Indian Population – Indian Community in New Zealand
The roots of the Indian population in New Zealand that form the Indian community go back to the end of the 18th century. Punjab and Gujarat were Indian regions known the first male migrants came from.
Some left their anchoring ship to stay. Others were seeking to support their families in India. In order to do so, they travelled abroad to find employment or business opportunities. Again others came while working for British families.
In the beginning many worked as travelling salespersons, on the fields, and on dairy farms.
Auckland, Waikato, and Wellington were selected urban areas to establish their homes. Coming from a country with a rich cultural background and strong family bonds most of them intended to return home to India sooner or later. With difficult conditions remaining in their home country and a developing situation in New Zealand they entered a compromise. Commonly they married in India and brought their wives with them to New Zealand.
Tirelessly they worked to sustain their remaining families in India, their young and growing families in New Zealand, and to build a strong Indian community.
Trademarks are the local convenience store also called Dairy. These are small businesses often run by Indians other branches are liquor shops and Indian restaurants or takeaways. With the input of long hours these businesses provide a living. Calling New Zealand home in subsequent generations made Indians enter in all sorts of professions.
Since 2002 the Diwali festival of lights progressed into a yearly event. Publicly shared it enriches New Zealand’s diversity.
The growing families in this vibrant cultural community of the Indian population worked together to establish centres to meet socially, to recite, to celebrate, and to teach their language and values. The goal is to keep traditions alive and present to their children.
Numerous places grew within communities to cater for Hindu, Sikh, and Moslem. In the Auckland these are:
Hindu
Sathya Sai Service Organisation
Subramaniyam Temple
Bharatiya Mandir Temple
Mahatma Gahndi Centre
Shri Swaminarayan Mandir
Hare Krishna Temple
Sikh
Punjabi Association
New Zealand Sikh Society Auckland Branch
Moslem
Islamic Resource Centre
Islamic Centre South Auckland
Islamic Centre & Jame'h Mosque
Islamic Centres
Ranui Mosque
The map below shows where to find them in Auckland.
The doubling of the Indian population between 1991 and 2001 made them the fourth strongest ethnic group within New Zealand. In 2006 more than 106,000 Indians called New Zealand home.
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