Mabel Te Aowhaitini Mangakahia, Date of Birth, Date of Death

Mabel Te Aowhaitini Mangakahia

Ngati Whanaunga and Te Rarawa; district nurse

Date of Birth: 04-Sep-1899

Date of Death: 23-Aug-1940

Profession: nurse

Nationality: New Zealand

Zodiac Sign: Virgo

Mabel Te Aowhaitini Mangakahia (4 September 1899–23 August 1940) was a New Zealand district nurse who provided health support to Maori communities across the North Island.
She was the most eminent and successful Maori nurse of her day. Of Maori descent, she identified with the Ngati Whanaunga and Te Rarawa iwi.
She was born in Whangapoua, Thames/Coromandel, New Zealand on 4 September 1899.She attended Auckland Girls' Grammar School and Queen Victoria School for Maori Girls.She completed her general nursing studies in Auckland in 1923.
In 1939 Mabel became one of the first Maori women to complete a postgraduate nursing studies course.
The image, taken in Wellington, is of her graduating class.
In 1925 she became assistant district health nurse in Rawene.
She was one of a few qualified Maori district nurses serving Maori communities.
After taking a midwifery course in 1928 she transferred to Auckland as a district nurse in 1929.
In 1930 she transferred to Tokaanu where the Tuwharetoa Trust Board contributed to the upkeep of her position.
In the 1930s she worked in Otaki, Te Araroa and Hamilton.
Much of her work involved travel to and from Maori communities. Mabel died of cancer in 1940 aged 40.
She is buried at Whangapoua.