Professor Tom Roa, of Hamilton, CNZM for services to Māori language and education
Professor Tom Roa (Ngāti Maniapoto, Waikato, Ngāti Apakura) was a prominent leader in the 1972 Māori Language Petition, the recognition of te reo Māori as an official language of New Zealand, and the launch of Te Wiki o te Reo Māori. He is a Professor in Te Pua Wānanga ki te Ao, The Faculty of Māori and Indigenous Studies at the University of Waikato. He has contributed to Kaupapa Māori research, education governance, tikanga-based practice, and global conversations about indigenous language systems. He has served on the governance boards of Waikato-Tainui, Maniapoto and the Apakura Runanga Trust and on the Māori Heritage Council and New Zealand Māori Tourism Board. Professor Roa is a Waitangi Tribunal member and Principal Investigator with Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga and Te Pūnaha Matatini.