Iriaka Matiu Ratana

Iriaka Matiu Rātana was a New Zealand Māori leader and Labour politician who became the first Māori woman elected to the New Zealand Parliament, representing Western Māori from 1949 to 1969. Deeply involved in the Rātana movement, she advocated for improved services and the welfare of Māori communities. She later retired to her farm and was appointed an OBE in 1971.