Puti Tipene Watene | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Member of the New Zealand Parliament for Eastern Maori |
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In office 1963–1967 |
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Preceded by | Tiaki Omana | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Paraone Reweti | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Personal details | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Born | 18 August 1910 Kirikiri, Thames, New Zealand |
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Died | 14 June 1967 Parliament Buildings, Wellington, New Zealand |
(aged 56)|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Nationality | New Zealand | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Political party | Labour | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Spouse(s) | Phyllis Watene | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Children | 12 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Religion | The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Playing information
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Weight | 90 kg (14 st 2 lb) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Position | Fullback, Wing, Stand-off, Loose forward | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Source: |
Puti Tipene (Steve) Watene (18 August 1910 – 14 June 1967), of Ngāti Maru and Te Arawa, was a New Zealand rugby league player and politician. He was the first Māori to captain the New Zealand league side and he is the only person to both represent the New Zealand Kiwis and become a Member of Parliament.
A strong member of the Mormon faith, Watene was born in Thames in 1910. He attended Thames High School, Opotiki District High School and then the Māori Agriculture College in the Hawkes Bay before he moved to Auckland where he worked as a labourer and a clerk.
In Auckland Watene joined the City rugby league club in the Auckland Rugby League competition and represented and captained Auckland, before joining the Manukau club as a foundation member in 1936. He was the club's captain and played a major role in attracting many other Māori players to the club. As a result, Manukau quickly became a force in the Auckland competition, winning both the Fox Memorial and Roope Rooster in their debut year. He also played for the New Zealand Māori rugby league team, leading them to a famous victory over Australia in 1937.
Watene was first selected for the New Zealand Kiwis while only 19 in 1930 and played for them until 1937. He also captained the New Zealand national rugby league team in 1936 and 1937, becoming the first Māori to do so.