September 20, 2018
Suffrage small part of wider Māori struggle
The first Māori woman to win a general seat says the anniversary of women getting the vote is not an occasion for celebration for wāhine Māori but a reminder of how far they still have to go.
Yesterday was the 125th anniversary of women's suffrage in Aotearoa.
Sandra Lee says the feminist struggle comes from a more individualistic and competitive base than the comparable Māori idea of mana wāhine, which recognises in a collective society you are as stoing as your weakest link.
While it’s good to celebrate the achievement of women in politics, too many Māori still struggle to survive.
"You can’t eat a vote. A vote will not put a roof over your head. A vote will not get your kids through high school and on to a good education at the tertiary level. A vote will not ensure that you live long enough to collect your superannuation. We have a long way to go," Ms Lee says.
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