Born: 1927 (New Plymouth, Taranaki, New Zealand)
Died: 1989 (New Plymouth, New Zealand)
Biography:
Patricia Laura Te Waikapoata Hond (née Mathieson; 31 March 1927–18 November 1989) was a New Zealand tribal leader, teacher, soldier, policewoman, and community worker. Of Māori descent, she identified with the Taranaki iwi.
Early life:
Patricia Laura Te Waikapoata Mathieson was born on 31 March 1927 in New Plymouth, Taranaki, New Zealand. She was the daughter of Thomas Berge Tupeka Bert Mathieson, a motor mechanic, and Norah Laura Te Aroaro o Paritutu Ruakere. Growing up, she was raised as a Roman Catholic and attended St Joseph’s Roman Catholic School in Moturoa, as well as Sacred Heart Convent High School in Fitzroy. She was one of seven children, with four brothers and two sisters.
Career:
1948–53: Teaching
After training as a teacher in Auckland, Mathieson began her teaching career at various schools. She taught in Ohura, in Tokomaru Bay, and at St Joseph’s Māori Girls’ College in Taradale, Napier.
1953–55: New Zealand Women’s Royal Army
In 1953, Mathieson made the decision to leave teaching and join the New Zealand Women’s Royal Army. She served as a corporal and was stationed in Waiouru as an education assistant. Her time in the army was marked by her participation in various sports, such as netball, basketball, and athletics. Mathieson even set records in five track and field events, earning her colors. In 1955, she was promoted to sergeant and transferred to Fort Dorset in Wellington.
1955–58: New Zealand Police
After leaving the army, Mathieson made history by becoming the first female Māori to join the New Zealand Police force. She excelled during her training and quickly rose through the ranks, becoming a detective in 1958. However, after her marriage to Jeffrey Hond on 24 May 1958, she chose to retire from the police force to start a family.
1976–84: Tertiary and secondary teaching
In 1976, Hond began working as a teacher at the Hamilton Teachers’ College, focusing on early childhood education. She later moved to Hillcrest High School in Hamilton in 1978. She was then appointed as deputy principal of the school connected to the Department of Social Welfare Girls’ Home, where she combined teaching and counseling.
1984–89: Community worker
Relocating to New Plymouth in 1984, Hond became involved in various community projects. She joined a prison reform committee and worked as a community officer for the Department of Māori Affairs. In 1987, she founded the Taranaki Activity Centre, an alternative education system for at-risk youth.
Death:
On 18 November 1989, Hond passed away in New Plymouth due to heart problems, potentially aggravated by her 40-year-long smoking habit. She is survived by her husband and their five children. She was buried in the Ruakere family cemetery in Puniho.