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Along with Sir Edmund Hillary, Ernest Rutherford and Kate Shepherd, Sir Apirana Ngata (1874-1950) has the honour of featuring on NZ banknotes (the $50 note).
He is without doubt the single leading Maori figure of the twentieth century, and is revered among Maori today.
Born on the East Coast, Ngata was a trained lawyer, a brilliant mind and a stunning orator. He was a member of the influential Young Maori Party in the early years of the century, fiercely challenging the idea that Maori were a dying race.
He was single handedly responsible for the preservation and emergence of some aspects of Maori culture - he actually invented the Maori action song we know today, and fostered the study of traditional tribal histories and Maori culture. He is still our longest-serving MP - 38 years. As Minister of Maori Affairs he developed the settlement and farming of Maori lands, having a huge effect on the development of his people.
No single Maori leader since has inherited his leadership role.
ISBN: 0143018310
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