Nominated by Te Ūpoko o te Ika a Māui region, the recipient for the 2016 Meri Mygind Wahine Toa Award goes to Te Paea Paringatai.
As Tumuaki of Te Rōpū Whakahau Te Paea has raised the profile of our organisation and strengthened the position of our Rōpū within the Library and Information world both nationally and internationally.
Te Paea truly is a wahine toa, wahine kaha – she leads Te Rōpū Whakahau initiatives and she takes the group with her. She perfectly embodies our whakatauki Waiho i te toipoto, kaua i te toiroa.
Her influence and mana within Te Rōpū Whakahau and the wider library profession will benefit Te Rau Herenga|LIANZA when she takes up her position as president later this year.
This nomination is in recognition of Te Paea’s initiative, dedication, creativity and tenacity within Te Rōpū Whakahau. This award recognises her:
Dedication continuing to work for Te Rōpū Whakahau when she was no longer working directly within our profession.
Initiative: driving the creation of the International Federation of Library Associations, Indigenous Matters Section out of the Special Interest Group (IFLA IM SIG) as well as chairing the SIG since 2013.
Determination lobbying for International Federation of Library Associations Services to multicultural populations (IFLA MCULTP) to actively support Indigenous Matters.
Promotion of Māori in the sector. Te Rōpū Whakahau is now seen as accessible to the wider information sector.
Te Paea epitomises the whakatauākī Ko te kai a te rangatira, he kōrero; ko te tohu o te rangatira, he manaaki; ko te mahi a te rangatira, ko te whakatiratira i ngā iwi.
Te Paea displays a style of leadership that inspires others to achieve, she builds and sustains relationships that have contributed to the success of the rōpū.
We believe this is an ideal time to acknowledge her role in keeping Te Rōpū Whakahau at the forefront of the information management profession within Aotearoa and internationally.
Among a crowd of dedicated people Te Paea is a visible example of Wahine Toa and believe that Te Paea is a fitting recipient of the Meri Mygind Wahine Toa award.
