Maori language activist, educator and author Katerina Te Heikoko Mataira of New Zealand (or Aotearoa as it is known in Maori) is the recipient of the 2009 Linguapax Prize (source, Hispanidad press agency). She has been active for 30 years on Maori language issues. In 2001 she was recognized in New Zealand with the Te Waka Toi Exemplary Award. The press release on the latter mentioned further that
Among her many achievements Katerina has been affectionately described as the mother of Kura Kaupapa Maori, having co-authored Te Aho Matua – the philosophy and charter for kaupapa Mäori schools.
In 1996, Katerina’s lifetime contribution to te reo Mäori was recognised by Waikato University when she was awarded an Honorary Doctorate. A year later, she was named in the Queen’s Honours List as a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit. (Scoop.co.nz, 2001/10/23)
Huia Publishers has a short bio on Katrina Te Heikoko Mataira in which she is described as a prolific writer. Bookfinder.com has a list of several of her publications in Maori and English.
Linguapax awards the Prize annually on International Mother Language Day. This is the eighth year that the prize as been awarded.
I should have first checked the site of the Centre UNESCO de Catalunya
(UNESCOCAT.org) site, as they support Linguapax: there was a short press note in Catalan dated 20 Feb. announcing this award at http://www.unescocat.org/ct/serveis/premsa.php . One hopes that there will be more publicity and press coverage of the Linguapax Prize 2009 during the next couple of days.