Kavinda Herath/Stuff
Mīharo Murihiku Trust chairwoman Pauline Smith is now a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for her work to the pacific arts and the community
One of the greatest accomplishments of the polyfest has been its ability to create an acceptance and understanding of diverse cultures in Southland. Pauline Smith is now a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for her work in the pacific arts and the community. Smith is the chairperson of Mīharo Murihiku Trust, previously the Murihiku Māori and Pasifika Trust Cultural Trust. In 2009, she was a founding member of the first Murihiku Polyfest, which led to the establishment of the Murihiku Maori and Pasifika Cultural Trust in 2010 in order to make it an annual event.