Maata Mahupuku

Maata Mahupuku aka Martha Grace (10 April 1890 – 15 January 1952) was descended from a New Zealand tribal leader. Of Māori descent, she identified with the Ngati Kahungunu iwi. She was the muse and lover of short story writer Katherine Mansfield.

Maata Mahupuku
Born1890
Greytown, New Zealand
Died1952
Palmerston North
NationalityNew Zealand
Other namesMartha Grace
OccupationLandowner
Known formuse of Katherine Mansfield

Life

Mahupuku was the granddaughter of a Maori chief, Wiremu Mahipuku.[1] She was born in Greytown, Wairarapa, New Zealand on 10 April 1890. Her father, Richard William Mahupuku, farmed sheep. He died when she was young and her mother, Emily Sexton, married another sheep farmer, Nathaniel Grace. She became known as Martha Grace.[2]

Martha Grace aka Maata Mahupuku in a school photo in 1901

She is perhaps best-remembered for her relationship with the writer Katherine Mansfield who was two years older than her,[1] initially while they both at school in Wellington and then later in London and by correspondence.[2]

Mahupuku inherited substantial land and despite her lawyer embezzling some of her funds she was a rich woman.[2] She married George McGregor and was a public figure where she lived in New Zealand.[3]

Mansfield started a novel about her which Mahupuku claimed to have a full text of, but after Mansfield's death only a chapter and a plan were found. This was later completed and published.[2]

gollark: As I SAID, silicon fabrication is literally the most capital-intensive industry in existence.
gollark: I mean, more macroscale parts, but easier to make.
gollark: Nope!
gollark: > Because smaller groups are shafted by the government.No, the government can't really stop you from forming small organizations and getting equipment and stuff, the issue is that research now requires lots of specialized expensive stuff and lots of people with deep knowledge of subjects together.
gollark: I mean, I think getting something which technically counts as a shelter is possible fairly easily, but not something nice and pleasant like a modern house.

References
  1. Katherine Mansfield; Gillian Boddy (1996). Katherine Mansfield: A "do You Remember" Life : Four Stories. Victoria University Press. p. 19. ISBN 978-0-86473-297-2.
  2. Angus, Barbara. "Maata Mahupuku". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 14 October 2018.
  3. Taonga, New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage Te Manatu. "Maata Mahupuku". Retrieved 14 October 2018.

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