The Evolution of ‘Indian’ Identity and Transnationalism in New Zealand

Abstract

Indian migrants have been arriving in New Zealand for more than a century, although large numbers of migrants are a phenomenon mainly of the last two decades. This paper considers the history of Indian settlement and identities in New Zealand and then outlines the ways in which recent migration streams have accelerated transnational phenomena of the past and introduced some new elements. This paper is based on a series of interviews and presents the views of key informants within the Indian community. At the personal level, connections operate not only between India and New Zealand but also within the broader global Indian diaspora. At more institutional levels the media serve both national and transnational functions, as do ethnic associations. The latter also illustrate the great diversity within a heterogeneous ‘Indian diaspora’ in New Zealand. The paper also asks whether there is a ‘pan-Indian’ identity, and the ways in which this relates to other aspects of identity.

Keywords:

• Transnationalism
• diaspora
• Indian
• identity
• New Zealand

Notes

1. Note that the term ‘Indian’ is used throughout this paper to refer to people who have originated from India, and in some cases colonial India (e.g. some Indo-Fijians originated in parts of modern-day Pakistan or Bangladesh). This is comparable to the American usage ‘East Indian’ but is more restrictive than the British usage of ‘Asian’ or ‘South Asian’ since this paper does not refer to contemporary migration from Pakistan, Bangladesh or Sri Lanka.