Black Ferns player Portia Woodman is a finalist in the Matariki Awards. Photo/File
Black Ferns player Portia Woodman is a finalist in the Matariki Awards. Photo/File
A renowned actor, a top rugby player and a heavy metal band are among a group of Northlanders who are finalists in the Matariki Awards.
Now in its third year, Māori Television's Matariki Awards celebrates a wide range of Māori achievement.
This year seven finalists have links to Northland.
PortiaWoodman, finalist in the Te Waitā Award for Sport
Hailing from Kaikohe, top rugby player Portia Woodman has a list of achievements under her belt - including 2017 World Rugby Women's Player of the Year.
She was part of the Black Ferns team that won the Women's Rugby World Cup in 2017 and as a Black Ferns Sevens player Woodman recently brought home a Commonwealth Games gold medal.
Champion woodchopper Jason Wynyard. Photo/File
Jason Wynyard - finalist in the Te Waitā Award for Sport
Champion woodchopper Jason Wynyard started competing at 6 in the Opononi Axemen's Carnival.
He became a professional wood chopper in 1996, holds 27 New Zealand records and a number of world records.
Actor Rachel House. Photo/File
Rachel House - Te Waipuna-a-Rangi Award for Arts and Entertainment
Rachel House was raised in Whangārei and has worked as an actor in film, television and theatre ever since graduating from Toi Whakaari in 1992.
She was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to the Performing Arts in the 2017 Queen's Birthday Honours.
Waipu teenage thrash metal band Alien Weaponry. Photo/File
Alien Weaponry - Te Whetū Maiangi Award for Young Achievers
Waipū band Alien Weaponry brought Māori metal to life through their te reo Māori anthems.
Last year the boys picked up the esteemed APRA Maioha award, and were confirmed to play at Wacken, the world's biggest and most prestigious heavy metal festival in Germany.
Social entrepreneur Shay Wright. Photo/Supplied
Shay Wright - Te Whetū Maiangi Award for Young Achievers
Social entrepreneur Shay Wright grew up in the Far North and attended Kaitāia College, where he was head boy in 2007.
Wright co-founded Te Whare Hukahuka in 2015, developing a range of programmes to empower existing Māori leaders as well as training the next generation of Māori leaders.
