2007 AGM and Conference: The New Zealand Society of Genealogists

Ladies and Gentlemen, I greet you in the languages of the realm of New Zealand - English, Maori, Cook Island Maori, Niuean, Tokelauan and Sign Langauge.

Greetings, Kia Ora, Kia Orana, Fakalofa Lahi Atu, Taloha Ni and (Sign)

Specifically I greet you: President of the New Zealand Society of Genealogists, Graeme Constable and First President of the New Zealand Society of Genealogists, Lucy Marshall; Deputy Mayor of Wellington, Alick Shaw; Chief Executive Archives New Zealand, Dianne Macaskill; Guest International Speaker, Else Churchill; Delegates.

My wife Susan and I thank you warmly for the invitation to be here today, and for me to speak as Patron of the New Zealand Society of Genealogists in this, its 40^th year.

It is pleasing to see such a strong contingent of members. I am advised this is not surprising, given the support this Society has across New Zealand with its 8,500 strong membership.

I am speaking today both as Governor-General, and as Patron of this Society. However, I am also speaking as one of many New Zealanders who has taken an interest in the story of my ancestors.

Given today's company, I would like to take a short moment to recount my family history, at least as far back as my great grandfather.

As may be known, I am of Fiji-Indian descent. My grandparents, all four, came to Fiji from India and made their lives there.  My maternal grandparents and my great grandfather on my mother's side were girmitya who entered Fiji on the Berar from Calcutta in September 1882.

One set of my grandparents then proceeded to lived in Levuka and then Navua and then Suva, whilst the other side lived in Lawaqa near Sigatoka, then Lautoka and finally Suva.

My parents were then both born in Fiji and after being married, they migrated to Auckland where I was born and raised. 

My wife Susan's family history also spans many countries, before she migrated to New Zealand from Australia as a child.

Although our two family histories are clearly unique, as are the histories of almost every person, they do share similarities - similarities we share with all New Zealanders.

However far back we wish to look, whether we came here recently or centuries ago, ours are stories of people who have sought a better life in a new land.

Our original inhabitants, the Tangata Whenua, share this history too, although a part of their story has been connected with this land now for many hundreds of years. But there was a time when their ancestors too set out to seek a new land and ended on these shores.

The Tangata Whenua were then joined by the original British settlers, and then by people from around the world. Today we are made up of people hailing, as well, from other European nations, from Asia, the Americas, the Pacific, Australia and Africa.

What is important, I believe, is that each of us knows, first of all, our own story, and then the stories of those in our wider communities. It is too easy, in this fast-paced world to become overly-focused on the here and now, at the expense of understanding our heritage. Yet our heritage makes us who we are and having a good understanding of where we come from will help us forge a better future.

Having this understanding is, perhaps, all the more important as our nation becomes increasingly diverse.

We are now a country made up of many cultures and our collective histories span the globe. We are a rich tapestry of culture whose threads are interwoven, but distinct nonetheless. I believe it is important that we understand what it is that makes us distinct so we can allow our cultures to positively influence the future of New Zealand.

The recent Census for 2006 confirmed that the definition of what it means to be a New Zealander is changing.

Whereas 30 years ago, 86 percent of New Zealanders were European, today, just over 67 percent identify as European. Of the major ethnic groups, our Asian population is shown to be the fastest growing. Between 2001 and 2006 it increased by nearly 50 percent to more than 350,000 people. And those identifying with Pacific people had the second largest increase from the 2001 Census, up nearly 15 percent to 265,000 people.*

This diversity is influencing our nation's present and future. More than ever before, New Zealand culture will be defined by the rich and colourful histories of our diverse migrant heritage.

If managed properly, this change will only enhance the pride we all take in living in New Zealand.

We see our changing face reflected not just in our newspapers, but in many aspects of New Zealand life. We see it in our education system and in the ethnicities of our top sports-people and leaders. We see it in our churches, in our work-places and on our streets.

We experience it through our calendar of festivals, particularly in Auckland. Today, Chinese New Year, the Diwali Festival of Lights and Makara Shankranti are celebrated alongside St Patrick's Day, Waitangi Day and Easter Friday.

I believe the New Zealand Society of Genealogists has a role to play in helping ensure all migrants, both recent and historic, have the tools they need to trace and record their own heritage so that their voice can be heard in New Zealand today. 

It is a challenge I am advised the Society has embraced. In recognition of our diversity, it is putting resource into collecting historical information that our minority groups might access. Given the breadth of our population, this is clearly a considerable and never-ending task.

Therefore, the Society is also gathering expertise on how our more recent migrants might find this information themselves. It is building research expertise and is sharing this with the growing number of New Zealanders who wish to piece together their own stories.

I commend the Society on this effort. It is an invaluable service for New Zealanders and ultimately it will contribute significantly to our national identity.

I began speaking in all the New Zealand realm languages.  May I close by speaking in Maori, issuing greetings and wishing you good health and fortitude in your endeavours.

No reira, tena koutou, tena koutou, kia ora, kia kaha, tena koutou katoa

Footnote

*Statistics New Zealand Quick Stats About Culture and Identity: http://www.stats.govt.nz/NR/rdonlyres/5F1F873C-5D36-4E54-9405-34503A2C0AF6/0/quickstatsaboutcultureandidentity.pdf