My first stuffed toy as a child in Nairobi was a koala bear and I’ve been besotted with them ever since. So you can imagine that I was captivated by this meme where the koala realises that she’s not a […]
Unsettled in Australia: Reflections on my first Australia/Straya/Invasion day Read Post »
When my parents were considering migrating from East Africa, their focus was on the white settler contexts of Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the United States. For a bunch of reasons I won’t go into here, they settled on Aotearoa New Zealand.
Migrant support for Idle No More Read Post »
So if you really want to hurt me, talk badly about my language. Ethnic identity is twin skin to linguistic identity—I am my language. Until I can take pride in my language, I cannot take pride in myself —Gloria Anzaldua.
Xenoglossophobia: Speak English or die Read Post »
This is a lengthier version of an editorial published in this month’s Kai Tiaki New Zealand Nursing Journal. It is based on an invited address I gave at the 10th Annual Conference of the Women’s Health Section:’Divine Secrets of the Sisterhood’ on
Sisters, friends or whānau? Read Post »
My response to a piece by Garth George (August 5th 2010) where he argues that [we] “have become unthinking victims of the doctrine of multiculturalism, in all its politically correct dissimulation and deception”. There are some good reasons for the rise in
Identity politics: A response to Garth George Read Post »
The ocean is what we have in common: Relationships between indigenous and migrant people. This piece was previously published in the Goanet Reader: Mon, 30 Nov 2009 Legend has it that Lord Parashuram (Lord Vishnu’s sixth incarnation) shot an arrow
A view from a Goan in Aotearoa/New Zealand Read Post »
Plenary presentation at the New Zealand Diversity Forum, August 22, 2006. Te Papa Tongarewa, Wellington. Thank you for inviting me to speak at this plenary session of the Diversity Forum. I’ve been asked to talk about my world, diversity and
My World, Diversity and New Zealand Read Post »
Background paper for the Asia:NZ Foundation’s Kiwi India Seminar Series. Auckland and Wellington, October 2004 The title of this paper is drawn from a line in a Glenn Colquhoun poem. He draws inspiration from a poem by Allen Curnow, himself
The Art of Walking Upright Here: Realising a Multicultural Society Read Post »
