Pīpīwai will welcome ‘our new world champion home’ with street parade

World boxing champion Lani Daniels and her supporters. Photo / Whakaata Māori

Pīpīwai is gearing up for a parade to beat all parades to honour its new IBF world heavyweight boxing champion, Lani Daniels (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Hine).

Daniels, who lives in the Northland town with 200-plus proud locals, defeated Auckland-born Samoan fighter Alrie Meleisea in a dominant history-making display on Saturday in Tāmaki Makaurau.

Now whānau in Te Tai Tokerau are readying themselves to celebrate the world-beating achievement of this daughter of the North - and they are up against the clock to be ready in time.

“Noreira we have 24hrs to pull this together as she deserves this recognition for all her hard mahi!” one person drumming up support online wrote Sunday.

“Tomorrow afternoon we will welcome our new World champion home to her homelands.

“This invitation is to all whanau, friends, fellow colleagues, and the Nation to come join us in the valley of Pipiwai to celebrate Lani’s achievement.”

Details of today's parade in Pipiwai. Photo / Facebook

The person said it was “To acknowledge her! To praise her! To keep her humble and grounded” and “To share a kai with her.”

Tau Henare Marae in Pīpīwai will host the celebrations with whānau gathering at 3pm on Monday to prepare, and the parade getting under way at 4pm.

Following the parade, there will be a “pōwhiri onto Tau Henare Marae to honour her achievements and diverse whakapapa”, parade organisers said.

Daniels is the fourth Māori world boxing champion.

Her fight made history as the first world title contested between Māori and Pasifika, the first world title between two New Zealand-born boxers and saw Meleisea become the first Pasifika female to fight for a world title.