Born: 1946 (unknown location)
Biography:
Dame Rangimārie Naida Glavish DNZM JP is a prominent New Zealand politician and Māori community leader. Born in 1946, she hails from the Ngāti Whātua iwi. Glavish served as the President of the Māori Party from 2013 to 2016, leaving a lasting impact on indigenous politics in New Zealand.
Glavish is of Croatian and Māori descent. Her Croatian grandparents arrived in New Zealand during the 20th century, settling near Kaipara Harbour. In the process, they changed the spelling of their surname from Glavaš to Glavish. Glavish’s father, Frank, was their son, and her mother was named Nohotakitahi. In a testament to the times prior to the Māori language revival of the 1980s, Glavish’s mother’s name was often abbreviated to Nora. As for Glavish herself, she was called Naida instead of her birth name, Rangimārie.
Throughout her early life, Glavish faced challenges and struggles. At the age of twelve, she found herself placed into state care after admitting to stealing clothes from a washing line, although she later revealed that it was actually a cousin who had committed the act. She reunited with her family when she turned sixteen. At the young age of seventeen, Glavish got married and eventually became a mother to six children. However, she would later separate from her husband.
In 1975, Glavish returned to work as a telephone operator for the New Zealand Post Office. It was during this time that she became involved in a significant incident known as the Kia Ora incident. In 1984, when the use of Māori phrases was still uncommon in New Zealand, Glavish was instructed to stop using kia ora when greeting callers due to a complaint received by the post office. She staunchly refused to comply with this order and, as a result, was demoted. This incident gained widespread public attention. However, Glavish’s persistence paid off when the Postmaster-General, Rob Talbot, successfully convinced the Prime Minister, Robert Muldoon, to overturn the prohibition on Māori greetings. Glavish was subsequently reinstated in her original position. This incident marked a turning point in the recognition and acceptance of Māori culture and language within New Zealand society.
Following the Kia Ora incident, Glavish decided to further her advocacy work. She trained as a Māori language teacher and then embarked on a career as a Māori cultural advisor, mainly within the health sector. Her dedication to preserving and promoting Māori language and culture became a cornerstone of her work.
Glavish’s involvement in politics began when she joined the Mana Motuhake party. In the 2002 general election, she stood as an Alliance candidate in the Te Tai Tokerau electorate and finished third out of nine candidates. While not elected to Parliament that year due to the Alliance’s party vote falling below the threshold, Glavish remained committed to her political aspirations.
Her dedication paid off when she became a devoted supporter of the newly formed Māori Party, led by Tariana Turia. Glavish’s alignment with the Māori Party allowed her to make a significant impact on New Zealand’s political landscape. In the 2008 general election, she ran as a list-only candidate for the Māori Party but was not elected to Parliament.
Throughout her career, Glavish has been a trailblazer for Māori representation and cultural revitalization. She has tirelessly advocated for Māori rights and the preservation of Māori language and customs. Her contributions have been crucial in raising awareness of the unique challenges faced by Māori communities and in promoting inclusivity and equality for all.
Awards:
– Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit (DNZM)