Eleitino Edwina Diana Patricia Walker (née Halliday; 14 October 1916 – 8 July 2015) was a New Zealand teacher, peace activist and politician.

Biography

Walker was born in American Samoa to a New Zealand father and Samoan mother from a chiefly family. At age 10 she attended St Cuthbert's College in Auckland carrying "only a suitcase and a ukulele". She was a talented pianist and composer later going on to teach music and eurhythmics at St Cuthbert's. She was the author of many peace themed songs and books for children. She married traveling salesman Bill Walker. Bill caught tuberculosis during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

while serving in the Pacific theatre and had to spend five years in hospital in Auckland and later

Hanmer Springs Hanmer Springs is a small town in the Canterbury region of the South Island of New Zealand, known for its hot pools. The Māori name for Hanmer Springs is Te Whakatakanga o te Ngārahu o te ahi a Tamatea, which means "where the ashes of Tamate ...

. Consequently, Walker had to raise two young children by herself while her husband was having treatment. After introducing herself to Sir

James Hay James Hay may refer to: * James Hay (bishop) (died 1538), Scottish abbot and bishop * James Hay, 7th Lord Hay of Yester (1564–1609), Scottish landowner and courtier * James Hay, 1st Earl of Carlisle (c.1580–1636), British noble * James Hay, 2nd ...

, she became a fashion co-ordinator at Hays Department Store. She worked with buyers and also organised fashion parades. In 1952 the family moved back to Auckland and took up a similar role at Milne & Choyce. At the 1974 local elections Walker stood for the

Auckland City Council Auckland City Council was the local government authority for Auckland City, New Zealand, from 1989 to 1 November 2010, when it and Auckland's six other city and district councils were amalgamated to form the Auckland Council. It was an elec ...

on the

Citizens & Ratepayers Communities and Residents (C&R) is a right-leaning local body ticket in Auckland, New Zealand. It was formed in 1938 as Citizens & Ratepayers, with a view to controlling the Auckland City Council and preventing left-leaning Labour Party contr ...

ticket and was elected. She was the first Auckland city councillor of Pacific descent. She served two terms as a councillor until 1980 when she did not stand for re-election. From 1973 and in 1976 Walker was the founding president of

Pacifica Inc Pacifica Inc., sometimes styled P.A.C.I.F.I.C.A. or PACIFICA is a non-government organisation in Aotearoa New Zealand established in 1977 following a Pacific women's conference held in Auckland in 1976. It consists mainly of Pasifika women, ...

, a nationwide Pacific women's organisation. She then joined the Pan Pacific South East Asian Women's Association in 1975, and was later their Peace Ambassador. She was involved in creating "peace gardens" in several countries including the

Cook Islands The Cook Islands is an island country in Polynesia, part of Oceania in the South Pacific Ocean. It consists of 15 islands whose total land area is approximately . The Cook Islands' Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) covers of ocean. Avarua is its ...

, where she later lived after retiring in 1989. In 2009 she was one of 1000 "peace women" globally who were nominated for that year's Nobel Peace Prize. In 2014 Walker returned to

Auckland Auckland ( ; ) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. It has an urban population of about It is located in the greater Auckland Region, the area governed by Auckland Council, which includes outlying rural areas and ...

to live. She died there in July 2015 aged 98.

Recognition

In the 1977 Queen's Silver Jubilee and Birthday Honours, Walker was appointed an

Officer of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding valuable service in a wide range of useful activities. It comprises five classes of awards across both civil and military divisions, the most senior two o ...

, for services to the community and women's affairs. The Seumanutafa family, Chief of Apia provided her with the title Eleitino. One of the rooms at the Pioneer Women's Hall in Auckland is named in her honour.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Walker, Paddy 1916 births 2015 deaths People from Pago Pago American Samoan emigrants to New Zealand People educated at St Cuthbert's College, Auckland 20th-century New Zealand women educators 20th-century New Zealand educators New Zealand schoolteachers New Zealand businesspeople in fashion New Zealand women activists New Zealand anti-war activists 20th-century New Zealand women politicians American Samoan women in politics Auckland City Councillors New Zealand Officers of the Order of the British Empire