Race Relations Day 2007

Ladies and Gentlemen, May I first greet you in the languages of the realm of New Zealand - English, Maori, CookIsland, Niuean and Tokelauan.

Kia Ora, Kia Orana, Fakalofa Lahi Atu, Taloha Ni.

May I then greet specifically: Your Excellencies and Members of the Diplomatic Corps; Members of Parliament; Minister for Ethnic Affairs, Hon Chris Carter; Race Relations Commissioner, Joris de Bres; Chief Executive Department of Internal Affairs, Christopher Blake; Government Representatives and Distinguished Guests Ladies and Gentlemen.

Thank you for inviting me and Susan to be part of this evening's event. It is a milestone to be speaking at the first Race Relations Day since I was appointed Governor-General.

My own family background has furnished a particular perspective on our country's race relations. Though born and raised in New Zealand, I am of Fiji Indian descent. This has given me some understanding of what is involved in being part of the minority in a predominantly European country.

As a lawyer, Judge and Ombudsman in careers to date, I have had occasion to observe the effect a person's race can have on how they feel they fit within their own society. I have seen this in both positive and negative modes.

Finally, as a New Zealander with the benefit of six decades of living in a variety of circumstances, I have been pleased to witness the metamorphosis of what can be described as our ethnic landscape, notably in recent times.

It is important to acknowledge what may have shaped my own perspective on race relations because race relations is subjective. How each of us views our nation's success - or potential for success - in race relations, is subject to our own life experience.  

The challenge seems to be not to shy from those perspectives, but to see the differences as opportunities.

Today, New Zealand is not alone in promoting positive race relations. We are joined by many others in the international community commemorating the International Day for Elimination of Racial Discrimination and we are also recalling, (as do others) the terrible focus of the Sharpeville Massacre in South Africa in 1960, the scourge of the pass laws and the 69 people who lost their lives through being shot.

Each country will have its own focus because each may have a different race relations story to tell.

New Zealand's story goes back about two and a half centuries to the limited interactions with the tangata whenua, our original inhabitants, by Tasman and Cook - as perfunctory and unsatisfactory as they were.

The true road map of our race relations began to be sketched 167 years ago - on 6 February 1840 when our country's founding document, the Treaty of Waitangi, was signed between the tangata whenua and the British arrivals.

For all the conflict and argument that has followed, the Treaty has at least represented an intention by both sides to live together productively in this young country.

Those two people, the tangata whenua and the original British settlers, were later joined by people from around the world leading to today when we are made up of people hailing, as well, from other European nations, from Asia, the Americas, the Pacific, Australia and Africa.

We are made up of New Zealanders who were born here, those who have chosen to adopt this country as home and lastly those who may have come here by necessity. We must also not forget those New Zealanders who live overseas - the diaspora.

We owe our national identity to all these people. We particularly owe the country's cultural distinctiveness to Maori, who came here ages before any others. Their early connection with this land has fundamentally shaped who we are today.

This of course begs a question which asks, 'well, who are we then?'

The question of our essential identity is one we are still posing of ourselves. In other words, as it has been put "kiwi culture is work in progress".  It may  be many more years before we have a definitive answer. Perhaps we do not even need one.

Suffice to say that in 2007, we are a blend of many people. We are a rich tapestry of culture whose threads are interwoven, but distinct nonetheless.

We are slowly becoming better equipped to celebrate what each of us have in common, which in turn, allows us to celebrate what makes each of us different.

Each year, the colours of New Zealand become more varied. Today, more than half of all children born in New Zealand are, to some extent, of Maori, Pacific or Asian descent.

Whereas 30 years ago, 86 percent of New Zealanders were European, today, just over two thirds of New Zealanders identify as European. Just under a third identified as Maori, Asian and Pacific.

This suggests to me that the possibilities of who we may become are endless. Our increasing diversity gives us the mandate to harness all our cultures of origin to fashion a shared national consciousness.

the recently and sadly deceased New Zealand Historian, Michael King, made some reference to this gradual fashioning of a new national identity in The Penguin History of New Zealand, particularly with respect to how the European settlers began to view their culture.

He wrote there was:

"A growing conviction among Pakeha is that their culture, like that of Maori, is no longer the same as the cultures of origin from which it sprang - that it has become, in fact, a second indigenous culture."

We can allow our own distinct culture to emerge by being open to new influences and by being receptive to change.

However, we must also treasure our own stories and our past. We must nurture our oldest roots, while allowing them to become happily tangled with the young roots of our most recent New Zealanders.

Last year, in a Mood of the Nation survey, I am advised that New Zealanders identified race relations as the sixth most important problem facing our country, this being a drop of six places from 2004, when it had registered as our most important problem.

To me, this may be a positive sign in that it shows that New Zealanders do not regard race relations as a problem which needs to be solved but rather something with which we are becoming more comfortable.  In other words it can be inferred that we are accepting diversity as a natural part of modern New Zealand.

I hasten to add that this should not vindicate any argument that our race relations are perfect and need no attention. That is certainly not the case. And we may not ever be able to say this job is done.

I would be interested, though, to know how race relations would have rated had we been asked whether it was our most important opportunity and hope that it may have rated as number one.

As the erstwhile Governor-General for a term, I look forward to taking part in the articulation of our nationhood. In the past, I have likened this process to a conversation - one that it is good to have.

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.