Te Puea Hērangi was a granddaughter of Tāwhiao Te Wherowhero, the second Māori King, and became a crucial figure in reviving the Kīngitanga among Tainui people in the 20th century. She emerged as a leader during the First World War, opposing the government's conscription of Māori men at a time when Tainui still felt deep bitterness over the invasion and confiscation of their lands. She was elected the first patron of the Māori Women's Welfare League when it was formed in 1951 and is often hailed as "the greatest Māori woman of our time." Her unseen presence is felt still at Tūrangawaewae.