Maarire Goodall Award 

The Maarire Goodall Award is a prestigious annual award supporting and celebrating the contributions of Māori health professionals.

 Overview

Maarire Goodall, raised in Murihiku, was a doctor-scientist, a writer, a musician and composer, a philanthropist, and a social justice champion. In the words of his son, Anake  he was an “example of the potential we all have to turn up and make statements that matter and, through selfless action, improve the wellbeing and opportunities of those around us”.

 He became an internationally feted Professor of cancer research specialising in genetics, carcinogenesis, radioactive tracers, the effects of inheritance and immunologic defects, dietary metals and organic toxins, the epidemiology and pathology of cancer, and theoretical studies using computer science, mathematics, virology and immunology.

He retired from cancer research in 1986 after a stint as the longest serving member of the WHO Expert Advisory Panel on Cancer.

Retirement mean’t immediately taking up a position as the first permanent judicial officer of the Waitangi Tribunal and helping to establish and direct tribunal procedures under their new legislation. He oversaw the hearing of claims including Bastion Point, Mangonui, Waiheke, Muriwhenua Fisheries, and the start of the Ngai Tahu Fisheries, bringing his administrative and intellectual skills to bear on the issues in front of the tribunal, laying the foundation for the next 20 years of historical claim inquiries.

 From 1990 he was Director and Editor of Aoraki Press Ltd, publishing Māori and English literature, music, history, and material of relevance to Ngāi Tahu and to New Zealand Māori interests. He worked with the Ngāi Tahu Māori Trust Board on major tribal projects and a huge force in Ngai Tahu development.

Anake said “he was perpetually curious and always – but always – interested in people and their journeys. Supporting emerging talent, in any field, to find its groove and flourish was a particular passion”. It is with these thoughts that Te ORA is proud to have the Maarire Goodall as its prestigious annual award supporting and celebrating the contributions of one of our number to the advancement of Māori health.

Current (2020) Recipient Maarire Goodall Award Recipient

2020 – Dr Diana Kopua

Dr Kopua’s work developing Mahi a Atua, a Māori approach to well-being which draws on the stories, narratives and healing practices of te ao Māori, has delivered significant health benefits for whānau and the services in the region of Turanganui A Kiwa. Being able to bring together her professional training and cultural knowledge to develop new treatment methodologies for Māori patients is a key activity in helping the psychiatry profession to develop, and increase relevance to the whānau and communities it serves, to help heal those who are unwell.

Immediate Past Recipient Maarire Goodall Award Recipient

2019 – Dr Rawiri Jansen,Ngāti Raukawa FRNZCGP, MBChB, BHB, BA, Dip Tchg, Grad Cert Clinical Teaching

Formerly a resource teacher of Māori language, Dr. Jansen completed his medical training at Middlemore Hospital in South Auckland in 2000. That was his second attempt at Medical School having interrupted his studies to be an activist and protestor (Māori land, Māori language, Nuclear Free Independent Pacific and 1981 Springbok Tour). Dr. Jansen provided clinical teaching, Te Reo and Tikanga Māori programmes for Māori health professionals throughout the country for several years. He has been Chairman of Te Ataarangi Trust (a national Māori language organisation), and Chairperson of Te Ohu Rata o Aotearoa (Māori Medical Practitioners Association). He has self-published a Māori medical phrase book in 2006.

Dr. Jansen’s main focus now is providing clinical leadership towards Māori health equity as a General Practitioner and Clinical Director for a Primary Healthcare Organisation.

Maarire Goodall Award Recipients

Dr. Maarire Goodall (1935 – 2015) Founding Member of Te ORA, Civil Rights Activist, Philanthropist.

Dr Maarire Goodall (Ngāi Tahu) graduated with a Bachelor of Medicine and a Bachelor of Surgery (MBChB) from the then University of New Zealand in 1959. Maarire served in Wakaari & Dunedin Hospitals, then studied carcinogenesis and endocrinology, graduating with an M.D. research degree in 1963 from the University of Otago – becoming ‘Dr Doctor’ to some (but Moeraki elders always called him Dr Spock).

He moved to the United States on a postdoc fellowship, and went on to work for nearly four years in the Chicago Medical School’s Institute for Medical Research where he became a Professor of Oncology. During his time in Chicago he was part of the “Freedom Riders” – groups of mainly young idealists from the north who rode buses into the heart of the southern states in support of the African American struggle for the right to vote in the South, and equality everywhere. They often got beaten up for their trouble. Several died.

In 1966 Maarire was called home to take up the opportunity of Head of the Department of Cancer Research at the University of Otago (1966-1985). After serving nearly twenty years with the Department he was about to take up a tenured professorship in the National Cancer Institute (and University of Maryland, USA), but at the last minute was asked instead to assist with research and procedure for the new Waitangi Tribunal. Maarire worked on establishing the Waitangi Tribunal for the next five years until cardiovascular ill health supervened.

During his career Maarire founded two charitable cancer research trusts: the Cancer Research Trust, and the Institute for Cancer Research Trust. Together these provide a large capital endowment that supports a full time research professor and several other cancer researchers at the University of Otago.

Amongst his other interests and achievements Maarire worked and studied Buddhism in Thailand early in his career; founded the Manawapopore Trust, focussed especially on Ngāi Tahu studies and Māori culture; then once ‘retired’ in late 1989 he became a gentleman publisher (his own description) founding the Aoraki Press which published Harry Evison’s history of the southern Māori, “Te Waipounamu”. The book won both the 1993 NZ Author’s Award and Montana non-fiction Book of the Year.

Maarire is well remembered by many Māori graduates of Otago Medical School.

“He called us together on a regular basis to feed us, support us and encourage us. It should be noted that to my knowledge he never cooked (unless it was a Māori Club hāngi) – he was well known to many Chinese restaurants and would cater for the gatherings of medical students by collecting chow mein or KFC party packs!” – recollection provided by Dr Rawiri Jansen.

Dr Tipene-Leach asked Maarire to join moves to establish Te ORA. Before the first AGM, when he was in Wellington Hospital having cardiac surgery and acutely aware of his own mortality, he established the Maarire Goodall Award for excellence in serving Māori and Pasifika health.

Maarire’s estate includes an endowment that supports the Award. The Maarire Goodall Award acknowledges and honours mid-career medical professionals who exemplify manaaki and are positive role models for younger generations. It is awarded annually with the recipients selected by members of the Te ORA executive. The Award is associated with the Maarire Goodall Oration which gives the recipient the opportunity to address the Te ORA membership.

Many of Dr Goodall’s original scientific papers, some tribal essays, and other information is available at www.academia.edu (search: Maarire Goodall), or in a few academic theses. Another recent account is in the Otago Medical School 50th year Graduation Reunion book “Leaders of the Future” (pp. 70-72) compiled by Dr H. Bramwell Cook, to whom thanks are due for the photograph.

Maarire was a lifelong student of the Māori language and its use in all of the traditional forms, and composed a number of waiata. One of his favourite whakatauākī is also one of the shortest:

“Kia ita!” – “Stay tight, Remain close together!”

Other Te ORA Awards

Paratene Ngata, Ngakau Ora Award

Tony Ruakere Iwi Health Award

Nga Rangatira Mataihapo, Te Oranga Award