The Origins of Māori women’s leadership: A Pūrākau

This article presents a biographical pūrākau and thematic analysis of Kiripuai Ngahiraka Te Otiana (Georgina) Te Aomarere, 1916-2007, a kuia (respected female elder) of Ngāti Raukawa descent whose life was devoted to Māori, education, and cultural preservation. Drawing on kaupapa Māori (Māori approach), pūrākau (Māori cultural narrative) and mana wāhine (Māori feminist) frameworks, this article explores the origins of her leadership.

This qualitative inquiry involved the compilation of a pūrākau from archival sources as well as from interviews with whānau members (extended family, family or kin). Once the pūrākau was assembled Nvivo qualitative research software was used to code the data and identify themes. Analysis revealed that Kiripuai’s leadership was influenced by four factors. These are first, her role models, second, personal struggles, third, mana wāhine and fourth, Western social norms and independence.

The article concludes by reflecting on the legacy of Kiripuai’s leadership, offering insights into the development of Māori women’s leadership in Aotearoa.