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The Growth Of Indians In New Zealand
- By Bobby Castro
- Published 12/23/2011
- Destinations
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Bobby Castro
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The Growth Of Indians In New Zealand
The first Indians came to New Zealand back towards the end of the 18th Century. These Indians came from the Punjabi and Gujarati regions of the country and are amongst the first ones to come to Kiwiland.
Many came to the country on ships, either as deckhands or merchants. While many sought to find means of support for their families back home, some stayed to trade with the natives of the land. Those with means of travel went back and forth between business opportunities while others went into the employment of either British business or households.
The first Indians in New Zealand worked in the country as traveling salespersons or farmhands in the fields or dairy farms. A great portion of them resided in Auckland City, Waikato and Wellington, the country's capital. These areas have become known areas where Indian communities have flourished.
The peculiar tradition of these Indians in New Zealand is that the intent to return to India is strong in the first settlers. Because of the rich cultural traditions and strong family bonds, many did not return to India but instead compromised by bringing their wives and relatives to the country and live their life there.
One of the best vestiges of this cultural phenomenon is the local convenience store named Dairy. Like many others, these mom and pop stores are run by elder Indians while other stores include liquor shops and Indian takeaway stores. After the first settlers, many Indian descendants were able to assimilate themselves into the community, as students and eventually professionals in the New Zealand economy.
Despite being far removed from the Indian mainland, there are still many cultural traditions being celebrated. Amongst these is the Diwali Festival of Lights, which is the Hindi equivalent to Easter and Christmas. The growing diversity and integration of the Indian community has expanded into centers where interactions between native born Indians and New Zealand born Indians are able to socially intermingle during celebrations and other traditional feasts.
In the previous three years, the population of Indian immigrants to New Zealand has continued to increase, even with the economic recession that reduced the demand for foreign skilled workers to the country. Over seventy three thousand international students were allowed to study in the educational system of New Zealand, translating to over $2.3 billion injected into the local economy.
Despite the time lapse of the first Indian immigrants to the country and the current immigration intake, the vast majority of these Indians coming to New Zealand hail from the Gujarati and Punjabi regions of India. How history repeats itself.
Many came to the country on ships, either as deckhands or merchants. While many sought to find means of support for their families back home, some stayed to trade with the natives of the land. Those with means of travel went back and forth between business opportunities while others went into the employment of either British business or households.
The first Indians in New Zealand worked in the country as traveling salespersons or farmhands in the fields or dairy farms. A great portion of them resided in Auckland City, Waikato and Wellington, the country's capital. These areas have become known areas where Indian communities have flourished.
The peculiar tradition of these Indians in New Zealand is that the intent to return to India is strong in the first settlers. Because of the rich cultural traditions and strong family bonds, many did not return to India but instead compromised by bringing their wives and relatives to the country and live their life there.
One of the best vestiges of this cultural phenomenon is the local convenience store named Dairy. Like many others, these mom and pop stores are run by elder Indians while other stores include liquor shops and Indian takeaway stores. After the first settlers, many Indian descendants were able to assimilate themselves into the community, as students and eventually professionals in the New Zealand economy.
Despite being far removed from the Indian mainland, there are still many cultural traditions being celebrated. Amongst these is the Diwali Festival of Lights, which is the Hindi equivalent to Easter and Christmas. The growing diversity and integration of the Indian community has expanded into centers where interactions between native born Indians and New Zealand born Indians are able to socially intermingle during celebrations and other traditional feasts.
In the previous three years, the population of Indian immigrants to New Zealand has continued to increase, even with the economic recession that reduced the demand for foreign skilled workers to the country. Over seventy three thousand international students were allowed to study in the educational system of New Zealand, translating to over $2.3 billion injected into the local economy.
Despite the time lapse of the first Indian immigrants to the country and the current immigration intake, the vast majority of these Indians coming to New Zealand hail from the Gujarati and Punjabi regions of India. How history repeats itself.