Dame Georgina Kirby (DBE, QSO, JP)

Te Kahurangi, Dame Georgina Kamiria Kirby DBE, QSO, JP is renowned for her determination to the development of Māori women and indigenous cultures. Her staunch advocacy for women in society and the economy has paved pathways to allow Māori women to reach their full potential. Her initiatives to uplift minorities continues to inspire indigenous around the world.

Dame Kirby was born and raised in Horohoro, Rotorua in 1936. Her upbringing was heavily influenced by businessmen, her father was a farmer who owned several farms in the area. These farms would be left to the children after their parents, Tawhiri and Tuhe Smith of Ngāti Kahungunu, passed, Dame Kirby was the eldest of 11. She attended Horohoro School then Rotorua High School and Auckland University. From a young age, conversations about business and financials were discussed regularly, instilling in her a passion for business.

After leaving the comforts of home in Horohoro at the age of 17, Dame Kirby ventured off to explore the ‘big smoke’ Tāmaki Makaurau, eager to study at Elam Art School. Although her enrollment was unsuccessful, her passion for art did not waver. It landed her with an opportunity to take lessons with a NZ, French painter Louise Henderson. For the next 20+ years she would make the most of every opportunity to gain experience and upskill in the areas of hospitality, retail and administration. She later found herself running a superette store in Mt Eden and coffee house on Queens Street, Tāmaki Makaurau for 9 years with her husband Brian Kirby.

In 1976 Dame Kirby joined Te Rōpu Wāhine Māori Toko i te Ora (Māori Womens Welfare League), the only national charitable womens organisation in Aotearoa, founded in 1951. Since its inception, the league remains focused on the well-being of Māori women and their whānau. Their motto is “Tātau Tātau” which signifies the importance of working together as an organisation, in order to enable and empower Māori women and their whānau to follow and achieve their aspirations.

Dame Kirby became President of the League in 1983 and served until 1987. Her first initiative as President was focused on the improved health and well-being of League members, she introduced a smoking ban to all League gatherings and launched health campaigns to encourage members to adopt a healthier lifestyle. She later initiated the Waiatarau Branch of Te Rōpu Wāhine Māori Toko i te Ora to unite members in Tāmaki Makaurau to attack issues shared by surrounding communities.

During her presidency, Dame Kirby initiated a health survey to gather data on the health and well-being of Māori women in the community of Waiatarau, Tāmaki Makaurau and marshalled League members into conducting the Rapuora survey in 1984 — the following year she used the data to set up Whare Rapuora Health and wellness clinics throughout Aotearoa.

Following the end of her Presidency in 1987, Dame Kirby established Māori Women’s Development Inc to support women with aspirations in business. It is an indigenous financial institution managed and operated by wāhine Māori for the economic development of Māori and their whānau. The organisation focuses on providing Māori women with the appropriate knowledge and skills necessary to succeed as entrepreneurs. To support, lift, develop, and strengthen Māori women entering the industry by helping them to overcome barriers, such as the inability of some to obtain loans.

Since its inception, Dame Kirby has mentored numerous wāhine Māori who seek support from the organisation, she also wrote the curriculum followed by these women to succeed in business. To this day, Māori Women’s Development Inc has supported over 5000 Businesses.

Dame Kirby has presented and delivered at numerous courses on economic and development for Māori women, and organised conferences to support the establishment of an economic base for Māori women’s initiatives.

Dame Kirby stood as the national secretary of the Māori Artists and Writers Association – Ngā Puna Waihanga from its establishment in 1973 until 1984. This association was created at a wānanga (conference) with a collective of Māori artists, writers, poets and other Māori creatives around the country, held in Te Kaha.

In 1977 Dame Kirby went abroad to study Art Administration and train at the National Arts School in Papua New Guinea and the Aboriginal Arts Board in Sydney. The connections with these art schools were formed by the Māori Affairs Department of the time, as an effort to reach out both to Māori living overseas and to other Indigenous peoples. In 1987, Dame Kirby was the director of the Commonwealth Festival of the arts in Auckland.

Dame Kirby has been vital in the delivery of Art Festivals around the nation and was the Managing Director for many. Her experience and knowledge have contributed tremendously to the establishment of local Art Galleries around Auckland.

From 1983 to 1986, Dame Kirby stood as the New Zealand Commissioner including the 1986 World Expo in Vancouver, Canada. In numerous cases, Dame Kirby has represented New Zealand at various international conferences, presenting the challenges that women and indigenous face, using Māori in the context of the revitalisation of indigenous cultures.

One of her greatest contributions to the revitalisation of Māori culture and language includes serving on the first Kōhanga Reo National Trust alongside Tā Hemi Henare, Tā John Bennett and supported its development. Dame Kirby also supported the establishment of one of the first Kōhanga Reo at Waiatarau in 1982.

In 1993 for International Women’s Day, Dame Kirby started a petition with Marilyn Waring and Jocelyn Fish on gender representation in parliament, highlighting the lack of representation of women in Parliament. She emphasised that, as of that date there had been 1127 male MPs and just 36 women. As a result, women in the country felt empowered and strived to be more present in Parliament. Since the petition there has been 150 female representatives go through Parliament.

In 1996, Dame Kirby was involved in the establishment of Toi Māori Aotearoa, a Charitable Trust which emerged from the need for a collective Māori artists’ forum to foster the development of Māori art and support the national Māori art form committees. She became an original Kaitiaki/Trustee for Toi Māori Aotearoa, amongst some of the most prolific leaders of modern Māoridom, such as Dr Hirini Moko-Mead, Emily Schuster, Derek Fox, Trevor Maxwell, and Prof. Timoti Karetu. Together, the original trustees developed a strategic plan for the organisation with the following objectives:

• To ensure that Māori art in all its forms continues to flourish as one of the great art traditions of the world.
• To maintain, develop and promote Māori art as an essential element of Māori culture and the culture of Aotearoa.
• Assist in maintaining the integrity of Māori art and culture so that its distinctive features and wairua (spirit) are not sacrificed.

Dame Kirby’s determination to uplift minorities within society and her contributions to the development of communities and the economy of Aotearoa have been recognised numerous times;

• In 1981 Dame Kirby was appointed a Justice of the Peace.
• In the 1989 New Year Honours Dame Kirby was appointed a Companion of the Queen’s Service Order for community service.
• In 1993 Dame Kirby was awarded the New Zealand Suffrage Centennial Medal.
• In 1994 she was appointed a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire, for services to te iwi Māori.
• Dame Kirby is also recognised as Te Kahurangi by Manutai Marae in Nūhaka and Rongmaipāpā Marae in her hometown of Horohoro.

Te Kahurangi, Dame Georgina Kamiria Kirby DBE, QSO, JP is remembered as a visionary, pioneer and staunch advocate of Māori and community development. Her determination to drive social change and willingness to grow leaders has influenced the lives of many, not only in Māori society but nationwide. With her guidance and mentorship, she has paved the way for wāhine Māori to become successful and to stand tall as future Māori leaders, upholding her legacy. She was a true embodiment of rangatiratanga and exampled mana wahine, an inspiration to all.