Series Classification: G (General Programmes)
A group of Pan-Asian New Zealanders committed to the values of Te Tiriti O Waitangi have united as Asians Supporting Tino Rangatiratanga (ASTR).
In this episode, we meet three people committed to educating themselves and others on the important history of Tangata Whenua as they also navigate New Zealand culture and their own Asian cultures.
Mahdis Azarmandi Photo: Alex Bradshaw / Fire Fire
Sue Gee
"Assimilation, people talked about it proudly in the Chinese community. "Oh, she's so well assimilated!" I think that sense of not wanting to be Chinese ran deep."
As a third-generation Chinese New Zealand historian, Sue became hungry for knowledge that would help her understand her adopted homeland. She takes us on a journey through her involvement in the group Asians Supporting Tino Rangatiratanga and introduces her ancestors who came to New Zealand to forge a new life.
Mahdis Azarmandi
"When we talk about "being othered", I think it refers to being seen as these people who are somehow inferior and that our ways of being and our culture or our religion is somehow inherently different."
Mahdis is an anti-racism campaigner and academic author who passionately supports the work of ASTR. As an Iranian woman living in New Zealand, she says remaining connected to her culture and family in Iran is very important.
Jasmin Singh
"In New Zealand, we see whiteness and white people, as like the kind of peak of that's how we wanna be. For a lot of migrants that come here, they want to assimilate into that ideal."
Jasmin is an Indian-Malaysian migrant and university graduate who created the migrant zine collective Our Zines. She has a passion for supporting migrant communities to come together to better understand Te Tiriti O Waitangi and the history of Aotearoa.
Behind the scenes...
Chinese New Zealand historian Sue Gee Photo: Alex Bradshaw / Fire Fire
Jasmin Singh Photo: Alex Bradshaw / Fire Fire
Giants
Every year, families relocate to New Zealand from a diverse range of cultures that share a deep respect for whānau (family), community and whakapapa (ancestry). In the seven-part video series Giants, we learn how these new New Zealanders see themselves as standing on the shoulders of their ancestors – 'giants' who paved the way for their own descendants to settle here and live lives that are meaningful. Discover how New Zealand's migrant communities are creating a fresh legacy while staying connected to their own cultures.
Episode credits:
Creator - Alex Bradshaw
Producers - Alex Bradshaw and Tara Durrant
Executive Producer - Pietra Brettkelly
Featuring - Sue Gee, Mahdis Azarmandi, Jasmin Singh, Kirsty Fong (V/O)
NZ On Air Photo: NZOA
