By RNZ
Pasifika academics, artists, and advocates are among the recipients of New Zealand’s 2024 New Year Honours.
Dame Sarai Bareman leads the list of Pasifika recognised in the New Year Honours list.
She has been made a Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to football.
Dame Sarai has been FIFA’s chief women’s football officer since 2016 and had a large hand in organising the 2023 World Cup co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand.
She said she hoped her New Year Honours recognition would inspire a future generation of Pacific women.
Award-winning journalist Barbara Dreaver said finding out that her name was included in the New Year Honour’s list was surreal.
Dreaver has been made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to investigative journalism and Pacific communities.
She has been a champion of Pacific stories and voices for more than 30 years.
“It’s not just the telling of our stories, it’s also getting a result and we do this job to make a difference,” she said.
“And if you can do an investigative journalism story that will change people’s lives and that’s got to be a good thing, and that’s something I feel hugely privilleged to have been able to do.”
Dreaver said her parents have been such an inspiration and helped her over the years, always cheering her on from the sidelines.
Professor Yvonne Jasmine Te Ruki Rangi o Tangaroa Underhill-Sem has been made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to tertiary education and Pacific development.
Tangaroa Underhill-Sem is a Pacific development geographer, undertaking research and teaching Pacific Studies at the University of Auckland.
“I’m gratified that a Pacific woman in the tertiary sector has been recognised,” she said.
“And also humbled, because not many of us make it into the tertiary sector, and I know all Pacific people who make it into the tertiary sector work really hard to get more Pacific people there.”
She moved from the Cook Islands to Porirua when she was young. It is where she completed all her primary and secondary schooling.
Underhill-Sem said she is proud her parents valued education.
Tupe Lualua is a dancer, choreographer, actor, director, producer and arts educator, and has been made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit.
Lualua, who trained at Whitireia Performing Arts, founded arts organisation Le Moana in 2013 and has used the platform to support other artists.
She said Pacific dance and Pacific contemporary dance have flourished in Wellington.
“It’s great to see everyone who have been a part of Whitireia Performing Arts, Victoria University, Toi Whakaari, and Le Moana, go into their space, find their thing, and make beautiful contributions to the Pacific space in Aotearoa and the world.”
Lualua said this honour is a tribute to her late parents who left Samoa for better opportunities.
New Zealand-Solomon Islander artist Kira Hundleby has been made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit.
Hundleby has been advocating for greater Melanesian representation in New Zealand’s cultural and political scene.
She is pleased the importance of her work is being recognised.
“It represents so much more than just me or my family. It represents our communities; it bring voices to Pacific people that are less recognised within our communities,” she said.
“With the Melanesian festival in its second year, with Solomon Islands and PNG language week coming through, I feel that it’s a very timely recognition.”
DNZM: To be Dames Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit
ONZM: To be Officers of the New Zealand Order of Merit
MNZM: To be Members of the New Zealand Order of Merit
The Queen’s Service Medal QSM
Joao Diniz, 21, was shopping with his mum when he was accused by a staff member.