Home-A College of many cultures
- Our team
- From an orchard and vineyard to a school
- Our school culture
- Our school song and haka
- Languages in our school
- Cultural fusion
- Taste sensations from Samoa and the Phillipines
- Arts and Culture Week
- National Independence of Samoa Day
- Discovering different types of cultural dances in Waitakere College
- Waitakere College Arts and Cultural Awards
- Our long-awaited school Marae
- 12,000 miles to New Zealand citizenship
- Europe to Australia to a life in the circus
- Massive state to tiny island to green New Zealand
- Afghanistan to New Zealand
- India to New Zealand
- Around the world
- Research process
- Learning outcomes
- References and acknowledgements
Afghanistan to New Zealand
Hi my name is Masoomah, I’m from Afghanistan. This is my story on how my family came to New Zealand. I interviewed my parents asking them a few questions about why and how we came to New Zealand, because I was too young to remember anything that happened.
My family has been living in NZ for 13 years now. My parents, my two older sisters and I are from Afghanistan, besides my younger brother who was born here. My parents said that our aim was too actually move to Australia, that was the plan, but they wanted to a safe environment to live in, and also a good future for us. “We came here by boat, even though was a dangerous journey to come here and risked our lives, but it got us here”.
My dad said “There were about 438 people on-board. I felt relief and I knew things were going to be okay. If it weren’t for the Tampa we would not have been here today. The Tampa was the boat, which had rescued us. The boat that we were in previously had a leak and we would have drowned. Australia did not let the Tampa in but it entered their waters anyway and they did not accept us, but when the current New Zealand Prime Minister of that time (2001) Helen Clark had heard about this affair she was the one who took action and wanted to help us”.
My family like it here in New Zealand as we have been living here for such a long time that we can call New Zealand home. My family are happy living New Zealand as we fit in and are accepted for our differences.
Masoomah
You can find out more about the story of the Tampa families here.
