Judith Lacy’s Jottings: New Zealand citizenship and Palmerston North residency statuses to treasure

Palmerston North deputy mayor Debi Marshall-Lobb with some of Palmerston North's newest citizens. Photo / Judith Lacy

OPINION:

I don’t recall the momentous occasion but I’m sure all I had to do was wait until mum and biology did their bits and, voila, out I popped.

A few screams later, no doubt, and I was a New Zealand citizen.

It wasn’t until I started teaching former refugees that it dawned on me how fortunate I was to have an uruwhenua Aotearoa (New Zealand passport) with its striking cover. I wasn’t going to be kicked out of my country of birth - nor have to flee it - because of the colour of my skin (beetroot), my religion (confused), my political beliefs (secret-ish), or my culture (Kiwi).

When I first got to know my students they were understandably often overwhelmed with everything they had to adjust to. But they always had their eyes on the ultimate prize and knew they had to wait five years until they could be a citizen.

It was a delight last week to see a former student and his wife become New Zealand citizens. It’s hard to describe their journey and the journeys of so many others, especially when you compare it to my journey to becoming a New Zealand citizen.

It’s not just former refugees who have been on journeys we Kiwis by birth probably couldn’t imagine. One new citizen I spoke to last week had initially left her four children with family when she and her husband moved here for his work. They couldn’t afford the international school fees while they waited to become permanent residents.

The story of Jesus’ birth is, of course, the focus for Christians at Christmas. But for everyone, it’s also the birth of a new year and saying farewell to the old.

Of course, when you get to be as old and allegedly wise as me it’s really only the calendars that change. We now don’t even have to go through that mental exercise of getting the year correct when writing cheques.

A mental exercise we do have to go through now is getting used to the phrase King Charles III. The new citizens swore or affirmed that they will be faithful and bear true allegiance to His Majesty King Charles the Third, King of New Zealand, his heirs and successors according to law.

The new citizens were from (in descending order) India (18), the Philippines (12), Samoa (eight), Malaysia, Vietnam, Nepal, Pakistan, South Africa, the United States, Afghanistan, Canada, France, Myanmar, and the UK.

With one representative each, were Australia, Bhutan, Fiji, Iran, Iraq, New Zealand, Palestine, Sri Lanka, and the United Arab Emirates.

Rangitāne kaumātua Wiremu Te Awe Awe told the new citizens they had chosen the best city in New Zealand to settle in. “Who’s interested in Auckland? They are strange up there.”

Palmerston North MP Tangi Utikere said New Zealand citizens were highly valued around the world. The new citizens brought new threads to add to the cultural fabric of the city.

Rangitīkei MP Ian McKelvie, whose electorate includes Summerhill, told the new citizens they should be proud to be residents of Palmerston North.

McKelvie, who was mayor of Manawatū District for nine years, didn’t think he had ever been to a citizenship ceremony as diverse as this one. That’s Palmy for you.

In a prerecorded message, Minister of Internal Affairs Jan Tinetti told the new citizens that until today New Zealand had been their home, now it is also their country.

So as we head into the big shutdown, let us be grateful we live in Manawatū and in Aotearoa.

Let us ready ourselves to push into 2023 with renewed gusto and empathy.

Judith’s Jottings returns on January 19. If you think you might have withdrawal symptoms before then keep an eye on the Manawatū Guardian Facebook page for a podcast announcement.