Celebrating Nelson’s multicultural mix
Nelson is proportionally the third largest multicultural city in New Zealand, with 48 different cultures represented.
Just over 21 per cent of Nelson city residents and 18 per cent from Tasman were born overseas. More than 1000 former refugees have settled here since the 1970s.
With the recent increased refugee intake to New Zealand, Nelson’s annual quota has increased from 75 to 130 this year. We are one of 10 regions supporting refugees as they establish homes, learn about their new community and seek employment. The first group from Colombia have just been welcomed.
Statistics NZ says 25 per cent of New Zealand’s workforce will have been born overseas by 2021, making us one of the most ethnically diverse workforces in the OECD. This cultural diversity enriches our community, as migrants share their celebrations, food, music, dance, and faith.
We enjoy a variety of ethnic foods, attend different festivals like Diwali, Chinese New Year or Race Unity Day. Many Nelsonians enjoy learning salsa dancing or Japanese taiko drumming.
One of the big transitions for any immigrant is learning a new language, and understanding local slang and colloquialisms. Groups like Nelson Multicultural Council, English Language Partners, NMIT, Victory School, Haven Community Centre and Atawhai Community Church help migrants improve their English with low cost or free courses.
CAB also offers our full service in 25 different languages by telephone. (www.cab.org.nz/ languageconnect)
Recently Nelson Marlborough Health Board revealed difficulties in providing interpreters for patients. Asking questions for diagnosis, explaining medical procedures or gaining consent can be a challenge.
The Nelson Multicultural Council holds a database of about 120 local interpreters speaking more than 40 languages.
These people work with health professionals, courts, education providers and businesses, and are police vetted, but are mostly native speakers, not professional interpreters. Some documents require professional translators. (see www.nzsti.org.nz for list)
To celebrate their 30th Anniversary, more than 100 members of the NZ Society of Translators and Interpreters spent more than a year converting the Treaty of Waitangi into New Zealand’s top 30 languages, and gifted it to the Government in February.
Their aim is to help migrants better understand the Treaty’s context in New Zealand. (Available online at: www.treatytimes30.org)
CAB Nelson Tasman will host a visit to Whakatu Marae (Thursday April 6) for anyone interested in learning more about local Maori history, iwi relationships with the Nelson community and links with other marae across New Zealand. Preference will be given to newcomers, but everyone is welcome.
The event is free, but there will be opportunity for a ‘‘koha’’ (donation)
CAB Nelson Tasman helps many migrants find answers to their questions, and holds regular seminars for immigrants. Both locals and newcomers can learn about the health system, employment, education and taxation.
Contact us to find out anything you need to know.