New Zealand Order of Merit for Don Long
30 Jun 2020
Donald Stuart Long (7514) who was in Julius House from 1963-1967 was made a member of the prestigious New Zealand Order of Merit in the Queen’s Birthday Honours 2020.
Don was awarded the honour for his services to literature and education, particularly Pacific language education. Now living in Wellington, Don has worked and volunteered for more than 30 years as an educational resource publisher, with a specific focus on keeping Pacific languages alive, both in NZ and Pacific nations. He has published hundreds of books and poems in Pacific languages, including Cook Islands, Māori, Fijian, Niuean, Samoan, Tokelauan, Tongan and Tuvaluan. This has ensured that Pacific students can relate to educational texts and that Pacific languages have a voice in the New Zealand education system. He has completed projects for the UNESCO Office for the Pacific States, the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Don is currently publishing more than 100 titles for the Tokelau Department of Education. He has been a consultant to the Ministry for Cultural Development in the Cook Islands and the Asia-Pacific Centre of Education for International Understanding. He has served as a national executive committee member and as the Wellington chairperson of the New Zealand Society of Authors. Don is also an award-winning author of fiction, non-fiction and poetry for children and adults.