Pasifika people are among the 188 recipients who have been recognised for the 2025 King’s Birthday Honours List, for their service and contribution to the country.
Congratulations goes to:
Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
Anae Lupematasila Lima Arthur Anae, for services to Samoan community.
Anae is a staunch advocate who pushed for legislative reform to address the curtailing by successive governments of rights of Samoans in New Zealand. He instigated the petition of 100,000 names presented to the New Zealand Government in 2003 to deliver the Privy Council Decision that Samoans born between 13 May 1924 and 31 December 1948, and their heirs, were British Subjects and automatically became New Zealand Citizens on the 1st of January 1949. This was resolved with the passing of the Restoring of Citizenship Removed by the Citizenship (Western Samoa) Act 1982 Bill (RCRCA Bill 1982) in November 2024.
He led the Mau o Samoa I le Sitiseni committee from 1997, supporting the activism of transitional Samoans, which culminated in 24,500 Select Committee submissions on the Bill before its passing.
Mr Okesene Uili Galo, for services to the Tokelau community.
Okesene was instrumental in launching Te Kaiga Fakaofo Tokelau I Ueligitone, from Fakaofo Wellington Society, the community group of Tokelau Fakaofo atoll in Wellington. He was appointed Secretary of Te Kaiga in 2008, and then Kailau in 2020. He has led the development and implementation of their Strategic Plan 2022 to 2032. He manages their relationship with local and central government agencies.
Ms Meleua Enda Ikiua for services to Vagahau Niue language and education.
Meleua Ikiua has advocated over 20 years for the integration of Vagahau Niue language standards into the New Zealand education curriculum and the fostering of Niue culture and language. She has held various teaching and leadership roles at Alfriston College since 2007, including Vagahau Niue Learning Leader, Head of Languages and Cultural Co-Ordinator. As a subject matter lead working with the Ministry of Education and NZQA, she has been key to establishing Vagahau Niue as an NCEA achievement standard.
John Junior Kumitau, for services to the Pacific community.
Mr Kumitau has contributed to the Niuean and Pacific communities in Northland for 20 years. Mr Kumitau has extensive experience in working with Māori and Pacific youth and adults, and in recent years has focused on early intervention, prevention and community building.
Ms Janet Crystal-Lee Lilo for services to the arts
Janet is an award-winning artist, educator and advocate for Pacific and rainbow arts and communities. She is a tireless advocate for Pacific artists, creating creative pathways while serving on and chairing the Board of Tautai Pacific Arts Trust between 2008 and 2019. She has lectured at Auckland University of Technology and the Elam School of Fine Arts. In 2011 she was awarded the Contemporary Pacific Arts Award from Creative New Zealand and awarded residencies in Japan, China, New Caledonia, France and Hawaii.
Pauline-Jean Henrietta Luyten from Timaru, for services to rugby and the Pacific community.
Pauline is a legal professional with governance experience across the community sector and with national and provincial rugby. She co-founded the Tongan Society South Canterbury in 2016, serving as Chair from 2020 to 2023, and remains on the Board to close service gaps for the local Tongan and wider Pacific community.
Annie Burma Teina Tangata Esita Scoon, for services to softball and the Pacific community.
Annie has maintained strong connections to the Cook Islands, Pasifika and softball communities in Palmerston North for more than 40 years. Working from a wheelchair since a car accident in 1974, Ms Scoon has been a pioneer and role model.
Ngatepaeru Marsters for services to midwifery and Pacific communities.
Ngatepaeru has played a significant role in the development of New Zealand’s Pasifika midwifery workforce. She is a foundation member of Pasifika Midwives Aotearoa and a current co-representative. She is a member of the New Zealand College of Midwives’ National Board, and their representative on the International Confederation of Midwives Western Pacific Region’s Professional Committee.
Receiving an Honorary Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
Viliami Teumohenga for services to education and the Pacific community. Viliami spent more than 15 years advancing Pacific youth in the subjects and qualifications of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).
Receiving The Kings Service Medal:
Zora Estelle Feilo-Makapa for services to the Niue community and the arts.
Zora was a founding member of the Tupumaiaga a Niue Trust in 2007, which provides heritage and contemporary arts programmes through interactive workshops and cultural Niue activities to the community.
Mrs Berry Jane Rangi for services to the community, particularly Pacific peoples.
Mrs Rangi co-founded Tiare Ahuriri in 2008, the Napier branch of the national Pacific women’s organisation PACIFICA Inc., and in that role headed a number of initiatives to support Pacific women and communities. In 2019 she was awarded a PACIFICA Inc. Service Medal for her contributions to the organisation. She was the Pacific Breast and Cervical Screening Health Promoter for Health New Zealand in the Hawke’s Bay region from 2007 to 2016, and was instrumental in lifting the coverage rates of breast and cervical screening for Hawke’s Bay Pacific women.
Papali’i Seiuli Johnny Siaosi, for services to health and the Pacific community.
Papali’i has played a major leadership role in spearheading Pasifika governance within the mental health and addiction sector. Mr Siaosi has built on his own experiences as a survivor of abuse to advocate and support both survivors and others who experience mental health issues and addictions. Siaosi was the Advisor to Pacific Advisory Group for the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State and Faith-based Institutions.
Receiving the Honorary King’s Service Medal:
Eteuati Fa’avae for services to the Pacific community.
Eddie has contributed to the Pacific communities in the Nelson region for more than 30 years. He led the committee that in 1996 established the first Congregational Church of Samoa in the northern South Island, and subsequently was a foundation member and the first Deacon of the Congregational Christian Church of Samoa in Nelson, established in 2001.
Mrs Siesina Ofahelotu Latu, for services to the Pacific community.
Siesina has contributed to the Pacific communities in the South Canterbury region for 10 years. She was a founding member of the Tongan Society South Canterbury in 2016, and since 2020 has been General Manager, leading a range of cultural, social and wellbeing support for the Tongan and wider Pacific community in South Canterbury.
