Captions by Antony Vlug. Edited by Glenna Casalme. www.able.co.nz Captions were made possible with funding from NZ On Air. Copyright Able 2015 RELAXED MUSIC UPBEAT MUSIC Back in the heady days at the height of the West Coast gold rush, half of all migrants coming to NZ came through Hokitika. Over a two-year period, it is estimated 37,000 people crossed the bar here to make a new life for themselves. Now Hokitika has less than 3000 people ` an indication of how fortune has changed for this historic West Coast town. UPBEAT MUSIC My dad is a Solomon Islander, and my mom's a Pakeha, and when we first came to NZ in 1988, Hokitika was a slice of very white bread ` small-town NZ. Now Hokitika is a very different place, with a diverse mix of cultures calling my old neighbourhood home. Let me introduce you to some of them. We'll meet a local woman who is determined to keep her Filipino culture burning brightly. I would like to pass the dances and the traditions to my daughters. It is actually important for me that they know where they're from, our culture, and that's why my daughter does a few dances in our gatherings as well. A former Welsh Guard tells the story behind one of his most valued possessions. We had Land Rovers; we had petrol; we had Rapier missiles; we had mortars ` everything on board. So it was just, you know, something's gonna happen here if you don't get off. We'll join a group of migrants sharing their own stories. The big challenge is actually isolation. Many people that I work with work on farms, so they are really far away and have almost an hour's drive to the centre to do their shopping or meet others. And a woman from South Africa dishes up a traditional high tea. When you dress up, you get all excited before you even get to the event, because you know you have to look your best and find the hat and the matching outfit, so everyone who arrives is all excited, you know? I am Jaci Gwaliasi, and this is my neighbourhood. SEAGULLS CALL PENSIVE MUSIC My Pakeha mum, Karen, met my Solomon Island dad, Steve, when she was working as a voluntary teacher in Honiara, where I was born. When we first came to NZ, when I was 2, we came here for a better education for me and my brother. Well, coming to NZ is... for a start, was really scary, because I've got a young family, and also in, um... in Fiji, '87 and '88, there was a coup then, and all the Kiwis seems to relate to me as I'm from Fiji, but actually I'm from the Solomon Islands. Well, for me it was coming home, so it was easy. But what made it hard was seeing how your father was a bit shut in to start with, because he's used to being the bread earner, and suddenly I'm earning the money, and he's at home being the house husband. So once he actually got a job and was out more, it was much easier, and I was happier too. Feeling a connection to the community is such an important thing for recent arrivals, which is why West Coast Newcomers Group makes it a priority in joining people together. PENSIVE MUSIC Three years ago I started to work for an organisation called New Coasters, which is a settlement support network. We offer all sorts of activities, events, information. I visit people at home. I invite them to come along. I refer them to other agencies. It's all about sharing information and helping people to meet each other, cos after all, it's rather remote here. When I first came here in 2007 to travel, I met lots of people, including my now husband. (LAUGHS) I always wanted to live in walking distance from a beach. Um, we both wanted to live in a smaller town and, um, get involved into community life, and Hokitika, and also the other towns along the West Coast, they really have a vibrant community life, which we thoroughly enjoy. So when Chris and I arrived in Hokitika, neither of us knew anyone, so we both had to go out there and meet people and make friends, and the newcomers group that was existent at that time was really helpful. Almost exactly one year ago, last March, we got married... (LAUGHS) here in Hokitika, um, because we wanted to keep it local. We invited people to come to our Wild West wedding. Everyone, absolutely everyone, got dressed up. We'd lived here for three years then and invited all our local friends, and when you have a look at the group shot, it's quite a crowd. (LAUGHS) PENSIVE MUSIC This job is a very positive challenge for me. I used to work with people all my life ` I am a social worker ` but the intercultural part of it is a new challenge, which I enjoy. Hello. Hello. Hello! Nice to see you two. Thank you. Hello, Jeevan. Hello. I'm Birte. I'm Sudha. Nice to meet you. Welcome. The migrant community here on the coast is probably more diverse than people think. We have more than 30 ethnicities, um, here on the coast. Um, well, considering we've got 30,000 people, I think that's quite a bit. In this period from 2002... (SPEAKS INDISTINCTLY), uh, I spent that time in Hokitika most of the time. Yes. And a really great time for me. Yeah. (SPEAKS INDISTINCTLY)... really helpful. OK, yeah, you told us, um, that you've lived here for two years now and met some very nice and helpful people, and you can have a look on the website, the newcomer's website, because I put our events on to that website, and then you see when you can come to the next coffee morning` OK. ...or a potluck dinner. RELAXED