Tākuta Iritana Tāwhiwhirangi
He tātai whakapapa ōna ki a Ngāti Porou, ki a Ngāti Kahungunu, ki a Ngāpuhi hoki.
Ko tā Kiwibank, i a ia ka whakaingoatia hei whiringa toa o te New Zealander of the Year 2014 ‘he Kiwi tino whakawhana’ ia.
Ko ōna hōnore nui — he mema oranga o te Rōpū Wāhine Māori Toko i te Ora, i whahōnoretia ia ki Te Tohu Tāpui 2001, i te tau 2009 i whakahōnoretia ia ki Te Tohu Kahurangi mo āna mahi mō te Mātauranga Māori. I te tau 1992 i tohua ia ki Te Tohu Huānga o te Emepaia o Peretānia, mō āna mahi whakahaere i te Kōhanga Reo.
I tīmata te mahi whakaako a Iritana Tawhiwhirangi i te mutunga o ngā tau 1940, i muri hei āpiha toko i te ora ki Ruatōria, ka whakawhanakehia e ia ngā kura kōhungahunga (playcentres) ki te Tairāwhiti. I te tau 1989, i muri i ngā tau e toru ka tohungia hei Tumuaki tuarua ki te Tari Māori.