No images? Click here
Kia ora,
The start of 2023 has brought many opportunities to get involved in things that foster belonging and celebrate the rich cultural diversity of our city of Ōtautahi Christchurch and Aotearoa New Zealand.
From neighborhood events that are bringing together new groups of people over diverse kai, to a week of events dedicated to unity and creating a more inclusive and peaceful community, to a big, beautiful event at Parliament where an apology to the Cantonese Chinese community illustrated the power and importance of language – there are many things happening in our communities that bring us together. Read about some of these inspiring stories below and get involved!.
And ngā mihi to the nearly 1,300 of you who have taken our online quiz! This is a fun reminder of the ways we can find things in common with others.
InCommon wants to kōrero about the things we have in common and the things that make us unique, and we hope you’ll join us! Let’s build our cultural knowledge together by being open to the ethnic and cultural differences that are a part of our society, and talking actively about diversity.
He ira tangata. He ira rongomaiwhiti tāu. (Our differences make us unique and we all have things in common.)
Ngā mihi nui,
The InCommon whānau
Share Kai
Share Kai brings people together to celebrate the diversity of cultures through the breaking of bread. Through this project InCommon and Mahia te Aroha are showcasing the richness of cultures in Aotearoa New Zealand and fostering connections between individuals of different backgrounds. People can engage in Share Kai at community events or within their workplaces or schools.
At Share Kai, diners are encouraged to engage in cultural conversations, share memories and stories of food, find commonalities – and enjoy a meal together!
Share Kai and Kōrero at the Stanmore Corner Project
We’ve been testing the waters with this new way of bringing people together over tasty food by hosting Friday evening events throughout February and early March at a developing community space, the Stanmore Yard and Commons at 97 Stanmore Road.
At these Friday evening events passionate cooks from the Eritrean, Bhutanese, Afghani and Iranian communities in Ōtautahi have shared their traditional and favorite dishes with the public and diners have been gently nudged, as they eat their meals, to connect with someone new around the table, to share about themselves and to learn about others.
This has been an awesome collaboration. Ngā mihi nui to Ruth Trevella for providing mentoring and lots of support (including a commercial kitchen and equipment!) to help the cooking groups get started.
And we've also partnered with the Stanmore Corner Project for this first series of community events because of their community minded goals.
We’re working on our Share Kai cooking groups being in residence for a Friday evening each month in an ongoing capacity at the Stanmore Yard and Commons. Watch this space!
If you like what we’re doing with Share Kai and Kōrero and want to get involved reach out to us at kiaora@incommon.org.nz, we’re looking for enthusiastic people who are interested in culture, community, kai and like meeting new people to join our Share Kai team for events around Ōtautahi.
Join us! There is still time to come along and try out Share Kai and Kōrero at the Stanmore Corner Project – Friday March 3 is Iranian night and stay tuned for confirmation of a second Nepali night on Friday March 10.
For a taste of Share Kai and Kōrero at the Stanmore Corner Project check out this lovely video made by our friend John from Telling Lives at our Afghani night or read more here.
Share Kai and Kōrero – Unity Week at Your Workplace hui
As members of the Unity Week working group, we were excited to bring people together for the Share Kai and Kōrero – Unity Week at Your Workplace hui at the start of February. 25 people came together from 15 different organisations and local businesses to kōrero about how they might observe Unity Week with their teams and staff.
This hui was different from the average meeting, using the specially designed Share Kai Connect Cards (download yours here) participants went beyond the usual small talk – do you say a karakia or prayer before you eat? What is your go to comfort food? What is your most memorable meal? Following a session on the aims and tools available for Unity Week people came together over a tasty meal from our Share Kai Afghani cooks, the spread included mantu (dumplings), bolani (a vegetable stuffed flat bread), and ghabili (chicken with spiced rice). Plates loaded high; people were encouraged to get to know the rich food cultures of communities that call Ōtautahi home.
This hui was an opportunity to learn more about Unity Week and to illustrate how workplaces might hold a Share Kai event of their own. Stayed tuned to our Share Kai page for a Share Kai toolkit for workplaces coming soon.
Share Kai Catering
Having Share Kai cooks available to cater community, workplace or school events is one way of supporting our cooks to grow their small businesses, as well as offering colleagues and students the opportunity to engage with the cuisines of communities not often available at your usual hui or food court.
This is a developing branch of the Share Kai programme and three catering test runs have now been completed.
Please stay tuned for details of how you can contact our groups to make a booking for your next catered event.
Images right, top to bottom:
Afghani meals featuring mantu/dumplings, bolani/flat breads stuffed with vegetables, ghabili/spiced rice with chicken, lamb or oliviya/potato and egg.
Eritrean kai including injera/sourdough flatbread and dohro/spicy chicken.
Nepali workplace catering featuring dal bhat, curry and sel roti/ring shaped fried rice dough.
