'NEIGHBOURHOOD' THEME Captions by Shrutika Gunanayagam. Edited by Ashlee Scholefield. Captions were made possible with funding from NZ On Air. Copyright Able 2015 POP MUSIC Birkdale is a suburb on Auckland's North Shore, somewhere between Beach Haven and Birkenhead. It can get lost in a multitude of similar-sounding suburbs, but the locals know it has a vibe all of its own. POP MUSIC CONTINUES I moved here because, when I was trying to find a home of my own, the house prices here were cheaper than anywhere else. And I stayed because I honestly really like it. I even managed to convince my family to come over with me. Well,... kind of. My sister and her husband live just up the road from me. I think of myself as 100% NZer, even though I was born in Australia. And while Dad was born in NZ, he was very much a proud Croatian man. Living in Birkdale, I've become part of a diverse community ` all NZers, but each with a unique cultural story to share. A French woman whose family lived in North Africa dishes up couscous royale. Brings back good memories of sitting around the kitchen table and cutting` helping, you know, uh, the grown-ups cut the vegetables and listening to what they were saying. Not being allowed to say anything, but just listening, basically. We'll explore the treasures of the local Coptic church. I am happy about it, that when the two shrines arrived here at Auckland after long, long journey from Egypt, and they are in good condition. A local man ensures the Nepalese community here keep their language alive. Especially now, the` the young children, because now, what I could see, their grandparents, they are also now come to visit them, and they are finding it very difficult to communicate with them. That is the` the reason also why the children actually now they` they are showing so much interest now. They` They are showing interest to learn Nepalese language. And a Birkdale man shares the harrowing story of his journey from Iraq. The time that I was working there, it wasn't easy to leave without permission, without, you know, agreement or a green light. So what I did, I flee, in fact, because I couldn't stay longer and wait these things to happen. I'm Goran Paladin, and this is my neighbourhood. 'NEIGHBOURHOOD' THEME MELLOW MUSIC I would've liked my Croatian heritage to have been a bigger influence on me when I was growing up. But my dad passed away when I was quite young. As a result, I guess you could say I was robbed of having that culture mould me into the person that I am today. MELLOW MUSIC CONTINUES We arrived in Auckland from Sydney not long before my fifth birthday. Mum needed her family around her family for support after Dad died. So we moved in with my nana for a while. At the time, I was too young to realise how hard it must've been on my mum, raising three kids on her own. But she did a great job, as tough as it must've been. When you see people in the street, you never know what challenges they've faced or journeys they've taken to get here. Wisam Ibrahim came here as a refugee from Iraq, and he still marvels at the way a simple stamp in a passport can destroy a family or create it; make or break a life. POIGNANT MUSIC Uh, we still remember the first time when we granted this visa. That's what change our life. That really really change our life. When we have this one, that's mean we can travel and go to live in other country, which is NZ. So I still remember the first time when we receive it. We really been excited and we laughed and said, 'OK, Iman. We are moving now. 'We're not gonna stay longer here in Jordan.' POIGNANT MUSIC CONTINUES My name is Wisam Ibrahim. I came to NZ 2003 with my wife. I'm originally from Iraq, from Baghdad. I decide to go to university of art, which is this Academy of Fine Arts in Baghdad. My parent really wasn't, uh, support this idea, because the reason is if you spend four years studying university, you` you need to end up to go to the military service, and that should be done f` you know, for everybody. But I insist to go to the arts academy, where we spend, like, three months doing your masterpiece to be graduate to get your mark. My work was a bit different from the other student. I tried to do something like a peace man or a justice man. So it was about somebody holding the scale, and the other hand holding a sword. But unfortunately what happened is after I finish everything and people really really give me good feedback, I surprised in the last day when I'm coming, trying to put my name` my signature on it, I couldn't find it. I just find the base. Um, the statue ` all of it, about 3m ` is gone. Oh. It's` It's like a dream. I remember yesterday I just finished the last things. It's the peace of justice, or the art of justice. It was exactly opposite the college from one side, and the other side was the court, the military court, which is... completely opposite to what I'm doing here. I think that's the reason people` they removed. And they destroy it in... Of course. ...a few nights. But that's good, I mean, at least we've got a photo now to remember all this work. Yeah, you're lucky you have got a` I could show it to the kids, the, you know, children when they grow up, 'See, I did that one before and...' The time that I was work there, uh, it wasn't easy to leave without permission, without, you know, agreement or a green light. So what I did, I flee, in fact, because I couldn't stay longer and wait these things to happen. And then I moved to Jordan, and I stayed there over four years. RELAXED MUSIC Uh, Wisam and I, uh, were in same uni in Iraq. So we` already