New citizen Luke East and Waipā mayor Mike Pettit after the citizenship ceremony. Photo: Jesse Wood
Luke East – a familiar name to readers of The News – has become one of almost 100 new New Zealand citizens in Waipā.
The Waikato University student from Te Awamutu – in his 19th year as a Waipā resident – has penned opinion pieces for The News, and has been a strong advocate for acknowledging British royal visits.
He came to Waipā when his parents Allison and Gary emigrated from the United Kingdom. They became citizens in November.
East, 27, joined new citizens from almost 20 countries at a citizenship ceremony last Friday at the Te Awamutu Presbyterian Centre.
Waipā mayor Mike Pettit said welcoming new citizens is one of the most rewarding parts of his role.
“Becoming a New Zealand citizen is more than filling out forms. It’s about choosing to be part of a community, joining in its life and sharing in its future,” Pettit said. “That’s a choice well worth celebrating.”
There will be three more ceremonies this year and a similar number of candidates are scheduled to attend.
The Coutts family (South Africa) taking part in the citizenship ceremony. Photo: Jesse Wood
The new Kiwis comes from the United Kingdom, South Africa, Qatar India, Germany, the Philippines, Fiji, Turkey, Egypt, Switzerland, Australia, Czech Republic, Sri Lanka, France and China.
Most are from Cambridge, 20 live in Te Awamutu.
East is a past Te Awamutu Primary, Pekapekarau School, Te Awamutu Intermediate and Te Awamutu College student.
“We came from Shropshire in the UK when I was eight years old. We came over for a better quality of life – I think that’s what lots of these people here today have come for,” East said. “It’s a home away from home for many people. It’s a country where you’re a Kiwi no matter where you were born.
“The people are friendly, the scenery is glorious and after a little adjustment, this home away from home just becomes home.”
The new New Zealand citizens, starting with their country of origin include:
Australia – Evelyn Eden. China – Mengtao Tao. Egypt – Dodie Fahmy. Czech Republic – Lenka Feisst. Fiji – Mohammed Yasin, Monisha Yasin, Divika Ratnam. France – Coralie Savage. India – Lovedeep Bajwa, Paramjeet Chhina, Jaspreet Kaur Dhaliwal, Taranjeet Kaur, Reshma Paranjpe, Sakshi Bhardwaj, Dipika, Tanvi Ghonkrokta, Harvinder Kaur, Manish Kumar, Pooja Kumar, Siddarth Manuvimal, Mohan Manuvimal, Divya Sarath, Samantha Manuvimal, Satnam Singh.
New Zealand – Hans Suminguit. Germany – Lara Lo Nobile, Sonja Fantom. Philippines – Kriselle Neylon, May-Ann Suminguit, Dirk Dwayne Villegas. Qatar – Tyler Bester. South Africa – Gideon Nieuwoudt, Claire Nieuwoudt, Cassandra Bester, Bruce Bester, Ava Bester, Andrew Coutts, Jade Coutts, Julian Coutts, Alistair Coutts, Pieter Scheepers, Duvan Van Der Merwe, Amanda Velthuysen, Cruz-Slade Morgenrood, Anri Waite, Natasha Waite, Rudi Waite, Ronel Wilken, Lara Wilken, Hendrik Wilken, Sharon-Rose Du Casse, Simoné Erasmus, Benjamin Ferreira, Marelize Ferreira, Marinell Ferreira, Anina Ferreira, Sarah Glennie, Rupert Laufs.
Sri Lanka – Shiroma Liyanagunawardana, Manoj Weerasinghe Mudiyanselage. United States – John Paradise II. Switzerland – Gianluca Balzer. Turkey – Alper Ayas. United Kingdom – Jeremy Baker, Alan Butterfield, Joanne Butterfield, Katherine D’Arcy-Young, Lucy D’Arcy-Young, Lawrence D’Arcy-Young, Luke East, Eleanor Forster, Gary Fowkes, Fiona Fowkes, Cameron Fowkes, Adele Fowkes, John Savage, Luca Savage, Leila Savage, Karen Shirley, Barry Shirley, Sarah Plant, Julie Varey, Joseph Varey, Timothy Varey, Natalie Davis, Benjamin Fantom, Dana Fantom, Lara Fantom, Hannah Wadey, Andrew Wren, Martin Barratt, Andrea Montague, Katie Wood, Lauren Wood.
John Paradise II (USA) reads out his affirmation in Te Awamutu. Photo: Jesse Wood
