Māori Activist, Former Politician

Hone Harawira needs no introduction here in Aotearoa. The activist and former politician from Te Tai Tokerau has dedicated his life to fighting for Māori rights and uplifting te iwi Māori. Over the past 40 years he’s played a role in Te Tiriti o Waitangi issues, Māori language revitalisation, land occupations, and Māori broadcasting.

Since a young age Hone has been involved in activism and was a key participant in a number of important kaupapa over the last few decades including He Taua, the occupation at Bastion Point in 1978, the 1981 Springbok tour protests, and the 2004 foreshore and seabed hikoi, the last of which led to him entering Parliament.

In 2004, Hone joined forces with Tariana Turia to form the Māori Party. He was elected as the MP for Te Tai Tokerau for three consecutive terms (2005-2014), two under the Māori Party and the last term under the Mana Movement. Hone was never far from the action while in parliament and racked up a number of memorable moments. Since leaving parliament in 2014, Hone has continued his community work and activism and is still prominent in headlines across the country. There’s no denying the impact that Hone Harawira has had on politics and in particular Maori rights. He’s a force to be reckoned with and shows no signs of slowing down. This is his story. Indigenous 100 – Hone Harawira.

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Facebook: @manahoneharawira