Maata Wharehoka
Maata Wharehoka | |
|---|---|
| Born | December 22, 1950 |
| Died | February 22, 2025 (aged 74) |
| Occupations | Nurse, weaver, community leader |
| Known for | Māori health campaigns, raranga |
| Spouse | Te Ru Koriri Wharehoka[1] |
| Awards | Creative New Zealand Ngā Tohu ā Tā Kingi Ihaka award |
Maata Wharehoka (22 December 1950–22 February 2025) was a New Zealand nurse, weaver, Māori arts advocate and Parihaka leader. She was a voluntary euthanasia advocate.
Wharehoka was affiliated with Ngāti Tahinga, Ngāti Koata, Ngāti Apakura, Ngāti Toa and Ngāti Kuia.[2]
Career
Wharehoka began her career as a nurse, during which she wrote the first stop smoking programme targeted at Māori women. She became an advocate of kahu whakatere tūpāpaku, traditional Māori practices surrounding death, and voluntary euthanasia.[2] She publicly spoke about the latter and her own chronic illness during the enactment of the End of Life Choice Act in 2021.[3]
She was considered a renowned practitioner of raranga, Māori weaving.[4]
She worked closely with the Govett-Brewster Art Gallery, providing guidance to the institution and presenting at public events. She also collaborated with and hosted artists, including Te Wai Hohaia, Pinaree Sanpitak, Lafin Sawmah, Eleng Luluan, Akac Orat and Malay Makakazuwan, Hawaiian collective Ho’okuleana, and Sorawit Songsataya.[1]
In recognition of her contributions to the arts, Wharehoka was awarded the Creative New Zealand Ngā Tohu ā Tā Kingi Ihaka award in 2015.[5]
Wharehoka acted as the caretaker of Te Niho O Te Atiawa,[6] a Parihaka marae, for almost 30 years until her death.[2] She organised the 2017 International Women's Peace Walk in Wellington, leading a workshop in poi-making.[7]
Key exhibitions
- Fibrous Soul, a collaboration with Sorawit Songsatya at Govett-Brewster Art Gallery, March 2–June 16, 2024.[8]
References
- 1 2 "He kotuku rerenga tahi — remembering Maata Wharehoka". Govett-Brewster Art Gallery. 12 March 2025. Archived from the original on 15 March 2025. Retrieved 3 May 2026.
- 1 2 3 "Parihaka matriarch Maata Wharehoka dies at age 74". RNZ. 21 February 2025. Archived from the original on 3 October 2025. Retrieved 3 May 2026.
- ↑ "Maata Wharehoka: supporting different ways of dying". RNZ. 30 October 2021. Archived from the original on 22 April 2025. Retrieved 3 May 2026.
- ↑ Panapa, Maioha (21 February 2025). "He aituā, he aituā: ko te tohunga raranga, ko Maata Wharehoka kua mate". Te Ao Māori News. Archived from the original on 1 July 2025. Retrieved 3 May 2026.
- ↑ "Ngā Taonga Toi a Te Waka Toi (Te Waka Toi Awards)". Creative New Zealand. Archived from the original on 8 March 2026. Retrieved 3 May 2026.
- ↑ Batten, Yvette (25 January 2012). "Nanny Radio host provides ear and voice". North Taranaki Midweek. Archived from the original on 10 September 2024. Retrieved 3 June 2026.
- ↑ "Poi for protest, poi for peace, poi for unity". Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa. Archived from the original on 6 December 2025. Retrieved 5 May 2026.
- ↑ "Fibrous Soul / Set Dressing". e-flux. 15 March 2024. Archived from the original on 14 February 2025. Retrieved 5 May 2026.