Hone Harawira, Te Tai Tokerau
- Internet MANA list position: (1)
Born in Whangarei and raised in West Auckland, Hone attended St Stephens School and Auckland University, but credits people like Nelson Mandela, Muhammad Ali, Syd Jackson, Maori Marsden, his mum and his wife for teaching him the importance of vision, commitment, courage, strength, patience and determination.
Hone’s leadership of the 2004 Foreshore and Seabed March led to his being elected to the New Zealand parliament as the member of Parliament for the Tai Tokerau electorate in the 2005 general election. Hone won the seat again in 2008 and then twice in a by-election and general election in 2011 after resigning from the Maori Party to found and lead the MANA Movement.
Hone is Leader of Internet MANA, an alliance he forged with the Internet Party in 2014 to jointly contest the general election. Hone is a strong family man with wide tribal connections throughout Tai Tokerau.
His mother is a descendant of Ngati Hau, Ngati Wai, Ngati Hine and Ngapuhi, and his father is from Aupouri, Ngapuhi and Ngati Whatua. Hone’s wife Hilda is from Ngati Whatua and Te Rarawa. They have 7 children and 6 mokopuna, and they live in Waimanoni, amongst their Ngaitakoto relations.