A small rural school has given a hero's farewell to a popular tutor about to head to Italy to defend his world championship title.
For the past two years, Chris Huriwai of Otaua, near Kaikohe, has helped kids at nine Mid North schools master the art of unicycling.
Those eagerly anticipated lessons are now coming to an end as the 20-year-old prepares to defend his world unicycling title in July and looks for fresh challenges.
Among the schools saying goodbye is 90-pupil Tautoro School, 10km south of Kaikohe, which staged a hero's farewell last Friday. The children performed haka, sang songs - including a specially-composed waiata - and showered Chris with gifts, including artwork, taonga hand-carved by the pupils, poems and a plywood unicycle painted with messages of thanks.
Kaumatua Hohipa "Papa Joe" Matene led karakia and urged children to remember that they had been taught by a world champion, and that without schooling they could not become champions.
The event's 7-year-old MC, Harmony Tuhiwai-Wilson, thanked Chris for being a role model and giving the pupils someone to look up to.
Principal Jane Lindsay said Chris had taught the children a lot more than how to ride a unicycle. "To ride you need kaha [strength], you need determination. You've shown us that someone from our community can be a world champion, that anyone in this room can be a world champion. You've given the children a role model and that's the greatest gift of all," Mrs Lindsay said.
She presented Chris with $600 to help him get to Italy, proceeds from the children's fundraising efforts,- and challenged other Northlanders to get behind his quest to retain his title.
Chris told the children they had mastered unicycling faster than any other school he taught at. "You guys are the most determined. You never give up, and that's really cool," he said.
The ceremony ended with a movie of the kids in action and a tribute from each child.
"You are a rangatira in our school," one said. "Thank you for helping me believe I can ride a unicycle as good as you," said another.
Chris flies to Italy on July 14 with the main events in the street unicycling division taking place on July 21. He will be accompanied at Unicom 2012 by Samuel Tzikoucos, 13, of Kaikohe - who he taught to unicycle - Sam La Hood, 15, of Dargaville, and Mike Padial, 20, of Nelson.
His school unicycle lessons had been part of a contract with the Maori health provider Te Hau Ora o Kaikohe. Once he returns from Italy he hopes to find new challenges. One possibility is working with an Auckland-based member of Cirque du Soleil; starting a unicycle-related business is another.
"But I'll be back, definitely," he said.