702 thoughts on ““New Zealand Is Turning Into A Really Racist Country” – updated 26 Aug 2015: Skin Heads and Hate Crimes.”

1. Kiwi: you speak English, where are you from?
   Me: From the US, San Francisco.
   Kiwi: No, where are you really from?
   Me: I just told you, United State.

   The above conversation happened more than a few occasions during my three week vacation in NZ. It didn’t take too long for me to realize that as beautiful as this country is, many people inhabiting it were unable (or unwilling) to accept my nationality as they were unable (or unwilling) to look past my skin color (I am a Korean-American). This came from not only the whites (both young and old) but, surprisingly, from the native Maoris as well The outright staring, dismissive attitudes and comments towards our group, as well as a couple of outright “ching-chang-chong” type gestures did come as an unpleasant surprise for me. On more than a few times I’ve seen school kids in groups of three and four look over their shoulders at us and exchange a knowing comment and giggle. Even though I didn’t know exactly what they were saying, I am pretty sure what the context might have been.

   I’ve been told that NZ is experiencing a wave of immigrants, many from China. If there was some sort of anti-asian bias (which I suspect there has been for quite a while), I could only imagine how much worse it will become against both those seeking residence as well as those who come to visit. It seems to me, to the typical Kiwi, it doesn’t matter if you are from China, Korea or a US citizen, English or non-English speaking. If you got the black hair and slanted eyes, you will be grouped into a single category of people whose heritage and culture the Kiwis don’t care about and don’t want to be influenced or bothered by them.

   Living in an island has its benefits but it tends to cause those inhabitants to be quite close minded and stereotypical. You then throw in the weird dynamics of the whites (mostly poor farmers from UK themselves) exerting racial superiority over the the native Maori, and you have a country brewing and deadlocked in racial tension. As a result, the Chinese (and all those who look like them) coming from the outside world will become easy targets to exert essentially what is an inferiority complex. Much like the US, it’s mostly the low income and uneducated who are the worst offenders.

   One lesson I’ve learned from living in the US is that you cannot eradicate racism or racial bias. It is part of who we are. I think the best thing against narrow-mindedness is the same as dealing with a school bully: you need to stand up for yourself. If you happen to be a victim of racial bias, whether overt or otherwise, you need to confront the perpetrator. You don’t try to educate the person nor do you ask for an explanation because if they were capable of reasoning, they wouldn’t be engaging in such conduct in the first place. You just tell the person to “F-off!” If you got the balls to do it in public in front of others, then you get brownie points. That’s the only way to make that a-hole think twice about pulling that kind of crap again withe the next Asian he/she meets.

   I have traveled extensively around the world. I must admit, there are few countries out there that can match the beauty that NZ offers. However, if I had a choice between traveling to a country that has unparalleled natural beauty (such as NZ) but with unpleasant and narrow-minded natives and a county that might not have the natural “wow” factor but has warm and welcoming citizens, I will choose the latter.

   Good luck Kiwis and enjoy the rising home prices (as well as everything else)

   • Thanks for your words of wisdom Nate, I hear you, stand up for yourself, cos nobody else will in todays day and age, I had some racists words thrown at me in front of my kids in public, i.e. go back to your country, you asian , you people are greedy such an such, so I told the skindead to fuck off yadayadayada, and its funny, he tells me that his grandads chinese and threatening me that he’s a skinhead, buying his food from the local fish and chips shops owned by our lovely asians, so all in all , he loves food cooked from the hands of his ancestors, yet he’s blindsided by the fact that he has asian blood running through his veins, yet he hates us all, but you look at him and you can see his asian features. whats going on with this world today…. Gotta love these people, these hypocrites… LOVE THEM!

2. And this is the same country whose (fake Jew) anglo-saxon settlers are now demanding an end to Jewish settlements in the ancestral Jewish homeland of Israel. Perhaps they should lead by example. England is still there where your forefathers left it behind 200 years ago. If anything, Its time to end Britain’s illegal occupation of New Zealand, Australia, Canada and the U.S . Where’s Alice Bailey’s U.N now?

3. Living in Ireland for the first 8 years of my life, I never encountered racism until my family moved to Christchurch in NZ. I was treated awfully for being Irish, made fun of for being different, and it was there I first learned that many actually call black people a derogatory name. It was quite a shock to me, who had never experienced this kind of ostracism. The Maori people are very friendly and welcoming, I found their culture and manner far more pleasurable and inviting than white Kiwis. I still couldn’t wait to get out of there though. What a shame, such a lovely place to be marred by such ugly frames of mind.

4. Christians, Europeans and Maori built this Country. Stop whining about It. Diversity is fine too. You could let 50000 Buddhists a year into Canada or New Zealand without a problem. Mass migration from the Islamic world is just innapropriate. It’s unfair and harmful on many levels. This is because globalization in some ways is antagonist towards natural efforts to mind our borders and protect established cultures. The same for the environment, watesheds and Labour agreements……a border protects that. Remove it….you get chaos and nihilism on a social-political level.

5. This is a very sad state of affairs. NZ was always on my bucket list. However, I am a Canadian, & our diversity is our strength. We are peace loving.
   I will have to do more research, before I even consider going there.
   NZ is such a beautiful looking country.

