Bass baritone Jonathan Lemalu has won the supreme accolade of senior artist at the Creative New Zealand Arts Pasifika Awards in Wellington on Thursday night.
The heritage award was won by the 700-strong Atafu Tokelau Community Group from Porirua.
New awards for special contribution to the standing of Pacific arts have gone to the senior curator for Pacific cultures at Te Papa, Sean Mallon, and to hip-hop choreographer Parris Goebel the creator of the Polyswagg style.
Other winners were playwrights Victor Rodger for contemporary artist and Suli Moa for emerging artist.
Harpist Natalia Mann won the Iosefa Enari Memorial Award for classical music.
