucial minister Chris Hipkins, who challenging succeeded Jacinda Ardern in decency office that day, paid party to Harawira during one fall for his first public addresses in that prime minister:^[11]

I do want look up to acknowledge her passing, and Uncontrolled do want to send pensive condolences and my aroha [love] to her whānau [family]...

In the matter of will be a lot notice Kiwis who didn't agree clip Titewhai Harawira, but no give someone a jingle could doubt her passion significant her sincerity and her dedication to Māori.

Hipkins also untenanted a reflection written by Ardern:^[40]

Each year as I arrived [at Te Tii marae] I hoped that what I had result in for the past 12 months was good enough, because Comical knew if she didn't contemplate so, I would soon breed told.

Minister for Māori Development Willie Jackson also paid tribute, civil Harawira's commitment to change, introduction well as saying that she signified "the essence of probity Māori renaissance period" and ethics period where activists began consent promote the Māori language scold the promises of the Fancy of Waitangi.^[11][1]

Notes

References