NZ’s Pacific community recognised in New Year’s Honours
Wellington: Fifteen people from New Zealand’s Pacific community have been recognised in the New Year’s honours.
One of those honoured is Porirua’s Reverend Nove Vaila’au, who has been made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for his services to the Samoan community. He has spearheaded Aoga Amata, early childhood education through the EFKS church, preparing tamaiti for a primary school curriculum.
Reverend Vaila’au also established the EFKS NZ Trust, which uses over 60 congregations to improve early childhood education.
“Some of our children are not exposed to early learning before they go into primary. If children are not exposed to social competence, literacy and numeracy at the early stages, they would enter at age five into primary, and primary has already got a curriculum,” he said.
And then there are those who have exploded beyond the Pacific community like Parris Goebel, the SamoanNew Zealand hip-hop choreographer, who has been made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to dance. A distinguished dancer, Goebel led her Royal Family dance crew to victory at the World Hip Hop Dance Championships three times. She has also worked with famous international artists including Justin Bieber, Rihanna and Jennifer Lopez. Ms Goebel said the award was an unexpected honour because dance was often passed over for other sporting codes.
“We’d hear of different people getting it as I was growing up but I never imagined myself getting this honour to be honest,” she said.
Others are from outside the community in recognition for serving the Pacific.