Nora Tawhi Rameka

Nora Rameka was born at Te Kao and was educated at Te Tii Native School, Bay of Islands and Turakina Māori Girls College, Marton. From 1980 to 1987 she worked as a part-time Kaiako for Helensville Kohanga Reo Kaipara, and part-time in orchard and factory work. In 1987 she was the first Māori National/Regional Co-ordinator for the Trade Union Education Authority. Nora has also attended Harvard University, USA, where she gained a Certificate in Labour and Trade Unions. She is a fluent speaker of Te Reo and has Treaty of Waitangi Research Experience for Te Hapu o Ngāti Rehia as a Facilitator for Adult Education and Industrial Relations. Nora Rameka has been successful in Strategic Planning and Negotiations of Health, Housing, and Employment. She presented a paper on the Educational and Economic Development for hapu and whanau. She attended International Policy Writing for Adult Education for UNESCO in Jomitien, Thailand 1996, and the International Indigenous Conference in Oaxaca, Mexico 1997. In 1997 she attended the UNESCO Confintea Conference in Germany, and was elected by the officiating Bureau to be a member of one of the two Commissions that considered amendments to the draft policy documents. Nora was awarded a University of Waikato Staff Merit Award in 1997. She is currently Continuing Education Officer at Te Whare Wananga o Waikato, and has specific responsibilities in developing Māori Continuing Education programmes in the University region, from the Taitokerau to Te Waipounamu. This involves working closely with Iwi groups, Trust Boards, Māori Women’s Groups and different Māori Groups within the community, and other community groups establishing the Māori Adult Education of Aotearoa Association. Nora writes non-fiction work in the area of Māori History in the Trade Union Movement.

Biographical sources

• Correspondence with Nora Rameka, 24 Nov. 1992, and 27 Aug. 1998.