GUITAR MUSIC I always love to have bonfires. I remember when I was 10 years old and went to the scouts. We had bonfires in summer. Um, yeah, and it makes people sit together and talk, and you can hear the sea in the background. It's just nice. The big challenge is actually isolation. Many people that I work with work on farms, so they're really far away, and they have almost an hour's drive to the centre to do their shopping or meet others. We do not have all the facilities a major city has, but, um, we have lots of different groups and clubs. You just have to find out about them. Yeah, definitely, it's a good idea, because, uh, meeting new people and having some good fun. Yeah, it's really good. It's such a nice way to, like, I guess, bring people together, like, from all walks of life, and especially somewhere, kind of, as isolated in a way as the West Coast of NZ. I think that I have set up a service, a network that brings people in touch who would otherwise feel lonely and isolated. And some people give their feedback and say, 'I can't make it, but even knowing that something's on, 'and I could go along and join and I would be welcome, makes me feel better.' RELAXED PIANO MUSIC When I was little, I used to love the fact that I was from this exotic land, so I could educate people on where I was from. This is shell money, and it's handmade currency often used as bride price or a dowry. It can be used also to settle disputes between people and sometimes even traded for food. My dad likes to keep it in the house. It gives him a sense of security, and it's also seen as a symbol of peace. Local man Mark Davies joined the Welsh Guard to protect Queen and country, but his experiences brought him face to face with the reality of war. PENSIVE MUSIC When I was a young, young boy, sort of 18, wanted to sign up ` a bit of adventure and see a bit of the world ` and, uh, it was an opportunity to do that, and having served with the Welsh Guard, you know, it's a very proud to have served them, really. The Welsh Guard is a part of` They're called the Household Division ` Brigade of Guards Division. So you've got Scots, Irish, Welsh, Grenadiers, Coldstream, and, uh, they form the Brigade of Guards. One side, they do the ceremony` ceremonial side, such as the Trooping the Colour, guarding the royal palaces such as Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle; and then the other side is their front-line infantry combat soldiers. So they serve overseas in conflict, you know, in various places around the world. PENSIVE MUSIC I knew very little about the Falklands at the time, and then we were called back from leave, and we then formed part of Five Brigade, with the Gurkhas and Scots Guards and others. We were part of Five Brigade, and we did training` pre-deployment training to sail south to the war. They decided to move us on the Sir Galahad ` on the troop ship. June in the southern hemisphere is normally, as you know, pretty bad weather, but` but this aft` particular afternoon, it was a beautiful, sunny day. Cos I was a corporal, and I went up to get a cup of tea for my sergeant, cos we were all waiting to disembark. We had all our gear there, and... But we had Land Rovers; we had petrol; we had Rapier missiles; we had mortars ` everything on board ` so it was just, you know... Something's gonna happen here if you don't get off. Um, and my story, my experience, was that going up for that cup of tea saved my life, cos when I came back down, there was a red` flashing red light ` air alerts, and some say there was three, but it was at least three or four fighter jets that, um, came over and we had a 1000-pound bomb hit us all. We had initial damage in the mortar platoon. So there's pretty much carnage everywhere there, you know, and I was thrown by the opening and crawled up three decks. And, um, I got to the top deck, but the fire was spreading, and, um, a very brave soldier came in bringing casualties out. Cos all my head was blown at the back, and my hands were totally burnt. And he saved my life. He came in and dragged me out. I'm just so thankful to be here today, you know, and I've got a lovely wife and four lovely kids. Yeah, there is no glory in war, though. Like I said, one life lost is` is` is sad, you know. Yeah. PENSIVE MUSIC This is a Falklands Liberation Crown. This is very special to me, because during the Falklands War, I was fortunate to meet some of the islanders, and after the war, as an appreciation, you know, thanks to the veterans, you know, and their families, especially those who lost loved ones, they` they all chipped in as an island, and they... The Royal Mint in the UK struck the Falklands Liberation crown, so it` And there's a little card here that says,... (READS) 'A gift from the people of the Falkland Islands 'as a token of appreciation and gratitude for the greatest gift of all ` freedom.' We went to Buckingham Palace, and, uh, the Duke of Edinburgh presented the veterans... Uh, it was just the Welsh Guards, we went, and they presented the survivors or relatives of those who were killed with the Falklands Medal. But we were also` we were given the Falklands Liberation Crown, so it was, um... It was a presentation at Buckingham Palace, which` which was kinda nice, really. There was` There was a good feed afterwards. (CHUCKLES) And I normally wear