Mokataufoou Sipeli, of Wellington, QSO, for services to the Niue community and education
Mrs Sipeli established the first Niue Language Nest in Wellington and was a founding member of the Niue Aoga Tama Ikiiki playgroups in Alicetown, Newtown and Cannons Creek. She is involved with the Porirua language nest Aoga Tama Ikiiki. She helped establish New Zealand’s first tri-lingual Pacific kindergarten, Toru Fetu Kindergarten in Cannons Creek. She has written children’s stories in the Niue language for New Zealand school journals and has done translation work for government departments, churches and community organisations. She teaches the art of traditional Niue weaving, and several of her works are held by Te Papa Tongarewa. Mrs Sipeli helped organise the first biennial conference of Hulaaga Vagahau Niue, a network of Niue teachers and others vested in promoting the Niue language.