Georgina Te Heuheu among Te Arawa mothers honoured

MEDIA RELEASE

4TH July 2012

Georgina Te Heuheu among Te Arawa mothers honoured for Matariki

As Te Arawa women prepare to ‘step out’ for a night with the stars, seven Te Arawa women will be honoured in a star studded evening next Friday at the Distinction Hotel in Rotorua.

"Our Te Arawa whānau are eagerly anticipating the 2nd Annual Matariki Te Arawa Dinner & Awards where the women of Te Arawa are acknowledged for their untiring tribal commitment and dedication in their respective areas of expertise in Education, Public Service, Marae and Hapu development, Tourism and Maori performing arts" said Event co-organiser Te Ringahuia Hata.

Hailed as the "greatest night out for women in Te Arawa" by adoring fans and guests from last year, the event has been touted as the leading tribal awards ceremony and first of its’ kind nationwide.

The 2011 Inaugural Matariki Te Arawa Dinner & Awards was a huge success which sold out with more than 500 attendees representing at least 35 Maori Trusts and Incorporations within the Te Arawa and Tuwharetoa Region.

“We were delighted with the positive and huge response last year from Te Arawa for an event of this kind however this year we decided to honour the mothers of Te Arawa, the unsung heroines of the tribe whose contributions are often not acknowledged enough or even known. We will continue to showcase our wahine and their contribution to our people by celebrating them at this annual event” said Event co-organiser Te Ringahuia Hata.

Corporate tables have almost sold out and with only a week and half out, the names of the final recipients have been released with the following Te Arawa mothers being honoured: Donna Grant, Dr Cathy Dewes, Bea Yates, Georgina Te Heuheu, Ngamoni Huata, Punohu McCauseland and Norma Sturley. The prestigious awards for the evening have been kindly sponsored by Te Puia, who are a gold sponsor at the event along with Te Wananga o Aotearoa.

The awards ceremony will take place between 6-8pm and the concert will start at 8:30pm with the return again of Betty-Anne Monga and Ardijah who were also instrumental in the success of last year’s event in honouring emerging rangatahi musicians and artists.

ENDS

© Scoop Media