Putting the multi in cultural

I know it sounds like an ad for a finance company, but in world of constant change, it's nice to know there are some things you can rely on.

They can be big things, like the sun coming up each day, or little ones, like the friendliness of the Cambodian girls at Bridge St's Tasty Tucker Bakery.

One of the things I've come to rely on is that the Nelson Multi Cultural Council's co-ordinator, Evey McAuliffe, is always good for a quote.

Seriously, if you ever find yourself working on a Nelson community newspaper and in need of a story, give Evey a call.

She has always got something on the go, whether it's getting lippy with Winston Peters in Trafalgar St over his ideas on immigration, raising money for Irish dancers, playing folk music or organising the council's monthly potluck dinners – the woman is a community news-making machine.

Evey is fond of saying, "Not everyone can afford to travel but that doesn't mean they can't learn about life overseas and meet people from all over the world. All they have to do is get along to the multicultural events happening right here in Nelson."

She's right. There is a surprisingly diverse range of people from all over the place here, most of whom seem more than happy to share their culture with others.

The list of events they organise seems to be growing by the week and includes everything from Samoan Independence Day celebrations to the Japanese playgroup at the Atawhai Community Church Hall, and the Indian dance party at the Boathouse last night.

Speaking of India, someone who is a good example of what Evey is talking about is The Indian Cafe's maitre d', Denise Gibson. A mother of four, Denise has been at the restaurant for seven years, but when she started couldn't tell her korma from her vindaloo.

Denise, who grew up in Nelson, told me recently that she didn't even lay eyes on Indian people until she visited England at the age of 18. Yet these days she is so strongly associated with The Indian Cafe, half the city thinks she is married to the owner Paul Lokhande (she isn't; she is married to a fella named Barry).

Denise has not only learnt about India and become friends with Indian people, she has gone from having once found mild curries challenging to someone who likes ordering hot ones – if that's not progress, I don't know what is.

Another thing people presume about Denise is that she has been to India – but wrong again. However, by the end of next month they'll be right because this time next week Denise and two friends will be flying to New Delhi to embark on a three-week Indian adventure.

I think it's great that Denise got the opportunity to learn about India in Nelson, and that it's now normal for kids here to grow up with Indian people in their community. The human race faces plenty of hurdles, but the way technology is making the world more interconnected and the fact so many of us travel and live in other lands has to help. It breaks down ignorance and fear and helps make us more empathetic towards each other's plights, which can only increase the peace.

Take last week's tsunami, for instance. When Denise was growing up, not only were there no Indians in Nelson, there were hardly any Samoans or Tongans, either. And to most Nelsonians back then, the idea of going to Samoa or Tonga for a holiday would have seemed bizarre. Had the tragic events of last week unfolded 30 years ago, I'm sure people in Nelson would have been saddened, but would they have felt the way Nelsonians have been feeling over the last week? Would they have identified with our Pacific neighbours in same way? Would they have experienced the same sense of loss? Would they have been as keen to lend a helping hand? Somehow, I doubt it.

- © Fairfax NZ News

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