Te Atamira Jennifer Ward-Lealand has been appointed to the board of Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori, the Māori Language Commission, while Dr Jeremy Tātere MacLeod has been reappointed to the board. Photo: Supplied
Māori Development Minister Willie Jackson has announced two appointments to the board of Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori, the Māori Language Commission.
Dr Jeremy Tātere MacLeod has been reappointed to the board and Te Atamira Jennifer Ward-Lealand has also been appointed.
A current board member, MacLeod (Ngāti Kahungunu, Te Arawa, Ngāti Raukawa te au ki te Tonga, Rangitāne) has been reappointed for a three-year term.
In a statement, Jackson said MacLeod had 15 years of governance and Māori language revitalisation experience in iwi, community, and private sector organisations.
MacLeod was also a recognised champion for te reo revitalisation, especially within his iwi Ngāti Kahungunu, he said.
Jackson said in 2020, Ward-Lealand was named Kiwibank New Zealander of the Year. The well-known actor and director was previously made a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to film, theatre, and television in the 2019 New Year Honours List.
"Ms Ward-Lealand is a taonga of Aotearoa performing arts. Her commitment and aroha for te reo Māori in everyday life has shone through her many great achievements," Jackson said.
In 2017, Ward-Lealand was gifted the name Te Atamira in recognition of her support and long-time commitment to te reo Māori.
Jackson said the commission promoted the use of Māori as a living language and as a means of everyday communication. This included coordinating the implementation of the Crown's Māri language strategy, Maihi Karauna, which set out what actions the government would prioritise to move towards this vision, he said.
