Rereata Mākiha

Senior New Zealander of the Year

2022

Ryman Healthcare

Senior New Zealander of the Year

Te Mātāpuputu o te Tau

Ryman Healthcare
Rereata Mākiha (Ngapuhi/Te Arawa/Rangitane) has dedicated his life to Te Ao Māori, he is an innovator who finds new ways to pass on knowledge. A broadcaster and reporter from the early 1970s, he was instrumental in the revitalisation of te reo Māori and is a specialist in ancestral knowledge. A promoter of Mahi tiaki Taiao – environmental work – he has led in the revival of whare wananga teachings and traditional practices related to the environment. Recently Rereata has been active in building up knowledge of and use of the Maramataka – the Maori Lunar Calendar – working alongside others to teach its value in communities across Aotearoa.
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