Māori and Pacific Health Leaders Gather at Waipapa Marae to Honour Pioneer Professor Colin Mantell

AUCKLAND — Generations of Māori and Pacific health professionals gathered at Waipapa Marae on Wednesday, 11 November 2026, to honour the enduring legacy of Emeritus Professor Colin Mantell. A pioneer in medical education and a specialist in obstetrics and gynaecology, Professor Mantell (Ngāi Tahu) passed away peacefully on 3 October 2026, following a career that spanned more than six decades. Professor Mantell is celebrated as the inaugural Professor of Māori and Pacific Health at the University of Auckland and the founding chair of the Māori and Pacific Admission Scheme (MAPAS). During the kawe mate held at Waipapa Taumata Rau, colleagues and health leaders reflected on his pivotal role in creating a more equitable health system. Professor David Tipene-Leach (Pōrangahau, Ngāti Kere and Ngāti Manuhiri) described Mantell as a visionary who grew the MAPAS scheme from just a few entries per year to its current significant scale. In the late 1990s, Mantell was a driving force behind Vision 20:20, a kaupapa dedicated to increasing the representation of Māori and Pacific people across Aotearoa’s health workforce. This initiative led to the creation of the Certificate in Health Sciences (Hikitia Te Ora), a foundation programme designed to support students in their journey toward health professional study. RNZ reports that Mantell championed an approach where students were supported based on their individual potential rather than being left at risk of failure. Professor Papaarangi Reid, Tumuaki of Te Kupenga Hauora Māori, told RNZ that generations of students have walked through doors that Mantell helped open. She noted that his legacy continues through the communities served by these professionals and the ongoing work of MAPAS. Attendees at the ceremony highlighted his lifelong commitment to addressing health inequities, particularly those affecting Māori and Pacific infants, which originally spurred his transition from clinical practice to systemic educational reform.