Purity Rimaha is the first to be presented the Rotorua Girls' High School Dux trophy dedicated to the memory of Makereti (Maggie) Papakura (inset). Photos / Supplied
When a beaming Purity Rimaha walked across the hall stage and was handed her school Dux trophy, it was a more special moment than most.
The trophy isn’t just a symbol of her hard work academically. It is a reminder that Māori women have and can achieve anything.
Her trophy has been crafted to honour the memory of one of New Zealand’s most inspiring Māori leaders, the late Mākereti (Maggie) Papakura.
The completed trophy was awarded for the first time at the Rotorua Girls’ High School senior prizegiving this year.
Rimaha said hearing her name called out was incredibly special.
“It was a huge honour and the moment felt so unreal. I’m the first in my family to receive a Dux so that is significant for my family.”
The honour she felt reflects that of those descended from Papakura, a famous guide and entertainer from Rotorua’s Whakarewarewa Village.
More than 100 whānau and iwi members travelled to Britain in September to be part of a graduation ceremony at the University of Oxford, where Papakura was posthumously awarded her Master of Philosophy and Anthropology degree.
It is believed Papakura was the first woman from an indigenous community to study at the university.
She died in 1930, aged 56, three weeks before her thesis was due and therefore never received her degree.
In the decades since, her family, led by her granddaughter, Rotorua’s June Grant, compiled her writings and fought to have her degree recognised.
This year, her whānau’s wish was granted at a graduation ceremony on September 27 when Grant accepted Papakura’s certificate from the university’s vice-chancellor.
Papakura was posthumously awarded the degree for her work documenting the life, language and customs of Te Arawa people.
Grant told the Rotorua Daily Post the degree was significant not only for Māori women, but women generally.
“We are talking about a time when women weren’t allowed to do these things. If they could study, it was done in the back corridors of the colleges.”
The Mākereti Papakura Taonga – Dux trophy was created by Brady Walker and took three years to complete.
At the school’s prizegiving, Grant explained the different parts of the trophy, saying it had a rimu base, and the representation of Papakura is carved from tōtara.
The korowai wrapped around her represents her whakapapa and her knowledge, and her moko kauae carries the form of the ruru – the guardian of wisdom and insight – reflecting her lifelong pursuit of learning and understanding.
The outer surface of her korowai is matte, symbolising her humility, while the inner surface shines brightly to represent how Papakura’s light continues to shine.
Grant said the colours red, black and white were woven through the design, which relate to her Ngāti Wahio ancestry.
Rotorua Girls’ High School principal Sarah Davis told the Rotorua Daily Post the trophy was a fitting tribute to Papakura and the school was honoured to receive it from the whānau for its top academic prize.
“It creates that legacy and hope that Maggie will not be the last woman from Rotorua who can go on to great things like studying at Oxford. It’s not just about going back, it’s about going forward.”
She said the Dux award was officially renamed in 2023, with Maumahara-A-Kētia Pukeroa named Dux that year and Neve Allibone named in 2024.
Both of their names will be on the trophy along with Rimaha’s, who was the first to be officially presented the taonga.
“It’s almost fitting that the whānau went to the UK first to receive Maggie’s degree before the trophy was officially given to the school.”
Like Papakura, Rimaha wants to put her academic skills to good use.
The Ngāti Tahu-Ngāti Whaoa descendant is one of six children and credits her parents for her work ethic.
“I can’t think of anyone who works harder than them.”
Along with her academic achievements, Rimaha is keen on the arts, involved in the school’s choir and has performed in three school productions – the most recent playing PE teacher Miss Meyers in Freaky Friday.
She is one of 24 selected by the Sharekspeare Globe Centre New Zealand Young Shakespeare Company to perform at the Globe Theatre in London next year.
Next year she will also begin studying sociology at Victoria University.
She aspires to work for the Ministry of Education, where she hopes to improve the education system, especially for Māori.
“They are usually the ones that are struggling, and I want to change that.”
Kelly Makiha is a senior journalist who has reported for the Rotorua Daily Post for more than 25 years, covering mainly police, court, human interest and social issues.