WHY IS IT UNUSUAL?
She is the first female foreign minister from New Zealand to hold office in 2020.
Nanaya Mahuta, 52, is of Maori descent. They are the indigenous people of New Zealand who have lived there since before the arrival of the Europeans. Currently, the Maori make up about 15% of the country’s population, Ladyzone.bg informs.
Nanaya served in the New Zealand parliament for two decades. She is iconic with the tattoo done on her face. She did it 6 years ago.
The tattoo is called “ta-moko” and is an important Maori attribute. The tattooing process has remained unchanged for centuries. A tattoo like Mahuta’s is meant to show a person’s tribal affiliation and position in society.
His connection to the areas of Waikato – Maniapoto (where his father’s ancestors came from) and Ngapuhi (a maternal connection) – is something the minister is very proud of. She is also known for having a Cook Islands tattoo on her back.
Nanaya Mahuta was originally Minister of Maori Affairs and Minister of Local Government.
In the reshuffle of Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s office, she was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs.
The news of the unusual politician spread around the world even before he became foreign minister. In 2018, Nanaya was included in the BBC’s list of 100 Most Influential Women.
Women ministers have long since ceased to be only business figures bound by etiquette and protocol. Many of them have built impressive careers and left a mark with the behavior or decisions they made.
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, for example, interrupted her live broadcast on Facebook to put her three-year-old daughter to sleep.
