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National | Māori Women's Welfare League

Welfare league's new president keen to educate about kaupapa

Dr Hope Tupara, who was welcomed as the new president of the Māori Women's Welfare League last week as part of its 70th-year celebrations, maintains the league is still relevant in this day and age but wants to revamp how it works.

Tupara (Ngāi Tāmanuhiri, Rongowhakaata, Ngāi Te Rangi, Ngā Pōtiki ā Tamapahore, Ngāpuhi) is a health researcher and a former chair of Te Rūnanga o Tūranganui ā Kiwa and the Ngāi Tāmanuhiri Iwi Trust.

Tupara says her pōwhiri to be welcomed into the Māori Women's Welfare League was humbling.

“A lot of the league members turned up, whānau, kaikōrero, many of them took the day off work, so I considered that a real honour.

“Just to know the calibre of the women and their lineage whose footsteps I am  following, it’s quite hard to find words to describe how it feels to be in their shoes.”

Being physically and mentally capable to take on the role but having to travel away from her 80-year-old mother who lives with her at home, were some factors  Tupara had to consider in becoming president of the league.

“Mostly I was supported by members of the league who asked me to put my name forward.

“We’re still about upholding the mana of our tamariki, lifelong education, Māori economic development, the revival of our arts, of our language, supporting women and whānau and a just society for Māori. That’s not changed.”

Dr Tupara says she wants to educate others about the league.

“I’ve had a couple of interviews now where there’s a perception the league is an old ladies' club. Personally, I see nothing wrong with that perception because retirement doesn’t mean that your brain stops.

“What is not known about the league is that when you start to look under the hood you see members. What you don’t see is the member at our hui who is the manager of a kura kaupapa and is going with the tamariki to waka ama nationals, or the member who is having a meeting with the chief executive.”