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Hana Te Hemara

Hana Mere Te Hemara (16 February 1940 – 10 October 1999) was a prominent Māori activist and leader.

Biography[edit]

Te Hemara, of Te Āti Awa and Ngāti Raukawa descent, was the seventh of 12 children,^[1] born in Puketapu and educated at the Waitara Convent.^[3][4][5]

She grew up in Mangakino where her father worked on the dams at Karapiro and Mangakino^[5] Later she worked as a telephone operator in various places^[5][1]

Te Hemara started studying at the University of Auckland in 1969^[1] at the age of 30 to study politics^[5] and New Zealand history.^[3] Actively involved with Ngā Tamatoa.^[5] She strongly supported Tino Rangatiratanga, the revival of the Māori language, and the Māori protest movement in general.^[5][2][1][3]

In the 1970s Te Hemara was one of the founding members of Ngā Tamatoa, a Māori activist group.^[3][6] The group organised protests at Waitangi.^[7]

On 14 September 1972, Te Hemara along with Lee Smith, Rawiri Paratene and Syd Jackson^[8] presented a petition of over 30,000 signatures to parliament challenging the politicians to prioritise saving Te Reo Māori.^[3][9] This led to the day being declared Māori Language Day. Three years later, it was expanded to Māori Language Week.^{[5][9][3][1][2][8][10]}

In 1979, Te Hemara joined the Māori Affairs Department with the Māori Language Commission, a result of her work.^[11][2] She formed the first Māori Business and Professional Association in 1980 and organised Te Kopu Designers' Award for Māori designers in 1984.^[3][9][2]

Te Hemara married Syd Jackson in 1961. Together they raised two children.^[5][3] She died in Auckland on 10 October 1999, aged 59.^[1][2][11]

References[edit]