Nearly 100 years after her death, Oxford's first female Indigenous scholar honoured

"More than 100 years ago, a Maori woman packed up her life as a tour guide and entertainer in New Zealand and set off for England, where she would soon make history by enrolling at Oxford university. In a tragic turn, Makereti Papakura believed to be the first woman from an Indigenous community to study at the university died just weeks before completing her thesis, and in the decades since, her family has fought to have her degree recognised."

"In front of more than 100 family and iwi (tribal) members who travelled to Oxford to witness the honour, Papakura was posthumously awarded an MPhil in anthropology for her work documenting the life, language and customs of her Te Arawa people. Papakura's descendant, June Northcroft Grant, was teary as she accepted the certificate from the university's vice-chancellor. It was very surreal."

"Watching a livestream from the nearby Natural History Museum, dozens of her extended family launched into a thunderous haka as a mark of honour. Papakura's descendant June Northcroft Grant with Prof Irene Tracey, vice-chancellor of the University of Oxford after receiving the posthumous degree. Photograph: University of Oxford Born in New Zealand's Bay of Plenty region in 1873, Papakura grew up during a time of significant change for Maori, including the rapid loss of land, language and Indigenous knowledge as the grip of colonisation tightened."

Makereti Papakura traveled from New Zealand to England more than a century ago and enrolled at Oxford, believed to be the first Indigenous woman there. Born in 1873 in Bay of Plenty, she was raised by elders from Tuhourangi and Ngati Wahiao around Whakarewarewa and worked as a guide, entertainer and model, appearing on postcards. She researched and wrote about Te Arawa life, language and customs but died weeks before completing her thesis. Her family campaigned for recognition for decades. Last week Oxford posthumously awarded her an MPhil in anthropology; more than 100 family and iwi members attended, and her descendant June Northcroft Grant accepted the certificate.

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