New Kiwis can now call the Far North home

12 new Kiwis were sworn in at Kaitaia's Te Ahu Centre on Tuesday. Photo / Myjanne Jensen.

Twelve people from around the world can now permanently call New Zealand home following a special citizenship ceremony at Kaitaia's Te Ahu Centre on Tuesday.

People from Canada, Ireland, Thailand and Turkey were granted their citizenship in front of proud family members and friends in the Far North's third ceremony of its kind this year.

One of the 12 new Kiwis was Bay of Islands resident, Gavin Burke, who moved to New Zealand with his Kiwi wife, Anita, about 10 years ago.

Zimbabwe-born Gavin Burke with wife Anita, with his new NZ citizenship certificate. Photo/ Myjanne Jensen. Far North District Council citizenship ceremony.

Burke, originally from Zimbabwe, left Africa at 17 to explore the world and met his wife while working in Sydney.

Before that, Burke moved with his family to the United Kingdom where he lived for 20 years.

The father of two said he was enraptured with the Bay of Islands from the first time he saw it and knew it was where he wanted to be.

"My wife's family used to travel here on holidays, so when she first brought me to the Far North, I just loved it," Burke said.

"We have lived here now for a few years and got married here in 2015.

"There's just something about this place, the people, the culture, I really feel at home here."

The citizenship ceremony was one of the smaller ceremonies to date. Usually 20-40 people are sworn in.

Mayor John Carter said that was largely because of Covid-19 and the lack of travel to New Zealand.

Thanakorn Sriko, originally from Thailand, is now officially a New Zealand citizen. Photo / Myjanne Jensen. Far North District Council citizenship ceremony.

He said despite the smaller numbers, the ceremony was always one of the highlights of his calendar and the only time he donned his official ceremonial suit.

"These events are really special because it takes a lot of guts to leave your country and live somewhere else," Carter said.

"It's therefore an honour to welcome these people to the Far North.

"Some people have been here for 50 years before they finally decide to become a citizen."

Unlike other citizen ceremonies, the Far North event also requires new Kiwis to perform a unique rite of passage and that is to shout, "Kia ora!" "I'm a Kiwi!" and "Go the All Blacks!"

Only in Te Hiku!