6. [Deleted: ad hominem remarks. Address the issue, do not make personal attacks. Admin]

   • [Deleted: other countries, keep on topic. Moderator]

7. I have a lot of Kiwi relatives, who are Indian who come to England and say your country is full of immigrants, and mock the Indians here. I thought how stupid of you, you are seen as persona non grata in NZ. A country where all accept the Maori are immigrants. You yourself are immigrants who were brought in as cheap labour and how quickly you think that you are superior than the new Indian immigrants, or even the indigenous people.

8. Way too much generalising, I live on the north shore of Auckland, immigrated here as a child, and have encountered a huge portion of lovely people (from many origins). Just because a few unruly kiwis have disrespected you it does not speak for all. Everyone’s forgets to mention the time they were treated respectfully by locals, but will endlessly berate us as being racist for a few ( perhaps isolated) examples. When a particular minority (ie. Chinese) doubles in population over half a decade it’s only natural for discussions and concerns to arise. When there are 1.3+ billion Chinese people and 4 million New Zealanders, isn’t it an expectation that we will be concerned about preservation of a small culture and rapid alteration of culture in our neighbourhoods? I have always treated foreigners with respect, yet get labelled as a typical, white, bigoted, xenophobic Kiwi…for f**k sake. When my parent moved here they expected an enormous backlash against them ( being South Africans in 1995), yet we quickly asserted ourselves as hard working, tolerant people and the respect we gave was always reciprocated( a few exceptions of course). At the end of the day, WE chose to live here with the full knowledge that we were outsiders and had to adapt to this culture as we entered THEIR country. What did anyone except… Seriously.

   • We considered Australia and Canada, New Zealand’s climate was temperate ( compared to very hot/cold) and the people seemed fine. Moved because the degrading of SA economy and its a very dangerous place to live. I understand your conceptions about small town, but honestly I doubt there is a country in the world without small town narrow minded hicks. Surely immigrants would do some research before the move in terms of finding a diverse area with tolerable people. I think a lot of the misdirected anger( should be aimed at the government for allowing this) is towards overseas Asian investors. Buying houses in NZ, and renting them out to locals at extortionate prices. Almost every couple under 35 will be denied buying a house in NZ because of the artificially driven market boosting up house prices, meaning only the rich can afford, as most young couples aren’t millionaires. China has a wealth of millionaires who seize opportunities to get richer by buying property which they never intend to live in, and people who actually want a life here are facing the brunt of it.

     • 13 Real estate agencies being prosecuted for price fixing http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/75124030/real-estate-agents-faces-wrath-of-regulator.html

       Offshore buyer claims are made up http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/twyfords-offshore-buyer-claims-made-175462 “I don’t own a house, but if I bought one, I hope that cynical politicians wouldn’t blame people whose “last name sounds Chinese” for “driving up house prices beyond the reach of hard-working Kiwi first home buyers” … as if people whose “last name sounds Chinese” can’t be a hard-working Kiwi, as if we are taking their houses.”

       How many buyers have last names that “sound” British, or South African, or American?

       What a load of bollocks.

     • [Deleted: Ad Hom attack. Banned. Mod]

9. And the final result of:
   gangsterism, xenophobia, and violent women (I wonder what Mr. Scorpio would say about this):
   http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11543053
   Three girls aged between 12 and 14 were arrested after a seemingly unprovoked attack on a Chinese international student in Auckland’s CBD.

   The alleged attack on Saturday afternoon left Sandy Zhang, 20, with a bleeding nose, bloodshot eyes and a sore scalp from having all her hair extensions pulled out.

   Miss Zhang was walking down Queen Street near the IMAX complex at around 1pm when she saw three girls walking towards her.

   She said as they walked past someone pushed her.

   “I asked them what happened…they began to push and punch me and pull my hair,” she said.

   “I was confused I don’t know what happened.”

   I would hazard they were trying to rob her and vent their frustrations at the same time. Of course, being told that “Auckland is INTERNATIONAL”, “LOW crime” and “There’s NO racism in New Zealand” … well those messages, while you’re getting singled out because of that … will confuse you.

10. Very stupid racist remark from MP Ron Mark. Worst thing is that he insists that is NOT a racism. Hopefully, this is the only racist MP in NZ. haha

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/73722468/NZ-First-MP-Ron-Mark-denies-racism-over-go-back-to-Korea-jibe

    • Not a racist – just doesn’t like ‘foreigners’ eh ??

11. I really feel bad for being in NewZealand. I feel bad every morning before going to my work. All my colleagues treat me in a very bad way. I have always been nice and kind to them. I even help them as soon as they ask me anything they need. But still they always make comments that hurts me and say they are just joking. I am pretty sure I can’t do the same. If I try the same way they complain to my boss and even if I say I was joking that won’t work. Boss and all other staff have very good relation but when it comes to me boss is boss. I always mind my own work but still they give me hard time for no reason. I don’t know how to explain my situation to anyone. Unless they make any comment on my nationality I can’t make any complaint on them. But except that, they are doing everything else to me. Never seen this kind of people before. All they say is kiwi’s are kind and polite. But these are all just words. Kiwi’s are cunning. They are not loyal to anyone. They have no ethics. These people should be ashamed of themselves for being cunning and having no ethics.

