Mr Rāwiri Paratene, of Auckland, CNZM for services to Māori, film and theatre
Mr Rāwiri Paratene, of Auckland, CNZM for services to Māori, film and theatre
Rāwiri Paratene is an acclaimed actor, writer and director for stage and screen, who has been active over five decades. He has advocated for the use of te reo Māori and is a member of the Ngā Tamatoa movement campaigning for the teaching of Māori in schools, having founded the Wellington branch. He has directed on language-learning shows ‘Kōrero Mai’ and ‘Whānau’. He is a Trustee of the South Pacific Whale Research Consortium and of Te Paepae Ataata, which funds the development of Māori cinema. He returned after many years off screen in the Cook Islands feature ‘Stranded Pearl’ and television comedy series ‘Golden Boy’. Mr Paratene’s most recent live performance was ‘Peter Paka Paratene’ at Te Pou Theatre in Auckland and the Kia Mau Festival in Wellington.