The third round of government investitures was held today at Government House in Auckland. Among the recognised were mental health and education advocate Moe Milne (Ngāti Hine) and governance expert Susan Huria (Ngāi Tahu, Ngāi Tūāhuriri).
Moe Milne has been invested in mental health for over 40 years. She says research needs to be conducted around why Pākehā can't understand Māori systems of knowledge.
“They belittle us but the way I see it is that in all my efforts to try and encourage them to turn to the Māori worldview they are actually the ones who don't understand this thing called knowledge.”
Moe Milne has been made an Officer of New Zealand Order of Merit for services to health and Māori.
She says, “To live wholesomely, yes, for the language to thrive but for us to stand on our land, to know our connection to the environment and to know that the world we live in is a Māori world.”
Susan Huria has also been awarded an Office of the ONZM for her services to governance.
“My most rewarding moment is to come and that's when Ngāpuhi settle because I've been involved in a very behind the scenes way.”
She sees a bright future for iwi.
“It's really early days, things are shaking out and I think they will be the making of Aotearoa in 50 years’ time because of the attention to the environment, cultural, social, all of the important issues as well as driving that commercial cart."
She claims that once the Ngāpuhi claim is settled she will hang up her hat.