Chinese New Year Celebration at Parliament
Earlier in February as special Chinese New Year event was held at Parliament, hosted by Minister Priyanca Radhakrishnan. Alongside celebratory speeches, a poetry reading by Poet Laureate Chris Tse, entertainment, and red envelopes with sweets for the guests, there was also an apology made in Cantonese for the Poll Tax and other discriminatory laws imposed on Chinese migrants during the 19th and early 20th centuries.
This Cantonese translation of the apology, widely known as the Poll Tax Apology, follows 21 years after it was first issued in 2002 by then Prime Minister, Helen Clark. In 2002 a Mandarin translation of the apology accompanied the English apology, however, as the Chinese migrants and families who were subjected to the damaging Poll Tax were primarily Cantonese speakers, the New Zealand Cantonese community have been advocating since 2002 to receive a Cantonese language version of the apology. This was a very meaningful moment for the New Zealand Cantonese community and Aotearoa New Zealand and highlights just how important language is to all of us.
Check out the Chinese Poll Tax Heritage Trust Facebook group for more.
InCommon Tamariki Activity – now available!
InCommon worked with a group of year 7 and 8 students from Opawa School to create two activities for tamariki, ‘What’s in Common?’ is now available for free download from our website and a professionally printed activity with stickers embedded, ‘Let’s Connect’ is available for order for Unity Week, Pink Shirt Day and Mental Health Awareness week 2023. Download the activity, watch videos about it and more here and get in touch at kiaora@incommon.org.nz to talk about how to order ‘Let’s Connect’ for your school for the upcoming Unity Week.
Upcoming events:
Pride Week. March 10 – 19. Christchurch Pride is excited to invite you, your friends and whanau to join the celebration of who we are, our diversity and our city. Check out the website for events in Ōtautahi.
Dai Henwood Talks Unity, 8 March. Get your tickets now to this free speaking event with Dai Henwood and chair of Sakinah Community Trust, Hamimah Ahmat.
Unity Week, March 15 – 21. Unity begins with U. A week to remember and honor the lives lost on March 15, while also promoting a socially cohesive society. Join the movement by attending one of the local events, or by creating your own event at your school, workplace, or community. See the website for events and resources, or check out their latest newsletter.
Meet and Eat for Unity Week, 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm, March 16. Outside Riverside Market. InCommon and Mahia te Aroha invites you to Share Kai and Kōrero by bringing your lunch and connect over food. Our intention is simple, join us and use our conversation starters to connect with people beyond your normal lunchtime circles. Meet and eat for Unity Week and be proud to be a part of a city that embraces all cultures.
Rangatahi Meet Up for Unity Week, 4 – 5pm, March 16. Outside Riverside Market. We invite rangatahi to Share Kai and Kōrero, connect with fellow students from schools they might not otherwise interact with and follow up on conversations about belonging started at the Mahia te Aroha Our Ōtautahi Stronger Together student hui in term 4 of 2022. Check our social media or email kiaora@incommon.org.nz for more details.
Walk the Talk for Unity Week, 10.30am – 2.30pm, Saturday March 18. Cantabrians are invited to walk together to affirm that we reject hate and division, honour our common bonds, and look forward to a future where everyone regardless of their physical attributes, ethnic identities and ideological affiliation – feel they belong and are empowered to advocate for each other. Walk starts at the Canterbury Museum and ends at The Commons where our Share Kai cooks will be part of an offering of food and games.
Call out for participants for NZ Chinese Association Easter Sports Tournament, Friday 7th April to Monday 10th April. Get in touch if you are interested in participating in one of the 11 sports on offer – indoor and outdoor netball, indoor football, touch, athletics, badminton, basketball, golf, tennis, touch rugby, volleyball, ultimate frisbee… Email Victoria.ks.king@gmail.com for more information and participation eligibility.
Online course: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Workplace: A Global Approach, online 4-week course starts April 25 by UPEACE Centre for Executive Education. Gain a deeper understanding of its importance, as well as what steps you can take to enhance your effectiveness in creating an inclusive culture.
This month we’re reading…
The End of Bias: How We Change Our Minds by Jessica Nordell (2021). Unconscious bias: persistent prejudiced behaviour that clashes with our consciously held beliefs. The effects can be corrosive, even lethal. It robs organisations of talent, science of breakthroughs, individuals of their futures and communities of justice. So what real-world steps can we take to counteract it? Drawing on ten years' immersion in the topic, Nordell digs deep into the cognitive science and social psychology that underpin efforts to create change, and introduces us to the people who are practicing a range of promising methods.
Read our past Pānui here.
Do you follow us on social media? We’re dedicated to creating meaningful and informative content that celebrates diversity and fosters inclusion, come join us!
Ngā mihi nui!
Thank you for joining us for our March pānui (newsletter) we look forward to next time!
Mā te wā,
The InCommon Whānau
