 after 1947 Chinese men were encouraged to bring over their families. New Zealanders became more accepting of the Chinese and both sides were able to gain valuable insight into each other’s culture. By 1965, other New Zealanders were increasingly exploring aspects of Chinese culture such as food, festivals, medicine (such as acupuncture), language and religion. At the same time, many Chinese New Zealanders were trying to rediscover their identity. Janice Chin considers her "upbringing as a New Zealand-born Chinese as different from that of my peers…….I hope that I am able to share in the best of what both cultures have to offer." 3
With the awakening of interest in Maori culture and acceptance of the need to atone for past grievances, such as the unjust taking of land, Pakeha have also begun to think about the grievances inflicted on the Chinese community and the valuable contribution they have made to our history and the development of our country’s identity. This is evidenced by the formal apology given to the Chinese people by the New Zealand government in 2002 for past discriminatory statutes.
Many Chinese living in New Zealand now, are descendants from the first Chinese settlers and have lived their entire lives in New Zealand. Although racist attitudes and beliefs towards the Chinese still exist, the increased awareness of New Zealand as a multi-cultural society and of our important role in the South-east Asian region, have contributed to our broader attitudes and exploration of our identity. Despite the vastly different experiences of the Chinese and other New Zealanders, these two strands of culture are becoming ever more closely interwoven - celebrating the differences while attempting to understand the other’s point of view.
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