Oxford Honours Mākereti Papakura With Posthumous Degree

On Saturday, 27 September 2025 the descendants of Mākereti Papakura, the pioneering Māori scholar believed to be the first indigenous woman to study at Oxford, were presented with her degree certificate, an MPhil Anthropology almost a century after her matriculation.

More than 100 people travelled from Aotearoa New Zealand to mark the occasion, attending events that reflected both Oxford and Māori traditions.

The University graduation ceremony took place at the Sheldonian Theatre and was presided over by Professor Irene Tracey, Vice Chancellor of the University of Oxford, who presented Mākereti’s degree certificate to her relative June Northcroft Grant. This was followed by a special ceremony at the Oxford University Museum of Natural History, the site of the inaugural Mākereti Papakura Lecture in 2022. The ceremony featured a karanga welcoming their spirit and whānau and a haka pōwhiri, as well as speeches and musical performances from representatives of Mākereti’s iwi, Tūhourangi.

Speaking on behalf of Mākereti’s descendants, June Northcroft Grant said;

“Mākereti Papakura has been a legend in our family for over a hundred years. We learned about her prowess as a guide, an entrepreneur, an entertainer, an astute businesswoman and an academic scholar when our parents and grandparents talked about her and their memories of her. Our family have been quietly and patiently telling her story over many decades about her thesis ‘The Old Time Māori’; knowing how important and faithful the stories from her grandparents were to the future generations. We never imagined that her work would be lauded and acknowledged. We, the Ihaia whanau of Ngāti Wāhiao are humbled by the recognition and conferment of this great honour from Oxford University and all those individuals who were instrumental in making this happen”

Professor Irene Tracey, Vice Chancellor of the University of Oxford said:

“It is wonderful that so many of Mākereti’s descendants and community have travelled so far to join us in Oxford to celebrate this remarkable woman. We are delighted to recognise her academic achievements with a posthumous MPhil Degree and to acknowledge her influence as a scholar and as an inspiration to many in the Māori community and beyond.”

Born in Aotearoa New Zealand in 1873, Mākereti is believed to be the first indigenous woman to matriculate to the University in 1927. She enrolled to read Anthropology at the Pitt Rivers Museum, where much of the teaching was conducted at the time, and at the Society of Home Students, now St Anne’s College. In her groundbreaking research for her studies at Oxford, she explored the customs of her people of Te Arawa from a female perspective. Her scholarship, combined with her indigenous worldview, earned her the respect of many Oxford academics at the time, and has gone on to be celebrated by members of Māori communities and researchers worldwide.

Tragically, Mākereti died in 1930, just weeks before she was due to present her thesis. With the agreement of her family, Mākereti’s good friend, Rhodes Scholar, and fellow Oxford anthropologist, T.K. Penniman, posthumously published her work, in a book titled The Old-Time Māori. It became the first ethnographic study published by a Māori author and is recognised as such by the New Zealand Royal Society.

The decision to award Mākereti a posthumous degree was announced earlier this year following efforts by her family, leading Māori education advocate Evie O’Brien, the School of Anthropology and Museum Ethnography, Pitt Rivers Museum and St Anne’s College, which were wholeheartedly supported by the Vice-Chancellor.

Evie O’Brien, Te Kura Toroa Chief Executive of Te Wānanga o Aotearoa, former Executive Director of the Atlantic Institute, Rhodes Trust and Board Member for the Pitt Rivers Museum said:

“Mākereti paved the way for Māori women at Oxford, myself included. I had the honour of connecting more deeply with her life during my time as Executive Director at Atlantic Institute based at Rhodes Trust. It is wonderful to be back in Oxford to see her work and contribution recognised by the University with the award of a posthumous degree. While Mākereti had a deep connection with her home and people in Aotearoa she also had a special connection with Oxford, choosing to be buried in Oddington, Oxfordshire, so it is fitting that we are marking this historic occasion with events reflecting both Oxford and Māori traditions.”

Professor Clare Harris, Head of the School of Anthropology and Museum Ethnography said:

“We are delighted that the exceptional achievements of Mākereti have been recognised with the award of a posthumous MPhil degree. Mākereti was a trailblazer: not only was she the first indigenous woman to study at Oxford, but her work was also truly groundbreaking. Her legacy as an inspiration to many people in Aotearoa New Zealand, the Māori community worldwide, and scholars and students internationally, continues to this day.”

