This qualitative investigation of three women’s social justice leadership across the decades from the 1920s to the 2000s, and across Māori and Pākehā worlds, offers rich insights into the origins and orientations of women’s social justice leadership in New Zealand (Aotearoa).

My research used the epistemological frameworks of Kāupapa Māori, mana wahine and feminist theory, and a qualitative methodology with a narrative inquiry approach to explore the social justice leadership of two Māori women and one Pākehā woman. Each woman’s story/pūrākau was compiled from archival and other sources, as well as from interviews with whānau (extended family or family group or kin) members. The stories/pūrākau were then analysed thematically with NVivo 12 qualitative research software to explore the origins and orientations of each woman’s social justice leadership. My research was ‘insider’ research as two of the women were my tūpuna (ancestors). Identity was an implicit theme throughout my research due to my positionality as the researcher. The ethical challenges that arose due to this positionality and the methodological decision making throughout my research process were managed with the assistance of a reflexive journal.

The women practised leadership across social, historical, cultural and political contexts. The orientations or areas that the women demonstrated leadership in were iwi, hapū, whānau, marae, education for Māori, pacifism and anti-apartheid, the union environment, peace, early childhood education and Parliament. The orientations that these women brought to their social justice leadership was influenced and shaped by their role models, their personal struggles, mana wahine and social norms. It was identified that there was a cost to their leadership. The combined costs to the three women were close family relationships, financial security and personal liberty. Gender, religion and generational contexts influenced the women’s leadership in unique ways.

This thesis provides examples of how social justice leadership can be fostered in the future. For example, adolescence was identified as an age when non-familial role models can be particularly effective and how these role models can shape the behaviour of future leaders was evident. The significance and contribution of this thesis is that these women’s stories/pūrākau and the nuanced and complex themes that have emerged from the analysis of these stories/pūrākau offer insights for whānau, policy, practice and future research.