Cliff Curtis is a finalist in the Matariki Awards held next month. Photo/Supplied
Rotorua's Cliff Curtis is among the finalists announced for the Matariki Awards which celebrates extraordinary Maori talent and achievement across a broad range of fields and industries.
The inaugural awards, presented by Maori Television and Te Puni Kokiri, will be hosted by Stacey Morrison and Matai Smith on June 26
at Auckland War Memorial Museum and will be accompanied by a special 90 minute live broadcast on Māori Television.
The event and broadcast will also feature live performances by Ria Hall and The Modern Māori Quartet.
In homage to the seven stars of Matariki, there are seven award categories and the Te Tohu Tiketike o Matariki Supreme Award which will be presented to one of the finalists recognising outstanding commitment to Aotearoa and kaupapa Māori.
The aim of the awards is to support the success of Maori in a range of areas and help nurture the language and culture.
The categories include the Te Waipuna-a-Rangi Award for Arts and Entertainment that sees strong contenders such as acclaimed Rotorua actor Cliff Curtis and singing super star Stan Walker selected alongside Venice Biennale 2017 artist, Lisa Reihana.
Convenor of Judges Paora Maxwell is looking forward to the awards that celebrate the top Maori success stories of the past year.
"It's a great honour for Maori Television in association with Te Puni Kokiri to recognise the remarkable talent across so many different industries and sectors and we're immensely proud of this year's finalists. We look forward to gathering during Matariki to celebrate the new year and the great achievements of each of the finalists."
Watch Ngā Whetū o Matariki on Saturday, June 11, 18, and 25 at 8pm on Māori Television.
Watch the Matariki Awards live on Sunday, June 26 at 8.30pm on Māori Television.
CATEGORIES:
