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The Hierophant
Joined: 13 Sep 2005
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 Posted: Sun Feb 22, 2009 10:08 pm Post subject: Korean migrant experiences in New Zealand |
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This report on Korean migrant experiences in Christchurch (a city of about 300,000 in New Zealand's South Island) may prove interesting to some.
The report was undertaken by the New Zealand Families Commission, which is government-funded organization that researches family life in New Zealand.
The report makes considerable mention of the difficulties many Koreans in New Zealand face when trying to integrate. It sheds light on the rationale behind why many Koreans choose to emigrate, and may put our own experiences as migrants in Korea in better perspective.
An excerpt:
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Koreans living in New Zealand have told researchers they find it hard to get to know Kiwis, they feel rejected and almost all have experienced some kind of harassment.
The researchers, whose study was funded by the Families Commission's Blue Skies Fund, interviewed 36 migrants who arrived here between one and 23 years ago.
The report Korean Migrant Families in Christchurch: Expectations and Experiences by Canterbury University researchers Suzana Chang, Carolyn Morris and Richard Vokes, found that many of the migrants had come to New Zealand for their children's sake.
"They wanted them to have access to good education, less school stress and they wanted the family to have a better life and future. For some, a better future meant their children would have greater success in Korea, or allow them to migrate beyond New Zealand to other Western nations, or have the chance to be someone different than would be allowed in Korea," says Carolyn.
Once in New Zealand, while most enjoy the more relaxed lifestyle, they said that they found few work opportunities outside of the Korean community, partly due to a lack of English skills, but also in some cases because of discrimination.
One woman, who achieved top marks in New Zealand teaching and maths examinations, finally gave up trying to find a teaching position, despite a reported shortage of qualified maths teachers.
The migrants also said they experienced harassment in their daily lives. The researchers say that without prompting many of the Koreans wanted to discuss the harassment they had experienced. This included being yelled at, one group of teenagers threw stones at a woman out walking, others had eggs thrown at them, some were sworn at, others reported racial insults.
The immigrants were split on whether they felt the harassment was racist � some thought it came from 'low class', 'bad' or 'poorly educated' people. Others were convinced their experiences were racially-based. There was also a feeling among some Koreans that the harassment was the result of other Koreans not trying harder to learn English and fit into New Zealand society.
As a result of discrimination and harassment, many Koreans have only been able to find social support amongst other Koreans and within Korean churches. They all wanted to get to know Kiwis and become part of society but the general feeling was that they had been rebuffed.
The researchers suggest strengthening local and national social and institutional support for new migrants. This could include seminars on their civil and legal rights in relation to harassment and racist abuse.
Families Commission Chief Commissioner Rajen Prasad says "Migrant families can be devastated by harassment and while it's natural to seek support from their own circles this can mean they miss out on the opportunity to participate fully in New Zealand society. I believe most Kiwi families are hospitable and welcoming and I hope they are motivated by this report to make extra efforts to befriend the new migrants in their communities."
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This is only a short excerpt. The whole report is 30 pages long and can be downloaded in .pdf form via the link at the bottom of the webpage. It's a very interesting and insightful piece and a highly recommend Dave's members of all nationalities read the whole thing.
Last edited by The Hierophant on Mon Feb 23, 2009 12:59 am; edited 1 time in total |
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aquaponics08
Joined: 22 Dec 2008
Location: Korea
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| Posted: Sun Feb 22, 2009 10:51 pm Post subject: |
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| Koreans living in New Zealand have told researchers they find it hard to get to know Kiwis, they feel rejected and almost all have experienced some kind of harassment. |
A taste of their own medicine?!?  |
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Thewhiteyalbum
Joined: 13 Nov 2008
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| Posted: Sun Feb 22, 2009 11:19 pm Post subject: |
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Fking Christchurch though. The skinhead capital of the southern hemisphere. The most racist place I have ever visited. I actually feel sorry for any Asian who makes the unfortunate mistake to emigrate there.
I think until a few years ago there weren't even many Maori in the towns in the South Island. I remember my cousins saying the problem with the North Island was it had "too many coons".  |
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itaewonguy
Joined: 25 Mar 2003
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| Posted: Mon Feb 23, 2009 12:16 am Post subject: |
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typical kiwis really! and im sure it happens in Australia too..
all over the world really...
I feel Korea is not racist like our people are back home...
Koreans are just racist in a non violent way!
and getting to know you.. well koreans will invite you out for dinner and pick up the tab! you think a kiwi will do that for a korean??? |
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The Hierophant
Joined: 13 Sep 2005
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| Posted: Mon Feb 23, 2009 1:09 am Post subject: |
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| Thewhiteyalbum wrote: |
Fking Christchurch though. The skinhead capital of the southern hemisphere. The most racist place I have ever visited. I actually feel sorry for any Asian who makes the unfortunate mistake to emigrate there.
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Yes, I'd say Christchurch is certainly one of the least hospitable places in New Zealand. I would actively discourage anyone, of any nationality or ethnicity, for emigrating there. When studying for my secondary teaching diploma I was sent on teaching placement at a school in Christchurch and some of the things the teachers said in the staff room about international students made my jaw drop...
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I think until a few years ago there weren't even many Maori in the towns in the South Island. I remember my cousins saying the problem with the North Island was it had "too many coons". |
I once had a Pakeha taxi driver in Wellington tell me he couldn't settle in the South Island because he felt 'creeped out' because it was 'too white' down there 
Last edited by The Hierophant on Mon Feb 23, 2009 1:17 am; edited 1 time in total |
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The Hierophant
Joined: 13 Sep 2005
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| Posted: Mon Feb 23, 2009 1:16 am Post subject: |
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| itaewonguy wrote: |
typical kiwis really! and im sure it happens in Australia too..
all over the world really...
I feel Korea is not racist like our people are back home...
Koreans are just racist in a non violent way!
and getting to know you.. well koreans will invite you out for dinner and pick up the tab! you think a kiwi will do that for a korean??? |
I've heard stories of frustration from migrants from many different nations that Pakeha New Zealanders are a very chauvinistic and insular lot and hard to get to know. It sounds like it would be almost as impossible for Korean immigrants (or any Asian immigrants for that matter) to truly 'break in' to the Kiwi inner circle. I had similar frustrations here in Korea. I guess the door swings both ways. |
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Privateer
Joined: 31 Aug 2005
Location: Easy Street.
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| Posted: Mon Feb 23, 2009 1:57 am Post subject: |
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| I guess the Kiwis feel like they're being invaded? The Kiwis I've met have seemed like a pretty easygoing liberal bunch but then I'm white, and I wasn't talking to skinheads or drunk teenagers. |
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Perceptioncheck
Joined: 13 Oct 2008
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| Posted: Mon Feb 23, 2009 2:16 am Post subject: |
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| The Hierophant wrote: |
| itaewonguy wrote: |
typical kiwis really! and im sure it happens in Australia too..
all over the world really...
I feel Korea is not racist like our people are back home...
Koreans are just racist in a non violent way!
and getting to know you.. well koreans will invite you out for dinner and pick up the tab! you think a kiwi will do that for a korean??? |
I've heard stories of frustration from migrants from many different nations that Pakeha New Zealanders are a very chauvinistic and insular lot and hard to get to know. It sounds like it would be almost as impossible for Korean immigrants (or any Asian immigrants for that matter) to truly 'break in' to the Kiwi inner circle. I had similar frustrations here in Korea. I guess the door swings both ways. |
I guess the door does swing both ways, but an important point of difference is that most Koreans - and especially those that choose to migrate - have studied English for a considerable portion of their lives and have at least some ability in the language. As a New Zealander, however, my exposure to Korean before I moved here was minimal at best and it's been very difficult to form any kind of meaningful relationship with non-English speaking Koreans. In this regard, I'd say that migrating Koreans have a hand up on round-eyes moving to Korea. |
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Thewhiteyalbum
Joined: 13 Nov 2008
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| Posted: Mon Feb 23, 2009 4:19 am Post subject: |
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| itaewonguy wrote: |
typical kiwis really! and im sure it happens in Australia too..
all over the world really...
I feel Korea is not racist like our people are back home...
Koreans are just racist in a non violent way!
and getting to know you.. well koreans will invite you out for dinner and pick up the tab! you think a kiwi will do that for a korean??? |
I was thinking about this - my Mum teaches at a primary school where they often have foreign teachers come to 'observe' and their English is at very different levels (some can hardly speak it at all). These teachers have little to do with the staff and stay in special housing.
My Mum and her staff go out of their way to make the teachers feel comfortable - a dream of one of the Japanese teachers was to ride a horse - so my Mum took her to a farm and spent the day with her. Other members of the staff did other things to make the teachers comfortable.
Cut to Korea...the teachers at one of my schools all drive past me while I wait at the bus stop every day..rain, snow, drought..we are all going in the same direction - into the town. They look the other way as they pass. And I am not the miserable fcuker in real life that I am on this board, I get on well with the staff. They know buses only go past every 20 minutes and have seen me just miss a bus in a blizzard(!) and STILL drive straight past me. Dirty rotters.
I guess my point is that kindness can be found everywhere. In NZ Asians do have a terrible reputation for 'sticking amongst themselves' - being over here has given me a different perspective of why this is so. |
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Rusty Shackleford
Joined: 08 May 2008
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| Posted: Mon Feb 23, 2009 6:52 am Post subject: |
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| One thing about Korea is you never see car-loads of low-life, degerate hicks like you do in the lower half of the south island. Sure, Korea has it's rubes and countrified folk but you hardly ever see people that make you feel a little bit dirty and uncomfortable just from looking at them. The whole "boy-racer" phenomena is a case in point. |
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SHANE02
Joined: 04 Jun 2003
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| Posted: Mon Feb 23, 2009 6:55 am Post subject: |
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| Christchurch.....pretty place with some ugly people in it. |
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southern boy
Joined: 29 Sep 2007
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| Posted: Mon Feb 23, 2009 7:33 am Post subject: |
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North Island is a pooh-hole! Period.
Have you evern taken the time to think it the other way around? That the majority of them made very little effort to integrate a new society- let's illustrate
-Nelson, they chose not to mixed in with the local. A simple hi and smiles were given but non return.
-lack of care and concern for the environment and the surrounding community (except for their uri-nara)
-Dunedin, Korean church is solely for the koreans.
-hogging onto uni public computers during examination periods.
-talk loudly in koreab insidle and nearby the library.
-acting superior and looked down on those who they deemed to be 'dirty' to worthless.
-self-pretentious being friendly when other nationals or the local wanted to get to know them.
I can't speak for other part of NZ, but my experienced at the Otago Uni tells enough. |
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SHANE02
Joined: 04 Jun 2003
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| Posted: Mon Feb 23, 2009 7:42 am Post subject: |
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Rusty:
I really don't buy the "evil boy racers must be stopped" thing thrown out bu the baby boomers in NZ all the time. The previous generation always drove pissed and hooned it up just as bad. they have short memories is about it.
Cars are cheaper and louder, that's all. But the kids get vilified for doing what their parents (fathers actually) already did piss drunk on weekends themselves.
At least kiwis have a car culture. I miss my Rx2. |
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Cheonmunka
Joined: 04 Jun 2004
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| Posted: Mon Feb 23, 2009 10:10 am Post subject: |
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If you take a survey we'd find discrimination to be a major topic during an interview with any 'foreigner' in Korea.
One thing about this though is not realistic in terms of discrimination for the Korean in NZ:
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One woman, who achieved top marks in New Zealand teaching and maths examinations, finally gave up trying to find a teaching position, despite a reported shortage of qualified maths teachers.
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She doesn't have the teaching certification. If she does, she would be right in the door.
Having studied myself at CHCh College of Ed I'd say that she would have no trouble fitting in with classes and getting by - we had a real multi culture of people in the intake. There wasn't a sense of snottiness either, however, one Pakistani guy didn't really get on well with others, but he had some strange dogmatic attitudes, you know.
PS: Korean churches, Korean supermarkets, Korean newspaper etc, = little intergration.
Don't blame them but. |
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excitinghead
Joined: 18 Jul 2005
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| Posted: Mon Feb 23, 2009 3:06 pm Post subject: |
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Blatant plug for my blog sorry, but back in July last year there was the first ever conference for "Kowis" in Auckland, which I wrote a little about here:
http://thegrandnarrative.wordpress.com/2008/07/01/immigration-identity-and-the-internet-lessons-from-korean-new-zealanders/
It sounds a little harsh, but I concluded that at least half the blame for many of the problems experienced lay firmly with the Korean immigrants themselves, particular those to do with language: the internet certainly doesn't help with integration. The conference website, for instance, was the first ever English website for them after almost two decades of substantial immigration. |
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