Te Aroha Paenga receives a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for her dedication to the preservation and teaching of te reo Māori.
“She has been an outstanding stalwart for the preservation of our language. Alongside Sir Pita Sharples they established one of the first Kōhanga Reo at Hoani Waititi Marae and has since dedicated herself to fostering te reo among our younger generation,” says Mr Flavell.