    • If you feel there is the discrimination at work, you can contact with Human Right Commission and also check this link for more information, http://communitylaw.org.nz/community-law-manual/chapter-5-discrimination/the-meaning-of-%C2%80%C2%9Cdiscrimination-chapter-5/

12. Hi, yes NZ can be rather racist even though they say they are not. I believe that when it comes to sport, there is no colour as the all blacks boasts of European, Maori and Polynesian but all KIWI , however it cannot be said for housing, some goods and services and employment.
    Having read about the very sad story of three young Polynesian girls who were unjustly imprisoned for a crime in Three Kings that they did no commit who protested their innocence, yet for all their protestations, were completely ignored by white policemen and a Justice system which later insufficiently provided for their care, once they were exonerated of this crime. Their lives would be difficult being Polynesians and female and add the stigma of having being imprisoned and their lives have taken more than just a back step but more a leap off the harbour bridge. Sometimes racism has become so ingrained, it is no longer seen as racism but “just the way it is.” and people are simply too busy or un empowered to care.

13. Hi Pita,
    I am really glad that someone writes the real true because I love your people and they really respectful, loving, funny and caring. It will be quickly judged that the bad attitudes can only come from the Maori’s. The worse are really those old white British here! I cannot even imagine how much you have to hold in to even accept them on your land discriminating and still harassing your race to illegally steal your land, rise taxes for land which is not even them and replace land marks. I am white too but I have never experienced such disrespectful, racism but analphabetism of those white invaders or better parasites. I feel invaded too although I only try to make a living here. I am discriminated, harassed and intimidated on a daily basis from bad white bred muggle employer, landlords and drivers. It is not acceptable in any way to neither culture and seem to be unique to the old Nazis of NZ.
    The positive side is I can leave. The sad side is I have never had deepened contact to your culture because you have to live so suppressed in your own environment and understandable reserved to white people. But I will leave after 6 years without ever looking back! It is just too bad for a family to resist all the external bullying and I am really concerned about our safety.

14. I am going to write another thing about New Zealand people’s attitudes, some New Zealand people do not like it when you tell them how silly the practice of Daylight Savings Time really is, I actually came from Hong Kong where we abandoned the practice of Daylight Savings in 1979:

    http://www.trademe.co.nz/Community/MessageBoard/Messages.aspx?id=1581606&topic=5

    Most New Zealand posters on trade me will take it as a attack on their country, I kid you not,

    • The whole TradeMe thread only goes on to prove what people post on this website i.e. people are not adaptive to change. Some comments like “Get over it” once again speaks volume about the “She’ll be fine” attitude.

      Daylight savings could have worked in the days when there were less proportion of people working in offices. Times have changed, “HELLO! we are in the 21st century!” so why get struck to something that is not serving better purpose and impacting in health & welfare of people.

      On a sarcastic note, I think we should definitely “leave” the daylight savings topic aside and “get over it”….the whole country is actually 50 to 100 years behind so 1 hour hardly makes any difference. 😉

      • New Zealand’s attitude as I see they don’t like it when its even mentioned, having been through daylight savings, I have begun to not like it as when you switch clocks forward, you’re losing an hours sleep and when you change it back you gain it back

        On a shorter note, it does affect the body

    • I agree with your comment on DST, it probably made sense 100 years ago in high latitude countries, however these days, why bother. It’s even sillier in Australia, we have multiple time zones and some states that are within tropical and sub tropical regions don’t use DST.

      • Most of Asia has abandoned DST practice, Hong Kong abandoned it in 1979 and my parents do not really like DST at all

    • Below arrogant comment on TradeMe discussion link sums it all up (perineal problem that is!)

      “Why give a rats about what any other nation does? This is New Zealand. We do our things our way, when we feel like it.

      Quote
      melonhead1 (17 17 positive feedback) 2:02 pm, Mon 28 Sep #65”

      • Daylight Saving time in this age does not really make sense, also some of the Trade Me users are oblivious to the fact that Niue, Tokelau and the Cook Islands do not practice DST

15. Be wary of the flavours of racism you come across here, on the surface it might just be washed off with a laugh but deep within the comments often passed on have an intended racist remark.

    We didn’t notice it all through the first couple of years after arriving here but later on started to see it all upfront & personal. My partner especially noticed the inferiority complex among some of the local kiwis in shopping malls or anytime we step out. What we have seen is, lot of Kiwis are jealous if you have half a thing more than them or if you tend to buy something from abroad. Few months back my partner was having conversation with a neighbor and when asked she mentioned that she purchased one of her purse/accessories from Dubai while transiting. The neighbor has stopped even making eye contact since then, the whole experience is so pathetic considering we all use shared lift at least once a week.

    Its probably the savage mentality and struggle for existence 24/7 for the kiwis, com’on societies have civilized way ahead of the cave mentality and people must be happy for each rater than having a biased behaviour towards someone who knows or has little more than you.

    • I think you may have hit the nail on the head there, its jealousy.. They are jealous of the Chinese and their hard working ethic, tough living, disciplined life worth. And of course Australians because their demographic is Asian. However their is one incident of prejudice toward NZ and that is the banning of wide tooth shears for shearing because they are cruel… But then I suppose its because their sheep have an Asian origin.

    • Very well said. No one can notice it at first, but later you get to see their real colour. It took me 3 years to understand how they actually think. Many people asked me a question ‘ why did you come to NewZealand?’ and then they ask some more questions with a smiling face. You will slowly understand the real meaning behind that smile.

16. Yeah damn straight Im an asian living here and because I’ve got white ancestery I can pass for a white man but I must say that newzealanders can be some of the worst racist people specially maori they can be ruthless and are extremely dodgy. They talk about people being racist towards them but they’re the ones who make all the trouble and are the most racist of all peoples. There’s all this talk about Australia being racist but from all the complaints I’ve heard from friends of different nationalities that have come here that this place is way more racist and i definitely believe them

    • Yes sub zero you’re right I couldn’t agree more after you’ve dealt with the racism, nonsense and hypocricy of the maori australians wont do jack to you as far as racism goes

    • I recently realized whilst on holidays that some of my Kiwi friends not Maori are extremely racist. They live in Australia and hate Australians and hate Americans and hate Chinese and hate Russians and now hate the Ukrainians, etc etc…The conversation got very real when I was enlightened by the fact the Australians are push overs and weak… I was brought to tears… I can’t believe why they live here, I then had no choice but to turn the conversation around. I firstly opened by saying so that’s why your here… Firstly to defraud Centrelink, live in the most livable city in the world, be accepted into a multicultural community by Australians who show no prejudice except to hang it on you occasionally which you find hard to tolerate… So Please do us all a favour and P…. O…..Q.. Oh and we’re are good for free Nose jobs apparently…

17. I have recently moved from Auckland to Wellington. I am a Japanese woman in my 30s. I find that Wellington has more rural white women who are over weight and they get intimidated Asian women and hostile

    • NZ have not changed much at all

18. Admin..
    Yes your right.. Nz is. A racist country..
    So tell me what country isint. You knw if its hardto settle down here your in the wrong place.. Why dont you try to moveto a different locations.. thay are not all the same.. I have been dealing with racism since primary.. It dosent bother me anymore.. You sound like you are getting offended by what others haveto say.. White people are racist because they thincc tha world revolves around them.. Dont listen to them.. Im ashamed tht you think of my country as racist.. Im maori and idont make fun of other peoples cultures.. Their are alot of reasons NZers are the way thay are.. Mainly to do with tha government. Favouring ones culture.. Jobs. Housings. Ect.. I hope next time yous stay you meet nicer people:) and have a better stay next time..

    • [Deleted. Don’t troll.]

19. Oh boohoo…New Zealand didn’t live up to your red carpet expectations…oh well hopefully you have left by now.

    • You bet, that’s why everyone over here.. And we have Bunnings where we can get carpet

20. Chinese Imigrants are destroyin my homeland.

    They do not try to mix but prefer to stay isolated in there own groups . They are rude and obviously do not consider us kiwis as equals. Due to our recent laws mainly wealthy chinese have been able to enter our country. Thus has affected our property market severely. Kiwi family’s are being pushed out of 1st homes by Chinese buying half the street. No joke half the street at once.
    The average kiwi family cannot compete with these people and they have to be governed . Or they will swallow up nz in a matter of years. We have to stop selling our country because once they have it they are not going to sell it back to us. This same thing has happened all over the globe to different nations. Think of your kids and grand kids before you sell any thing to the Chinese community especially your land.

    • We have to stop selling our country because once they have it they are not going to sell it back to us. This same thing has happened all over the globe to different nations.
      You seem to have some knowledge of this sinister plot. Could you let us know what other nations this has happened to?
      Do you know of any commonplace culture in the world, where having lots of money is NOT celebrated?
      And how many rich people do you know, that have not used political connections, influence or control of information along with office politics to get ahead? Can you name them?

    • The investor thing could use some control, but please do not put all Chinese in the same basket.

      “They are rude and obviously do not consider us kiwis as equals.”

      I find kiwis fit this description perfectly. And just so you know, I’m a New Zealander and see this constantly.

      “Kiwi family’s are being pushed out of 1st homes by Chinese buying half the street. No joke half the street at once.”

      Don’t worry, the street will be much better now.

      “The average kiwi family cannot compete with these people and they have to be governed .”

      I will say again, yes the investing issue could do with some changes, but who on earth are these ‘average kiwi families’? I’m tired of seeing this thrown around. Kiwis clearly show they don’t give a damn about what happens to each other. What if every investor was kiwi? Would you still complain about these ‘average’ kiwis losing out? Remember who is selling their houses for huge profit. KIWIS, and loving every second of it.

      “Think of your kids and grand kids before you sell any thing to the Chinese community especially your land.”

      I’m more concerned about kiwi drinking and violence culture that isn’t seen as an issue here. That’s what needs to stop. Maybe the country will improve the more foreigners we get in here.

    • Well said…and its all going to end in tears. Kiwis pay tax and if they employ people they have to pay decent wages. Chinese cheat the system and make great wealth through exploitation of labour and corrupt dealings with Chinese government officials. Most well of Chinese are trying to get their money out of China and hence buying up property in New Zealand and Australia and elsewhere.

      • Kiwis pay tax and if they employ people they have to pay decent wages.
        Okay then.
        http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/regional/258654/chch-rebuild-workers-owed-$236,000

      • ” pay decent wages”?
        What a joke. When I left the States, the going rate for my occupation was between $ [US] 25-45/hr quite a few years ago. The same job in NZ, you’d be lucky to make $ [NZD] 25, even now. So, decent wages is an unheard of concept down here. And given that everything is so much more expensive, the lower wages digs even deeper. Low wages, higher costs. Not good value for money. That’s NZ.

    • New Zealand banks approved three times as many mortgages for investors as they did for first home-buyers over the past year, Reserve Bank figures show.

      http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11487764

      Are you saying all those investors are Chinese KiwiKiwi??? – or have you simply be listening to too much talk back radio.

    • Good comment …
      Come to Melbourne we’ll have you… i’m gong to retire soon. I’ll even hand over my business to you to develop. I keep some royalties….

    • Chinese Imigrants are destroyin my homeland.

      They do not try to mix but prefer to stay isolated in there own groups . They are rude and obviously do not consider us kiwis as equals.

      As long as they’re legal, it’s … legal. Take it up with your government.
      And, how often have you rebuffed or brusquely treated them? One of the reasons they “stay isolated” is because they’re less likely to cop abuse from “their own people” and they’re unaccepted when they do make an attempt to fit in – or you make the “cost of entry” as being “you have to abuse people in your community, for us to consider you a “New Zealander””.

      also,
      see this:
      http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11482300
      Chinese locals snap up 23 sections within minutes
      All the buyers were required to present their passports on signing the sale and purchase agreement.

      Mr Law said all were either New Zealand citizens or permanent residents.

      Now, if you say “those Chinese are not allowed to own property in New Zealand” … I’d call you a racist, plain and simple …

    • First, are you aware that the ‘average kiwi family’ does not GIVE A SHIT about what happens to you? Whether or not you are going hungry or have home? This facade has to end. I know as fact having worked in numerous areas that social services mes with statistics, disregarding the thousands of children in danger. Police do it too. A kiwi will rarely help their own and it’s just a plain lie to say otherwise. I and many other kiwis I know have experienced horrific treatment and bullying, as well as many others, kiwis and foreign. If even half the kiwis that spouted this shit actually lifted a finger to help their fellows, NZ just might become perfect overnight. Take a look at the Filipino communities. They always help each other.

      The statement that they don’t mix is complete bullshit. I work with them and any that don’t associate with kiwis is because most kiwis are some of the most unfriendly, cold, and weird people you could ever meet. They hate hate difference and change, sap culture out of everything until only an empty shell remains. They have come to fear dealing with kiwis.

      When my kid/kids grow up I will be happy for them to be associating with Chinese and other nationalities.

      I get the investor thing to a degree, but too many kiwis use this as an attack on all Chinese. Your comment about them not mixing shows that you are talking about EVERY one of them, and it’s false. NZ people are well know as a cold and rude people, not all but way too many.

      And I work for a volunteer teaching group that has multiple branches and thousands of volunteers who love getting to know each other. You should see some of the events we have. So dont give me that bullshit that they don’t take part in society. For any that don’t , kiwis and their attitude are to blame.

21. [Deleted, ad hom attack. You didn’t read the comments page did you? Admin ]

    • I don’t understand some POC who go out of their way to defend situations that promote a caste system.
      But there is one interesting question I would ask …
      Balinder, do you have a nickname that Kiwis call you by, in case they’re too lazy to refer to you by your given name?
      I believe being referred to by your given name, is a decent measure of “how human you are seen to be”.

22. why do maori get better treatment

    • Maori do not get better treatment, Neither of us do. We get the pity support because people think we’re not capable of doing any better. We don’t, because that would be racist. But no-one will listen, will they?

      • I sort of get what you’re saying, but Chuck Palahniuk has a take on it that may make you … think twice.
        “Since that day in the nurse’s office (after choosing to opt-out of a miserable life as a world-famous architect or heart surgeon, by self-administering shocks from cardiac defibrillators to their temples, effectively lobotomizing themselves), Griffin Wilson has never seemed happier. He’s always giggling too loud and wiping spit off his chin with his sleeve. The Special Ed teachers clap their hands and heap him with praise just for using the toilet. Talk about a double standard. The rest of us are fighting tooth and nail for whatever garbage career we can get, while Griffin Wilson is going to be thrilled with penny candy and reruns of Fraggle Rock for the rest of his life.” – from “Zombies” in Make Something Up: Stories You Can’t Unread by Chuck Palahniuk

        “The soft tyranny of low expectations” … allows people to get away with a lot of bad behaviour … which … much later … WILL be directed upon their own communities. Everything has consequences.

23. To be honest, I haven’t met very many Kiwis in my life being from the States. However, I always find it funny how they sometimes perceive White South Africans. The stories above made me think of this as well.

    I recently came back from the Western Cape after college (stayed with my Afrikaner girlfriend’s family for a few months) and thought it was the English Speaking Whites there who acted a lot like New Zealanders (judging mostly from the posts). They were extremely clicky, rude, and racist. Everyone else seemed to be cool with me (mostly met Afrikaners, Couloureds, Xhosa, and hung out a lot with a Shona friend from Zimbabwe), but I was always treated worse by the English Whites. One time a couple of them made some stuff up to some bigger dude at a bar and I had to explain myself to not get a beat-down. I guess they thought it would be funny to see an American get punched I guess considering I was just trying to be nice and make some friends. Another time my girlfriend tried to call the management at her flat because some English dudes tried to spit on the Couloured cleaning lady for going through the garbage bin (I would talk to her all the time and she would do that to collect food for some of the dogs in her neighborhood). A lot of people give Afrikaners a bad rep, but I find most of them more respectable and nice. I’m sure it can also depend on where you are in the country and I’m a little biased too given my story. However, it was just weird how everyone who was at least multilingual (I speak Afrikaans and would like to learn more Xhosa in the future) was usually more tolerant while mostly monolingual people were, of course, the English Whites. Even though it’s the lingua franca I just thought that was a little condescending of them. It could also be that having a distinct language away from the lingua franca makes someone more proud of their culture and gives it a stronger sense of values. Who knows?

    Does anyone think this is some kind of trend because I feel a lot of Kiwis are only monolingual? I grew up in the Mid-West in the United States and most people could only speak English in my town.I think it’s a shame considering language can make people more tolerant, or at least make them get a better perception on the world. Then again, being a pretty insular country down there doesn’t help much either. Really interesting site btw, I enjoyed reading through this thread.

    • I tend to think that people lacking the curiosity to learn other languages tend to rather narrow minded. I have seldom encountered a bilingual or multilingual person that is a dolt. A large number of English speakers, especially Kiwis, are very narrow minded and arrogant. Most do not realise how their own cultural practices (boasting of having a large but crappy house with carpet or driving an expensive car whilst having negative net worth) come across as low class to people from saner cultures.

      • i tend to agree im not racist but i see your point without asians in new zealand the country would sink and im new zealand born to kiwi parents its disgusting keep trying.

24. What do you expect when a people becoming subjects of the crown , as acknowledged today as the crown is always at fault and should pay. There is so much positive to appreciate by becoming global citizens, massive increases in life expectancy and a change of diet is just a start of a long list. We are all from different cultures all having respect for one another .. right . Can’t look back – but forward. 3rd Gen Kiwi “where ever the white british colony wanted to make a house they would bribe trick steal muder” Thats Funny and a bit rich – whenever a Maori tribe ran out of food they would raid and eat the neighbouring tribe. Nothing has changes except the menu. Globalism one cannot run from.

25. Wouldn’t it be great if we all jumped into the creek and came out muddy brown, no matter what country you originate from. I love culture. NZ is young and changing , unfortunately for the worst. multi cultura has been replaced with bicultura as the new buzz word on Maori TV now. One thing about Australia – so much pride in being Australian , regardless if not originally born in the country. This is something not seen in NZ.. Sad

    • Johnno,

      “…multi cultura has been replaced with bicultura”

      I’m Australian, so this is an outsider’s opinion. I’m interested as to how New Zealanders are going to reconcile their bicultural institutions with the increasingly multicultural nature of the country, it’s probably not going to be easy.

26. I am a new zealand maori. I dont know why people are the way they are but i love that the new day and age is now multi cultural. Why only know one language when you can learn many i have friends of all races backgrounds and religion’s. I think at the end of the day it comes down to how you were raised. Its sad that a lot of children grow up with spiteful role models and just uneducated parents. Its something that is taught or picked up from others. Its a terrible habit that’s just carried on generation after generation. How appalling is it that people cant even come and visit our country to enjoy our beautiful landscapes without being discriminated and harassed and publicly humiliated. Not everyone is nasty like that but unfortunately not many are kind either. New Zealanders come in all shapes and sizes and yes races to. Maybe one day the world will wake up. Peace out

27. By DNA studies, Maori descend from Asian bloodlines. I do not know why so many Maori are against Asians.

    • carpentaro,

      “By DNA studies, Maori descend from Asian bloodlines. I do not know why so many Maori are against Asians.”

      I’m not sure what point you’re making, by using ‘ bloodlines’ we’re all Africans, and that simple fact has never prevented racial prejudice, also the concept of ‘race’ is more or less obsolete scientifically. The legal definition of ‘racism’ that is usually applied the days is prejudice towards different ethnic or cultural groups, DNA is irrelevant. There is still, sometime, lethal prejudice within groups, that in the past, were considered members of a separate ‘race’.

    • Nesian bloodlines yes i think i remember reading something like this somewhere. Polynesia and asian. But they will claim that this is untrue i also read that maori language was created by mixinglanguages and these two languages are two of many as well i am maori btw. But they do have very similar words Chinese and maori have the same words for things like objects and same with the Polynesian language.

28. Oh see people this is the answer to all the stories about racism in New Zealand i just read skin head groups on the rise again. Hahaha as you can see in plain writting where racism in New Zealand began of cause the white westerner british and english is how our Beautiful land Ao tea roa became colonialised by racism greed and coruption

29. White NZ feeling like there the minority!! Wat a load of crap!! Remember u whites were the ones who invaded & suppressed the Maori ppl.
    I have plenty of Maori & friends & family & they have not one drop of racism in them, it’s Tru there are racist Maoris out there!! The most out spoken ones probably only have 10% Maori blood & typically has a white way attitude towards other cultures & People’s

30. In reference to
    https://e2nz.org/2015/04/07/nz-police-cant-protect-the-sikh-student-who-received-death-threats/

    he has also been (WRONGLY) accused of molesting someone
    http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/67624792/indian-student-wrongly-accused-of-sexual-abuse

    A radical idea:
    These people who it has been proven, to have wrongly accused someone, that almost certainly affects their reputation permanently …
    need to have their reputation affected permanently too.

    I’ve heard Gandhi’s saying “an eye for an eye makes the whole world blind”,
    but it is also wise to remember the corollary “No, it doesn’t. There’ll be one guy left with one eye. How’s the last blind guy gonna take out the eye of the last guy left?”

    sites such as register-her.com, cotwa.info, crimesagainstfathers are very helpful.

    These people who wrongfully accuse others and in doing so pervert the course of justice, better pray they don’t meet someone determined to get at the truth, as Eleanor de Freitas discovered to her detriment.

31. The story is that I chose to live in Kaikoura. I’ve hated this dull as ditch water town ever since.

32. In 1981, despite an almost global protest against South Africa’s apratheid, New Zealand invited and South African ruby team to tour. Only 150,000 people protested, with a population at the time of about 3 million.

    At the time the immigration of relatively poor and poorly educated pacific islanders made an easy target to make fun at if you were white and had any educational background. I have people I’m still friendly with who openly refer to them as ‘freshies’ fresh off the boat. As far as I can see that target seems to have been widened to any and all immigrants.

    My father is a self proclaimed racist and has moved to one of the all white communities / towns that are in the South Island. As far as I’m concerned good on him, and at least he is more than happy to be nice to anybody who’s paying him.

    Having been brought up that NZ was well known for its education, culture, anti-nuclear stance and friendliness, I was shocked by the only thing people seemed to know / care about was “Oh NZ is such a beautiful country, you sports fanatic aren’t you?”. Having lived away from NZ for the past 18 years I can barely stand the place when I visit family. The government is a joke, the biggest city smelled like a stale deep fat fryer last time I visited, transport is a joke, when I watched the safety brief on a internal NZ flight I cringed by the corniness of the thing. The only people won’t don’t seem to know this are the kiwi’s themselves who are so stuck up on their own self importance.

33. I am a Japanese woman who has lived in New Zealand for more than a decade. During the time I stayed in NZ, I did experience some racism and they were already bad enough…but when I saw the article below, it made me realise that NZ racism has really worsened by time. Now I seriously do need to watch out for my child.

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10582613

    It happened 6 years ago and god knows what it is like now…

34. I always experience racism with the new zealanders… Especially with kiwis. They are envious people who doesn’t have the balls to say how they hate asians like me. I tried to be friends with them in some point but they look at me differently. I walk home everyday after work and it’s always the same thing, harrasing and showing bad behaviours. I had experience numerous times in which kiwis looks at me with a dirty finger. Regardless of age. They always say that we foreigners who invsde thwm should go back home but they didn’t realize the fact that they are first race who invaded this land. Before they say it to us, they should tell it to themselves. But when foreigners come to our country, we treat them with respect and hospitality. Appling people. Unfortunately, the bad perception of foreigners affects those good kiwis because of those prick ones. FuckING cocktail pricks.

    • Stand up for yourself and dont put up with that crap. Im a maori but i would never tolerate that. some people a just bloody wanks. Sorry to hear about that just dont think that goes for all of us aye. We are not all bad. But these ones make it hard to see the ones that are good.

35. Racism is active and well all over the world. In this respect NZ is on par with the world and up-to-date. In so many other ways NZ is 15 years behind the rest of the world, just not with regard to racism. The Chinese here keep to themselves and that makes sense to me in light of how they can be mistreated. We’ve been here 2 years and to this day we are treated better by immigrants. Immigrants are excited to meet us, Kiwis not so much.

    However, our kiwi neighbors invited us over for a drink on Christmas Day, that’s classy and cool. We didn’t stay long, as they had a large extended family and we felt we were kind of a third wheel. Still very classy that they invited us over.

    Kiwis are quirky, but mostly just people with their own foibles. It seems almost all of them have a friend or relative living in Canada. Mostly I think kiwis fear the unknown, as everyone does. I think this has lead them to be very protective of their thinking. I believe kiwis actively do not want to change their thinking. A change of thinking is what it’s going to take to reduce racism. So it’s going to be around forever, unless the government makes an effort to change racist thinking in the way they have done so with drink driving.

    It sounds like there are two different types of racism, that from non-Maoris and that from Maoris. It also sounds like racism is handed down from generation to generation within the Maori population. I think racism is being diluted in Canada from generation to generation. It’s very easy to blame your horrible life on someone else.

    Many underachieving people of any color or ethnicity can’t take responsibility for their situation. That’s when racism rears its head. If you’re unhappy, it must be someone else’s fault or cause. And that’s when the unhappy person lashes out at someone else. In addition, tall poppy syndrome can kick in really easily. So a “rich” Asian kid with good grades would constantly be under attack by those who could never attain that level of achievement. An underachiever may not be able to achieve that level of success, but they can throw insults and barbs at others in a very refined fashion. They can excel at bullying.

    There are so many different ethnic groups in NZ that its easy to find friends, as long as you’re not counting on having kiwi friends. And even then, there are many kiwis who are open to friendship. The only difficulty I find is the grand shutdown of business that happens between December 1 and January 31 and beyond. So many people in our industry are still not back at their jobs and it’s mid-February. You see, kiwis don’t care about working hard, they just want to have fun.

    • [Deleted: Ad hom attack and ‘go home if you don’t like it.’ Sorry, as per the Comments guidelines that’s earned you a ban.

      Don’t make ad hom attacks. Address the issue, do not attack the person. Please do not make ‘don’t like it then leave‘ types of comments, they will be deleted and earn you a ban.

