K. T. H. Mataira receives Linguapax Language Award

Katerina Te Heikōkō Mataira receives Linguapax Language Award

Kāterina Te Heikōkō Mataira is the recipient of the 2009 Linguapax Award and will receive the award at a Parliamentary ceremony being hosted by Minister of Māori Affairs, Pita Sharples this afternoon.

Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori congratulates Katerina Te Heikōkō Mataira on this remarkable achievement.

The award is given annually by the Linguapax Institute based in Barcelona, Spain, a non-governmental organisation, established by UNESCO and dedicated to the preservation and promotion of linguistic diversity worldwide. Professor Miguel Angel Essombe will present the award to Katerina on behalf of the Linguapax Institute.

The award is given to linguists, researchers, professors and members of society in acknowledgement of their outstanding work in the field of linguistic diversity and/or multilingual education.

Katerina has been active for 30 years on Māori language issues. In the late 1970’s she co-developed, alongside Ngoingoi Pewhairangi, the Te Atārangi teaching method, a community based programme of Māori language learning in which native speakers of te reo Māori were trained to be tutors.

She also helped co-author Te Aho Matua, which as a charter provides the philosophical underpinnings for the kura kaupapa movement.

In 1996 Katerina was awarded an Honorary Doctorate by Waikato University in acknowledgement of her contribution to te reo Māori. A year later she was named in the Queen’s Honours List as a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit.

In 2001 she was awarded the Te Waka Toi Exemplary Award by Creative New Zealand in recognition of her lifetime contribution to te reo Māori.

ENDS

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