From being held up at gunpoint three times in six months in South Africa to wanting better education for their children, there were many reasons a group of new New Zealanders at a ceremony last week had made the choice to become a citizen.
Kesaia Tavu, who came to Central Otago from Fiji, summed up the event in her introduction, saying "the profound and simple fact about citizenship [is that] no matter where we come from, or what our differences are, whether they are age, religion or race, to become citizen of New Zealand is to belong".
Central Otago Mayor Tim Cadogan read an introduction written by each of them before they took their oath or affirmation.
Celebrating NZ citizenship after a ceremony in Alexandra last week are (back from left) Paul Giles (UK), Kevin Woods (UK), Patricia Werner Becker (Brazil), Jo-Anne McEwan (South Africa), Shandralekha Siriwardhana (Sri Lanka), Kesaia Tavu (Fiji), Linda Germishuys (South Africa), Central Otago Mayor Tim Cadogan, Dewald de Beer (South Africa), Yolandie de Beer (South Africa), Ayse Ozkan (Turkey), Helen Giles (UK), (front from left) and Deandie and Marzelle de Beer (South Africa). Photo: Julie Asher
Children from Alexandra Primary School Sing Squad performed the national anthem before cheese rolls and pikelets were served.
