The Sululoto family became New Zealand citizens at Glenroy Auditorium in Dunedin yesterday.
The family’s oldest daughter, Jackielynn Atonio, who received her citizenship in 2019, spoke on behalf of her family and said it cost about $2000 for the whole family to become citizens.
"It was a long journey for us and it was a long process to apply for citizenship because there are so many of them and the process is so expensive.
"But we managed to do it all and thank God we made it today."
The family arrived in New Zealand on April 11, 2018 from Samoa and after five years they finally felt like they were the same as everyone else, she said.
"Now they have their own right to speak up. They’re all the same now.
No more bullying and no more racist problems like that.
"We are free people now.
"We’re roaming around all together with New Zealand people."
Miss Atonio said they were all very happy and were going to have a Samoan family gathering to celebrate.
Dunedin Mayor Jules Radich oversaw the ceremony and welcomed new citizens from over 20 countries to New Zealand.
New citizens.— Raed Ahmad Abd Alsalam (Syrian Arab Republic), Abd Alrahman Raed Abd Alsalam (Syrian Arab Republic), Walid Raed Abd Alsalam (Syrian Arab Republic), Aysha Raed Abd Alsalam (Syrian Arab Republic), Hanoud Mohammad Kheir Raad (Syrian Arab Republic), Nicy Abraham (India), Chadia Ezzedine Al Yussof (Syrian Arab Republic), Ahmad Fadi Shahoud (Syrian Arab Republic), Ali Fadi Shahoud (Syrian Arab Republic), Tahani Fadi Shahoud (Syrian Arab Republic), Mariam Fadi Shahoud (Syrian Arab Republic), Jana Safwan Al Zuhouri (Lebanon), Safwan Mostafa Al Zuhouri (Syria), Doaa Ahmad Al Zuhouri (Syria), Md Rashed Alam (Bangladesh), Shauna-Leigh Anderson (South Africa), April Obiedo Arnado (Philippines), Tee Jay Romuar Berania (Philippines), Marinus Jacobus Burzelman (South Africa), Kristina Lynn Butler (United States of America), Vance Davis Butler (United States of America), Abigail Elizabeth Connelly (Canada), Kimberley Allison Connelly (Canada), Sean William Connelly (Canada), Kennedy Catherine Dailey (Canada), Chen-Yu Fan (Taiwan), Kilifi Fangupo (Tonga), Arnel Ferguson (Philippines), Julie Pearl Ferguson (Philippines), Joshua Stephen Fryer (England), Francis Hackson Gordon (United Kingdom), Luna Hernandez Giusti (Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela), Sharon Anne Holdridge (United Kingdom), Monica Karine Pastrana Holopainen (Philippines), Edward John Hopley (United Kingdom), Melad Karim (Syrian Arab Republic), Aneniueta Lale Sululoto (Samoa), Afe Lale Sululoto (Samoa), Aumau Lale Sululoto (Samoa), Jessica Tasi Lale Sululoto (Samoa), Lale Niueta Sululoto (Samoa), Oreni Niueta Sululoto (Samoa), Dingwei Lin (China), Michelle Kae Marlow (Australia), Georgia Lee Marlow (Australia), Robert John Marlow (Australia), Christy Mary Punnen (India), Oleg Mazhanov (Union of Soviet Socialist Republics), Genrikh Mazhanov (Russia), Maria Mazhanova (Union of Soviet Socialist Republics), Che Michael Robert McGivern (Northern Ireland), Leanne Ross (Northern Ireland), Holly Jane Paragreen (Australia), Aaron David Porter (United Kingdom), Catherine Elizabeth McGregor Robertson (Scotland), Muneera Salam (India), Cobus Wynand Serfontein (South Africa), Madeleine Serfontein (South Africa), Kriton Theodoulou (South Africa), Jose Leonardo Trujillo Martinez (Mexico), Detlev Ulrich (Germany), Tobey Ke-Yi Ulrich (Taiwan), Tabea Ganga Ulrich (Nepal), Janelle Ruth Wierenga (United States of America), Wai Kuen Wong (China).
