Chrissy Witoko
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Chrissy Witoko | |
|---|---|
 Plaque commemorating Witoko in Wellington, New Zealand | |
| Born | September 11, 1944 Hastings, New Zealand |
| Died | November 5, 2002 (aged 58) |
| Occupation | Business Owner |
Chrissy Witoko (11 September 1944 - 2002) was a business owner and prominent figure in Aotearoa New Zealand's LGBTQIA+ community.[1] She was known for establishing and operating the Evergreen Coffee Lounge.[2]
Early life and family[edit]
Witoko was born in Heretaunga/Hastings, New Zealand on 11 September 1944.[1][3]
She was of Ngāti Kahungunu descent.[4]
Career[edit]
Witoko moved to Te Whanganui-a-Tara/Wellington in 1950 and worked in various clubs and cafes.
In 1984, Witoko established the Evergreen Coffee Lounge on Vivian Street. The site had previously been a coffee lounge run by Carmen Rupe.[2] The Evergreen Coffee Lounge became a prominent meeting space for Wellllington's LGBTQIA+ community. It has since been noted that Witoko's coffee lounge was a "safe space" in an era before gay and transgender law reforms.[5] It also served as meeting point for protest, and a drop-in center, particularly for sex workers needing shelter.[6]
Witoko received several awards for her work including a Glammie's Award for community service, and an Alfie's award for personality of the year.[2]
Personal life[edit]
Witoko was an openly transgender woman. She had a partner called Andrew and helped raise his son, Nikora.
Witoko died on 5 November 2002 and the Evergreen Coffee Lounge was closed shortly thereafter. [1][4]
Legacy[edit]
Wikoto's coffee lounge was known for its photo collages. These have been preserved and are within the collection of Te Papa.[5]
In 2003, following Wikoto's death, the After Life Memorial Trust was renamed the Chrissy Witoko Memorial Trust. The main focus of the trust was originally to provide dignified funerals for those with HIV/AIDS, but it has since widened its scope to a range of LGBTQIA+ support systems.[7]
In 2022, a park bench was erected in Witoko's memory on the corner of Vivian Street and Cuba Street, Wellington.[4]
References[edit]
- ^ a b c "Timeline: All » PrideNZ.com". www.pridenz.com. Retrieved 2024-03-07.
- ^ a b c Townsend, Lynette. "Queen of the Evergreen". collections.tepapa.govt.nz. Retrieved 2024-03-07.
- ^ "Memorial Seats For Two Icons Of Wellington's Takatāpui Rainbow Communities". www.scoop.co.nz. 2 September 2022. Retrieved 2024-03-07.
- ^ a b c McCallum, Hanna (15 October 2022). "Wellington's transgender icons celebrated for creating 'safe havens' at a time there was nowhere else to go". www.stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 2024-03-07.
- ^ a b Watkins, Gareth (2 July 2022). "Remembering the Evergreen Coffee House and Chrissy Witoko". www.pridenz.com. Retrieved 2024-03-07.
- ^ Hansen, William Owen (2020). "Every Bloody Right To Be Here": Trans Resistance in Aotearoa New Zealand, 1967-1989 (Master of Arts in History thesis). Victoria University of Wellington.
- ^ "The Chrissy Witoko Memorial Trust". Express Magazine. 2021-05-05. Retrieved 2024-03-07.