Dame Miraka Szaszy

A Number of Firsts

Born in Waihopo, Northland, Miraka Szaszy became a leader making significant contributions in education, broadcasting, social welfare and small business development.

Hers was a world of firsts - she was the first Māori woman to graduate with a degree from the Auckland University with a BA and DipSocSci and went on to become the first Māori woman to win a fellowship to the University of Hawai’i.

Listen as Miraka Szaszy discusses Māori women and their ability to achieve whatever kaupapa is set for them.

Collection reference 42492
Year 1993
Credits Interviewer: Hemana Waaka

The Lack of Māori Representation

As she progressed in her career Mira became aware of the oppression of women and Māori in employment, she observed "job discrimination" within government departments first hand.

In this excerpt, Szaszy bemoans the lack of the Government appointing Māori to boards and commissions and discusses early days of the Māori Women's Welfare League.

Collection reference 42492
Year 1993
Credits Interviewer: Hemana Waaka

Mira Speaks about Suffrage

Mira championed Māori and the cause of women. She became aware of the oppression of women and Māori when she began working in government and having observed "job discrimination" within government departments first hand. She clearly felt the injustice that resulted from some iwi preventing women from speaking on the marae ātea despite having a command and eloquence in te reo "as good as, if not better than that of some men I’ve listened to."

Listen as Dame Mira discusses her perspective on suffrage.

Collection reference 42492
Year 1993
Credits Interviewer: Hemana Waaka

Publishing Te Tīmatanga – Tātau Tātau

In 1951, Miraka Szaszy, along with Whina Cooper, was influential in the establishment of Te Rōpū Wāhine Māori Toko i te Ora (The Māori Women’s Welfare League), and she was appointed Secretary for the first executive. In the early 1960s she was the league representative on the Māori Education Foundation and led the MWWL as president between 1973 and 1977.

As part of the 1993 celebrations for the centenary of Women’s Suffrage, Te Tīmatanga – Tātau Tātau (Early Stories from Founders of The Māori Women’s Welfare League) was published.

In this clip Szaszy speaks about researching and interviewing kuia for the book.

Collection reference 42492
Year 1993
Credits Interviewer: Hemana Waaka