Series Classification: G (General Audiences) | Watch the series here
How do people maintain connections to their cultural roots while being a New Zealand immigrant?
Our Aotearoa is an animated documentary series that speaks to immigrants’ personal experiences living in Aotearoa. The series explores themes of racism, discrimination, loss, loneliness, and maintaining cultural ties while living in another country. This project’s purpose is to help open a dialogue for a more diverse representation.
Our Aotearoa also aims to add to the growing content around immigration. As a thriving immigrant nation, regular discourse around immigration is needed now more than ever. The series intends to create awareness around the struggles faced when moving countries and acclimating to a new culture and society. Many may not know or understand the internal and external conflicts people face when integrating into a new society, and how people cope with the transition. Maintaining connections to a heritage can be one of these coping mechanisms: through food, social media, art, music, or finding a community that accepts them. Through these connections, one can feel a sense of belonging in an environment that may feel unfamiliar.
The three parts of Our Aotearoa Photo: Hybrid Snail Productions / Danielle Mendoza
