Rockingham citizens confused at cross-bearing walker
Eagle-eyed residents shared messages on community groups asking neighbours if they had also spotted the mystery man, who reportedly frequents suburbs along Safety Bay Road.
Witnesses said the cross appears to be seven to eight feet tall and made from solid wood.
The outlandish sighting was not just a one-off, with posts regarding the elusive 'man with a cross' spanning numerous community groups in the region for the past three months. Residents near the Rockingham-Baldivis area have spotted this man carrying a wooden cross down the street on numerous occasions. Credit: Facebook
Some residents were quick to make jokes at the atypical sight.
'Think he's about 2000 years late,' one commenter joked.
'Leave him alone, he's just doing some CrossFit,' another said.
'That's just Baldivis Jesus,' somebody else quipped.
Some other residents, however, were less zestful - harbouring concerns for the health of the cross-bearing individual.
'That thing must be so heavy, his poor back,' one resident said.
'Seen him a few weeks ago and offered him a lift – walking with that would be tough,' another echoed. Another individual took to social media to share this image of the man. Credit: Facebook
The mystery man was soon identified to be local resident Tane Huirama, known online as Pono Ministries, who is a born-again Christian from New Zealand.
In a comment on one concerned resident's Facebook post, Mr Huirama explained his intentions behind the unusual act.
'I walk for Christ – I walk as a representation of God's love here on Earth,' he commented.
'It might seem strange seeing a man walking with a cross, but in time you'll understand.'
Mr Huirama's social media is filled with videos of him wandering the streets for three to five hours at a time, with the cross firmly planted on his shoulder throughout.
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'All the (car horn) beeps, all the people waving at me and the cross... keep it coming, it gives me strength,' Huirama said in one video about the attention that his actions have garnered in the region.
PerthNow has verified from his posts that Mr Huirama has attached a wheel to the base of the cross for ease of movement.
Many residents, upon learning Mr Huirama's identity, were quick to praise his devotion to his beliefs.
'Good on him if it's his calling and he isn't harming anyone,' someone said.
'Dude clearly just absolutely loves his religion, and going for a walk with a big old cross is his way of showing that – each to their own!' a second person chimed in.
Mr Huirama did not respond to PerthNow's request for comment.
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