this uniform on Anzac Day, of course and, uh, on any sort of, uh, funerals. That was like` It was... We had Welsh Guards badge. Northern Ireland veteran, Falklands veteran, and then I've got Berlin, Defence of NATO, Northern Ireland, the Falklands, and the Queen's Golden Jubilee. Yeah, it does. It makes me feel proud, but it's, uh... I` I` I, you know` I need to be on Anzac Day, but I` I actually find that, um, it's quite draining as well, because it` Especially if the Last Post is played well, um, it, uh` I think about the colleagues I've lost. GENTLE GUITAR MUSIC So I came out here in 1992. The Army Benevolent Fund sponsored me, and the sponsors come out here to help, and I` we lived at Franz Josef for six months, and I worked for Department of Conversation there, and we just love the West Coast ` the way of life, the beauty of the coast and the culture and the people. We found since we moved here, you know, we've quietly sort of settled in, and it takes a few years to settle in, but we've` we've made some really good friends on the coast, you know, and they're genuine, caring people, you know, so, yeah, we're thankful for that. RELAXED MUSIC My dad's Solomon Island heritage is reflected strongly in his work. Can you tell us about these, Dad? I left the Solomon Island in 1988 to come down to Hokitika, NZ. And I like to maintain my heritage here, and this reflected on this piece that I've carved. And, um, I'm using, of course, shells, pounamu. And the one in the middle here, it's reflected the frigatebird, sharks and dolphin. So, really, since I've been here, I think I've been influenced by maintaining the both cultures too. Dad learnt these skills here in NZ, and it's been a major step in him establishing a sense of community here while maintaining his connection to the past. A Hokitika woman left the Philippines when she was 7, but she also made a commitment to keeping the culture alive not only for herself but for the rest of the Filipino community here. GENTLE MUSIC Coming to Hokitika and finding out there was this big Filipino community, I was like, 'Wow.' I couldn't believe it. I was like, 'Wow, look at all these Filipinos around here.' If you stand beside me, we can try it sideways. Ready? One. No. Yeah? Whoa! (LAUGHS) 'Pandango sa ilaw' is a very popular dance, and a lot of different places in the Philippines do dance. The pandango sa ilaw is a dance that simulates the fireflies in the dusk or at night, so that's pretty much it. It's just an elegant dance to pretty much show the fireflies at night-time ` just dancing around ` so it's quite nice. Good girl. (LAUGHS) Did you drop it? I keep on dropping it. Go to the side. It is the fourth time that I've dropped it. Whoa. (LAUGHS) I would like to pass this, the dances and the traditions, to my daughters. It is actually important for me that they know where they're from, our culture. And that's why my daughter does a few dances in our gatherings as well, and that's part of me just letting her be part of our culture and be` and knowing what` who she is and where she's from. My great-auntie, who was in NZ at the time, brought my mum over because it was just the fact that she wanted a better life for us. So she brought my mum over to NZ, and... she, sort of, found a husband for her, pretty much, or a partner. So she spent two years in NZ, got married and then was able to come and get me from the Philippines, which then, when I was 7, I came in to NZ. When I was 9, my auntie was organising a pageant for Christchurch. So Little Miss Filipino NZ. After doing two or three pageants, she ended up asking me to teach the girls how to do the dance, how to, um, do dances and to, sort of, teach them how to walk. Pandango is actually from the Spanish word, um, fandango. So that's the three-quarter step, um, and then 'sa ilaw' is your light ` 'in light'. So 'the dance of light' is pretty much what the 'pandango sa ilaw' candle dance means. Um, so it's about your movements, and it is a very elegant dance. So it's just the hands. Obviously, your head, because there is a candle that go` uh, glass that goes on your head. Stay still. And it's just your body that moves, pretty much that makes it really elegant and just makes it flow and, yeah... REFLECTIVE MUSIC This is the original dress that I wore for my first candle dance, and this part here on the skirt is called the tapis, and this is the bandana that goes over your shoulder. I am slightly a bit nervous. I usually am when it comes to facing audiences, but I do get out of my shell and just go for it, and the dance is a very` is very natural to me, so it will be good. RELAXED MUSIC So the Filipino community get together pretty often. So we've got your Christmas, your New Year's, any birthday celebrations, any, um` any fundraising that we have and any social events that we, sort of, like to get together and have everyone to come together and have` spend this wonderful time with us. So, yeah, we do get together quite often. (LAUGHS) 'PANDANGO SA ILAW' MUSIC PLAYS I feel like I'm both Filipino and NZer. Especially when someone talks to me, they never` they never know that I'm from the Philippines. I actually have to tell them, because I do sound very Kiwi; I don't sound Filipino at all, but I am Filipino in heart, and I am Kiwi as well, so, I mean, my kids are half Kiwi, half