Students' tribute for Jonah Lomu a hit

Transcript

A touching tribute song for Jonah Lomu, written and performed by pupils from his old primary school, will be available for free download as a gift for all those who loved him.

Videos of the performance by Favona Primary School students at the memorial on Monday have gone viral since the service was broadcast.

Indira Moala reports.

It was a performance that became one of the highlights of Jonah Lomu's memorial service at Eden Park. Favona Primary School's principal says they have been overwhelmed by the public response towards the song. Lois Kirkbride says there hasn't been much time to discuss what to do with the song, but they want it to be a free gift for all.

LOIS KIRKBRIDE: "We just thought free download and if people wanted to, they could make a donation to Jonah's charities and that way, make it also a tribute to him and the work he's done, and so it could continue."

The song was put together as a tribute to Lomu and his family on behalf of the school and some of its past students. A music producer and a former Favona pupil says the song was written by the kids last week, recorded and filmed over the following couple of days and published on Youtube by the school on Sunday. Matthew Salapu says getting to perform it at the memorial service was the icing on the cake.

MATTHEW SALAPU: All their dance moves - the whole performance of it was just for the video. It was done on Friday. But the song they wrote really balanced the emotional, sad tribute as well as the new direction of hope and being positive and carrying on Jonah's legacy with energy.

Matthew Salapu says the students didn't realise how much of an impact the song would have on others who also loved Lomu.

MATTHEW SALAPU: We were inundated with countless people both regulars, strangers stopping by to tell the students how amazing the song was - through to representatives of huge organisations. And John Hart and various All Blacks and they were all like 'That song's a hit. That song's like the next 'Poi E'.

Mr Salapu says Jonah Lomu left a huge gift for Favona Primary school, a school that is very proud of its role in his life. In return, they want the song to be a free gift for others.