Maui Pomare

Sir Maui Wiremu Pita Naarah Pomare, KBE, CMG (* 1875 or 1876 in Urenui, † June 27, 1930 in Los Angeles, USA) was a New Zealand doctor and politician. He was one of the more important Māori politicians and is particularly important for its efforts to improve the health and living conditions of Māori.

Childhood, Youth and Education

The exact Geburtsdartum of Pomare is unclear. School records indicate 24 August 1875 on, other sources January 13, 1876. He was in a Pā near Urenui in the Taranaki region. His father Wiremu Pomare Naarah came from the iwi Ngāti Mutunga, his Mere Hautonga Nicoll descended from the Ngāti Toa. His grandmother Kahe Te Rau -o was -te- rangi among the signatories of the Treaty of Waitangi. Both parents died before he was grown up, then his aunt took care of him.

Pomare attended Christchurch Boys' High School, after which the Te Aute College. Although his family wished that he study law, he took in 1895 to study medicine at a medical school of the Seventh- day Adventist Church in the U.S. to Battle Creek. He remained until 1900 in the United States and traveled extensively.

Department of Health

When Pomare returned to New Zealand, public health gave cause for concern. The quality of housing and sanitation was a political issue. The problem was particularly evident in the communities of Māori. Pomare was one of a few doctors māorischer descent who were selected for service as Māori Health Officer in the Department of Health. As such, he successfully undertook a number of important campaigns to improve the health of Māori. Pomare often traveled to remote villages and spoke to residents about health issues. Thus he acquired considerable skill as a public speaker.

Unlike some of his friends, especially Apirana Ngata, Pomare was not particularly concerned about the loss of cultural identity of Māori. He supported the tohunga Suppression Act 1907, which led to the loss of many orally transmitted traditions .. While Pomare and Ngata in agreement that the living conditions of Māori need to be modernized, Pomare did not share Ngatas striving to preserve the traditional culture and art of Māori. Pomare believed that Pākehā and Māori would ultimately unite to form a common culture that unites the best of both (this is a traditional ideal of his iwi ).

Pomare represented the constituency Western Māori ( the Māori of Taranaki and Waikato regions included ) in the New Zealand Parliament from 1911 to 1914 as an independent Member of Parliament, then to 1930 for the New Zealand Reform Party.

Supported by the Māori King Mahuta Tawhiao he succeeded in the elections in 1911, beating the previous incumbent Henare Kaihau. He stood close to the new New Zealand Reform Party, which held the majority of seats in parliament. When the party formed the government, Pomare was appointed minister without portfolio in the New Zealand Cabinet. This was a largely symbolic position.

Pomare was quite popular, probably partly in his party because he did not represent an independent cultural identity of Māori and as well to the more conservative views of the Reform Party fit. Pomares old friend Apirana Ngata was a member of the opposition Liberal Party.

In World War I both joined the army in order to encourage other Māori to do the same. Both promised in a wide participation in the war and the struggle to defend the country's recognition of Māori as full citizens by New Zealanders of European descent. However, Pomare angered many of his followers, as he finally advocated conscription for Maori.

Minister of Health

1916 Pomare as Minister of the Cook Islands, then part of New Zealand, responsible. He strove hard for additional funding for the islands and caused significant infrastructure improvements. However, he was against the idea of ​​self-government of the islands, as it is considered not ready for it. Several times he tipped laws of the island and withdrew this displeasure. Overall, he was viewed in the Cook Islands, however, and received at the end of his service a silver cup.

Pomare was appointed on June 7, 1923 for the eighth Minister of Health. Because of the general economic crisis, the budget of the Ministry of Health was low. This made it difficult Pomare, introduce necessary reforms. Nevertheless, he succeeded in some areas ( particularly in the birth and care for the sterilization of medical instruments).

On January 18, 1926, he was replaced by James Young as a minister.

Later life

1928 was diagnosed with tuberculosis Pomare. In the 1928 elections Apirana Ngata supported the election campaign of Pomare, although he himself belonged to the opposition. Pomare was re-elected. Later Pomare traveled to California because he hoped the climate would be good for his health. He died on June 27, 1930 in Los Angeles.

Honors

Pomare was appointed New Year 1920 Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George, 1922 Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire.