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February 16, 2016
Wahine take rightful place in Matangireia
Waatea Team
Posted On February 16, 2016
Labour MP Louisa Wall says a tribute for two pioneering women MPs was long overdue.
Portraits of Iriaka Ratana, the first Maori woman MP, and Whetu Tirikatene-Sullivan, the first wahine Maori in cabinet, went up on the walls of the former Maori affairs committee room last week.
They hang alongside leading male MPs Apirana Ngata, Te Rangihiroa Peter Buck, Maui Pomare and James Carroll.
Ms Wall asked for the portraits after last year's powhiri organised by Te Ururoa Flavell to mark the start of the parliamentary term.
"It was quite surreal sitting in Matangireia thinking there was something missing, the wairua wasn't quite right, and looking around and not seeing any wahine depicted in terms of the history of our parliament which is what Matangireia has ended up doing which is capturing the history of Maori in parliament," she says.
Copyright © 2016, UMA Broadcasting Ltd: www.waateanews.com
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