Te Pūtahitanga o Te Waipounamu is delighted to see the remarkable gift of leadership and the art of legacy building celebrated in this year’s Queen’s Birthday Honours. Pouārahi/CE Helen Leahy says that several members of the Whānau Ora community have received well-deserved honours, including Professor Angus Hikairo Macfarlane, Hoani Sydney Langsbury and Gina Solomon, Tracey Wright-Tawha, Mairehe Louise Tankersley, the Hon Ruth Suzanne Dyson, and Posenai Samoa Mavaega and Tanya Soliali’i Mavaega.

Professor Angus Hikairo Macfarlane’s appointment as a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit recognises his international scholarship in areas such as the Hikairo Schema (a bicultural approach to positive behaviour), the Educultural Wheel, his research model He Ara Whiria, and the development of Te Rū Rangahau, the Māori research laboratory at the University of Canterbury.

“Professor Macfarlane has demonstrated distinctive thought leadership in advancing cultural theory in education and psychology,” says Ms Leahy. “It is wonderful to see this acknowledged in tis year’s Queen’s Birthday Honours.

“It is also wonderful to see the impact of decades of devotion to conservation and kaitiakitanga being celebrated with the honour of Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit being awarded to Hoani Sydney Langsbury of Ōtākou and Gina Solomon of Kaikōura.”

Hoani Langsbury has invested his time widely as the chair of the Otago Conservation Board, a trustee on the Yellow-eyed Penguin Trust, the Otago Biodiversity Group, coordinator for the reintroduction of the Buff Weka to the East Coast of the South Island and an active Tangata Tiaki for Te Rūnanga o Ōtākou.

Gina Solomon was instrumental in the creation of Kaikōura (Te Tai o Marokura) Marine Management Act 2014, legislation which protects the unique coastline of the region, establishing marine reserves and sanctuaries, and creating the advisory committee Kaikōura Marine Guardians.

“We also congratulate Tracey Wright-Tawha from Ōraka Aparima for the visionary leadership in establishing Ngā Kete Mātauranga Pounamu Trust in Murihiku 21 years ago, that has led to her appointment as a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit,” says Ms Leahy. “Ngā Kete is a key partner for Te Pūtahitanga o Te Waipounamu and Tracey has been a vocal and vivacious advocate for whānau of Murihiku.”

Te Pūtahitanga o Te Waipounamu is also delighted to recognise Mairehe Louise Tankersley who has been honoured for her work with those in prisons, in her role of Pou Tikanga. “Whaea Louise is well-loved and recognised for her roles as Kaiwhakamana and as a Te Ihu Waka Tikanga Māori programme facilitator in Canterbury prisons,” says Ms Leahy.

“We also recognise the selfless commitment of Hon Ruth Suzanne Dyson, honoured today as a Companion of the Queen’s Service Order for services as a MP and to people with disabilities.” Ruth Dyson is New Zealand’s first Minister for Disability Issues and provided important leadership in progressing recognition of New Zealand Sign Language, and leading negotiation in the United Nations on a new Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

Husband and wife dynamic duo, Posenai Samoa Mavaega (Pos) and Tanya Soliali'i Mavaega (Tanya Muagututi’a) are honoured for service to Pacific performing arts, particularly the establishment over 25 years ago of Pacific Underground in Christchurch. “Pacific Underground is the longest running Pacific contemporary performing arts organisation in New Zealand and has laid the ground for so many talented Pasifika performers to flourish,” says Ms Leahy.

“Te Pūtahitanga o Te Waipounamu congratulates all those who have been honoured in the Queen’s Birthday Honours, and recognises too the love and sacrifices of their whānau.”

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