Margaret Matangi

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Not to be confused with Margharet Matenga.

Margaret Matangi
MBE
Personal information
Full name Margaret Kahurangi Matangi
Born (1911-07-09)9 July 1911
New Plymouth, New Zealand
Died 2 August 1990(1990-08-02) (aged 79)
Hāwera, New Zealand
Height 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
School New Plymouth Girls' High School
University Auckland Teachers' Training College
Occupation Schoolteacher
Netball career
Playing position(s): GS, GA, GD, GK
Years National team(s) Caps
1938 New Zealand 1

Margaret Kahurangi Matangi MBE (9 July 1911 – 2 August 1990) was a New Zealand netball player. She captained the New Zealand team in their first Test match, in 1938 against Australia.

Early life

Born in New Plymouth on 9 July 1911, Matangi was the daughter of Hinehau Matangi (née Karena) and Tioro Matangi.[1][2] Of Māori descent, she affiliated to Te Āti Awa, Taranaki, and Ngāti Mutunga.[3] She was educated at New Plymouth Girls' High School where she excelled at sports, winning the senior athletics championship while in the third form and the three following years.[2]

Netball career

Domestic

Matangi played representative netball for Taranaki in 1930 and 1931. She moved to Wellington in 1932, where she was a member of the Victoria University College club and a provincial representative. The following year, she represented Auckland, before returning to Taranaki and playing for the provincial team there in 1934 and 1935. She returned to Auckland in 1936, once again gaining provincial honours, and studied at Auckland Teachers' Training College. She captained the Auckland University and New Zealand Universities netball (at that time called basketball) teams, and was awarded Auckland and New Zealand blues.[2] She also captained Taranaki, and was vice-captain of the Auckland provincial team.[4]

International

In 1936, Matangi was first selected to tour Australia with a New Zealand national team the following season,[5] but the tour did not proceed.[6] In 1938, Matangi became the first New Zealand netball team captain, when a national side travelled to Australia and competed in the Australian interstate tournament in Melbourne.[2][6] At times, the New Zealand team struggled as the matches were played on grass courts under Australian rules, which differed from those used in New Zealand at the time, but they defeated Queensland 13–9, before losing to Victoria 16–48 [7][8] However, in an exhibition match played under New Zealand rules, the New Zealand team beat Victoria 19–5.[8] In New Zealand's remaining matches of the tournament, they were defeated by South Australia 14–47[9] and Tasmania 17–32,[10] before overcoming New South Wales 21–18.[11]

In the single Test match, the first played between New Zealand and Australia, in Melbourne on 20 August 1938, New Zealand were defeated 11–40. The match was played under Australian rules.[12] Matangi's international career was cut short by World War II, with New Zealand not playing another Test until 1948.[1]

Later life and death

Matangi spent her working life as a schoolteacher, in particular with special-needs children. This led to her appointment as a Member of the Order of the British Empire, for services to the education and training of mentally handicapped children, in the 1977 New Year Honours.[13]

Matangi died in Hāwera on 2 August 1990, and was buried in Hāwera Cemetery.[2] In 2009, she was posthumously inducted into the Māori Sports Hall of Fame.[3]

References

  1. ^ a b "Margaret Matangi". Netball New Zealand. Retrieved 11 June 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d e "First Silver Ferns captain to join Maori Sports Hall of Fame". Netball New Zealand. 4 December 2009. Retrieved 11 June 2021.
  3. ^ a b "Margaret (Meg} Matangi MBE". Māori Sports Awards. 29 January 2013. Retrieved 11 June 2021.
  4. ^ "Basketball: New Zealand team for Australia". The Press. Vol. 74, no. 22453. 14 July 1938. p. 18. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
  5. ^ "Basketball: N.Z. tourney". Evening Post. Vol. 122, no. 56. 3 September 1936. p. 25. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
  6. ^ a b "Dominion basketball players". Manawatu Times. Vol. 63, no. 173. 25 July 1938. p. 5. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
  7. ^ "N.Z. basketball team: competing in state tournament". Evening Star. No. 23037. 16 August 1938. p. 4. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
  8. ^ a b "Victoria beat Dominion basketball team". Horowhenua Chronicle. 17 August 1938. p. 6. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
  9. ^ "Again beaten". Horowhenua Chronicle. 18 August 1938. p. 5. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
  10. ^ "Basketball tourists: defeat by Tasmania". Poverty Bay Herald. Vol. 65, no. 19713. 19 August 1938. p. 8. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
  11. ^ "Dominion basketball team: defeat of New South Wales". Horowhenua Chronicle. 20 August 1938. p. 5. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
  12. ^ "Australia wins". Auckland Star. Vol. 69, no. 197. 22 August 1938. p. 16. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
  13. ^ "No. 47104". The London Gazette. 31 December 1976. p. 43.
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