Professor Ngaire Woods, Dean of the Blavatnik School of Government and former Rhodes Scholar from Aotearoa said:

“It is exceptional for Oxford to award a posthumous degree and I am particularly delighted that the University is making an award to Mākereti Papakura. Her scholarship during her Oxford studies was brilliant and path-breaking, and later published as a book “The Old-Time Maori”. It was given to me when I left New Zealand as a young Rhodes Scholar in 1987, and it was truly humbling to read it as I travelled to Oxford to take up my own studies."

Note:

Te Wānanga o Aotearoa is proud to support the recognition of Mākereti Papakura and her remarkable contribution to the preservation and advancement of mātauranga Māori. As a wāhine Māori whose leadership, determination, and commitment to her culture shone through at a time when these things were so often dismissed or overlooked, Mākereti continues to inspire us.

As we celebrate 40 years of Te Wānanga o Aotearoa, we also honour those like Mākereti who paved the way – showing what it means to stand firm in your identity, to share your stories, and to lead with courage. Her legacy speaks to the very heart of our kaupapa: empowering whānau through education grounded in te ao Māori and tikanga Māori.

For our Te Kura Toroa Chief Executive, Evie O’Brien, this recognition holds personal significance. She is a current board member for the Pitt Rivers Museum and during her time as Executive Director of the Atlantic Institute, Rhodes Trust in Oxford, Evie had the privilege of helping to bring Mākereti’s story to the fore.

It is with deep respect that we join Mākereti’s whānau, her iwi, hapū and the wider Māori community in celebrating this long-overdue acknowledgement of her bravery and her lasting contribution to indigenous education and cultural leadership.

About Te Wānanga o Aotearoa

Te Wānanga o Aotearoa is a respected, uniquely Māori tertiary education provider, delivering a wide range of programmes to tauira throughout Aotearoa. For 40 years, it has been dedicated to promoting and preserving te reo Māori and mātauranga Māori, supporting learners and communities across the motu.

About the University of Oxford

Oxford University has been placed number 1 in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings for the ninth year running, and number 3 in the QS World Rankings 2024.

Oxford is world-famous for research and teaching excellence and home to some of the most talented people from across the globe. Our work helps the lives of millions, solving real-world problems through a huge network of partnerships and collaborations. The breadth and interdisciplinary nature of our research alongside our personalised approach to teaching sparks imaginative and inventive insights and solutions.

About the School of Anthropology and Museum Ethnography

The School of Anthropology and Museum Ethnography at the University of Oxford is the largest anthropology department in the UK. Through our uniquely wide-ranging approach we produce internationally recognised research, and our teaching engages with all kinds of contemporary issues. Our department is highly diverse and international, with over 70% of our students taking graduate level degrees coming from outside the UK. Our work is guided by an ethos of openness, tolerance and respect for all.

About St Anne’s College

St Anne’s is one of Oxford’s largest colleges, with over 800 students. Our Fellows’ world leading research ranges across the arts, humanities, social sciences, mathematics, and physical, life and medical sciences. From its founding as the Society of Oxford Home-Students in 1879, St Anne’s College has always been about widening access to an Oxford education. It uniquely enabled women from the UK and many other countries to attend lectures and tutorials whilst living more flexibly and affordably than the other women’s halls, at home or in lodgings across the city. Since 1952 it has been a full College of the University of Oxford, welcoming both male and female students since 1979.

About the Pitt Rivers Museum

The Pitt Rivers Museum is one of the leading museums of anthropology and archaeology in the world. Part of the University of Oxford, it was established in 1884 and now stewards over 700,000 objects in the collections, including photographs, manuscripts and films. The Museum, which welcomed over 500,000 visitors in 2024, carries out world-leading conservation and research and is renowned for its innovative public programmes and collaborative work with both local and global communities. Recognised for its pioneering work engaging with its colonial past, the Museum is a much-loved Victorian space challenging old perceptions, inspiring new audiences and building lasting relationships, demonstrating the vital role museums can play in contemporary society.

© Scoop Media