New Beginnings - Nelson Multicultural Council

Transcription

New Beginnings
Refugee Stories - Nelson
A Snapshot of Success
NEW BEGINNINGS
Refugee Stories - Nelson
First Published 2012
Nelson Multicultural Council
4 Bridge Street, Nelson
PO Box 264, Nelson 7040
ISBN: 978-0-473-21735-8
Copy writing by Alison Gibbs
Copy edited by Claire Nichols, Bob Irvine
Designed and typeset by Revell Design - www.revelldesign.co.nz
Printed by Speedyprint - www.speedyprint.co.nz
Contents
INTRODUCTION....................................................................1
REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT IN NEW ZEALAND...........2
Van Ro Hlawnceu
Mal Sawm Cinzah
Van Hlei Sung Lian............................................................. 11
REFUGEE COMMUNITIES IN NELSON...........................3
THE ETHNIC COMMUNITIES IN NELSON.................. 12
REFUGEE PROFILES.............................................................4
Burma..................................................................................... 12
Beda and Chandra Dahal ..................................................4
Burmese................................................................................. 12
Trang Lam................................................................................5
Chin......................................................................................... 12
Theresa Zam Deih Cin..........................................................5
Zomi Innkuan....................................................................... 13
Govinda (Tika) Regmi..........................................................6
Kayan...................................................................................... 13
Ly Linh.......................................................................................6
Bhutan................................................................................... 14
The Sukita Project.................................................................7
Bhutanese/Nepali .............................................................. 14
Thi Kim Tran.............................................................................8
Vietnam/Cambodia.......................................................... 14
Paing Mu...................................................................................8
Khmer Krom......................................................................... 14
Sua Thi Lam & China Tran...................................................9
Dhanman Pradhan................................................................9
Van Van Za Thang............................................................... 10
Monica Lun Sian Muang.................................................. 10
MESSAGES OF SUPPORT................................................ 15
ORGANISATIONS SUPPORTING
REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT.............................................. 17
A TEAM EFFORT................................................................. 18
CONTENTS
"While every refugee's story is different and their
anguish personal, they all share a common thread
of uncommon courage: the courage not only to
survive, but to persevere and rebuild their lives."
Antonio Guterres
Introduction
World Refugee Day is officially observed on
June 20th. The day honours the courage,
strength and determination of women, men
and children who are forced to flee their
homeland under threat of persecution,
conflict and violence. It is appropriate that
this publication is launched on that day.
About 700 people from a refugee background
now call Nelson home and it is right that
we should remember the hardships they
endured before coming here. We should also
acknowledge that for many their problems
did not disappear once they had fled their
homeland. Most were in refugee camps, some
for up to 18 years. In some camps people
could continue to lead the semblance of a
normal life; in others they had to scramble to
survive.
Once they were resettled, they had to confront
all the problems that any new migrant faces
in a new country with a different language
and different customs - compounded in many
cases by ongoing trauma and worry about
family members left behind.
That is not the focus of this publication,
however. Instead, we have chosen to celebrate
the personal achievements and contributions
to our community that people from a refugee
background make. This publication profiles
a small selection and some of their stories
are truly inspirational. Many other refugees
also deserve to be recognised. We hope that
they will go on to achieve even greater success
in the coming years and will be included in
future publications.
When I began this project I was promised that
I would meet some wonderful people. That
has been true. Interviewing representatives of
different cultural groups and the individual
“success stories” has been a pleasure.
Knowing something of their past I have been
impressed by the quiet dignity, strength and
positive attitude of those I interviewed. All are
making great contributions to our community
and are exactly the type of people we need in
New Zealand.
Alison Gibbs
Research & Editor
NEW BEGINNINGS - Refugee stories from Nelson
1
Refugee Resettlement in New Zealand
In 1951 the United Nations Convention
on Refugees was accepted by member
states. The Convention defined refugees as
people who have left their place of habitual
residence “owing to well-founded fear of
being persecuted for reasons of race, religion,
nationality, membership of a particular social
group or political opinion”.
New Zealand had begun accepting refugees
several years before signing the Convention.
About 1,100 Jewish refugees came here during
the 1930s, but refugee resettlement really
began in 1944 with the acceptance of nearly
900 Polish children and their guardians.
Another 4,500 refugees from post war Europe
came to New Zealand during the period
1949–52.
