Te Matatini chair, Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Porou chair and director Tā Herewini Parata is today being made a Knight Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit.
He was awarded the honour in June 2023 by King Charles III.
Tā Herewini has been a significant leader and advocate for iwi, hapū, and whānau across Aotearoa on various key issues throughout his career. He joined the board of Te Ohu Kaimoana in November 2015 and has consistently prioritised the interests of iwi in his decision-making.
For the past 47 years, Tā Herewini has served Ngāti Porou, including roles as trustee of Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Porou since 1987 and its successor Te Rūnanganui o Ngāti Porou since 2012, holding positions as deputy chair and then chair.
He was also part of Te Haeata, the Ngāti Porou Treaty Negotiation, and recently co-chaired the Tairāwhiti Rau Tipu Rau Ora leadership group, established to manage responses to Covid-19, future pandemics, and natural disasters.
You can watch his investiture here: