Victoria University's deputy vice chancellor Maori Rawinia Higgins says it's an honour for the university to present a controversial Maori legal scholar with an honorary doctorate in law.
Moana Jackson, who graduated from the university's law school in 1969, has made waves both in Aotearoa with his ground-breaking research on Maori and the criminal justice system and internationally with his work on indigenous rights.
Professor Higgins says he is a master of words.
"I've admired his ability to create the narrative that helps us understand social injustice but also reflecting on our people and if we believe in ourselves we can move forward and be successful and I think he walks the talk around promotion of tino rangatiratanga," she says.
Another highlight of the graduation ceremony at Te Herenga Waka Marae on December 15 will be the award of a doctorate to Vini Olsen-Reeder, the first PhD candidate at Victoria to submit a thesis in te reo Maori.
PROFESSOR RAWINIA HIGGINS INTERVIEW
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