Iriaka Matiu Ratana
Name: Iriaka Matiu Ratana (née Iriaka Te Rio)
Date of Birth: 25 February 1905
Date of Death: 21 December 1981
Summary
Politician, Ratana leader, entertainer and farmer.
I have been immersed in the Ratana movement and politics throughout my life, and have been very much involved with the development of the alliance between the Ratana movement and the Labour Party. I have served in Parliament for twenty years, while working with the Ratana church missions, running my family dairy unit in Whangaehu, and raising my family of six children. I consider Dame Enid Lyons as an inspiration, who showed that a widow and mother to many children can be an excellent member of the government.
As the first women to represent Maori in Parliament, I aim to represent Maori around the country and their varying needs – housing for aging Maori, and education, work and housing for Maori youths. I aim to end hopelessness for Maori trapped in a descending spiral of poverty, unemployment and lack of education. I believe that these issues can be solved by a caring Department of Maori Affairs with Maori Welfare officers, and other more specialised organizations such as the Maori Women’s Welfare League.
I have consciously attempted to represent the interests of all of my constituents. My achievements in Parliament including opposing the compulsory acquisition of Orakei, fighting to get the King Country liquor pact recognized and liquor banned from the area, bringing the needs of Waikato-Maniapoto land schemes to the attention of Parliament, being involved in the development of the Ohotu block, working with the owners of the Morikau estate to establish a hostel for their young people working in Wanganui, organizing the return of Pipiriki lands from the Maori Trustee for local housing, and drawing attention to housing and other needs of Maori on the Chatham Islands. In 1954, I worked with Dr. Rangi Metekingi to bring about the Maori Vested Lands Administration Act, to prevent the alienation of ancestral lands. However, I believe my greatest achievement in Parliament has been to turn around the situation at Ratana pa, and gain water reticulation, surveys and titles, which permitted a housing programme, road development, sewerage and other benefits for my people there, and gaining government subsidies to fund these under the Maori Social and Economic Advancement Act 1945.
Work Experience
1949-1969: Represented the Western Maori electorate for the Labour Party.
1957: Appointed advisor to Walter Nash, Prime Minister and Minister for Maori Affairs.
Served on the Maori Affairs Committee, the Ngarium VC and 28th (Maori) Battalion Memorial Scholarship Fund Board; the Maori Purposes Fund Board; elected to the Aotea and Waikato-Maniapoto District Maori Land Boards.
Volunteer Experience
Early 1920s: Accompanied T.W. Ratana on his tours around New Zealand, as one of the young people making up the haka, poi and waiata troupes.
1924: Toured with T.W. Ratana around Britain, continental Europe and Japan, playing piano in the girls’ band.
1925-onwards: Training women of cultural groups of Ratana pa.
Education
Sisters of Compassion School, Hiruharama
Professional Affiliations
Maori Women’s Welfare League, President (Whangaehu Branch); District Representative (Aotea)
Honours and Awards
1971: Order of the British Empire
Personal Interests
Reading
Gardening
Making korowai (cloaks ornamented with black thrums)
Personal Life
I was born in Hiruharama, or Jerusalem, on the upper Wanganui River. My parents were Te Uru Taiaha Merenia Te Karaute of Te Ati Haunui-a-Paparangi, and Te Hihiri Te Rio of Ngati Tuwharetoa and Wanganui descent. I married Tahupotiki Wiremu Ratana in 1925 (I was a second wife), and gave birth to Hemuera (Samuel) in 1928. Sadly, he passed away of tuberculosis on October 22, 1934. In 1937, I had another son, Raniera Te Aohou. In 1940 I married Matiu Tahupotiki Wiremu Ratana, who became the Member for Western Maori in 1945; in 1949, Matiu passed away after a car accident.
References
Ballara, A. (2014). Ratana, Iriaka Matiu. Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Te Ara – The Encyclopedia of New Zealand. Retrieved from: http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/biographies/5r7/ratana-iriaka-matiu
Digital NZ record: http://www.digitalnz.org/records/31892234
Denton, F. (1913). Tahupotiki Wiremu Ratana, Iriaka Te Rio, and Te Urumanaao Ngapaki. Tesla Studios: Wanganui, New Zealand. Retrieved from: http://natlib.govt.nz/records/23130779
Digital NZ record: http://www.digitalnz.org/records/23130779
Swarbrick, N. (2013). Iriaka Ratana. Retrieved from NZ History online, Ministry for Culture and Heritage: http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/people/iriaka-ratana
Digital NZ record: http://www.digitalnz.org/records/33029928
Date of Birth: 25 February 1905
Date of Death: 21 December 1981
Summary
Politician, Ratana leader, entertainer and farmer.
