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.