Speech
Chinese New Year Celebrations Auckland
I begin by greeting everyone in the languages of the realm of New Zealand, in English, Māori, Cook Island Māori, Niuean, Tokelauan and New Zealand Sign Language. Greetings, Kia Ora, Kia Orana, Fakalofa Lahi Atu, Taloha Ni and as it is the morning (Sign)
I specifically greet you: Hon John Key, Prime Minister and your fellow ministers; Hon Phil Goff, Leader of the Opposition; Melissa Lee, Raymond Huo, Jackie Blue and Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga, Members of Parliament; Local Government Leaders, Richard Northey, Mike Lee and Greg Moyle, Madam Liao Juhua, Consul-General of the People’s Republic of China, Mr Young-geol Kim, Consul-General of the Republic of Korea, and Mr Hachiro Ishida, Consul-General of Japan; Arthur Loo, Chairman of the Auckland Chinese Community Centre and your hardworking colleagues; distinguished guests; ladies and gentlemen. In the context of these celebrations may I add the greetings: Nî hâo, Xin nian Kuai le and Kung hei fat choi.
As always, it has been a delight for my wife Susan and I to accept the invitation to attend the opening of the 2011 Chinese New Year celebrations here the ASB Showgrounds this morning. I add congratulations to the Auckland Chinese Community Centre for its ongoing work in organising this festival.
It is always a pleasure to share in the excitement of the Chinese New Year. Attending these particular festivities and participating in the Lion dragon dance is something we especially enjoy. As our time in Government House concludes in August this year, this will be the last occasion in which we will attend these celebrations in the Governor-General role.
Some people ask why should we mark the Chinese New Year, given that Auckland, for example, is more than 10,000 kilometres from Beijing? There are many reasons.
The first is that the Chinese New Year points to New Zealand’s growing ethnic, cultural and religious diversity, a nation where almost a quarter of New Zealanders were born overseas. Indeed, New Zealanders of Chinese descent number about 150,000 and form the largest grouping in our nation’s Asian diaspora.
That tapestry of cultures is particularly marked here in Auckland, which is New Zealand’s most ethnically diverse region. The last census found that more than 44 percent of Aucklanders are of Asian, Pacific or Māori ancestry and it seems likely that this year’s census will confirm that growing diversity of New Zealand’s largest city.
Inherent within that diversity are both challenges and opportunities and as we address those issues it is paramount that we should recognise the universal values of tolerance, justice and respect for others.
Secondly, the New Year festivities are a particularly special time for New Zealanders of Chinese descent. Traditionally, the Festival celebrates the time when the Taoist diety and legendary teacher Hongjun Laozu defeated the evil Nian monster that terrorised Chinese villages at New Year time.
More widely, however, for all those of Chinese descent, the New Year symbolises the best traditions of history and culture. The New Year has been celebrated for many centuries and the Chinese civilisation has brought forth many great philosophers and many inventions such as printing, paper-making, kites, gunpowder and the compass. That heritage can be seen here today in the Lion dance which opened this festival and the variety of Chinese crafts, art and food on display.
It is also a time, particularly on New Year’s Eve, when Chinese families come together at reunion dinners to mark the year that passed and to look forward with renewed optimism for the year ahead.
Thirdly, the Chinese New Year speaks of the many long-established links between New Zealand and China—connections that were so apparent at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and the 2010 Shanghai World Expo.
I understand that more than 4.5 million people, which is about the same population as New Zealand, visited the New Zealand pavilion in Shanghai from May to October last year. The New Zealand Pavilion was widely acclaimed, and was officially recognised at the end of the Expo with a silver medal for theme development, placing it in the top 20.
Those connections have been given renewed momentum by the 2008 New Zealand-China Free Trade Agreement, which has significantly boosted trade between the two countries.
Fourth and finally, like Easter and Christmas, Diwali, and Eid-ul-fitr, the Chinese New Year Festival sends a powerful message of peace. It is a time to celebrate life and to look forward to the coming year with a renewed sense of passion and purpose.
As each year ends and a new one begins, it is natural that we hope and trust that the new year will be better that the one that has just finished. As 2011 is the Year of the Rabbit, the fourth sign in the Chinese Zodiac and is said to be one of its most lucky, let us all hope that those wishes come true.
People born in the Year of the Rabbit are articulate, talented, and ambitious. The rabbit is a symbol for mercy, elegance, amiability and worship of beauty. People born in this year are kind, speak gently, peaceful, quiet and loving persons. They are reserved persons, love arts and have a strong sense of justice. Whatever they do, they will start well and end well. Well known people such as scientist Albert Einstein, civil rights activist Coretta Scott King, authors Lewis Carroll and George Orwell, are some of the many famous people born in the Year of the Rabbit.
These are qualities to which we can all aspire, whether or not we were born in the Year of the Rabbit, and so it gives me great pleasure to wish you all a happy and prosperous New Year.
And on that note, I will close in New Zealand’s first language, offering everyone greetings and wishing you all good health and fortitude in your endeavours. No reira, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, kia ora, kia kaha, tēnā koutou katoa.