January 26, 2023
Harawira held mirror to society on treatment of Māori
Protester turned politician Shane Jones says the late Titewhai Harawira was a great defender of the Treaty of Waitangi.
Mrs Harawira died early yesterday aged 90.
In recent weeks she had been involved in planning for this year’s commemorations at Waitangi, and also led a hui to discuss the Waitangi Tribunal’s Paparahai o Te Raki Report on Ngapuhi claims.
Shane Jones says she was proud of her descent from Ngapuhi chief Patuone, but her advocacy for Maori rights was pan-Maori rather than tribal.
She was a polarising figure because of the way she used the media.
“She felt confident as a leading activist personality to hold the mirror up in the media to reflect what her conception was of where society was up to in terms of the treatment of iwi Maori, the treatment of Maori by themselves, the issue the gangs, so she didn’t shy away form very difficult and awkward topics both within Maoridom and the the relationship of the government to the Maori community,” Mr Jones says.
Titewhai Harawira will be taken this morning to Hoani Waititi Marae in west Auckland.