Story: Urban Māori

Urban Māori protest movements

Urban Māori protest movements

By the 1970s, a rising generation of urban Māori provided the leadership of protest groups such as Ngā Tamatoa, which originated in Auckland. Ngā Tamatoa lobbied for the teaching of Māori language and culture in schools, and was at the forefront of calls for the government to honour the Treaty of Waitangi. These members of Ngā Tamatoa settled in for a three-week protest in the grounds of Parliament in November 1972. They are (from back left) Toro Waaka (Ngāti Kahungunu), John Ohia (Ngāi Te Rangi, Ngāti Pūkenga), Paul Kotara (Ngāi Tahu), Tame Iti (Ngāi Tuhoe), and (from front left) Orewa Barrett-Ohia (Ngāti Maniapoto), Rawiri Paratene (Ngāpuhi) and Tiata Witehira (Ngāpuhi).

Using this item

Alexander Turnbull Library, Dominion Post Collection (PAColl-7327)
Reference: EP/1972/5388/11a

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

All images & media in this story

How to cite this page:

Paul Meredith, 'Urban Māori - Urban networks', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/photograph/4218/urban-maori-protest-movements (accessed 30 March 2024)

Story by Paul Meredith, published 8 Feb 2005, updated 17 Feb 2015