Angeline Greensill
Encyclopedia
Angeline Ngahina Greensill (born 1948) is a prominent Māori political rights campaigner, academic and leader.
, Ngati Porou
, and Ngati Paniora descent, born in the late 1940s in Kirikiriroa (Hamilton) and raised at Te Kopua (Raglan), Whaingaroa on the turangawaewae
of Tainui o Tainui ki Whaingaroa. She was educated at Raglan Primary, Raglan District High School, Hamilton Technical College, Hamilton Teachers College and at Waikato University. She holds a Trained Teachers Certificate, LLB (Bachelor of Laws), Bachelor of Social Sciences with 1st class Honours and is currently completing a Masters of Social Science.
Greensill's first job was as a primary school teacher both in New Zealand and in Brisbane
. Between 1984-1996 while raising her young family, she worked for her hapu
as co-ordinator of employment and skills training and conservation programmes for youth in the Raglan Catchment area. After completing a law degree she was employed by University of Waikato
in 1999 to teach in the Department of Geography, Tourism and Environmental Planning specialising in treaties, Māori Geography and Resource Management.
and hapu in the Whaingaroa area since the mid-70s, Greensill's legal efforts have been crucial in helping to block human-cow transgenic field trials being conducted by AgResearch Ltd
, and helped to educate Māori communities on the implications of Genetic Engineering
. Due to her expertise in this field she was interviewed in the documentary film The Leech and the Earthworm by Max Pugh
and Marc Silver.
, when she was arrested on charges of trespassing. Due to prolonged legal efforts the land was later returned to the local tribe. Greensill was also involved in land occupations at Bastion Point
, Awhitu, and others elsewhere.
, which she called into recess in 2005 so that the combined efforts of that party could be utilised in the founding and promoting of the Māori Party
. In the past Greensill supported Māori political party Mana Motuhake
. One policy Greensill has advocated for is the recognition in law of the 1835 Declaration of Independence
.
Greensill unsuccessfully stood for the Māori Party in the Maori electorate seat of Hauraki-Waikato
in the New Zealand general election, 2008
. In 2011, however, she joined the breakaway Mana Party
, saying that the Māori Party was no longer listening to the people. She intends to contest the Hauraki-Waikato seat again for her new party in the New Zealand general election, 2011
.
Early life
Greensill is of TainuiTainui
Tainui is a tribal waka confederation of New Zealand Māori iwi. The Tainui confederation comprises four principal related Māori iwi of the central North Island of New Zealand: Hauraki, Ngāti Maniapoto, Ngāti Raukawa and Waikato...
, Ngati Porou
Ngati Porou
Ngāti Porou is a Māori iwi traditionally located in the East Cape and Gisborne regions of the North Island of New Zealand. Ngāti Porou has the second-largest affiliation of any iwi in New Zealand, with 71,910 registered members in 2006...
, and Ngati Paniora descent, born in the late 1940s in Kirikiriroa (Hamilton) and raised at Te Kopua (Raglan), Whaingaroa on the turangawaewae
Turangawaewae
Turangawaewae Marae is a very significant marae of the Māori people of New Zealand and is the headquarters for the Māori King Movement...
of Tainui o Tainui ki Whaingaroa. She was educated at Raglan Primary, Raglan District High School, Hamilton Technical College, Hamilton Teachers College and at Waikato University. She holds a Trained Teachers Certificate, LLB (Bachelor of Laws), Bachelor of Social Sciences with 1st class Honours and is currently completing a Masters of Social Science.
Greensill's first job was as a primary school teacher both in New Zealand and in Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
. Between 1984-1996 while raising her young family, she worked for her hapu
Hapu
A hapū is sometimes described as "the basic political unit within Maori society".A named division of a Māori iwi , membership is determined by genealogical descent; a hapū is made up of a number of whānau groups. Generally hapū range in size from 150-200 although there is no upper limit...
as co-ordinator of employment and skills training and conservation programmes for youth in the Raglan Catchment area. After completing a law degree she was employed by University of Waikato
University of Waikato
The University of Waikato is located in Hamilton and Tauranga, New Zealand, and was established in 1964. It has strengths across a broad range of subject areas, particularly its degrees in Computer Science and in Management...
in 1999 to teach in the Department of Geography, Tourism and Environmental Planning specialising in treaties, Māori Geography and Resource Management.
The Environment
As an advocate for the protection of the environment and for Maori land rights of West Coast whanauWhanau
Whānau , is a Māori-language word for extended family, now increasingly entering New Zealand English, particularly in official publications.In Māori society, the whānau is also a political unit, below the level of hapū and iwi, and the word itself also has other meanings: as a verb meaning to give...
and hapu in the Whaingaroa area since the mid-70s, Greensill's legal efforts have been crucial in helping to block human-cow transgenic field trials being conducted by AgResearch Ltd
AgResearch Ltd
AgResearch Ltd is New Zealand's largest Crown Research Institute with about 800 staff and revenue of NZ$155 million in the year to June 2009.-Main areas of research:...
, and helped to educate Māori communities on the implications of Genetic Engineering
Genetic engineering
Genetic engineering, also called genetic modification, is the direct human manipulation of an organism's genome using modern DNA technology. It involves the introduction of foreign DNA or synthetic genes into the organism of interest...
. Due to her expertise in this field she was interviewed in the documentary film The Leech and the Earthworm by Max Pugh
Max Pugh
Max Pugh is a French-English filmmaker who divides his time between London, England and France. He was born in the North of England and studied at Durham School and the University of Leeds....
and Marc Silver.
