Celebrating Tauranga Moana rangatahi
Tuesday 26 June 2007, 1:36PM
By Hon Nanaia Mahuta
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The awards celebrate rangatahi and provide an important pathway forward.
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The Tauranga Moana rangatahi awards celebrate the achievements of local rangatahi and provide an important pathway for them to grow and fulfill their potential, said Youth Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta at the awards ceremony.
The inaugural awards are designed to foster and promote leadership, participation, role modelling and excellence by teenagers from the rohe or local iwi.
Rangatahi make up a significant slice of the Tauranga population so Tauranga Moana play a vital local role by providing opportunities like this to recognise rangatahi participation and achievement, and by encouraging them to make a positive contribution to their community, says Nanaia Mahuta.
Two of these awards are particularly special as they celebrate traditional whanau values. Te Ara Kitea (Pathfinder) is awarded to a teenage who has faced obstacles and has successfully turned their life around to become a role model within their peer group.
He Korowai Atawhai celebrates the outstanding contribution of rangatahi to their marae, iwi or hapu or to kaumatua or other individuals.
This community can be very proud of the calibre of the 132 entries they have received.
In closing the Minister congratulated all the 33 finalists, the award winners and the three Tauranga Moana iwi who organised the event - Ngaiterangi, Ngati Ranginui and Ngati Pukenga.
If we are to enjoy a successful country tomorrow, we must work together to build successful young people today. I am proud to be part of a government which is committed to this goal. And I congratulate Tauranga Moana for their work and commitment to their rangatahi, says Nanaia Mahuta.
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The Tauranga Moana rangatahi awards celebrate the achievements of local rangatahi and provide an important pathway for them to grow and fulfill their potential, said Youth Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta at the awards ceremony.
The inaugural awards are designed to foster and promote leadership, participation, role modelling and excellence by teenagers from the rohe or local iwi.
Rangatahi make up a significant slice of the Tauranga population so Tauranga Moana play a vital local role by providing opportunities like this to recognise rangatahi participation and achievement, and by encouraging them to make a positive contribution to their community, says Nanaia Mahuta.
Two of these awards are particularly special as they celebrate traditional whanau values. Te Ara Kitea (Pathfinder) is awarded to a teenage who has faced obstacles and has successfully turned their life around to become a role model within their peer group.
He Korowai Atawhai celebrates the outstanding contribution of rangatahi to their marae, iwi or hapu or to kaumatua or other individuals.
This community can be very proud of the calibre of the 132 entries they have received.
In closing the Minister congratulated all the 33 finalists, the award winners and the three Tauranga Moana iwi who organised the event - Ngaiterangi, Ngati Ranginui and Ngati Pukenga.
If we are to enjoy a successful country tomorrow, we must work together to build successful young people today. I am proud to be part of a government which is committed to this goal. And I congratulate Tauranga Moana for their work and commitment to their rangatahi, says Nanaia Mahuta.