Soon after New Zealand signed the UN
Convention, the Inter-Church Commission
on Immigration and Refugee Resettlement
(later to become the Refugee and Migrant
Commission) was convened at the request of
the Government. The Commission’s role was
to promote and support refugee resettlement
among churches and community groups
and to provide advocacy and policy advice
on refugee issues. Over the next 20 years
the Commission’s work expanded as New
Zealand accepted specific refugee groups
in response to requests from the UN High
Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) and
other non-government organisations (NGO).
Since 1957 a quota has been set annually
by Cabinet, currently 750 per annum. A
proportion of the quota placement is reserved
for the most needy cases as identified by
UNHCR. These include women at risk,
medically disabled and protection cases. Apart
from the quota, refugees also arrive under
other categories.
From the 1970s until the early 1990s
Indochinese families were the main groups.
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Smaller groups, such as Ugandan Asians,
Chileans, Soviet Jews and some from Eastern
Europe were also accepted. 1980 saw the
start of Iraqi Assyrian resettlement. Since
1994 refugees from the Middle East and the
Horn of Africa have dominated the quota.
Quota refugees arrive six times each year in
groups of about 150 and spend six weeks at the
Mangere Refugee Resettlement Centre, where
they receive health screening, healthcare,
English lessons and basic orientation to the
Kiwi way of life, before restarting their own
lives in towns and cities throughout the
country. There are six resettlement centres
in New Zealand. Nelson is the smallest of
the designated settlement communities, after
Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington (including
Hutt Valley and Porirua), Christchurch, and
Palmerston North.
The Refugee Communities in Nelson
The first refugees to be resettled in Nelson
were from Vietnam and Cambodia. From
the 1990s to the present time others came
from Burma (Burmese, Chin, Karen, Kayan
and Zomi) and a variety of other countries,
including most recently the Bhutanese-Nepali,
also called Lhotshampa people.
Nelson welcomes about 60 to 80 refugees a
year, which is 8–12% of the New Zealand
quota. Few were given any choice about the
country in which they would be resettled
- a small number who had relatives in New
Zealand were able to choose to come here
also.
Volunteer support workers, trained by
Refugee Services, assist new arrivals with
practical resettlement tasks such as setting
up their homes, enrolling the family with a
GP, registering with Work and Income and
enrolling children in schools and adults in
the appropriate English classes. Friendship
and mentoring are crucial elements of the
volunteer role. Throughout the first year,
families are visited by a registered social
worker and a case worker from the former
refugee community. Interpreting support and
ongoing community education is provided by
cross cultural workers.
The groups who arrived in recent years all
have regular informal contact with each other,
particularly within their own cultural group.
Some meet semi regularly at social activities
organised by the Nelson Newcomers Network.
Each group also holds its own festivals, to
which they invite other cultural groups,
their support people and representatives of
other official organisations. Communication
between the ethnic groups is sometimes
difficult as in many cases the only language
they have in common is limited English. A six
weekly Refugee Forum has been established
with the support of Settling In to make this
communication between the different refugee
groups easier.
Many of the adults are already concerned
about maintaining their own cultural identity
as the children start to become little Kiwis.
Some groups have started language and
culture classes. In other cases there is a rule
that no English will be spoken in the home.
The refugees immerse themselves in the
wider community through work, education,
contact with support people, participation
in community activities like Race Unity Day
and the Masked Parade, attendance at church
and religious festivals. Anyone wishing to
make contact with any of the groups could get
contact details from the Nelson Multicultural
Council, the Nelson Newcomers Network or
Refugee Services Nelson.
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Refugee Profiles
Beda and Chandra Dahal
"Both Chandra and
Beda are positive and
inspirational role models
for migrants and refugees
from all backgrounds..."
Bhutanese-Nepali (Bhutan)
Originally from Bhutan, Beda and Chandra
were in a refugee camp in Nepal for 18 long
years before coming to New Zealand two
years ago.
In the short time they have been here the
couple has achieved an amazing amount.
Chandra is employed by Refugee Services as
a case worker. He is also the Co-ordinator
for Nelson Newcomers Network and both
he and Beda are interpreters on the Nelson
Multicultural Council’s list. Beda is employed
part-time by Refugee Services as a crosscultural worker (could be up to six hours
per week), does bilingual liaison work at
Victory Primary School, Nelson College and
Nelson College for Girls (10 hours), but her
main job is as an early childhood educator in
Y-Kids (three days a week). She is studying
Early Childhood Education through the Open
Polytechnic.
Somehow they find time for voluntary work.
