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Mary Mereiwa Broughton (née Whakaruru, 24 December 1938 – 31 January 2016), known as Mere Broughton, was a New Zealand
In the 1970s and 1980s she worked at Victoria University, co-establishing Te Herenga Waka Marae with her husband, Te Huirangi Waikerepuru, and Wiremu Parker. Also at the university she became active in union affairs, in the Association of University Staff (now the TEU). In 2010, she became the TEU's first life member. Broughton was on the Tekaumārua, the advisory board to the Māori King, Tuheitia Paki. In 2014, she was part of the New Zealand delegation that sent off the canoes of the Polynesian Voyaging Society, Hōkūle'a and Hikianalia.
Waka Huia episode featuring Broughton
Māori language
Māori (), or ('the Māori language'), also known as ('the language'), is an Eastern Polynesian language spoken by the Māori people, the indigenous population of mainland New Zealand. Closely related to Cook Islands Māori, Tuamotuan, and ...
activist and unionist.
Early life
Of Te Āti Awa, Ngāti Awa, Ngāi Tūhoe, Ngāpuhi, Te Arawa and Ngāti Kahungunu descent, she was born on 24 December 1938 in Hastings and raised in Te Teko and Kawerau before training as a nurse and working at Whakatāne Hospital. On 21 May 1960, she married Anglican priestRuka Broughton
Rangiahuta Alan Herewini Ruka Broughton (21 April 1940 – 17 April 1986) was a New Zealand ''tohunga'', Anglican priest, and university lecturer. Of Māori descent, he identified with the Ngā Rauru iwi. He was born in Wanganui, New Zealand o ...
, with whom she raised five children. They divorced in 1978.
Career
In the 1970s and 1980s she worked at Victoria University, co-establishing Te Herenga Waka Marae with her husband, Te Huirangi Waikerepuru, and Wiremu Parker. Also at the university she became active in union affairs, in the Association of University Staff (now the TEU). In 2010, she became the TEU's first life member. Broughton was on the Tekaumārua, the advisory board to the Māori King, Tuheitia Paki. In 2014, she was part of the New Zealand delegation that sent off the canoes of the Polynesian Voyaging Society, Hōkūle'a and Hikianalia.
Death
She died on 31 January 2016 at her home in Waitara and was buried at Pakaraka Marae.Honours
Broughton was recognised with the Civic Honour Award by Hutt City Council in 1999. She was awarded the Queen's Service Medal for community service in the2002 New Year Honours
New Years' Honours are announced on or around the date of the New Year in Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. The dates vary, both from year to year and from country to country. All are published in supplements to the London Ga ...
. In 2009, she received the Tā Kīngi Ihaka Award from Creative New Zealand in recognition of a lifetime contribution to the development and retention of Māori arts and culture.
External links
Waka Huia episode featuring Broughton
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Broughton, Mere 1938 births 2016 deaths Māori language revivalists New Zealand trade unionists Recipients of the Queen's Service Medal Ngāpuhi people Ngāi Tūhoe people Ngāti Kahungunu people Ngāti Awa people Te Āti Awa people Te Arawa people People from Hastings, New Zealand