From teen mum to the top Fighting for our children

In her role as Assistant Māori Commissioner for Children, mother-of-seven Glenis Philip-Barbara is tackling racism and inspiring our tamariki.

- JUDY BAILEY

She was a teen mum. Now, as well as raising seven children, she has dedicated more than 30 years of her life to serving her community. She is a fluent speaker of te reo and traces her ancestry back through generations of East Coast Māori to the revered Ngāti Porou woman Hinetapora, a wahine who is said to have trained warriors in hand-to-hand combat.

It’s hard to imagine a person better qualified to look after the interests of Māori children or indeed any children. Glenis Philip-Barbara is our first Assistant Māori Commissioner for Children. She works, as she puts it, “shoulder to shoulder” with Judge Andrew Becroft.

She is a warm-hearted, compassionate, intelligent woman and she is focused on eliminating the racism that dogs the lives of so many Māori children.

“In my work, when I ask kids what’s on their minds, young brown children always want to talk about racism. Young people have an acute sense of social justice.”

Glenis is dedicated to the idea of Māori approaches for Māori children in need. “The elimination of racism should be led by the people at the heart of it. It’s a game-changer. We understand how culture drives nature – that people are not only entitled to their language and identity, but we all grow when they have it. Then we can finally put to rest this idea that Pākehā know best.”