      Admin]

36. A country where the indigenous people were killed in drives,and where I got called a Paki, so many English now go to NZ compelling England has too many immigrants and the country doesn’t feel like their own? I am sure thats exactly how the Maoris feel! Irony

37. Racism is still alive and well in New Zealand

38. I have briefed my parents that when they retire they would be better off selling up everything they own in NZ and move back to Hong Kong, the racism aspect of New Zealand is real and its alive

39. Most born and raised european NZrs have no idea what its like to learn a second language , let alone move to a foriegn culture and attempt to assimilate useing that learnt language. From personal experience NZ is a hard place to immigrate to because of this fact. There is a kind of phobia towards anything foriegn or different. A culture of conformity which says you must fit in or miss out, which results in a nation of under achievers, and a immigrant population that is ignored. NZrs need to step into the immigrants shoes and see what its really like.

40. I’m so glad I found this blog, was planning on moving there with my wife (Chinese) I myself I’m Irish, we have 2 beautiful girls and I love my family so much. Too think for 1 second that my wife or children would ever be subjected to any form of racial slur anywhere in world, well frankly that disgusts me. Seems that racism is real issue in NZ. If I had not found this blog and had moved to NZ based on NZ site propaganda alone, I’d surely be jail within a week of landing there, why people subjected to this don’t react furiously and instantly to such injustice is beyond me. I personally wouldn’t hesitate for a second if anyone offended my wife, myself or my children by virtue of racism. Myself that in itself has allowed this issue to fester and turn into such blunt disregard for fellow humans. People subjected to racism should challenge it or the offender will continue to belief in his/her own self righteous bullshit. I’ve been to several countries and sometimes not all have received a few choice words from small minded bigots, being Irish of course I’m none to shy to reply with a few choice words of my own, and in all but 1 case the racist bigots of the world cowarded down like the uneducated filth they are. The exception was a drunken English guy in France, never try and reason with a drunk with words, but I don’t endorse that whole turn the other cheek or the bigger man walks away either, stand your ground in this life and demand equality regardless of consequences. If you don’t then prepare to be become a door matt.

    • Of all the racial groups in New Zealand, those of East Asian appearance are most likely to experience overt and hostile racism, regardless of their country of birth.

      You may find the following pages useful while doing your research https://e2nz.org/?s=asian

41. My name is Kevin and I’m African (I don’t call myself by other racist names) and I live in Mobile, Alabama. I just want to share a story with you all. One of my friends, also African, recently took a trip to NZ and began posting all these great things about her trip. I commented on her post how racist the Caucasian’s are in NZ and that those not Caucasian were under dire threat through the racist tactics that they perpetrate on others so often. I thought bringing her attention to the fact that all her money was spent to make the Caucasians there that much stronger, and that she obviously missed all the racist stares (likely ignored them) and comments (which they always make), and that all they wanted her to do was spend her money there. Well, me trying to enlighten her had a totally different effect: she became offended because many of her clients are Caucasian and that they often followed her on Facebook and that saying something like that was not well received. In other words, she doesn’t give a damn about all the racism going on in the world and that it is okay since she has Caucasian friends. Well, I have friends of many races, including Caucasian’s, and they know what I stand for, and to see one of my friends scolding me for informing her about racism in NZ was shameful to me that she was ever considered a friend. Of course, she no longer will be my friend because she doesn’t stand for anything. We all have to stand for something, and I stand with the people of NZ that being treated unfairly, unequally, and unethically by their Caucasian oppressors and their darker allies who look the other way.

42. I’m a Kiwi born Asian and New Zealand is racist and cruel . I can’t get a job because I’m Asian. A engineering firm was hiring staff and apprenticeships. I was qualified with Skills and experience. But they did not hire, but instead hired an inexperienced and underqualified non Asian. Unfair racist and unfair New Zealand I was born and raised in new Zealand and I cant even get a job, its not just that company, its everywhere I go, even Burger king don’t hire, because I’m Asian. Work and income cut benefit for no reason. What am I to do to survive? ..
    Now I’m In Australia with a eighty thousand dollar job. The people here in Australia are different to Kiwis kind and unbiased I cant survive in NZ even im a KIWI born I cant get job in own country. New Zealand is Shit.

    • You are absolutely correct. Racist people even you are qualified they wouldn’t dare give you a chance and prefers their own colour. See, you are a Kiwi yourself and can’t even land a decent job to put food on the table. Narrow-minded racists.

    • That’s a lot of assumptions there. Perhaps the other candidate for the job had better charisma and didn’t jump to conclusions. Hiring isn’t purely based on qualifications. The majority of IT jobs in NZ are occupied by Indian and Asian people…sounds like you got turned down for a job so suddenly the whole country is racist

43. NZ is very resistant to change, so don’t expect it to do much more than plug along and stay pretty much as it is. The housing is little better than tar-paper shacks, hot in summer and cold in winter. Plumbing that has not been seen in decades, rubber stoppers and all. An “old boy” network that is near immpossible to overcome. Merit in the workplace is an unknown concept, you have had to gone to school, be related to someone, or know someone to catch a break as far as getting and progressing in a job goes.
    Fear of being shown up for being backwards and behind the times is gripping. So, if you are from someplace that is more advanced than NZ [which is most everywhere except maybe some of the Pacific Islands, Afganistan, parts of Africa…], you’ll be looked upon with suspicion and contempt.
    Good luck, I’d shoot for Oz.

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