Beda and Chandra are on the Committee of
the Bhutanese-Nepali Community of Nelson,
(Chandra is the immediate Past President);
both are active members of the Nelson
Refugee Forum and both are always available
to support community members when needed
– which can mean phone calls at any time.
In 2011 Chandra attended the national hui of
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the Newcomers Network (the only male coordinator) and the annual National Refugee
Forum in Wellington.
Beda attended the International Conference
for Women’s Study in Hamilton in 2010
and, in 2011, Families in Cultural Transition
training for facilitators in Wellington. She is
also a member of the Multicultural Women’s
Group.
Beda and Chandra are too busy to have much
time to think about the future. Chandra was
an accountant before coming to NZ and did
a short placement with Jorgensen Accounting
Specialist in 2010. He finds his present work
very satisfying and is unsure about going back
to accountancy. Naturally, the couple want a
good future for their three children, Mamata,
Samu and Sameep, who are doing well at
school. Beda says that she would love to own
her own home.
In the words of their nominators, “Both
Chandra and Beda are positive and
inspirational role models for migrants and
refugees from all backgrounds...
(They ) have with focus, perseverance and hard
work navigated and overcome the challenges
they have faced. Nelson and New Zealand
are all the richer for them.”
Trang Lam
Trang wants to continue her
United Nations work and to
continue helping her community.
Khmer Krom (Vietnam)
Trang was born in a refugee camp in Thailand
and came to New Zealand with her family in
1994. Her family was resettled in Nelson
and she went to St. Joseph’s School, Nayland
College and on to university, spending one year
at Lincoln College and two at Otago University.
She studied Accountancy and Psychology and
needs one more year to complete her degree.
She is currently employed at Westpac Bank in
Nelson.
Trang is part of the Khmer Krom Youth
Committee which is based in the United States.
In 2011 she attended a forum in the US and
also the United Nations Permanent Forum
Theresa Zam Deih Cin
Zomi (Burma)
Theresa arrived in Nelson in 2010 and has
started studying for a Diploma in Business at
NMIT. She has a degree in Psychology which
she did extramurally in Burma. This took
her seven years with all the social upheavals
on Indigenous Issues where she delivered a
speech on behalf of the Global Indigenous
Youth Caucus. She is also involved with the
research for a UNICEF booklet on indigenous
human rights.
Trang is passionate about her community and
helps other Khmer Krom by interpreting for
those who have difficulty with English. She is
very involved with the newly formed Khmer
Krom Society - she wrote up the rules, opened
a bank account and has been applying for
grants. The society is keen to set up a school
teaching language and culture to the children.
She has a green belt in Tae Kwan Do and has
helped the club apply for financial grants.
As for the future, Trang wants to continue her
United Nations work and to continue helping
her community. Long term, she would like to
go to Cambodia to help the Khmer Krom there.
This is one young woman we will hear more
of in years to come.
Theresa has started studying
for a Diploma in Business
at NMIT. She has a degree
in Psychology which she did
extramurally in Burma.
and demonstrations. She had to work to save
money to continue her studies. She has also
done short courses in basic computing and
accountancy. After she completes her diploma
at NMIT she would like to open an Asian
style tea shop.
Theresa enjoys singing, socialising with other
Zomi, designing clothes and bringing up her
two adopted sons.
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Govinda (Tika) Regmi
Govinda came to New Zealand in 2010 after
spending some 18 years in a camp in Nepal.
Before coming to New Zealand he had gained
a Bachelor’s degree by correspondence and
had teaching experience. He is married with
an eight year old daughter.
Since coming to Nelson, Govinda has
worked at Redwood Cellar. He does the
afternoon/ evening shift, which means that
in the mornings he can work part-time as
a bilingual assistant tutor for the English
Language Programme. In 2011 he did a
training programme for bilingual assistants in
Christchurch, attended the Refugee Education
Conference in Auckland in 2011. He did
further professional development training in
Wellington in 2012.
Despite having two jobs, Govinda finds time
for voluntary work. He is the present Chairman
of the Bhutanese-Nepali community in Nelson
and also teaches Nepali (their first language)
to the children of the Bhutanese community.
He is a social committee member of Nelson’s
Newcomers Network and a member of the
Nelson Multicultural Council. He regularly
takes part in the Refugee Forum meetings.
Govinda is uncertain about his future direction.
He enjoys teaching and had hoped to teach
in a New Zealand school, but would have to
retrain first. He has become very interested
in adult literacy programmes and adult
education in general. He believes that with
hard work and perseverance he will eventually
be successful in whatever he chooses to do.