we` we know each other before, but, uh, got our very lucky chance. I meet Wisam at, uh, art gallery in, uh` in Amman, Jordan. Uh, and then we continue to each, uh` to see each other every day, before we... (CHUCKLES) we got` Decide, yeah. ...to decide to get, uh, married. Well, after four years working, living in Jordan, I found there's not gonna be a permanent life for me here. It's a` It's another journey. I have to try again. Now leave what you built already and start find another country. So, it's a` it's a hard decision. And I heard about NZ. I said, 'Could be the one ` my dream land.' We'll` We'll go. We'll see. RELAXED MUSIC CONTINUES North Shore very beautiful city. I like it, because we could see... especially the water all around you, so it doesn't really require you to spend miles to go to the beach. That's number one. And I like the community here, in fact. People here, I could feel like they are, all of them, like one family. Even if you are new, you know, migrant or new, uh... a refugee or whatever, you still can feel all the people surround you. They are like your family. And I like the people, when they see you in the street, and they say just hi. Look like he know you for a long time, which is` that's fantastic to see this community in. REFLECTIVE MUSIC When I was young, I was just some kid with a weird name. Once everyone got over that, I pretty much fitted in. But I've never forgotten that there are some things about me which are defined by my Croatian heritage. REFLECTIVE MUSIC CONTINUES My pride definitely comes through my father. I didn't get to know him, but he obviously played a big part in who I am. I have a tattoo which represents him. It's of a knight, cos Paladin is a knight. And the shield that he carries is the crest from the Croatian flag. I'm really proud to be half Croat, even though I don't know a great deal about that part of my background. I reckon it's important to embrace where you're from and who you are. I think that holds true, whatever your culture. REFLECTIVE MUSIC QUIET, RHYTHMIC MUSIC Like in English, you have got A, E, I, O and U. (SPEAKS NEPALESE) There are twelve letters. (SPEAKS NEPALESE) Excellent. Very good. Good job. Thank you very much. Thanks. APPLAUSE I understand Nepa` Nepalese, but I just don't know how to write it down. Same. Same like me, as well. As we progress through the classes, we get better and better. INSPIRATIONAL MUSIC (SPEAKS NEPALESE) He is a very very helpful person which I have ever met. 'He helped us on, 'uh, getting a driving licence,' and when I gave, uh, the test for learner licence, just he took me there. And then, yeah, just, he help` he's just c` coach us, the Nepalese people, how to` how to know the knowledge, how to know` Even he` he's just, uh, show the places, he demonstrate and, uh,... for the medical purposes also to take my mum to hospital. He help us. ALL SPEAK NEPALESE I think myself as a luckiest person to be here. NZ is the safe country. Good to live in. CHEERFUL MUSIC Most of our traditions are Kiwi, but we do have a dish that Mum likes to cook on special occasions, called pasta suta. Basically, it's a Croatian pasta and meat dish that she wheels out on birthdays or special celebrations. Maybe I've passed an exam for once in my life. Uh, yeah, it's a pretty good opportunity to cook it, isn't it, Mum? Yeah. Yeah. Um, now, how she makes it, it is probably gonna differ slightly to other Croatian families. But this is the one that she learnt. We love it. We think it tastes delicious. So we just go with it. Food is such a direct connection to memories of family and childhood. Laure Romanetti grew up in Brittany, but the food she loves to cook is inspired by the time her parents and grandparents spent in North Africa. RELAXED MUSIC I teach French in the, uh, community houses. I've had a French conversation class, which started in 2003, I think it was. MAN CHUCKLES ALL GREET EACH OTHER WITH 'BONJOUR' MAN LAUGHS I guess the French are very strong on their language and in their... We have to study French literature, you know, going to school. And there is a connection. Doesn't matter if you hate it or you love it. You're never indifferent to the` you know, the books you have to read when you grow up. (SLOWLY ENUNCIATES FRENCH) STUDENTS REPEAT FRENCH I like, um, the Beach Haven, Birk` Birkdale neighbourhoods because, uh, it is close to the coast. Uh, it is quite wild. You have s` You still have quite a lot of bush around. Uh, which, you know, to me, coming from Brittany and having lived in Paris for many years, is quite exotic. CHEERFUL MUSIC CONTINUES I was brought up in Brittany, in a city called Rennes, which is the main city in Brittany. My parents were born in North Africa. My mother was born in Algeria, Southern Algeria. And my mother` And my father was born in Algiers, you know, the capital city of Algeria. And my grandparents as well. They had been there for five generations. So that's` you know, they arrived in the late 1800s. CHEERFUL MUSIC CONTINUES The reason why some of my ancestors ended up in North Africa is... oh, a bit unclear. I'm not too sure why. I mean, uh, you know, the French government, I guess, at the time was sending away people to colonise many places on the, uh` you know, in the world. And I know that on my f` mother's side, uh, people were working in the railways. So there is a, you know, history of setting up the railway. And then my grandfather was driving, you know, the, um, trains in Algeria. So here we have my great-grandfather on my father's side, and, uh, he was a judge in Algeria. So, early 1900s, probably. Yeah, he's` he's