I have been immersed in the Ratana movement and politics throughout my life, and have been very much involved with the development of the alliance between the Ratana movement and the Labour Party. I have served in Parliament for twenty years, while working with the Ratana church missions, running my family dairy unit in Whangaehu, and raising my family of six children. I consider Dame Enid Lyons as an inspiration, who showed that a widow and mother to many children can be an excellent member of the government.
As the first women to represent Maori in Parliament, I aim to represent Maori around the country and their varying needs – housing for aging Maori, and education, work and housing for Maori youths. I aim to end hopelessness for Maori trapped in a descending spiral of poverty, unemployment and lack of education. I believe that these issues can be solved by a caring Department of Maori Affairs with Maori Welfare officers, and other more specialised organizations such as the Maori Women’s Welfare League.
I have consciously attempted to represent the interests of all of my constituents. My achievements in Parliament including opposing the compulsory acquisition of Orakei, fighting to get the King Country liquor pact recognized and liquor banned from the area, bringing the needs of Waikato-Maniapoto land schemes to the attention of Parliament, being involved in the development of the Ohotu block, working with the owners of the Morikau estate to establish a hostel for their young people working in Wanganui, organizing the return of Pipiriki lands from the Maori Trustee for local housing, and drawing attention to housing and other needs of Maori on the Chatham Islands. In 1954, I worked with Dr. Rangi Metekingi to bring about the Maori Vested Lands Administration Act, to prevent the alienation of ancestral lands. However, I believe my greatest achievement in Parliament has been to turn around the situation at Ratana pa, and gain water reticulation, surveys and titles, which permitted a housing programme, road development, sewerage and other benefits for my people there, and gaining government subsidies to fund these under the Maori Social and Economic Advancement Act 1945.
Work Experience
1949-1969: Represented the Western Maori electorate for the Labour Party.
1957: Appointed advisor to Walter Nash, Prime Minister and Minister for Maori Affairs.
Served on the Maori Affairs Committee, the Ngarium VC and 28th (Maori) Battalion Memorial Scholarship Fund Board; the Maori Purposes Fund Board; elected to the Aotea and Waikato-Maniapoto District Maori Land Boards.
Volunteer Experience
Early 1920s: Accompanied T.W. Ratana on his tours around New Zealand, as one of the young people making up the haka, poi and waiata troupes.
1924: Toured with T.W. Ratana around Britain, continental Europe and Japan, playing piano in the girls’ band.
1925-onwards: Training women of cultural groups of Ratana pa.
Education
Sisters of Compassion School, Hiruharama
Professional Affiliations
Maori Women’s Welfare League, President (Whangaehu Branch); District Representative (Aotea)
Honours and Awards
1971: Order of the British Empire
Personal Interests
Reading
Gardening
Making korowai (cloaks ornamented with black thrums)
Personal Life
I was born in Hiruharama, or Jerusalem, on the upper Wanganui River. My parents were Te Uru Taiaha Merenia Te Karaute of Te Ati Haunui-a-Paparangi, and Te Hihiri Te Rio of Ngati Tuwharetoa and Wanganui descent. I married Tahupotiki Wiremu Ratana in 1925 (I was a second wife), and gave birth to Hemuera (Samuel) in 1928. Sadly, he passed away of tuberculosis on October 22, 1934. In 1937, I had another son, Raniera Te Aohou. In 1940 I married Matiu Tahupotiki Wiremu Ratana, who became the Member for Western Maori in 1945; in 1949, Matiu passed away after a car accident.
References
Ballara, A. (2014). Ratana, Iriaka Matiu. Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Te Ara – The Encyclopedia of New Zealand. Retrieved from: http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/biographies/5r7/ratana-iriaka-matiu
Digital NZ record: http://www.digitalnz.org/records/31892234
Denton, F. (1913). Tahupotiki Wiremu Ratana, Iriaka Te Rio, and Te Urumanaao Ngapaki. Tesla Studios: Wanganui, New Zealand. Retrieved from: http://natlib.govt.nz/records/23130779
Digital NZ record: http://www.digitalnz.org/records/23130779
Swarbrick, N. (2013). Iriaka Ratana. Retrieved from NZ History online, Ministry for Culture and Heritage: http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/people/iriaka-ratana
Digital NZ record: http://www.digitalnz.org/records/33029928