Land Rights
Greensill asssisted in organising the land occupation at the Raglan Golf Course (see Māori protest movement), which played a prominent role in helping recognise issues around Māori land rights in New Zealand. Greensill was with her mother, Eva RickardEva Rickard
Eva Rickard rose to prominence as an activist for Māori land rights activist and for women’s rights within Māoridom. Her methods included public civil disobedience and she is best known for leading the occupation of Raglan golf course in the 1970s.-Biography:Eva Rickard was most notably regarded...
, when she was arrested on charges of trespassing. Due to prolonged legal efforts the land was later returned to the local tribe. Greensill was also involved in land occupations at Bastion Point
Bastion Point
Bastion Point is a coastal piece of land in Orakei, Auckland, New Zealand, overlooking the Waitemata Harbour. The area has significance in New Zealand history for its role in 1970s Māori protests against forced land alienation by non Māori New Zealanders.-History:The land was occupied by Ngāti...
, Awhitu, and others elsewhere.
Political Background
Greensill was one of the final co-leaders of the Mana Māori MovementMana Maori Movement
The Mana Māori Movement was a New Zealand political party. It advocated on behalf of the Māori people. It was founded by Eva Rickard, a prominent Māori activist. Rickard was originally a member of Mana Motuhake, another Māori party, but quit when Mana Motuhake joined the Alliance...
, which she called into recess in 2005 so that the combined efforts of that party could be utilised in the founding and promoting of the Māori Party
Maori Party
The Māori Party, a political party in New Zealand, was formed on 7 July 2004. The Party is guided by eight constitutional "kaupapa", or Party objectives. Tariana Turia formed the Māori Party after resigning from the Labour Party where she had been a Cabinet Minister in the Fifth Labour-led...
. In the past Greensill supported Māori political party Mana Motuhake
Mana Motuhake
Mana Māori Motuhake was a Māori political party in New Zealand. The name is difficult to translate accurately, but essentially refers to Māori self-rule and self-determination — mana, in this context, can be understood as "authority" or "power", while motuhake can be understood as...
. One policy Greensill has advocated for is the recognition in law of the 1835 Declaration of Independence
Declaration of the Independence of New Zealand
In New Zealand political and social history, the Declaration of the Independence of New Zealand , was signed by a number of Māori chiefs in 1835, proclaimed the sovereign independence of New Zealand prior to the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840....
.
Greensill unsuccessfully stood for the Māori Party in the Maori electorate seat of Hauraki-Waikato
Hauraki-Waikato
Hauraki-Waikato is a new New Zealand Parliamentary Māori electorate for the New Zealand general election, 2008.It largely replaces the Tainui electorate...
in the New Zealand general election, 2008
New Zealand general election, 2008
The 2008 New Zealand general election was held on 8 November 2008 to determine the composition of the 49th New Zealand parliament. The conservative National Party, headed by its Parliamentary leader John Key, won a plurality of votes and seats, ending 9 years of government dominated by the social...
. In 2011, however, she joined the breakaway Mana Party
Mana Party (New Zealand)
The Mana Party is a New Zealand political party led by Hone Harawira. It was formed in April 2011, and plans to contest the 2011 general election. Standing under the Mana Party banner, Mana won an early victory when Mr Harawira won the by-election in Te Tai Tokerau held on 25 June 2011...
, saying that the Māori Party was no longer listening to the people. She intends to contest the Hauraki-Waikato seat again for her new party in the New Zealand general election, 2011
New Zealand general election, 2011
The 2011 New Zealand general election on Saturday 26 November 2011 determined the membership of the 50th New Zealand Parliament.One hundred and twenty-one MPs were elected to the New Zealand House of Representatives, 70 from single-member electorates, including one overhang seat, and 51 from party...
.
See also
- Māori PartyMaori PartyThe Māori Party, a political party in New Zealand, was formed on 7 July 2004. The Party is guided by eight constitutional "kaupapa", or Party objectives. Tariana Turia formed the Māori Party after resigning from the Labour Party where she had been a Cabinet Minister in the Fifth Labour-led...
- Eva RickardEva RickardEva Rickard rose to prominence as an activist for Māori land rights activist and for women’s rights within Māoridom. Her methods included public civil disobedience and she is best known for leading the occupation of Raglan golf course in the 1970s.-Biography:Eva Rickard was most notably regarded...
- Raglan
- TainuiTainuiTainui is a tribal waka confederation of New Zealand Māori iwi. The Tainui confederation comprises four principal related Māori iwi of the central North Island of New Zealand: Hauraki, Ngāti Maniapoto, Ngāti Raukawa and Waikato...
- Māori protest movementMaori protest movementThe Māori protest movement is a broad indigenous rights movement in New Zealand. While this movement has existed since Europeans first colonised New Zealand its modern form emerged in the early 1970s and has focused on issues such as the Treaty of Waitangi, Māori land rights, the Māori language and...
- Bastion PointBastion PointBastion Point is a coastal piece of land in Orakei, Auckland, New Zealand, overlooking the Waitemata Harbour. The area has significance in New Zealand history for its role in 1970s Māori protests against forced land alienation by non Māori New Zealanders.-History:The land was occupied by Ngāti...
- Land rightsLand rightsLand law is the form of law that deals with the rights to use, alienate, or exclude others from land. In many jurisdictions, these species of property are referred to as real estate or real property, as distinct from personal property. Land use agreements, including renting, are an important...
- ProtestProtestA protest is an expression of objection, by words or by actions, to particular events, policies or situations. Protests can take many different forms, from individual statements to mass demonstrations...