What is Whina Cooper?
[[File:Whina Cooper in Hamilton.jpg|thumb|200px]] Dame '''Whina Cooper''' (9 December 1895, Te Karaka, Hokianga, [[New Zealand]] &ndash; 26 March 1994, Panguru, New Zealand) fought for Maori land. She was elected first president of the new Maori Women's Welfare League. Cooper was appointed a Member of the [[Order of the British Empire]] for the services to the [[Māori people]] in the 1953 Coronation Honours. In 1974, she was promoted to Commander. In 1981, she was promoted again to Dame Commander. {{bio-stub}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Cooper, Whina}} [[Category:1895 births]] [[Category:1994 deaths]] [[Category:Knights and Dames Commander of the Order of the British Empire]] [[Category:Māori rights activists]]