Successful Bay Maori to be celebrated at awards

Graham Hoete (Mr G). Photo/file

Motiti Island artist Mr G, Whakatane Olympian Lisa Carrington and Rotorua couple Hohepa Tuahine and Kristen Ross are among the Bay's finalists in this year's Matariki Awards.

Māori Television and Te Puni Kōkiri have announced the award finalists, which celebrate and honour Māori talent and achievement across a broad range of fields and industries.

The awards will be hosted by Stacey Morrison and Pio Terei at the Auckland War Memorial Museum on July 21. The event will also be broadcast on Māori Television on the night.

Māori Television Chief Executive Paora Maxwell said he was thrilled with the calibre of finalists this year and the awards were an opportunity to acknowledge and honour those individuals and organisations whose passion, innovation and dedication was making a difference to our communities and country.

Each of the finalists across the eight categories demonstrate a high calibre of Māori success and accomplishment, helping to nurture and support the growth of the language and culture - both in Aotearoa and worldwide.

There will also be entertainment on the night, with live musical performances from Stan Walker, Koi Boys, and Kia Kaaterama Pou scheduled for the event and broadcast.

Below are the awards being celebrated on the night:

Te Waipuna-a-Rangi Award for Arts and Entertainment
The arts and entertainment category finalists are acclaimed actor and director Taika Waititi, Tangiwai Margaret Ria and visual artist Graham Hoete aka Mr G.

Te Waitā Award for Sport
In the sports category, rugby superstar Dane Stuart Coles is nominated for the award alongside Olympian Lisa Carrington and sprint champion Tupuria King.

Te Whetū Maiangi Award for Young Achievers
As a celebration of young Māori talent, the Young Achievers Award has a line-up of very impressive rangatahi Māori. New Zealand actor Julian Dennison, activist Laura O'Connell Rapira and social entrepreneur Shay Wright are the finalists for the award.

Te Tupu-ā-Nuku Award for Business & Innovation
Business innovation is important in the 21st century and these trailblazers are putting Māori initiatives and talent on the map. The finalists are Hohepa Tuahine and Kristen Ross of Pipi Ma, Grant Straker of Straker Translations, and Mavis Mullins of the Poutama Trust.

Te Tupu-ā-Rangi Award for Health & Science
The Health and Science category includes finalists Dr Elana Taipapaki Curtis for her work with Māori health initiatives and Professor Michael Walker and his work to target under-achievement among Māori and Pacific Island students.

Te Ururangi Award for Education
As an acknowledgement of their contribution to the Education sector, St Joseph's Māori Girls' College principal and visionary Dame Georgina Kingi, University of Otago Associate Dean (Māori) Joanne Baxter and Massey University's Whiti o Rehua School of Art Professor Robert (Bob) Jahnke are finalists at this year's awards.

Te Waitī Award for Te Reo & Tikanga
To celebrate their contribution to the revitalisation of Te Reo and Tikanga Māori, Professor William Te Rangiua (Pou) Temara, Victoria University Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Māori) Professor Rawinia Higgins, and Mahuru Māori movement pioneer Paraone Gloyne are nominated for the Te Waitī Award for Te Reo & Tikanga.

Hiwa i te Rangi Award for Community
The He Korowai Trust, the Te Puea Memorial Marae, and the Key to Life Charitable Trust have all been recognised as champions of outstanding contributions to community programmes and initiatives.

On the night the recipient of the new Te Toi o Nga Rangi Lifetime Achievement Award will be announced. Special recognition will also be given to the recipient of the Te Tohu Tiketike o Matariki Supreme Award - an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to the wellbeing of the nation through their achievements.

Watch the Matariki Awards live on July 21 at 8.30pm on Māori Television.