Hawke's Bay features in the highest of the New Zealand honours for the second time in a row, with the knighting of Maori language bastion Professor Timoti Karetu QSO in the Queen's Birthday list announced this month.
The 80-year-old Havelock North resident, Hastings-born Sir Timoti has been created Knight Companion of the Order of New Zealand (KNZM), just five months after the 2017 New Year Honours bestowing of a DNZM on the principal of St Joseph's Maori Girls' College in Napier, now Dame Georgina Kingi.
Sir Timoti, who lives in Havelock North and has a bach at Waimarama, is currently in Egypt with elite Maori speakers group Te Panekiretanga. He is one of four Knights and two Dames created in the list, the highest honour of Knight Grand Companion (GNZM) going to former Prime Minister, now Sir John Key.
Sir Timoti is also one of at least 11 people in or from Hawke's Bay among the 186 recognised nationwide in this month's announcement which has a strong focus on services to Maori and community in the region.
Among others with Hawke's Bay connections are Dunedin-based veteran actor and presenter Peter Hayden, a former pupil of Hastings' St John's College, and Christchurch man Lee Robinson, who had lived in the Bay as solicitor for the Land Titles office in Napier in 1975-77 and who receives an MNZM for services to the community and sport.
Sir Timoti is the son of the late Tame Karetu and Mauwhare Taiwera and went to school at Waimarama, Kokako and Huriarau Maori schools and Wellington College, before training at Wellington Teachers' College, and studying at Victoria University, from where he graduated with a BA in 1959.
He started teaching at Taumarunui High School the following year, and spent six years as information officer at the New Zealand High Commission in London, before returning to teaching at Fairfield College in Hamilton, where he also became part-time lecturer at Waikato University, starting a tie to the campus now in its 48th year. He was Maori Language Commissioner in 1987-1990 and has published the language text Te Reo Rangatira in 1975 and the Concise Maori Dictionary revised in 1984.