Linh coaches soccer and
does interpreting work for
the hospital when required.
Ly Linh
Khmer Krom (Vietnam)
When Linh arrived in Nelson in 1994 at the age
of 25, he attended an English course at NMIT.
He then worked in the orchards around the
region for several years before buying Loafers
Bakery on Hardy St. three years ago.
Loafers is open seven days a week and is
always busy. This means long hours for Linh.
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Despite having two jobs, Govinda
finds time for voluntary work.
His wife helps in the shop and, occasionally,
some of his children help for an hour or two
after school – homework permitting.
Despite the long hours, Linh is active in the
Khmer Krom community. He coaches soccer
and does interpreting work for the hospital
when required. This could be at any hour
of the day or night. Previously, Linh was
involved with the home tutoring scheme, but
is no longer able to do this because of his other
commitments.
He is proud of his five children and how well
they are doing. His son Andy, who is 17 and
a student at Nelson College, has just won a
flying scholarship to help him become a solo
pilot.
Mu Phou (62), Mali (52), Mu Lar (49),Mu Toy (37),
Mu Ban (36), Mu Bar (27), Mu Su (15)
skills will survive into future generations.
The women enjoy working together and feel
fulfilled when they are weaving. As 62 year
old Mu Phou says, she feels lonely when she
is not weaving and thinks about her aches and
pains. The women are proud of their creativity
and can always tell who has made a particular
scarf. They like using their own designs,
but are happy to do something specific for a
customer.
Kayan (Burma)
The Sukita Project, founded in 2010 by Dr
Kay Sneddon, has two main aims:
• To preserve the art and handicrafts of
refugee and migrant cultures and promote
these within the communities where they
live.
• To encourage community involvement
for people who may be held back from
integrating by language and cultural
barriers.
The success of the project is evident. The
beautiful hand-woven scarves are available
at the Suter Art Gallery, WOW Museum,
Sweet As Café on Trafalgar Street and Escape
Gallery & Gifts, Richmond. The weavers
demonstrated their traditional weaving and
sold scarves at Race Unity Day in 2010 and
2011. The Nelson Public Library hosted
an exhibition of Kayan weaving in 2010,
showcasing their culture and craft to the wider
community.
Kayan weavers are the initial focus of
the project and other groups will join in
eventually. There is little focus on money as
it would be almost impossible for the people
involved to make a livable income from their
weaving. The project works as a cooperative,
managed by Kay (voluntarily), with all
profits shared equally. These profits also go
towards buying thread, plus rice that is shared
between the families. The long term hope is
that the confidence and self-worth gained
from working together and getting out into
the community might eventually lead to job
opportunities and decrease dependence upon
benefits.
Three generations of weavers work together.
Everyone plays a part and everyone feels
involved from the youngest to the oldest. The
youngest is encouraged to learn so that these
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Thi Kim Tran
Kim is able to earn a good wage
and sees a good future for her
children.
Vietnamese/ Cambodian
Kim was born in a refugee camp in Thailand
and came to New Zealand in 1994 when
she was nine years old. Her parents are
Vietnamese and Cambodian. The family came
to Nelson after a few months in Wellington.
She attended school at Auckland Point,
Waimea Intermediate, followed by one year
in Auckland, before completing her schooling
at Nelson College for Girls. She left school
at 15 in order to get on with the one thing
she wanted to do – beauty therapy. She did
courses in Vietnam, London and Nelson.
Kim began working in a factory and then did
beauty therapy work from home. In 2006 she
Paing Mu speaks Karen, Burmese,
Thai & English & has started
learning the Chin language.
Paing Mu
Karen (Burma)
After her mother died when Paing Mu was
eight, she went to live in Thailand with a sister.
She was there until, at the age of 22, she came
to New Zealand in 2001 as part of Kyi Win
Htain’s family. She arrived with little formal
education and no knowledge of English.
8
married a Vietnamese man and now has two
sons, and has had a daughter in March. She
continued doing beauty therapy work and
in 2011 became the Manager, part-owner of
Nails and Beauty Spa in Bridge Street. She
employs five staff members, three full-time,
two part-time, and works seven days a week.
Despite the long hours she works, Kim still
finds time for her children and to lead an
active social life.
In the past she was on the Nelson Multicultural
Council’s interpreters’ list and, because she
speaks both Vietnamese and Cambodian, she
has been helpful to both communities. These
days, she does interpreting only when no one
else is available.
