Layers of Identity

Zoey, a Year 8 student at Fairfield School, came to Aotearoa from the Philippines at age five. She enjoys writing and, in her poem Warmth of Frost, reflects on how different Aotearoa and the Philippines are, yet how both feel like home. Zoey also has Japanese whakapapa she hopes to explore one day.

Nembeka, a Year 6 Pine Hill School student, came to Aotearoa from Papua New Guinea as a toddler. In his poem Layers of Identity, Nembeka explores gratitude for life in New Zealand while cherishing the simple, family-focused lifestyle of Papua New Guinea.

Charlie, a Year 12 student at Logan Park High School, has Lebanese heritage. Charlie explores whakapapa and identity in their poems Lebanese Daydream and Connection. Responding to the comment, “But you don’t look Lebanese,” they reflect on feeling the urge to reconnect with Lebanon, navigating the complexities of being white-presenting with a rich ancestral heritage.

Parishay, a Year 5 student at Kaikorai Primary School, shares her pride in being Kiwi Pakistani in her essay A Mix of Life. Born in Pakistan and raised in New Zealand, she reflects on her dual cultural identity and the connections between her family traditions and everyday life in Dunedin.

Tia, a young mother of Samoan, Māori, Cook Island, and Pākehā heritage, is currently studying towards a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy at the University of Otago. Through her poem, she shares lessons she hopes to pass on to her son. After moving a lot growing up, Tia now raises her son in Dunedin for the strong sense of community.

Jayden, a NZ-born Vietnamese Singaporean Indian, studies nursing at Otago Polytechnic. His essay, Mango or Banana, was inspired by his struggle to choose one fruit flavour at a real fruit ice cream shop in Central Otago – a metaphor for his multiple cultural identities. Jayden is also a musician and songwriter.

Burhan, a foundation year student in health sciences, reflects on his essay My Life Through Three Cultures. Born and raised in Iraq, he spent a decade as a refugee in Bogor, Indonesia, before settling in Aotearoa. His writing explores how memories from each country shaped his identity and inspired his dream of becoming a doctor.

Zoe, a second-year law, politics, and economics student at Otago University, reflects on her Irish ancestry and upbringing on her family’s farm in Milton. Her writing explores how land and family legacy have shaped her identity while inspiring her to carve her own path.

Aahana, a Year 11 student at Taieri College, explores her “complex relationship” with the idea of home in her poem Home is a Feeling. She draws on her experiences as an Indian living in Bangladesh, Malawi, and now New Zealand.

Tunmise, a Nigerian-New Zealander studying at the University of Otago, grew up in South Africa. She shares her poem ‘Pancakes, Teddy Bears’, which reflects on her experiences of moving to New Zealand from South Africa.

Malak, a student at Queen’s High School, was born in Ōtepoti and traces her whakapapa and heart to Palestine. She shares insights from her personal reflective essay, Belonging in Between, which references the poetry of Mahmoud Darwish.

Ajax, a student at Kaikorai Valley College, shares his connection to his Nepalese roots and his journey of moving to Aotearoa at the age of three in his Whakapapa essay.

Ocean, a biracial African-American from the United States, has lived in Aotearoa for eight years. She reflects on her poem ‘Blackbird Sings Kum Ba Yah’, dedicated to her mother’s experiences as an African-American woman. She studies at the University of Otago.

Asya, a Theatre and English student at the University of Otago, reflects on her experiences of living in both Malaysia and New Zealand for an equal amount of 10 years in each country. She shares insights into her acrostic poems ‘Home is Where the Heart Is’ and ‘Malaysian and Loved’.

Vika, a Year 13 student at Queen’s High School, shares insights from her essay on the experience of being a Russian adoptee living in New Zealand and dreams of learning more about her family in Russia.