Tuihana Pook, QSM, Opotiki
For services to Māori education and the community. Mrs Tuihana Pook has been involved with education for more than 45 years with a focus on Māori, the survival and maintenance of te reo Māori, and supporting her local community. She is the Tumuaki of Te Kura Mana Māori o Whangaparaoa, where traditional values, beliefs and concepts are reinforced and there is a commitment to creating opportunities for future career pathways for students. She taught and held positions of responsibility in a large number of primary schools from 1978 to 1990. She is highly regarded within her Te Whānau-ā-Apanui and Ngāti Porou communities. She manages events ranging from local whanau activities to those of national significance. She is a member or chairperson of a number of committees and land trusts.