Kim considers herself fortunate, especially
compared with those back in Vietnam. She
is doing the work she wanted to do, is able
to earn a good wage and sees a good future
for her children. Her ambitions are for her
children. “They are everything.”
Paing Mu studied English first at Victory
School in the adult classes and then at NMIT
for two years. She now has a part-time job
as a bilingual assistant and is on the Nelson
Multicultural Council's interpreters’ list. She
speaks Karen, Burmese, Thai and English and
has started learning the Chin language. A lot
of her time is spent helping others with such
things as appointments with doctors, Work &
Income, etc. She is also a full-time mother to
her four children.
Paing Mu would like to further her education
and to get a job where she would be working
with others, such as social work, or caring for
the elderly. She would really love to study
nursing, but thinks it unlikely to happen.
Sua Thi Lam & China Tran
For two former refugees to
be so successful in business
in a new country is quite an
achievement.
Khmer Krom (Cambodia)
Sua and China arrived in New Zealand in
1994 via Thailand where they spent 15 years
in a refugee camp.
Sua studied English for six months at Nelson
College for Girls, leaving to marry China.
Both worked in orchards for several years
and during this period they managed to save
enough money to buy their own house.
In 2002 they bought Ebonlon Asian Food
Market. Sua, who had experience in food
Dhanman Pradhan
Dhan arrived in New Zealand with his
family (parents, two sisters and one brother)
in February 2011 after 18 years in a refugee
camp in Nepal. He is 22.
After completing a six month English course
at NMIT, he was given a three-month trial
work placement at Britannia Textiles. At the
end of that trial period he was offered a fulltime job as a production assistant.
retailing while in the refugee camp, worked
in the shop while China continued to work in
the orchards. In 2010 they bought the dairy at
Three Brothers Corner. At this point China left
the orchards to work in the two businesses.
As the couple have two children it has taken
enormous dedication, hard work and sacrifices
to juggle the often conflicting demands of
family and work. This has left no time for any
outside interests.
For two former refugees to be so successful
in business in a new country is quite an
achievement.
Dhan enjoys his present job,
but his passion is working
with computers – installing
software and doing repairs.
In his spare time Dhan gets together with other
young people from his community and they
sometimes go fishing. He enjoys seeing new
places, but has not been out of Nelson yet. He
is looking forward to exploring the country.
Dhan has not been here long enough to make
many plans for the future. He enjoys his
present job, but his passion is working with
computers – installing software and doing
repairs. He studied computers in Nepal and
has a good knowledge of graphic design,
Photoshop, blog design, etc.
He helps other Bhutanese-Nepali with their
computer problems and eventually would
love a job in the computer industry.
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Van Van Za Thang
In 2011, Van Van's first year
in New Zealand, he was jointly
awarded the ESOL prize.
Chin (Burma)
Van Van arrived in January 2011 after two
years in a refugee camp in Delhi. He has no
immediate family in New Zealand and was
sponsored by his uncle.
Van Van is in Year 12 at Nelson College. In
2011, his first year in New Zealand, he was
jointly awarded the ESOL prize.
He likes reading, maths, using Photoshop
on his computer and taking part in cultural
activities. Unfortunately he can no longer take
part in sport because of an Achilles problem.
Van Van has thought a lot about the future.
He would like to study law, but recognises
that this may not be possible. He is now very
interested in Art Design and would like to
attend NMIT and become a graphic designer
in the future.
Monica Lun Sian Muang
Monica leads the Zomi
Youth Group which raises
money to buy things for
the community.
Zomi (Burma)
Monica, who came to Nelson in 2008 with her
family, is now 20 years old. She is currently
in Year 13 at Nelson College for Girls. In the
previous three years she received two Merit
Awards for hard work and a positive attitude,
came third in mathematics in Year 11 and
completed Level 1 in nursing.
10
Monica leads the Zomi Youth Group which
raises money to buy things for the community.
She also takes part in traditional dancing and
singing.
Her ambition is to study nursing and eventually
work in a hospital. Long-term, she would like
to go to Burma and work there - should the
political situation change.
Van Ro Hlawnceu, Mal Sawn Cinzah,Van Hlei Sung Lian
In 2011 when they were all
at Intermediate they were
in a Rock Band which came
second in the schools’ Rock
Band competitions.
Chin (Burma)
These three young students have been in NZ
for five to six years. Van and Mal are in Year
9 at Nelson College; Sung is Year 8 at Nelson
Intermediate.
They share a love of music and sport. Van and
Mal play the guitar and Sung is a talented singer.
