Dame Whina Cooper is renowned for her accomplishments in fighting for Maori land rights. She is best known for leading the famous 1975 land march (aka. hikoi). The protest was to retain control over the Maori land they once had. 50 people left Te Hapua in the far north on the 14th of September 1975 for a 1000km walk to Wellington. Led by the 79 year old Cooper, the hikoi grew in strength and numbers. As it approached towns and cities, other people started to join in. They arrived at the parliament with a petition signed by 60,000 people. The petition called for an end to mono cultural land laws which rejected Maori cultural values. In the end, the hikoi was a success and Dame Whina Cooper became a national hero.
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