Dame Whina Cooper is a name known across New Zealand. She is famous for leading a Hikoi (march) of 5000 people from Northland right down to 
Wellington to NZ Parliament in 1975, wanting to speak to the Prime Minister about the loss of Maori land.
Her funeral was watched by over a million New Zealanders in 1994.
But do you know all the other amazing things that Dame Whina did?
Mother of the Nation is part of a picture book series by David Hill and NZ Illustrators Phoebe Morris and Story Hemi-Morehouse. It begins with the famous 1975 march which sang out the phrase, ‘Not one more acre,’ highlighting the fact that more and more Maori land was being taken, and they wanted it protected. The Waitangi Tribunal resulted from the march, and the petitions signed by hundreds of Maori elders and thousands of Kiwis.
But Dame Whina helped people from when she was very young. Her father saw her leadership potential early and she learned much about the world she lived in. As a teen she organised her first land protest and then went on to help Apirana Ngata (his picture is on NZ’s $50 note) protect Maori people’s farmland.
During WWII, Whina helped organise parcels to be sent to troops overseas and also help feed families left behind. She was also there to welcome the Maori Battalion home.
In her 70’s she was a key figure in the Maori Women’s Welfare League helping women and children. It was when she was 80 years old that the famous Hikoi (march) to NZ Parliament happened.
Mother of the Nation has so much more about this amazing woman from her birth to her passing in 1994. Story Hemi-Morehouse has brought every aspect of Whina’s journey to life in full colour, portraying her leadership, kindness and compassion across the years.
As in all the books in this series, the rear of the book has a timeline of the events of Dame Whina’s life. The back cover has a map of the North Island showing the Hikoi’s (march) journey from Northland to Wellington.
Mother of the Nation is an important book for all kiwis as it celebrates another amazing New Zealander within it’s pages.
Author – David Hill
Illustrator – Story Hemi-Morehouse
Age – 6+
Picture Book
Find more epic reads about New Zealanders:
(2025, Penguin Random NZ, Aotearoa New Zealand, NZ Author, NZ Illustrator, NZ History, Historical, Unity, Land, March, Series, Whenua, 1975, 11oo kilometres, Hikoi, Waitangi Tribunal, Famous New Zealanders)