New Zealand’s Maori Women’s Welfare League: Working Toward Women’s Rights in Saving Maori Culture

Otautahi branch president, Aroha Reriti Crofts

The 1945 Maori Social and Economic Advancement Act was the catalyst for the Maori Women’s Welfare League. Maori welfare officers, primarily male, recognized the need for women’s input into male Tribal Committees. In 1951, the Maori Women’s Welfare League was formed in Wellington, with 90 female delegates. A national forum for Maori women to voice their input was formed with its stated objective, “To promote fellowship and understanding between Maori and European women and to cooperate with other women’s organizations, Departments of State, and local bodies for the furtherance of these objects.”

For the first time, Maori women were able to represent themselves in the New Zealand government. Their coming together created empowerment for women and support through networking, strategizing, and taking leadership roles for their people.

The Maori Women’s Welfare League enacted these goals in part by giving aid to all people in need, be they members or not. Additionally they made it a goal to keep Maori culture alive through the preservation of native arts and crafts. Finally an important objective was to create a national forum to enable Maori women to voice their input. One of its many stated objectives was to “Promote fellowship and understanding between Maori and all women and to cooperate with other women’s organizations, Departments of State, and local bodies for the furtherance of these objects.”

The league grew rapidly from inception, in 1951, with 90 delegates to over 3,000 members inside New Zealand and around the globe today. Programs run the gamut – from immunization campaigns for Maori babies, to teaching young mothers to plant and maintain vegetable gardens, to providing community health centers and mobile nursing units. Most of the women’s phenomenal achievements focus today on community wellness and the family.

Today the Otautahi Maori Women’s Welfare League supports public immunization, including vaccinating Maori babies to protect them from the past epidemics of meningococcal disease in New Zealand.

In Christchurch, New Zealand the League’s initiatives have included creating autonomous organizations, such as the Poutama Training Center, Whanau Toko i te Ora and Te Puawaitanga ki Otautahi who provided lifestyle programmes, assist high needs at risk Whanau including guidance as basic and vital to health as quitting smoking.

Today the League continues to hold strong in its actions and help for Maori communities in light of continual racist backlashes in New Zealand media and community.

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The Maori people originally had no written language. Stories were told only through carvings, song and dance. This 3:06 min, April 2007, music video produced and performed by Maori singer and celebrity, Moana Maniapoto, and her musical family.
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For More Information on This Topic:

• “Work, Life, Balance – A Maori Woman’s Perspective,” Auckland University of Technology, Ngaire Te Aroha Harris, 2007

• “Mahi Aroha – Maori Perspectives on Volunteering and Cultural Obligations,” Office for the Community and Voluntary Sector Tari mö te Rängai ä-Hapori, ä-Tüao, Wellington, New Zealand, 2007

• Maori Artist – Robin Kahukiwa

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Drea Knufken is a freelance writer and journalist living in Boulder, Colorado. She first became aware of international women’s issues when she studied abroad in Accra, Ghana, and saw first-hand the powerful role women had in keeping that country thriving.
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Sources for this article include Denese Henare’s 1994 edition – Carrying the Burden of Arguing the Treaty, Michael King’s – The Penguin History of New Zealand, YouTube, The Corrections Department of New Zealand, The National Council of Maori Women, New Zealand Women’s Suffrage Milestones from NZ History online, Wikipedia encyclopedia on Maori language and The Maori Women’s Welfare League.
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