Dame Mira Szászy

Dame Mira Szászy was the first Māori woman to graduate with a degree from the University of Auckland. She was a former National President of Te Rōpū Wāhine Māori Toko i te Ora, Māori Women's Welfare League and in 1990 she was made Dame Commander of the British Empire.

Dame Mira made significant contributions in education, broadcasting, social welfare, and business development. In 1993 she received an Honorary Doctor of Laws from Victoria University of Wellington in recognition of her contribution to te Ao Māori and the nation.

Dame Mira is also recognised for her lifetime of leadership in health and wellbeing which included many roles she held on advisory boards and committees for a wide range of organisations, such as the New Zealand Race Relations Council, the New Zealand Council for Protection of Citizens’ Rights, the Social Welfare Commission, and the Māori Women’s Development Inc.

Throughout her life, Dame Mira pushed for reforms that reshaped society and organisations by upholding the principles of humanity, equality, and justice to ensure the people she served had the opportunity to lead a flourishing life.

Drawing on her values and beliefs, she demonstrated personal tenacity in societal complexity. She front-footed the most difficult issues – ensuring the most challenging issues impacting on the humanity, equity, and justice in the Aotearoa she led were brought to the fore. Her leadership and her values provide the centre with the whakapapa to continue her work and ensure the betterment of future workplaces for generations to come.

My first love is my family but I know my tribe,
I know my tribe but I am proud of my race,
I am proud of my race but I am not racist.
Therefore I belong to my race but I would serve my nation,
I would serve my nation but I have a reverence for humanity
Because I have a reverence for all humanity
I would oppose inhumanity anywhere and everywhere.
It is because I have this reverence for humanity that I grieve for all who now suffer, and pray for all mankind,
It is because I believe in God that I have this reverence for humanity,
My family, my tribe, my race, my nation;
Let this be my vision of the future
My extended family, all creeds, all races, all nations;
Let this be my new world.
A part of my own humanity.

In the beginning was God
All things were made by Him
And as many as were made by Him
And as many as received Him
To them He gave power to become His children.
This is my destiny
This is my prayer.

Dame Mira Szászy
Kaitaia 1977

Hear more from Dame Mira Szászy: Wāhine Leadership