Mr Wihongi is chief executive of Te Runanga o Ngapuhi, the Kaikohe-based organisation that leads the growth of Ngapuhi. Before that he was the runanga's general manager of hapu and iwi development for 11 years.
He personally meets many families and listens to their concerns.
"We talk about their aspirations. It's about knowing how to achieve their aspirations, without forcing anything on people."
Mr Wihongi has been a member of the Maori Arts Education Advisory Group and the Australasian Institute of Art Educators, and is a well-known artist in his own right. A carver and creator of mixed-media works, he has acted as a Maori design consultant on national projects, including the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior at the National War Memorial in Wellington.
He is also the manager of the biennial Ngapuhi Festival, which draws around 40,000 people to the Mid North.
Mr Wihongi has had a 28-year career in education, including as head of Applied Arts at Northtec, and as a senior lecturer in design at Wellington Polytechnic.
He told the Northern Advocate he was humbled to receive the honour.
