Tā Hirini Moko Mead awarded Te Huihuinga o Matariki, Lifetime Achievement at the Matariki Awards 2022

The greatest Ngāti Awa academic and scholar of our time, Tā Hirini Moko Mead, New Zealand anthropologist, historian, artist, teacher, writer, and prominent Māori and Ngāti Awa leader was awarded the Te Huihuinga o Matariki, Lifetime Achievement at the Matariki Awards 2022 last night in Tāmakimakaurau.

Our Ngāti Awa rangatira has not only helped to revitalise te reo māori te ao māori across the motu but leading many of the tribal affairs for our iwi of Ngāti Awa, establishing the Ngāti Awa Trust Board in 1980, the first representative body for the tribe in the 20th century. For almost 20 years the Trust Board helped to research and prepare Ngāti Awa’s case for historical redress with the Waitangi Tribunal. Founding leader of Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa and Te Whare Wananga o Awanuiarangi and the Ngāti Awa settlement process in returning the Mataatua Whare.

E whakahīhī ana mātou ōu uri ki a koe e te pāpā e te rangatira mo ō mahi rangatira e kore rawa tātou e wareware engari he kounga kua whakairihia hei pou whakawhirinaki, hei pou arataki i ngā uri o Ngāti Awa whānui.