In 2011 when they were all at Intermediate
they were in a Rock Band which came second
in the schools’ Rock Band competitions. Sung
won a prize in a Talent Quest while she was
in Year 4 and a Trophy for Performing Arts in
Year 6.
As far as sport is concerned the two boys
are already football stars and in 2011 both
represented Nelson in the Under 17’s soccer
team, coming second after playing seven
matches at Queenstown. In recent years they
have collected an impressive array of medals
and trophies for soccer and other sporting
achievements. In 2010 and 2011 Van was
selected to join other top football players in
the Under 17 division at the annual camp at
the National Talent Centre, Oamaru. In 2012
both he and Mal will attend. The boys are
most appreciative of all the help and support
they have received from their coaches.
Sung plays volleyball and soccer and in 2011
she was in the top girls’ soccer team in Nelson.
It is too soon for the students to have clear
goals for the future. Naturally, both Van and
Mal would like to play in the All Whites, but
other plans are vague at this stage. Mal could
be interested in engineering while Van is sure
that any career will be in the sporting arena.
Sung is looking forward to studying music
and to continuing her singing.
Sung plays volleyball and soccer and in 2011 she
was in the top girls’ soccer team in Nelson.
11
The Ethnic Communities In Nelson
BURMA (Myanmar)
Burma has been ruled by a repressive
military regime since 1962. Following
a student uprising in 1988 (8.8.88),
the government cracked down hard on
opponents, leaving thousands dead or
wounded, and huge numbers fled to the
Thai border. Since then, anyone considered
an opponent of the regime – pro democracy
activists, ethnic minorities – and members
of their extended families have faced a real
risk of execution, torture, forced labour,
forced relocation, rape and oppression.
Nearly 500 former refugees from Burma
now live in Nelson. The majority are Chin,
with smaller numbers of Burmese, Karen,
Kayan, Zo, Matupi, Rakhine and Zomi.
BURMESE
The main group of Burmese arrived in
2001. They had all come from camps in
Thailand, where they had been for about
four years. At the beginning of 2012 there
were six Burmese families in Nelson, with
a total of less than 50 people. They are
Buddhist.
A lot of the adults are working in Sealord
or market gardens.
The two main events marked by the
community each year are Burmese New
Year and 8/8/88 commemoration.
12
CHIN
Members of the Chin community began
arriving in July 2003. There are now
between 350 and 400, most of whom were
in Malaysia and New Delhi before being
resettled in Nelson. The majority are
Christian.
More than 100 are in the education system
from pre-school to tertiary. Most adults
are in paid employment, typically at
Sealord, market gardens, the supermarkets
and in education.
The Chin celebrate all the main Christian
festivals plus their own National Day.
They are mindful of their roots and each
Saturday they have classes in the Chin
language and culture. They were the
first group to start the highly successful
“Saturday School”.
The Zomi believe in giving back to the
wider community. They donated $1,200 to
the Christchurch Earthquake Appeal – an
amazing achievement.
ZOMI INNKUAN
The Zomi started arriving in 2003 and
now number nearly 50 people from seven
families. Most had spent between five and
seven years in Malaysia - not in camps, but
survival was still a battle. The majority are
Christian, mostly Catholic or Baptist.
The children are in all sectors of the
education system and many of the adults
work either in market gardens or at
Sealord.
They celebrate all the usual Christian
festivals, Khudo (Harvest Festival) in
October and join with the Burmese and
Chin communities on the Burmese National
Day. Three adults teach mathematics,
Zomi literature and culture at their own
Saturday classes.
The Zomi are generous about sharing
their culture and, in addition to Race
Unity Day and the Masked Parade, they
have participated in Rainbow Praise at
the Cathedral and the Singers Mosaic
and Friends concert at St John’s Church.
They have ordered traditional musical
instruments such as drums, gongs, a horn
and a phit from India so that they can share
their culture more fully in the future.
KAYAN
The Kayan community now numbers 61
with families arriving since 2008. All had
been in camps in Thailand before being
resettled in Nelson. Gaining permission for
their departure from the Thai authorities
was a lengthy process because the women’s
long neck coils made them a tourist
attraction.
This group faces particular problems
with settling in Nelson as many of the
adults had no education at all before their
arrival. Learning English is a priority, but
classroom teaching is an alien concept
for the adults. Life will be easier for
the younger generation as they progress
through the education system.
Members of the Kayan community attend
social gatherings and participate in the
sharing of culture through song and dance.
