Karanga mai ra: Stories of Māori women as leaders

Abstract

This paper takes a fresh look at M aori women and leadership through individual and collective storytelling. Stories or p ur akau about M aori women leaders involved in environmental sustainability, employment rights, and sport are used to reveal the often silenced realities of M aori women's leadership and challenge dominant leadership discourse. Findings suggest mana wahine/the power and authority of women is a critical element of M aori women's leadership as well as values and concepts that feature in traditional p ur akau and cultural roles for women. The holistic nature of M aori leadership was captured by considering three interrelated and fluid spheres -leadership as influence, leadership in context and the performance of leadership. These stories are a preface and we invite others to join the dynamic process of storytelling so that the plurality of Indigenous women's leadership perspectives, experiences and performances are recognised and celebrated.Karanga mai r a, te piringa ki te h apai ake i te mana wahine e! Heed our call to join together and acknowledge the power and authority of M aori women! KarangaWe begin this paper with a karanga, a customary ''call of welcome'' or summons. A karanga is delivered by a woman of status and is the first voice heard in a p owhiri, a M aori 1 cultural Leadership 0(0) 1-22! The Author(s) 2015 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav

Even when those struggles are not our own: Storytelling and solidarity in a feminist social justice organization

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