The Women of the Treaty

Image from Wikipedia.

Last week, I attended one of the Auckland Central Library's lunchtime talk sessions, "Honoured Māori women who signed the Treaty of Waitangi (Ngā Wahine Rangatira i hainatia i te Tiriti o Waitangi)" by Anahera Sadler, Auckland Libraries Pou Whakahaere - Māori Advisor. In her talk, she told us that out of the over 500 names of Maori leaders around the country who signed nine copies of the treaty during 50 hui, 13 were women. As Anahera told us, leadership roles in pre-1840 New Zealand Maori culture were not necessarily restricted to men. These were:

Takurua

Ana Hamu

Marama (ancestor of Dame Whina Cooper)

Ereonora (ancestor of Dame Whina Cooper)

Koroniria Haunui

Kehe te Rau-o-te-Rangi

Pari

Rangi Topeora

Kehu

Nga Raurekau

Rere

Hoana Riutoto (ancestor of Princess Te Puea Hirangi and Tuaiwa Eva Rickard)

Te Wairakau (ancestor of Princess Te Puea Hirangi and Tuaiwa Eva Rickard)

For more information:

Auckland Library's website: Treaty of Waitangi, and Nine Treaties

Ministry of Women's Affairs website: Having a say before the vote (Maori women before 1893)