Cassidy Tangaere
Cassidy Tangaere, of Wellington, received the Insignia of a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit on 24 March 2009 for services to Māori language education. Mr Tangaere has contributed to the teaching of Māori language and culture for many years. He was an advisor in Māori and Pacific Island education with the Department of Education in Christchurch, where he helped improve teachers' capabilities in teaching te reo. He regularly translates English reports into Māori and is consulted on te reo by government departments. He has contributed to Learning Media publications and was a regular writer of comic strips for secondary schools.