Māori women

The Role of Women in a Māori Society

This interview, a Māori language resource, was presented to all iwi radio stations.

The kaupapa is about the role of women in Māori society. An interview was conducted by Wena Tait (Tūhoe) with interviewees, Tamati Cairns (Tūhoe, Ngāti Raukawa) and Henrietta Maxwell (Ngāti Porou.)

I hope that you find this resource useful to create kōrero in your communities.

Click HERE for more information

Māori Women in Aotearoa 2006

Download the Executive Summary PDF [292 kB) HTML [16.6kB]

Here is a copy of the full report in PDF [2.1 MB - 190 pages].

A report for the Ministry of Women's Affairs analysing data from 'Best Outcomes for Māori - Te Hoe Nuku Roa'.

Best Outcomes for Māori: Te Hoe Nuku Roa is a Māori households longitudinal study funded by the Foundation for Research, Science & Technology. Starting in 1994, the study has been designed in consultation with Statistics New Zealand to be a random survey of Māori households in New Zealand. Initially the study operated in Manawatu/Wanganui, Lower Hutt, South Auckland and Gisborne. Recently the study has been extended for a further five years and two additional sites were recruited: Northland and Southland.

The longitudinal waves are completed every third year, and in 2004/2005 the fourth wave of the study is being run.

Some 1500 Māori in over 600 households are participating.

Karanga: Ngā Reo o ngā Wāhine Māori 1995

(Voices of Māori Women)

The Karanga recordings consist of 29 Māori women speaking in te reo Māori on 13 topics including: women and leadership; storytelling; the language and custom of karanga; writers and publishers, Māori language immersion schools and modern music composition.

Karanga was a joint project between the Ministry of Women’s Affairs and Te Taura Whiri (Māori Language Commission) to celebrate Te Tau o Te Reo Māori: the Year of the Māori Language in 1995. The Karanga project was about promoting Māori women as speakers and protectors of te reo Māori. Karanga has proven to be a valuable resource for Māori broadcasting, language learners and teachers. As well as the educational value, the recorded voices of the Māori women are a unique and precious treasure - since the recording of the original cassette tapes in 1995, sadly a number of the kuia have passed away.

The Ministry of Women's Affairs re-produced the recordings on MP3/CD and cassette tape. These have been distributed to libraries, wananga, Maori studies and/or libraries in universities, polytechnics, colleges of education, Maori private training establishments, and kura kaupapa throughout New Zealand. MWWL, National Maori Council, Maori Congress, Maori Radio broadcasters, Te Mangai Paho, Te Taura Whiri, Ministry of Education and Te Puni Kokiri also have copies in their library/offices.

If you are interested in a copy of 'Karanga: Ngā Reo o ngā Wāhine Māori' contact any of the establishments above. The recordings may be duplicated as long as they are not sold for profit.

Recordings of Karanga: Ngā reo o ngā wāhine Māori 1995

Meet the women/interviewees

Key issues and themes – written summary in English by Haemata Ltd

Māori Women: Mapping Inequalities and Pointing Ways Forward
Download PDF [649KB]

The purpose of the report is to: identify the disparities that exist between Māori women, Māori men, non-Māori women, and non-Māori men across the sectors of education, employment, income, health, housing, and criminal justice, using a selection of indicators; and to analyse the status of Māori women and girls, relative to other groups and against progress towards achieving the Government's Goals for Women. (2001, 138 pages).

Māori Women in Focus: Titiro hangai, ka marama

Download PDF [355KB]

This report gives an overview of key issues affecting Māori women's lives in terms of demographic trends, family formation, education and training, work, and income. Results are based on the 1996 Census.  A joint publication of Te Puni Kōkiri and the Ministry of Women's Affairs. (1999, 21 pages).

Fact Sheet on Māori Women

This factsheet, produced by Te Puni Kōkiri and presented on their website, highlights the growing involvement of Māori women in the labour force and their increased completion of graduate and postgraduate qualifications.

Ministry of Women's Affairs
PO Box 10-049
Wellington
New Zealand

Tel: (04) 915 7112
Fax: (04) 916 1604
email: mwa@mwa.govt.nz