Whina Cooper facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Dame Whina Cooper
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Whina Cooper addressing the Māori land march at Hamilton in 1975
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| 1st President of the Māori Women's Welfare League | |
| In office 1951–1957 |
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| Succeeded by | Mīria Logan |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Hōhepine Te Wake
9 December 1895 Te Karaka, Hokianga, New Zealand |
| Died | 26 March 1994 (aged 98) Panguru, New Zealand |
| Spouses |
Richard Gilbert
(m. 1917; died 1935)William Cooper
(m. 1941; died 1945) |
| Children | 7 |
| Occupation | Activist, historian, schoolteacher |
Dame Whina Cooper (born Hōhepine Te Wake, 9 December 1895 – 26 March 1994) was a very respected Māori elder, known as a kuia. She spent many years working for the rights of her people. She especially worked to make life better for Māori women.
She is most famous for leading the 1975 Māori land march. This long walk went from Te Hāpua to Wellington. She was 79 years old at the time. The march covered about 1,100 kilometres.
Because of her wide influence, she received many awards. Both the British and New Zealand royal honours systems recognised her work. Her own people gave her the special title Te Whaea o te Motu. This means 'Mother of the Nation'. A film about her life, called Whina, was released in 2022.
Contents
Early Life of Whina Cooper
Dame Whina Cooper was born Hōhepine Te Wake. Her father, Heremia Te Wake, was a community leader. Her mother was Kare Pauro Kawatihi. They belonged to the Te Rarawa iwi (tribe). She was born in Te Karaka, Hokianga.
From a young age, Whina was interested in her father's work. She also loved history and learning about family trees (genealogy). She started school at Whakarapa Native School. In 1907, she went to St Joseph's Māori Girls' College.
After high school, she returned home. Her father wanted her to marry Tureiti Te Heuheu Tukino V. He was a leader of another tribe. But Whina refused. Instead, she worked at a local shop. She also taught for a short time at Pawarenga Native School. However, she felt she had too much to do. She was teaching and also helping her community. So, she stopped teaching in 1914. For two years, she worked as a housekeeper. She remained a Catholic Christian her whole life.
Whina Cooper's Activism
Fighting for Land Rights (1914–1935)
Whina Cooper first got involved in politics around 1914. This was because of a fight over some land. A farmer wanted to drain a wet area (estuary) for farming. But local Māori used this land. They gathered seafood there and raced horses.
Whina's father challenged the farmer in court. Whina led a group of people to protest. They filled in the farmer's drains. The protesters were charged with trespassing. But their actions bought enough time for her father to win. The farmer's lease was cancelled.
In 1916, Whina went back to work at the shop. Around this time, she met Richard Gilbert. They married in 1917. After her parents died, Whina and Richard moved to family land. They built their own home. By 1920, they had two children. They bought her father's old home and farm. Whina became a leader in business and the community.
In 1923, she called a hui (a Māori meeting). This meeting led to the town's name changing to Panguru. Her leadership impressed a politician named Sir Āpirana Ngata. He invited her to a national hui in 1932. She worked with him to help Māori develop their land in Hokianga. Through him, she met William Cooper. He became her second husband after Richard Gilbert died in 1935.
Leading the Māori Women's Welfare League (1949–1969)
Whina moved to Auckland in 1949 after her second husband, William, died. Her political work then became national. In September 1951, she was chosen as the first president. This was for the new Māori Women's Welfare League. This group greatly improved things for Māori women. They worked on health, housing, education, and welfare.
In 1957, Whina stepped down as president. The annual conference gave her the title Te Whaea o te Motu. This means "Mother of the Nation". During the 1960s, she worked locally in Auckland. She mostly stayed out of the national spotlight.
The Great Land March of 1975
Things changed in 1975. A group of Māori organisations asked her to lead a protest. They were protesting the loss of Māori land. Whina agreed. She suggested a hikoi (a symbolic march). It would go from the top of the North Island to Parliament in Wellington.
In September and October 1975, Whina was almost 80 years old. But she became famous again. She walked at the front of the Māori land march. The march went from Te Hāpua to Wellington. This was a distance of 1,100 kilometres. The march's main message was "not one more acre of Maori land". They wanted the government to recognise Māori property rights. These rights were promised in the Treaty of Waitangi.
Awards and Recognition
Whina Cooper received many honours for her work:
- In 1953, she became a Member of the Order of the British Empire. This was for her services to the Māori people.
- In 1974, she was promoted to Commander of the Order of the British Empire. This was for her work in Māori welfare and culture.
- In 1981, she was further promoted to Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire. This made her "Dame Whina Cooper".
- In 1990, she received the New Zealand 1990 Commemoration Medal.
- In 1991, she received New Zealand's highest civil honour. She became a member of the Order of New Zealand.
- In 1993, she was given the New Zealand Suffrage Centennial Medal.
Her Lasting Impact
Whina Cooper returned to Panguru in Hokianga in 1983. She passed away there in 1994, at the age of 98.
One of her lasting impacts was calling the 1923 hui. This meeting led to the town of Whakarapa being renamed Panguru.
She is remembered as a leader who helped shape New Zealand laws for Māori people. She also helped develop the community in Auckland. But she is most remembered for inspiring many people. She led the 1975 land march and won the hearts of both Māori and Pākehā (non-Māori) communities.
Whina Cooper also inspired other Māori women. For example, Tiahuia Abraham has been a member of the Māori Women’s Welfare League for over 50 years.
Memorials for Whina Cooper
On 3 February 2020, a special memorial was revealed. It was at the Waipuna Marae in Panguru, Hokianga. The Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern, was there. The memorial is a bronze statue. It shows a famous photo of Whina Cooper. In the photo, she is holding her granddaughter Irenee Cooper's hand. This was at the start of the 1975 land march. Whina's son, Joe Cooper, revealed the statue. Prime Minister Ardern promised that Whina's story would be taught in new school history lessons.
Named in Her Honour
In 2020, a large machine was named "Dame Whina Cooper". This machine is a tunnel boring machine. It is being used to build twin tunnels for the City Rail Link in Auckland. These tunnels connect Mount Eden station and Aotea station.
Film About Her Life
A movie about Whina Cooper's life was released on 23 June 2022. It is called Whina. The film was directed by James Napier Robertson and Paula Whetu Jones. Two actresses played Whina Cooper. Miriama McDowell played her as an adult. Rena Owen played her as an elderly woman.
See also
In Spanish: Whina Cooper para niños
