‘I’m very proud to be a Kiwi’
ONE of New Zealand’s newest citizens could not contain his huge smile as he sang the national anthem as a ‘‘Kiwi’’ for the first time yesterday.
Matthew Te’o was one of 38 people who became New Zealand citizens at a ceremony in the Dunedin Municipal Chambers.
Originally from Apia in Samoa, the Otago Polytechnic architecture and product design student has lived in New Zealand for the past three years.
Mr Te’o chose to wear a traditional ie faitaga (lavalava) and ula pu’a (necklace) along with a pair of jandals to represent his home country.
‘‘I will always be Samoan but today I’m very proud to be a Kiwi also.’’
As to which team he would support when New Zealand and Samoa next met on the rugby field, he said: ‘‘It will always be Samoa first but then the All Blacks when they play anyone else.’’
Other new citizens.— CalvinKei Berg, Nathan Berg, Thomas McLean
(United States); Sebastian Filep (Australia); Ruth Boardman, Natasha Cox, Joshua Griffiths, Stephen Henderson, Ruth McIntyre, Nicola Hoodless, William Hoodless, Jacqueline Hughes, Luke Robinson, Gillian Wintersgill, Mark Wintersgill, Kane Wintersgill (United Kingdom); Noemi Strajnovic (Croatia); Faith Montalba (Philippines); Uma Rao, Biswanath Nilapu Rao
(India); Paul Kirby (Ireland); Lynie Tan (Malaysia); Olga Meshcheryakova (Russia); Conre Ackermann, Pieter du Plessis, Heleen du Plessis, PierreHenri du Plessis, JeanJacques du Plessis (South Africa); Dishna Dissanayake, Tissa Mandanayaka Arachchilage, Manadanayka Dissanayake, Mandanayaka Dissanayake Jnr (Sri Lanka); ChiaChuan Huang (Taiwan); Kosonsri Morgan, Aparat Nilmart, Panjarag Nilmart (Thailand); Nhu Cao Thi (Vietnam).