Northland’s Isey Cross celebrates 106th birthday with Jim Beam toast

Isey and James Cross recently celebrated Isey’s 106th birthday with a shot of Jim Beam and lunch in Paihia. Photo / Jenny Ling

One of Northland’s oldest residents celebrated her 106th birthday with a shot of black label Jim Beam and lunch with her devoted son.

Isey Cross, a Kawakawa local who featured in the Florian Habicht documentary film James and Isey, turned 106 on April 3.

The centenarian still lives at home with son and caregiver James, who said she was “over the moon” about reaching her latest birthday.

“We were here, talking to a cousin online and I said ‘It’s two minutes past midnight; we better celebrate with a Jim Beam’,” James said.

“We had two shots.”

Isey was born in Karetu, near Kawakawa, on April 3, 1919.

James and Aunty Bell with Isey (centre), celebrating her 106th birthday in Paihia.

She and James starred in the film made by Northland film-maker Habicht, who followed the mother and son as they prepared for her 100th birthday party.

More than 1500 people turned out to the world premiere of the movie at Auckland’s Civic Theatre in 2021, including Isey, who was then 102.

It went on to screen at more than 70 cinemas around the country and made the list of New Zealand’s 10 most successful documentaries.

Thousands of well-wishers marked Isey’s birthday this year with heartfelt social media messages.

Isey and James in a scene from the film by Northland film-maker Florian Habicht about their lives.

A few days after her birthday, Isey told the Northern Advocate she was feeling “fantastic”.

The kuia – whose great-grandson is Six60 singer Matiu Walters - credits her long life to: “Being with my family and being happy at all times.”

“She’s over the moon,” James said, “but Mum doesn’t give too much away as to what she’s feeling.”

Also on April 3, Aunty Bell took the pair out for lunch at The Blue Door restaurant in Paihia.

Though it was “blowing a storm when we left”, James said the trio indulged in oysters and a shared seafood platter.

James and Isey Cross celebrate another milestone together.

Isey also had the pork ribs and ate all of James’s kumara chips.

James said he and his mother were both shamans and descendants of Ngāti Manu, the Bird People. He credits alternative and Māori medicine and sound healing, along with lots of love, music, and laughter, for her long life.

She was still “fit as a fiddle”, he said. “She’s 100% better than you and I and the rest of the world put together.”

They were both looking forward to the birthday party James has organised at the Bay of Islands Yacht Club on April 19.

He expects about 160 people to turn out to the celebration, which will include party hats and Easter eggs.

It would be a “rocking” birthday this year, following her 105th, which was held at the Waitangi Golf Club and was more formal, he said.

“I want to make this extra special for Mum.”

Northland’s oldest person was Lena Walker, who also lived in the Bay of Islands and lived to 109.

Walker - who for several years also held the record for the oldest living person born in New Zealand - died peacefully in 2021.

Jenny Ling is a senior journalist at the Northern Advocate. She has a special interest in covering human interest stories, along with finance, roading, lifestyle, and animal welfare issues.