13
KHMER KROM
BHUTANESE-NEPALI
This is Nelson’s most recently arrived
community. Most are Lhotshampa people
from southern Bhutan and came from a
farming background. In the late 1980s the
Bhutanese Government began to suppress
the religion, language, culture and dress
of the Lhotshampa people.
Peaceful
demonstrations led to repressive and
violent retaliation and within two years
120,000 people had been forced to leave
Bhutan to escape imprisonment and/ or
death.
Members of the Nelson community began
arriving in 2009 and the community now
numbers 90 people. All came from refugee
camps in Nepal, where they had spent
around 18 years. Most are Hindu, with the
rest Christian.
The 40 plus children are in all sectors of
the education system. Only a small number
of the community had any knowledge of
English before their arrival and so many
of the adults are still attending English
language classes. Nineteen adults are in
paid employment, most in Sealord or
Redwood Cellar.
The Khmer Krom in Nelson hail mainly
from the Mekong Delta in Vietnam, plus
some from Cambodia. After suffering
many years of war in both countries, they
faced ongoing human rights violations,
oppression, discrimination and religious
persecution. Those who managed to flee,
and were not returned to their country
of origin, endured more than 10 years in
refugee camps on the Thai/ Khmer border
before resettlement.
The first Khmer Krom arrived in Nelson
in 1994 and there are now 30 families, or
about 200 people. All are Buddhist.
More than 60 children are at all levels of
the education system. Most of the adults
are working (unless they have reached
retirement age) in market gardens and
Sealord. Several are running their own
businesses.
The Khmer Krom have plenty of informal
contact with one another, especially the
older generation, but little contact with
other refugee groups. The Cambodian
New Year and other Cambodian festivals
are celebrated, but they did not create a
community group until a year ago. They
now have many plans for the future.
The group gets together regularly. The
Hindus met initially every week for prayers,
but as the numbers have grown, it is now
once a fortnight. The Christians attend
church each week. Dasain is the main
festival and was celebrated in October
2010 and 2011.
14
14
Messages of Support
June 20th, Refugee Day, has become a special
day in the annual calendar for many people.
For Refugee Services Nelson it is a time to
celebrate the resettlement of approximately
70 people.
Our work, including that of our Volunteer
Support Workers, is significant in the success
of each former refugee’s settlement journey,
and we regard our involvement in each
“new beginning” as a privilege. However, it
is the deep joy we share in being witness to
the courage, resilience and determination of
so many former refugee settlers that is the
celebration.
There are many stories; some describe two steps
forward and one step back, acknowledging
the difficulties as well as the achievements,
but over-riding the day-by-day events are the
philosophy and understanding that for each
individual there is opportunity which brings
possibility, and therefore hope for a positive
future.
This is the gift that is offered to and received
by former refugees in the resettling process;
the gift that enables and empowers people
to move into significance, and is described in
these “Refugee Stories”.
Nelson Multicultural Council thanks all those
people who have shared their stories in this
wonderful book. You are an inspiration to all!
It is so important to acknowledge the life
journeys and achievements of former refugees
who, in the face of adversity, have shown such
determination to be contributing members of
our community and country.
These stories offer a window on the past and
present. They will inspire others who already
call Nelson home, as well as those who have
not yet reached our shores.
On behalf of those of us who have not
experienced life as refugees, thank you for
allowing us to look through that window and
open our minds and hearts.
Evey McAuliffe,
Co-ordinator
Nelson Multicultural Council
Gabrielle Humphreys,
Area Manager
Refugee Services Nelson
15
I want to say a big
‘Thank you’ to all
the people who
have contributed
their stories to
this publication, launched on World Refugee
Day 2012. It is so important for the wider
community to know that opening the door
to people who have sought refuge in New
Zealand has many rewards, including the
contribution that they and their children have
already made and will continue to make to
the Nelson and New Zealand community. We
celebrate their success, and value the stories of
their journey, which are now part of the story
of all our journeys to New Zealand. Thank
you, and may your stories be an inspiration to
others. Kia kaha, kia manawanui.
Joris de Bres
Race Relations Commissioner
Human Rights Commission
I am delighted to have this opportunity to help
celebrate the contributions and achievements
of the Nelson residents featured in this
publication. In my work around New Zealand
with the Settling In project I have the privilege
of meeting people from across the globe who
have come to New Zealand to begin a new
phase of their life; including many from refugee
backgrounds. Many arrive with very little in
the way of material possessions but they often
carry incredible stories and experiences with
them. It takes enormous courage and sheer
hard work to forge a new life in a new land
16
and I acknowledge and commend those of
you in this book. Your achievements will be
stepping stones to a brighter future – they will
be of great value to you as individuals, but
also to your community and to New Zealand.
