Citizenship ceremony creates 30 Kiwis

New citizens Kerriann Summers, left, and Tina Jarmey, centre, with Rotorua mayor Steve Chadwick. Photo / Ben Fraser

Thirty people became New Zealand citizens during a heartfelt ceremony at the Rotorua District Council yesterday.

People from as far away as Sweden, Germany and Egypt were presented with their citizenship certificates by Rotorua Mayor Steve Chadwick.

Each of the men received a Rotorua District Council tie, the women a corsage and the children a pen. They also took home a kowhai seedling to symbolise planting their roots in New Zealand.

For some the ceremony celebrated dual-citizenship, but many renounced their citizenship in their birth countries to create a home in New Zealand as Kiwis.

Tina Jarmey has lived in New Zealand for 40 years and said it was "about time" she became a citizen.

"My husband and two sons are citizens and we now have four grandchildren who are all citizens so I was the odd one out."

Married for 36 years, Mrs Jarmey said she was glad she had waited to be back in Rotorua before she applied for citizenship.

"When I first came to New Zealand I lived in Rotorua, then my husband and I moved to Wellington, then up to Auckland and just recently moved back down here.

"We've done a full circle and are back to where we started which made it quite symbolic getting my citizenship in Rotorua."

Mr and Mrs Jarmey moved back to Rotorua late last year and bought the local business Best Insulation in Fairy Springs.

Those at yesterday's ceremony were treated to a cultural performance from the children in Selwyn School's kapa haka group and Sophie Hurford, accompanied by pianist Claire Mason, sang the Song of Rotorua and the National Anthem.