Media Release – 5 June 2013
‘Kahungunu
Congratulates one of its Living Treasures’
The Ngāti Kahungunu Iwi Incorporated is very pleased to acknowledge and congratulate Professor Piri John Sciascia who was made an Officer of the Order of New Zealand for services to Māori arts, over the long weekend.
Professor Piri Sciascia is Te Toiahurei Pro Vice-Chancellor (Māori) at Victoria University of Wellington. He is from Ngāti Kahungunu and Kāi Tahu and has strong affiliations to Ngāti Raukawa and Ngāti Rangitāne.
His primary role is to provide strategic advice to the Vice-Chancellor and the Senior Management Team to assist Victoria University to meet its obligations under the Treaty of Waitangi. Also, as Toiahurei, Piri leads Toihuarewa – a faculty equivalent academic forum where Māori academic interests are examined, debated and discussed – and chairs Victoria's Treaty of Waitangi Advisory Committee.
Professor Piri Sciascia has worked with Ngāti Kahungunu Iwi Incorporated over the years as a valuable member of Ngāti Kere hapū / Rongomaraeroa Marae in Porangahau. He was one of the inaugural Directors on the Ngāti Kahungunu Asset Holding Company and is currently one of our four Taumata leaders identified as one of our traditional knowledge keepers.
ENDS