Erihapeti Rehu-Murchie

Erihapeti Rehu-Murchie CNZM QSO JP (30 December 1923 – 5 July 1997) was a Ngāi Tahu leader, health researcher, actor, composer and human rights commissioner. She was president of the Māori Women's Welfare League from 1977 to 1980 and research director from 1981 to 1985.

Erihapeti Rehu-Murchie
CNZM QSO JP
8th President of the Māori Women's Welfare League
In office
1977–1980
Preceded byMira Szászy
Succeeded byViolet Pou
Human Rights Commissioner, Human Rights Commission
In office
1988–1997
Personal details
Born
Erihapeti Rehu

(1923-12-30)30 December 1923
Arowhenua, New Zealand
Died5 July 1997(1997-07-05) (aged 73)
Whanganui, New Zealand
SpouseMalcolm McGregor Murchie
RelationsErihana Ryan
Hana Te Hemara
Children10
Alma materTeachers' Training College
University of Canterbury (BA)
Victoria University of Wellington (LLD h.c)

Personal life

She was born at Arowhenua, on 30 December 1923. She studied at Arowhenua Native School, and Temuka District High School. From 1944 to 1945, she studied at Christchurch Teachers’ College where she met and married Malcolm McGregor Murchie, a pākeha with whom she went on to have ten children.[1]

Work & Activism

While working as a teacher she also acted and directed plays. She played Aroha Mataira in The Pohutukawa Tree by Bruce Mason.[2]

Rehu-Murchie joined the Māori Women's Welfare League at a young age, and in the early 1970s supported the Māori Language Petition of her second cousin Hana Te Hemara.[1] She also voiced the opposition of the league to All-Black tours to Apartheid South Africa.[3]

In 1977 she became president of the league. In 1979 she publicly supported the student activism of Ngā Tamatoa in the controversy around the haka party incident and later opposed the 1981 Springbok Tour.[1]

Following her three-year term as president, she became the league's research director from 1981 to 1985. During this time she wrote and directed a research initiative into the health of Māori women, eventually penning the landmark report Rapuora: Health and Māori Women.[1][4]

In 1988, she was appointed to the Human Rights Commission. She travelled to indigenous meetings under the UN and was an early proponent of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People.[2][5] She died on 5 July 1997.[6]

Honours

In the 1990 New Year Honours, Rehu-Murchie was appointed a Companion of the Queen's Service Order for community service.[7] In 1990, she was conferred an honorary Doctor of Laws degree by Victoria University of Wellington,[8] and in 1993 she was awarded the New Zealand Suffrage Centennial Medal.[9] She was made a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to the community, in the 1997 Queen's Birthday Honours.[10]

A fellowship in Māori health, awarded by the Health Research Council of New Zealand, is named in her honour.[11][12]

References
  1. "Whenua. 13/07/97 ( Part 1 of 2 )". ngataonga.org.nz. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
  2. Taonga, New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage Te Manatu. "Rehu-Murchie, Erihapeti". teara.govt.nz. Retrieved 26 October 2021.
  3. "Te Unga Waka Marae - Hui". ngataonga.org.nz. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
  4. Cook, Megan (5 May 2011). "Māori Womens Health Activism". teara.govt.nz/.
  5. "Human Rights Commission :: Erihapeti Rehu-Murchie: A woman of incredible mana". www.hrc.co.nz. Retrieved 26 October 2021.
  6. "Dr Erihapeti (Elizabeth) Rehu Murchie - Timaru District Council". www.timaru.govt.nz. Retrieved 26 October 2021.
  7. "No. 51982". The London Gazette (2nd supplement). 30 December 1989. p. 30.
  8. "Honorary graduates and Hunter fellowships". Victoria University of Wellington. Retrieved 28 October 2021.
  9. "The New Zealand Suffrage Centennial Medal 1993 – register of recipients". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 26 July 2018. Retrieved 28 October 2021.
  10. "Queen's Birthday honours list 1997". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 2 June 1997. Retrieved 28 October 2021.
  11. "HRC Erihapeti Rehu-Murchie Fellowship in Māori Health". scholarshipdb.net.
  12. "Erihapeti Rehu-Murchie Fellowship | Scholarship". studyspy.ac.nz. 12 December 2018. Retrieved 26 October 2021.
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