Paraire Karaka Paikea

Paraire Paikea, of Te Uri-o-Hau, was born at Otamatea, Kaipara, in 1894. He trained for the Methodist ministry, and was ordained in 1920. Later he was attracted to the teachings of Tahupotiki Ratana, the religious prophet and faith healer, and began to take a prominent role in the Ratana movement. In 1924 he helped prepare a petition seeking compensation for Treaty of Waitangi grievances, which Ratana attempted to present to King George V. In 1925 Paikea became a minister in the Ratana church.

After 1928 Paikea played a greater role in the political side of the Ratana movement. He made special efforts to resolve the grievances of Ngati Whatua - in particular ongoing land loss at Orakei, in Auckland. He also worked as Ratana's private secretary, and by 1930 was a member of the Tokowhitu (Committee of Seven), which formed the Ratana executive.

He played a leading role in forging the historic alliance between Ratana and Labour in 1936. In 1938 Paikea won the Northern Maori seat, and entered Parliament as a Ratana/Labour member. In 1941 he was appointed to Cabinet as a representative of the Maori people. During World War II he worked hard to set up and coordinate the Maori War Effort Organisation. Over 300 tribal committees were tasked with recruiting Maori for the armed forces and essential industries. As the war progressed more responsibilities were added. As the historian Claudia Orange notes, many Maori welcomed this rare chance to show that they could perform demanding duties.

Paikea wanted to turn the War Effort Organisation into a peacetime body which would help Maori to control their own affairs. This was not to be, as Maori hopes were dashed by the watered-down Maori Social and Economic Advancement Act 1945. Paikea died suddenly in 1943.

See also: biography of Paraire Paikea at DNZB website