from Corsica originally. So, here is my grandmother, on my father's side still. So, she's` she's got the Corsican look to her. And she... apparently, she was a musician. MELLOW MUSIC So, when I was a kid and my family would come to visit, we would gather, you know, around the kitchen table, and we would cut veggies and we would make a couscous like we are making today. OIL SIZZLES My family mixed food from Brittany and North Africa, or Mediterranean type of food. But I think some days, we had, you know, uh, food from Brittany, and other days, we were doing another dish. So there wasn't any idea of fusion between the two. It was more, 'OK, we'll eat, you know, like the people of Brittany eat,' or, 'We'll eat, you know, what we're used to eat.' Brings back good memories of sitting around the kitchen table and cutting` helping, you know, uh, the grown-ups cutting the vegetables and listening to what they were saying. Not being allowed to say anything, but just listening, basically. So, yeah, fun memories. Yeah. MELLOW MUSIC CONTINUES So, here you've got the, uh, couscous, you know, the, uh` the grain, really. I've already put the, um, sultanas in there just to save time. Really I would put them later. But what I'm going to do now is rinse it and, uh` and let it` work on it a little bit so that it becomes a bit bigger before I put it in this dish. And you don't want it to go through the holes in there. So it needs to be worked on a little bit before going into the pot. I cook the couscous in a special pot, uh, which comes in two parts. You have a big pot at the bottom, in which the stew goes, and, you know, has to cook there as long as it can, really. And on top of that pot, you have the steamer, in which the, uh, couscous grain goes. And it be, uh, steamed with all the flavours coming from the, uh` from the bottom pot, from the stew. Ah, bonjour, Laure. Bonjour. Bonjour, Campbell. Ca va? Ah, bonjour, Laure. Oh, allo. Ca va? I like to eat couscous, because, I guess, it is part of my culture, definitely, and it reminds me of, uh, good memories. And, uh, and it's a dish that I actually like. I think it's quite healthy. You've got bits, you know, grains, the meat. I try to use, you know, uh, lean meat. And you've got the veggies, and the stock is pretty, you know, uh, clear as well. So it's a good recipe. ALL SAY 'BON APPETIT' ALL SPEAK FRENCH MELLOW MUSIC CONTINUES Barrys Point Rd. And you know where the supermarket is... I`I will always be French. I mean, you know, even if I didn't want to be French, I would always, you know, be French. So it's about, uh, you know, balance. It's, you know, uh` And I think we're lucky when you've got more than one culture to, uh, be able to pick and choose the best, really, of both cultures. REFLECTIVE MUSIC I don't really have any heirlooms that connect me to my Croatian side. But I did have my father's wristwatch when I was about when I was about 6 or 7 years old. It was way too big for my tiny wrist, though, so I did what any other kid would do ` I took it to school. I found a mate who was willing to trade it for a Cobb & Co watch. And when Mum found out, she hit the roof. (CHUCKLES) Went ape, actually, uh, offered up a few choice words for me to consider, um, and went about getting it back. Do you still have it? Yes, I've still got it. Well, maybe I can have it back now. Mm, you're more than welcome. It's not like I'm gonna trade it again. No. (CHUCKLES) It might fit this time. (LAUGHS) Exactly. Well, while I don't have the watch, I've got plenty of pictures, uh, of the old man. And, um, I reckon it's... it's safe to say I kinda look a little bit like him, which I think is quite neat. I've got that Croatian legacy coursing through my DNA. And I` I think that's really important to me. The Auckland Coptic community spent many years fundraising for a church to call their own. It houses some cultural treasures central to their faith that have come all the way from an ancient Egyptian monastery to Birkdale. # We praise you, # we praise you, # we thank you, # oh-oh-oh-oh Lord. # ALL SING SOFT AMBIENT MUSIC My name is Nabil Soliman. And m` I was` I was born in Egypt. INSPIRATIONAL MUSIC CONTINUES RELAXED MUSIC Actually, it was a big blessing for me when, uh, Father Bishoy asked me to` if I have time to go to the St Bishoy and, uh, see these, uh, two shrines. Because he went first, and, uh, he saw these two, and he get amazed about the shape of these two, uh, shrines and how beautiful they made. So I feel very happy and big blessed when Father Bishoy told me about it. SOFT PIANO MUSIC Before we have this kind of shrine, we used to put them in normal table. So as soon as we get this one, we felt that's something nice to honour those, kind of, martyrs. REFLECTIVE MUSIC In 2006, I visited Croatia, spent two weeks travelling around, even managed to find time to check out the small, coastal fishing village that the Paladin family are from. It was awesome. It was the time of my life, actually, now I think back about it. But despite the fact that I'd found a place where my name looked and sounded like it fit in, I didn't. I still felt like a tourist. You can't reconnect with your culture in the space of a fortnight. Fortunately, there's still time for me to explore that side of who I am. But for now, it's Birkdale that's familiar, welcoming and feels like home. It's all about family and friends and having a place that's yours to call your own. Captions by Shrutika Gunanayagam. Edited by Ashlee Scholefield. www.able.co.nz Captions were made possible with funding from NZ On Air. Copyright Able 2015