{{Short description|New Zealand teacher and politician (1916–2015)}} {{Use New Zealand English|date=June 2024}} {{Infobox person/Wikidata | fetchwikidata=ALL}} '''Eleitino Edwina Diana Patricia Walker''' (née '''Halliday'''; 14 October 1916 – 8 July 2015) was a New Zealand teacher, peace activist and politician.
==Biography== Walker was born in American Samoa to a New Zealand father and Samoan mother from a chiefly family. At age 10 she attended St Cuthbert's College in Auckland carrying "only a suitcase and a ukulele". She was a talented pianist and composer later going on to teach music and eurhythmics at St Cuthbert's. She was the author of many peace themed songs and books for children.<ref name="Trailblazers">{{cite web |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/trailblazers/trailblazers-paddy-walker/BXBE4ZH736Z7HUAYOURPZSDSV4/ |title=Trailblazers: Paddy Walker |work=The New Zealand Herald |date=16 September 2018 |access-date=13 June 2024 }}</ref>
She married traveling salesman Bill Walker. Bill caught tuberculosis during World War II while serving in the Pacific theatre and had to spend five years in hospital in Auckland and later Hanmer Springs. Consequently, Walker had to raise two young children by herself while her husband was having treatment. After introducing herself to Sir James Hay, she became a fashion co-ordinator at Hays Department Store. She worked with buyers and also organised fashion parades. In 1952 the family moved back to Auckland and took up a similar role at Milne & Choyce.<ref name="Trailblazers"/>
At the 1974 local elections Walker stood for the Auckland City Council on the Citizens & Ratepayers ticket and was elected.<ref>{{cite news |title=Declaration of Result of Election |work=The New Zealand Herald |date=23 October 1974 |page=16 }}</ref> She was the first Auckland city councillor of Pacific descent.<ref name="farewelled">{{cite web |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/programmes/datelinepacific/audio/201763109/pacifika-trailblazing-leader-farewelled |title=Pacifika trailblazing leader farewelled |work=Radio New Zealand |date=21 July 2015 |access-date=13 June 2024 }}</ref> She served two terms as a councillor until 1980 when she did not stand for re-election.<ref>{{cite book |last=Bush |first=Graham |date=1991 |title=Advance in order: the Auckland City Council from centenary to reorganisation, 1971-1989 |publisher=Auckland City Council |isbn=0908834039 |pages=435 }}</ref>
From 1973 and in 1976 Walker was the founding president of Pacifica Inc, a nationwide Pacific women's organisation. She then joined the Pan Pacific South East Asian Women's Association in 1975, and was later their Peace Ambassador. She was involved in creating "peace gardens" in several countries including the Cook Islands, where she later lived after retiring in 1989. In 2009 she was one of 1000 "peace women" globally who were nominated for that year's Nobel Peace Prize.<ref name="Trailblazers"/>
In 2014 Walker returned to Auckland to live. She died there in July 2015 aged 98.<ref name="farewelled"/><ref name="Stories">{{cite web |url=https://www.nzfashionmuseum.org.nz/paddy-walker/ |first=Michal |last=McKay |title=Stories: Paddy Walker |work=New Zealand Fashion Museum |date=2018 |access-date=13 June 2024 }}</ref>
==Recognition== In the 1977 Queen's Silver Jubilee and Birthday Honours, Walker was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire, for services to the community and women's affairs.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=47237 |date=11 June 1977 |page=7128 |supp=4}}</ref> The Seumanutafa family, Chief of Apia provided her with the title Eleitino. One of the rooms at the Pioneer Women's Hall in Auckland is named in her honour.<ref name="Stories"/>
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Walker, Paddy}} Category:1916 births Category:2015 deaths Category:People from Pago Pago, American Samoa Category:American Samoan emigrants to New Zealand Category:People educated at St Cuthbert's College, Auckland Category:20th-century New Zealand women educators Category:20th-century New Zealand educators Category:New Zealand schoolteachers Category:New Zealand businesspeople in fashion Category:New Zealand women activists Category:New Zealand anti-war activists Category:20th-century New Zealand women politicians Category:American Samoan women in politics Category:Auckland City Councillors Category:New Zealand Officers of the Order of the British Empire