New Beginnings · 2019. 3. 28. · NEW BEGINNINGS - Refugee stories from Nelson 5 Trang was born in a refugee camp in Thailand . and came to New Zealand with her family in 1994. Her

New BeginningsRefugee Stories - Nelson

A Snapshot of Success

NEW BEGINNINGS Refugee Stories - Nelson

First Published 2012

Nelson Multicultural Council4 Bridge Street, NelsonPO Box 264, Nelson 7040

ISBN: 978-0-473-21735-8

Copy writing by Alison GibbsCopy edited by Claire Nichols, Bob IrvineDesigned and typeset by Revell Design - www.revelldesign.co.nzPrinted by Speedyprint - www.speedyprint.co.nz

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION ...................................................................1

REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT IN NEW ZEALAND ..........2

REFUGEE COMMUNITIES IN NELSON ..........................3

REFUGEE PROFILES ............................................................4

Beda and Chandra Dahal .................................................4

Trang Lam ...............................................................................5

Theresa Zam Deih Cin .........................................................5

Govinda (Tika) Regmi..........................................................6

Ly Linh ......................................................................................6

The Sukita Project ................................................................7

Thi Kim Tran ............................................................................8

Paing Mu ..................................................................................8

Sua Thi Lam & China Tran ..................................................9

Dhanman Pradhan ...............................................................9

Van Van Za Thang .............................................................. 10

Monica Lun Sian Muang ................................................. 10

Van Ro HlawnceuMal Sawm CinzahVan Hlei Sung Lian ............................................................ 11

THE ETHNIC COMMUNITIES IN NELSON ................. 12

Burma .................................................................................... 12

Burmese ................................................................................ 12

Chin ........................................................................................ 12

Zomi Innkuan ...................................................................... 13

Kayan ..................................................................................... 13

Bhutan .................................................................................. 14

Bhutanese/Nepali ............................................................. 14

Vietnam/Cambodia ......................................................... 14

Khmer Krom ........................................................................ 14

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

1NEW BEGINNINGS - Refugee stories from Nelson

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 GibbsResearch & Editor

2 NEW BEGINNINGS - Refugee stories from Nelson

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.

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.


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 cross-cultural 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

the Newcomers Network (the only male co-ordinator) 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.”

Beda and Chandra Dahal

"Both Chandra and Beda are positive and inspirational role models for migrants and refugees from all backgrounds..."

Bhutanese-Nepali (Bhutan)

Refugee Profiles


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

Trang Lam

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

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.

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 Zam Deih Cin

Zomi (Burma)

Khmer Krom (Vietnam)

Theresa has started studying for a Diploma in Business at NMIT. She has a degree in Psychology which she did extramurally in Burma.

Trang wants to continue her United Nations work and to continue helping her community.


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

Govinda (Tika) Regmi

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.

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.

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.

Ly Linh

Khmer Krom (Vietnam)


Despite having two jobs, Govinda finds time for voluntary work.

Linh coaches soccer and does interpreting work for the hospital when required.


The Sukita Project, founded in 2010 by Dr Kay Sneddon, has two main aims:

• To preserve the art and handicrafts ofrefugee and migrant cultures and promote these within the communities where they live.

• To encourage community involvementfor people who may be held back from integrating by language and cultural barriers.

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

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.

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.

Mu Phou (62), Mali (52), Mu Lar (49),Mu Toy (37), Mu Ban (36), Mu Bar (27), Mu Su (15)

Kayan (Burma)


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

Thi Kim Tran

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.

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.

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

Karen (Burma)

Vietnamese/ Cambodian

Kim is able to earn a good wage and sees a good future for her children.

Paing Mu speaks Karen, Burmese, Thai & English & has started learning the Chin language.


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 full-time job as a production assistant.

Dhanman Pradhan

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.


Dhan enjoys his present job, but his passion is working with computers – installing software and doing repairs.

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

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.

Sua Thi Lam & China Tran

Khmer Krom (Cambodia)

For two former refugees to be so successful in business in a new country is quite an achievement.


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.

Van Van Za Thang

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.

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.

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

Zomi (Burma)

Chin (Burma)

In 2011, Van Van's first year in New Zealand, he was jointly awarded the ESOL prize.

Monica leads the Zomi Youth Group which raises money to buy things for the community.


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.

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)

Sung plays volleyball and soccer and in 2011 she was in the top girls’ soccer team in Nelson.

12 NEW BEGINNINGS - Refugee stories from Nelson12 NEW BEGINNINGS - Refugee stories from Nelson

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.

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.

The Ethnic Communities In Nelson

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”.

CHIN

BURMA (Myanmar)

BURMESE

13NEW BEGINNINGS - Refugee stories from Nelson 13

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.

NEW BEGINNINGS - Refugee stories from Nelson

The Zomi believe in giving back to the wider community. They donated $1,200 to the Christchurch Earthquake Appeal – an amazing achievement.

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.

KAYAN

ZOMI INNKUAN

14 NEW BEGINNINGS - Refugee stories from Nelson14 NEW BEGINNINGS - Refugee stories from Nelson 14

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 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.

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.

KHMER KROM

BHUTANESE-NEPALI


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”.

Gabrielle Humphreys,Area Manager

Refugee Services Nelson

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

Messages of Support


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

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 BresRace Relations Commissioner

Human Rights Commission

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 CoggerEthnic Liaison Officer Nelson

New Zealand Police

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 DysartManager - Community Relations Team

Family and Community ServicesMinistry of Social Development


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 [email protected] www.refugeeservices.org.nz

Nelson Multicultural Council is a non-government 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]

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 [email protected] [email protected]


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.

New Beginnings is the result, thanks to a combined effort by Sue, Claire Nichols and Alison Gibbs.

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

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.

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.

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

Documents

New Beginnings · 2019. 3. 28. · NEW BEGINNINGS - Refugee stories from Nelson 5 Trang was born in a refugee camp in Thailand . and came to New Zealand with her family in 1994. Her