Dame Whina Cooper was a Māori activist who worked to improve the lives of indigenous people in New Zealand, especially Māori women. In her early career, she led a local protest that saved land important to the Māori tradition of collecting and drying seaweed, and later, racehorses. They were successful in protecting the land.

In 1951, her work transitioned from local to national when she was elected the first president of the Māori Women’s Welfare League. The league aimed to assist Māori women with their health, housing, education, and welfare. She served the organization for many years, and after stepping down, they awarded her the title Te Whaea o te Motu, which translates to "Mother of the Nation."

In 1975, she led the most famous Land March in New Zealand, a protest against the loss of Māori lands. In New Zealand, this kind of march, called a Hīkoi, can last for days or even weeks. During the march led by Whina, they traveled 680 miles, the entire length of the North Island. The slogan of the march was "Not one more acre of Māori land," demanding that the government uphold the treaty they had made but were violating. Whina was 79 years old when she undertook this journey.