Dominion Conference of the Maori Women's Welfare League (1965)

The Māori Women’s Welfare League or Te Rōpū Wāhine Māori Toko I te Ora is a

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...

welfare organisation focusing on

Māori Māori or Maori can refer to: Relating to the Māori people * Māori people of New Zealand, or members of that group * Māori language, the language of the Māori people of New Zealand * Māori culture * Cook Islanders, the Māori people of the C ...

women and children. It held its first conference in

Wellington Wellington ( mi, Te Whanganui-a-Tara or ) is the capital city of New Zealand. It is located at the south-western tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Remutaka Range. Wellington is the second-largest city in New Zealand by metr ...

in September 1951. The League's official aims are "To promote fellowship and understanding between Māori and European women and to cooperate with other women's organisations, Departments of State, and local bodies for the furtherance of these objects."

History and accomplishments

The formation of the League was a milestone in Māori culture. Through the organisation, women were able to represent themselves in the New Zealand government for the first time. Formed in 1951 in

, following the mass movement of Māori from rural to urban New Zealand, the league's original goal was to preserve Māori culture through their native arts and crafts while also promoting fellowship and cooperation among various women’s organizations. The league's formation was a direct result of the 1945 Māori Social and Economic Advancement Act. The mostly male members of the committee for social and economic advancement recognized the under-representation of women in government and created the Women's Welfare League to address this issue. Dame

Whina Cooper Dame Whina Cooper (9 December 1895 – 26 March 1994) was a respected (Māori elder), who worked for many years for the rights of her people, and particularly to improve the lot of Māori women. She is remembered for leading the 1975 Māori l ...

was elected foundation president. Following its establishment, the League grew rapidly, with branches established throughout New Zealand. Within its first 14 years of existence, membership had risen to approximately 3,000 members in branches across the country. The League became heavily involved in housing, health, and education, focusing on families and healthy lifestyles in addition to women's issues. When founded, the League had 187 branches; by 1956 it had 300 branches, 88 district councils and over 4000 members. As president, Dame Whina Cooper became the highest profile Māori woman in New Zealand. Cooper, however, was acting in consultation with the League's executive less and less, and in 1957 she was persuaded to step aside as President. The League's annual conference bestowed her the title "Te Whaea o te Motu" (Mother of the Nation) in 1958. In the early days of the organisation its priorities were poverty reduction and adequate public housing for the community. In the 1960s, the women's league developed an afterschool homework program and established Māori language schools."In a League by Themselves"
/ref> By the 1980s because of this type of action the organization was able to persuade the government into making te reo Māori part of the country's official languages.

Māori Women's Development Incorporated

In 1987 the League, under the leadership of Dame Georgina Kirby, established the Māori Women's Development Inc (MWDI), a specialist lender to encourage innovation and business among Māori. The fund lends to women and their whanau, and is run and governed by women.

Figures within the League

Some of the people with the League include:

Patrons

* Te Ariki Te Puea Herangi – founding patroness 1951–?? * Te Arikinui Dame Te Atairangikaahu – patroness ??–2006 * Te Makau Ariki Atawhai Paki – patroness 2007–present

Presidents

Dame Whina Cooper Dame Whina Cooper (9 December 1895 – 26 March 1994) was a respected ( Māori elder), who worked for many years for the rights of her people, and particularly to improve the lot of Māori women. She is remembered for leading the 1975 Māori ...

, ONZ, DBE, JP, president 1951–1957 (founding president) * Mīria Logan, MBE president 1957–1960 * Maata Hirini, MBE ME foundation president 1960–1963 * Ruiha Sage, JP President 1964–1968 * Mīria Karauria, MBE president 1968–1971 * Hine Potaka, OBE Dominion president 1971–1973 * Dame Miraka Szaszy DBE, JP president 1973–1977 * Dr Erihapeti Rehu-Murchie CNZM, QSO, JP, president 1977–1980 * Violet Pou,

CBE The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...

, president 1980–1983 * Maraea Te Kawa. QSM, JP president 1983 * Dame Georgina Kirby, DBE, QSO, JP president 1983–1987; MWDI trustee * Dame June Mariu, DNZM, CNZM, QSM, JP, president 1987–1990; MWDI trustee * Dame Aroha Reriti-Crofts,

, JP, president 1990–1993; MWDI trustee * Dame Areta Koopu,

president 1993–1996; MWDI trustee * Druis Barrett CNZM president 1996–1999; MWDI trustee * Jacqui Te Kani CNZM president 1999–2002; later general manager for The Maori Women's Welfare League (died in office in 2012); MWDI Trustee * Kitty Bennett MNZM president; MWDI trustee * Linda Grennell president; MWDI trustee * Meagan Joe 2008–2011 (died in office); MWDI trustee * Kataraina O'Brien president 2011–2014 * Prue Kapua president 2014-2022 * Dr Hope Tupara president 2022-present

Life members

* Te Paekiomeka Joy Ruha,

ONZM The New Zealand Order of Merit is an order of merit in the New Zealand royal honours system. It was established by royal warrant on 30 May 1996 by Elizabeth II, Queen of New Zealand, "for those persons who in any field of endeavour, have rend ...

