Today, at Te Wharekura o Rākaumangamanga, Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke (Ngā Puhi, Ngāti Porou, Te Atiawa, Ngāi Tahu) was officially announced as Te Pāti Māori’s Hauraki-Waikato candidate for the 2023 Election.

A mokopuna of Hana Jackson, Hana-Rawhiti comes from a strong background of kaupapa Māori activism. Hana is published author and expert on the maramataka and taiao, and at 20 years old represents a new generation of Māori political leadership.

“Plant trees you’ll never see. Rangatahi are the future, and we need to be at the decision-making tables to make sure the trees are being planted from the ground up. This movement is intergenerational. The decisions we make affect our uri whakaheke. This is why I’m standing” Maipi-Clarke said.

“Hana is a formidable candidate for Hauraki-Waikato, and we couldn’t be more excited to have as part of our team” said Te Pāti Māori co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer.

“Hana represents the future of our movement. She is young, courageous, and unapologetically Māori. She embodies the Aotearoa Hou that we are fighting for.

“The next generation need to see themselves reflected in Parliament and in their leaders. As a rangatahi leader she has already made a significant impact on te ao Māori” said co-leader Rawiri Waititi.

“People are hungry for change and Hana is that change. Hana is a leader our people deserve” said Waititi.

“Kei te tū au ki te whakamana i ngā reo maha o te iwi Māori, ehakē i te mea e tū ana au ki te whakaiti i te reo kotahi” said Maipi-Clarke

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