# Selwyn Parata

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{{Short description|New Zealand Māori leader}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2023}}
{{Use New Zealand English|date=June 2023}}
{{Infobox person
| name               = Sir Selwyn Parata
| honorific_suffix   = {{post-nominals|country=NZL|KNZM|size=100%}}
| image              = Ta Selwyn Parata 2024 (cropped).jpg
| alt                = 
| caption            = Parata in 2024
| birth_name         = Selwyn Tanetoa Parata
| birth_date         = {{Birth based on age as of date|58|2015|05|01}}
| birth_place        = [Waipiro Bay](/source/Waipiro_Bay), New Zealand
| death_date         = 
| death_place        = 
| education          = {{ubl|[Ngata Memorial College](/source/Ngata_Memorial_College)|St Stephen’s College}}
| alma_mater         = 
| occupation         = 
| years_active       = 
| employer           = 
| organization       = 
| known_for          = Service to [Māori](/source/M%C4%81ori_people)
| notable_works      = {{ubl|Board chair of [Ngāti Porou](/source/Ng%C4%81ti_Porou)|Board chair of [Te Matatini](/source/Te_Matatini)}}
| party              = 
| spouse             = Amohaere Houkamau
| children           = 4
| relatives          = {{ubl|[Hekia Parata](/source/Hekia_Parata) (sister)|[Wira Gardiner](/source/Wira_Gardiner) (brother-in-law)|[Arnold Reedy](/source/Arnold_Reedy) (grandfather)|[Materoa Reedy](/source/Materoa_Reedy) (great-grandmother)|{{nowrap|[Tame Parata](/source/Tame_Parata) (great-great-grandfather)}}}}
| awards             = 
| signature          = 
| signature_size     = 
| signature_alt      = 
}}
'''Sir Selwyn Tanetoa Parata''' {{post-nominals|country=NZL|KNZM|size=85%}} (born {{Birth based on age as of date|58|2015|05|01|noage=1}}) is a New Zealand [Māori](/source/M%C4%81ori_people) leader. He has served as chair of the [Ngāti Porou](/source/Ng%C4%81ti_Porou) tribal authority, Te Rūnanganui o Ngāti Porou, since 2014.

==Biography==
Parata was born at [Waipiro Bay](/source/Waipiro_Bay) in about 1956, the oldest child of Ron Parata and Hiria Reedy.<ref name="TRONP">{{cite web |url=https://ngatiporou.com/article/nati-nous-profile-tronpnui-chair-selwyn-parata |title=Nati Nous - a profile on TRONPnui chair, Selwyn Parata |date=1 May 2015 |first=John |last=Jones |publisher=Te Rūnanganui o Ngāti Porou |access-date=5 June 2023}}</ref> His siblings include the former [National Party](/source/New_Zealand_National_Party) cabinet minister and diplomat, [Hekia Parata](/source/Hekia_Parata).<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nowtolove.co.nz/celebrity/celeb-news/educating-hekia-parata-20892 |title=Educating Hekia Parata |date=29 November 2016 |work=[Woman's Day](/source/Woman's_Day) |access-date=5 June 2023}}</ref> Through his father, he affiliates to [Ngāi Tahu](/source/Ng%C4%81i_Tahu), while on his mother's side he is of [Ngāti Porou](/source/Ng%C4%81ti_Porou) descent.<ref name="TRONP"/>

Parata was educated at [Ngata Memorial College](/source/Ngata_Memorial_College) in [Ruatoria](/source/Ruatoria) and at St Stephen's College near [Bombay](/source/Bombay%2C_New_Zealand). After leaving school, he worked in various jobs before being appointed as the cultural officer for the [Gisborne region](/source/Gisborne_District) in the [Department of Maori Affairs](/source/Te_Puni_K%C5%8Dkiri) when he was 25 years old. He married Amohaere Houkamau, and the couple went on to have four children.<ref name="TRONP"/>

In 1987, Parata was elected a trustee of Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Porou, and has served on that body and its successor, Te Rūnanganui o Ngāti Porou, ever since, becoming chair of the latter in 2014. He has also been chair of [Te Matatini](/source/Te_Matatini) since 2008, as well as chair of [Te Pīhopatanga o Aotearoa](/source/Te_P%C4%ABhopatanga_o_Aotearoa) also since 2014.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.dpmc.govt.nz/honours/lists/kb2023-knzm |title=The King's Birthday and Coronation honours list 2023 – citations for Knights Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit |date=5 June 2023 |publisher=Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet |access-date=5 June 2023}}</ref>

==Honours==
In the [2023 King's Birthday and Coronation Honours](/source/2023_Birthday_and_Coronation_Honours_(New_Zealand)), Parata was appointed a [Knight Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit](/source/Knight_Companion_of_the_New_Zealand_Order_of_Merit), for services to Māori.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.dpmc.govt.nz/publications/kings-birthday-and-coronation-honours-list-2023 |title=The King's Birthday and Coronation honours list 2023 |date=5 June 2023 |publisher=Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet |access-date=5 June 2023}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Parata, Selwyn}}
Category:1950s births
Category:Living people
Category:People from the Gisborne District
Category:Ngāti Porou people
Category:Ngāi Tahu people
Category:Knights Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit
Category:Year of birth missing (living people)
Category:People educated at St Stephen's School, Bombay Hills
Category:People educated at Ngata Memorial College

{{Māori-bio-stub}}

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Selwyn Parata](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selwyn_Parata) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selwyn_Parata?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.