Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Matariki - a time for maori to bestow honour

Congratulations to maori author Katerina Te Heikoko Mataira for being awarded the international Linguapax Award for her promotion of te reo Maori.

"Maori Affairs Minister Pita Sharples said Te Wa o te Reo Maori (Maori Language Week) was a good time to honour "a woman who has been at the forefront of Maori language revival"."

Perhaps around makariki we should have the maori awards. This could be when maori give out awards to people of this country around maoritanga or promotion of maori or support of maori. It would mean a lot more than Queens Service Medals and such like. We would be honouring our own - from all walks of life and we would be honouring them for their alignment with tangata whenua and the correct place of maori in our society.

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