, QSM. Life member and te reo Māori activist. * Dame Iritana Tāwhiwhirangi, DNZM, MBE. Life member and te reo Māori activist. * Kahu Hurihia Durie, QSM. Life member. * Phyllis Hilet. Life member. *

Anne Delamere Anne Anituatua Delamere (15 May 1921 – 26 May 2006) was a New Zealand public servant. Born in Rotorua on 15 May 1921, Delamere was of Māori descent, affiliating to Te Whānau-ā-Apanui and Te Arawa. She was educated at Queen Victoria Scho ...

, DCNZM, QSO. Life member.

Recent developments

The organisation's recent focus has been on inspiring Māori women to consider the more non-traditional areas of work. The Modern Apprenticeship Program was designed to promote cross-fertilisation within the traditional male and female roles. While it was once important to preserve the old Māori ways of life, leaders within the league today see more benefits in a transition. By combining women and men in the workforce the League hopes to close the pay gap. Almost 70% of women's work is unpaid compared to 40% of male's work. Another recent initiative has been to set housing as one of New Zealand's priorities. The organisation continues to have an annual conference and is heavily involved in social issues within New Zealand, especially relating to Māori health and education. Today, the league does more than give women a voice in government; it is responsible for immunisation campaigns for babies and teaching young mothers about gardening and growing their own food. The league also seeks to provide health centres and nursing units for the community. The League has become an organisation which focuses less on women and more on family wellness and the wellness of the community. Recent initiatives have led to new socially concerned organisations including the Pouta Training Centre. The centre provides programs teaching things vital to basic health, such as quitting smoking. The welfare league is also currently battling a sexist backlash, as it continues to exhibit the power women can hold in saving and nurturing a culture. Traditional health issues such as childcare and infant mortality continue to feature in the League's programs alongside more recent developments such as anti-smoking campaigns; home vegetable growing initiatives such as ''Kai in the yard'' and child car seat campaigns. Many campaigns are centred or hosted on

marae A ' (in New Zealand Māori, Cook Islands Māori, Tahitian), ' (in Tongan), ' (in Marquesan) or ' (in Samoan) is a communal or sacred place that serves religious and social purposes in Polynesian societies. In all these languages, the term a ...

(the community-centre in most small Māori communities) and often involve working with

health care professionals A health professional, healthcare professional, or healthcare worker (sometimes abbreviated HCW) is a provider of health care treatment and advice based on formal training and experience. The field includes those who work as a nurse, physician (suc ...

or other organisations such as

Plunket Society The Royal New Zealand Plunket Trust provides a range of free services aimed at improving the development, health and wellbeing of children under the age of five within New Zealand, where it is commonly known simply as Plunket. Its mission is "t ...

or District Health Boards to extend their work into

communities.

2011 elections

In 2011, Hannah Tamaki, Auckland based co-founder of the Destiny Church campaigned for presidency of the League. Since Tamaki joined the League five years previously, the church created several branches of the League within the church. The league distributed voting papers without Tamaki's name and announced that some branches and some members were being investigated. Tamaki launched legal action in the High Court. Ten of thirteen self-identified Destiny branches were constituted at the same time at the Destiny Church's headquarters in Mt Wellington after Hannah Tamaki's nomination. Each of the ten had between 91 and 93 members, apparently to maximise the number of votes. Justice Kos ruled that Tamaki should be reinstated as a candidate in the election, but that the ten recently constituted branches were not legally constituted and should not be able to vote in the election because they had been established completely contrary to the practices and tikanga of the league. Days after the court decision, then-current President Meagan (Wowie) Joe died, after a long battle with

breast cancer Breast cancer is cancer that develops from breast tissue. Signs of breast cancer may include a lump in the breast, a change in breast shape, dimpling of the skin, milk rejection, fluid coming from the nipple, a newly inverted nipple, or a r ...

. Tamaki maintained her campaign for President. Kataraina O'Brien, a 40-year veteran of the League won the election. O'Brien has 12 years experience on the Tainui Regional Executive Board of the League and has been the President of the Matua Branch for the past 8 years. She is active in the Merivale area of

Tauranga Tauranga () is a coastal city in the Bay of Plenty region and the fifth most populous city of New Zealand, with an urban population of , or roughly 3% of the national population. It was settled by Māori late in the 13th century, colonised by ...

and was a finalist in the Tauranga Community Spirit Awards in November 2008 O'Brien is a teacher by profession, having taught at Hato Petera and Auckland Girls' Grammar. In June 2012, the League's National Executive banned Tamaki from holding regional office for three years and disestablished the three remaining League branches associated with her and the Destiny Church. Tamaki announced she would not appeal the ban but was considering setting up a rival organisation.

References

External links

Māori Women's Welfare League
at Christchurch City Libraries
Māori Women's Welfare League
1966 Encyclopaedia of New Zealand
Māori Women's Welfare League
National Register of Archives and Manuscripts {{DEFAULTSORT:Maori Womens Welfare League Women's organisations based in New Zealand Māori organisations 1951 establishments in New Zealand Organizations established in 1951