I would also like to commend the publishers
of this great resource. I believe that the stories
about people’s lives provide lessons and
inspiration for us all.
Ann Dysart
Manager - Community Relations Team
Family and Community Services
Ministry of Social Development
New Zealand Police are proud to be associated
with this publication, which celebrates the
personal achievements and contributions that
former refugees are making to our community.
So many of our former refugee community have
overcome great challenge, personal tragedy,
displacement and hardship. They have had to
learn a new language, a new culture, and this
publication is a testament of the successful
integration as new New Zealanders.
In supporting this publication the New
Zealand Police acknowledge the former
refugees' success in academia, business,
community and the sporting arena. We wish
all former refugees success in their future
careers and may they have a happy, peaceful
and rewarding life in New Zealand.
David Cogger
Ethnic Liaison Officer Nelson
New Zealand Police
Organisations Supporting Refugee Resettlement
Refugee Services is Aotearoa-New Zealand's
principal refugee resettlement agency. We are
a non-government organisation committed
to supporting the successful resettlement
of former refugees within a welcoming and
inclusive society. Please make contact if
you would like to know more about our
organisation or would like to become a
Volunteer Support Worker.
Contact: Gabrielle Humphreys
(03) 548 4978
[email protected]
www.refugeeservices.org.nz
Settling In is a community development
initiative that works directly with migrants and
refugees to help them connect with the people
who live and work in their communities,
identify their social issues and come up with
solutions to address these.
Contact: Claire Nichols & Brigid Ryan
(03) 539 0565
[email protected]
[email protected]
Nelson Multicultural Council is a nongovernment organisation that works to
promote positive race relations in our
community. Our vision is that “Migrants,
newcomers and locals celebrate their diversity
in a welcoming and safe environment so that
all may enrich our community”.
Contact: Evey McAuliffe
(03) 539 0030
www.nelsonmulticultural.co.nz
[email protected]
17
A Team Effort
In 2009 a Chin woman Sue Leya was at the
Refugee Health & Wellbeing conference
in Auckland when she spotted the Somali
Graduate Journal for that year. Wouldn’t it
be great, she thought, to put out a similar
publication in Nelson to celebrate the success
of local refugees.
migrants settle well and contribute to our
nation in all aspects of life: social, economic,
civic and cultural”. When Sue shared her
dream of a publication, Claire felt it would be
the perfect vehicle to demonstrate how former
refugees have contributed to the region, both
as individuals and communities.
New Beginnings is the result, thanks to a
combined effort by Sue, Claire Nichols and
Alison Gibbs.
It wasn’t until September 2011, when Claire
told Alison Gibbs about the idea, that things
began to take shape. Alison agreed to do the
research and writing. She is an experienced
writer and has worked with people from other
cultures both in New Zealand and overseas.
She currently writes life histories of Hospice
patients.
Sue came to Nelson in 2007 after 10 years
as a refugee in New Delhi, having fled the
Chin State of Burma. She studied at Nelson
Marlborough Institute of Technology and has
worked for the past four years as Ministry of
Education Bilingual Liaison Teacher based at
Victory School. Sue has a strong Christian faith
and supports other Chin families within the
community, often working as an interpreter.
Sue arrived in Nelson as a single parent of two
children, but now has a Kiwi partner and in
May they had a baby boy – the first of Chin/
Kiwi ancestry in Nelson.
Claire Nichols, the project manager for New
Beginnings, has worked as a relationship
manager for Settling In since 2008. The vision
of Settling In is that “New Zealand welcomes
and celebrates diversity where refugees and
New Beginnings had its team: Sue with the
vision, Claire the determination and Alison
the writing skills.
But this publication would not have been
possible without the cooperation and
assistance of many other people. We would
like to thank Beda & Chandra Dahal, Henry
Kham Suan Thang, Kyi Win Htain and Muon
Lam for providing information about their
communities. Also many thanks to Bob Irvine
for his help with editing.
Thanks also to:
IGNITE - The ‘Ignite’ project is funded by the
Community Response Fund, a fund provided
by the Ministry of Social Development.
NELSON MULTICULTURAL COUNCIL
REFUGEE SERVICES (NELSON)
ELMA TURNER LIBRARY STAFF
18

New Beginnings - Nelson Multicultural Council

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