Tauranga artist Graham Hoete – known to many as Mr G – has just completed his largest mural yet in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Māori language petition and to commemorate Hana Te Hemara and Ngā Tamatoa.

Hana Te Hemara was one of the main leaders of Ngā Tamatoa – a Māori activist group that fought for Māori rights in the 1970s. Meanwhile, Wednesday marked 50 years since the 1972 Māori Language Petition - te Petihana Reo Māori – was presented to Parliament.

The petition, which sparked the revitalisation of Te Reo Māori in Aotearoa, lays hidden beneath Mr G's stunning portrait titled ‘I AM HANA' on the five-storey high Puke Ariki building in Ngāmotu/New Plymouth.

'Hana was actually the one that lay down the petition to Parliament,” says Graham. 'She was a crucial part in terms of being one of the major catalysts and leaders for the preservation and revitalisation of Te Reo Māori.”

In preparation for Hana's portrait, Mr G met her whānau including Hana's daughter, Ramari Jackson to learn more about the type of person Hana was. 'She was very bold, a strong leader and very vibrant,” says Graham.

He first painted the petition that Hana presented as part of his process for the piece. 'I wrote that as the foundational underlay for the portrait, so I actually painted over the text and that was to set the tone.”

However, the hidden petition beneath the portrait was cause for public stir initially, says Graham. 'It's quite funny too because there were quite a few people thinking: ‘What the heck is he doing?' – it must've looked like I was tagging the whole building.”

'But once I started painting the eyes, people were starting to say: 'Wow” and see what was going on – it's been a big attraction.”

Local artist, Mr G is honoured to have painted Hana Te Hemara's portrait. Photo: Supplied.

Unveiling Hana's portrait at dawn yesterday, September 15, the artwork is now complete. 'It's been a great way of raising awareness about Hana and what she did,” says Graham.

Asked how he feels to be the artist of Hana's portrait, Graham says: 'It's a huge honour”.

'The reality is – even myself – I'm learning Te Reo Māori too as a Māori and if it wasn't for ones like her and Ngā Tamatoa to be able to learn that institutional right in Aotearoa that would just make it a lot harder.

'They really did pave the way in terms of teaching Te Reo Maori and not just the language but our culture – it's super significant that we're reclaiming our language and our identity through our language.”