Tangiwai Ria, of Gisborne, MNZM, for services to Māori performing arts and the community
Mrs Ria has led the kapa haka group Waihīrere over three decades, including to three national victories. She has taken New Zealand groups to the World Expo, the Royal Albert Hall in London, the Commonwealth Games at Kuala Lumpur, and the Pacific Arts Festival in Palau. She was Chair of the Trustees for Parihimanihi Marae in Waihīrere. She mentors the Eco-Warriors, a group of Māori youth involved in preserving and restoring the Waihīrere Domain. Mrs Ria is a Trustee of Te Aitanga a Mahaki Trust, which leads the Treaty claims process for the iwi, and Te Rūnanga o Tūranganui a Kiwa, which represents the three iwi of the Gisborne area.