Filipino, and we` I just have to` They know that they are both. (LAUGHS) 'PANDANGO SA ILAW' MUSIC PLAYS AUDIENCE APPLAUDS, CHEERS PENSIVE MUSIC Hokitika's most recent claim to fame is being the setting in Eleanor Catton's Booker Prize winning novel, The Luminaries. And it's true, you can feel the history of the place at every turn. All those gold rush hopes and dreams. So many people coming to this new land for the intention of carving out a different life for themselves. Merle Bradley knew she couldn't live in South Africa under apartheid. But despite living in NZ for many years, she still keeps some family traditions going strong. SOMBRE MUSIC BIRDS CHIRP As a student in South Africa in the '70s, I was concerned that the girls and the boys training to be teachers had no idea politically of what was happening, cos, of course, the government wasn't saying too much in the newspapers, and the newspapers had restrictions as well. So I organized the lecturers ` the history lecturers ` to come to the different residences to speak to the students about the political situation of South Africa and, um, had one meeting only, and one of the students who was in a younger` or a year below me, came to me, opened his jacket, had these two guns in his pocket and said, 'The secret police ` the South African secret police have been watching you and are watching you. 'You need to stop everything you're doing.' I went and spoke to my dean of the residence, and she said, 'You can't do anything about it, Merle, but stop.' So then I thought I need to leave the country. It's too difficult for one little girl to try and change the political system, and if it was going to change, I thought there may be a civil war. So I thought I need to find someone to marry with a foreign passport. So I started looking. (LAUGHS) I think the men in Hokitika feel a little bit isolated, so they all go on a big OE in their youth, and... and as it happens, they find a wife when they're travelling. So that's what Neil did. Yes, so, Mother was very social and loved entertaining and tea parties, dinner parties, and she used to make, uh, you know` so she was really quite happy in the kitchen. BIRDS CHIRP So lots of tea parties, and s-she belonged to garden clubs and the Historic Society, and she was good support for Dad because Dad was, sort of, quieter, and she was the one who was, you know, full on and out there and jokey and that, yes. When I went back to South Africa on visits, she would also then make sure that she had a tea party to... you know, to invite me back home and invite her friends around, yes. And I have now got her teacups and its sugar basin and milk basin and teapot all in my tender care... (CHUCKLES) and using them. Oh, my mum will be so pleased that I'm still making her favourite milk-tart recipe. Well, the ingredients... And this has only been in the last year that Marie biscuits have now been found on our shelves in the New World Supermarket of Hokitika, so very pleased about this, because this is what Mum used to use. So here we go. Um, I take, um, just one packet. I was very very excited, because before, I always had to make a sweet crust pastry, but now I've got Mum's recipe on hand. I've got no idea ` no measuring. I just, um, whizz it about and then keep adding the butter until I think it looks OK. (CHUCKLES) In South Africa, when I was a very little girl ` sort of, like, 5, 6, 7 years old ` she used to bake to sell food. She would bake, um, milk tarts, um, date loaves, chocolate cakes. And then on a Friday, there would be a rush to the door with these friends of hers who would come and buy her baking. So that went on for a few years. And Neil always says, 'You don't need to go to so much trouble.' But I think it's just in me. I can't help it. (CHUCKLES) NOSTALGIC MUSIC When you dress up, you get all excited before you even get to the event, because you know you have to look your best and find the hat and the matching outfit. So everyone who arrives is all excited, you know? I feel as if it's a special occasion, because everything looks, sort of, a little bit more classy or grand. Well, welcome to the South African tea party. And we've got three South African friends and Dorothy from Poland. So welcome, Dorothy. And today we've got on offer a peppermint crisp, South African fridge tart, and there we've got a Cape brandy tipsy tart, and this is the famous milk tart. > Oh, wow. > RELAXED MUSIC GUESTS CHATTER, LAUGH Hokitika is a fabulous place to live. Yes, 100%, very, very happy here. Because I thought if anything happened to Neil, I was gonna advertise for another, you know, NZ husband, but I was hoping he would come from Hokitika. (LAUGHS) GENTLE GUITAR MUSIC I returned to the Solomon Islands in 2008, and I found the experience a little strange. I thought that I'd just come back and fit in. But in reality I was seen as a white woman over there, and the locals were shocked to learn that my brother and I had returned to the place of our birth, so it wasn't very much like a homecoming for us. However, Hokitika's very different. Every time I come back to Hoki, it has this ability of grounding me. So for a lot of people, and including myself, this is our home. Captions by Antony Vlug. Edited by Glenna Casalme. www.able.co.nz Captions were made possible with funding from NZ On Air. Copyright Able 2015