Te Puea Herangi (9 November 1883-12 October 1952) was a New Zealander Maori leader during the 19th century.
Biography[]
Te Puea Herangi was born in Whatiwhatihoe, New Zealand in 1884, the granddaughter of the second Maori king, Tawhiao. She first gained prominence by leading a campaign against conscription of the Maori in World War I. In 1921, she became prominent through her leadership in improving her community of Ngaruawahia. With Apirana Ngata, she encouraged her people, the Waikato, to restore and preserve their traditional culture. Through community projects, she hoped to raise their awareness of their identity, while she realized their economic independence through the development of previously idle Maori lands. Hoping to combine a revived Maori culture with social progress, she accepted elements of the White (Pakeha) culture, such as education and health programmes, if they could be accommodated into Maori customs and institutions. Possibly the most influential woman in New Zealand history, she was the first Maori woman to receive national attention and recognition; she was awarded a CBE. She died in 1952.