Islanders yearn to retain ties to home

By ALAN PERROTT

New Zealand's Pacific Island community is becoming increasingly prominent in this country, but some believe they are being ignored at home.

Niueans living in New Zealand outnumber those in Niue 10 to one, but they are all but disregarded at home, says Louisa Lavakula, a senior member of Auckland's Niuean community.

According to statistics released yesterday from last year's Census, 20,148 Niueans live in New Zealand, compared with 1900 on Niue.

Niueans are the fourth largest ethnic group among New Zealand's 231,801 Pacific Islanders.

Mrs Lavakula says Niueans in this country are proud of their heritage and regularly send money home, but get little input into domestic politics.

She says many are worried that old homes damaged by storms may be knocked down without any consultation with the owners.

Mrs Lavakula, a nurse, came to New Zealand in 1969 so her disabled son could receive better medical treatment.

The Otara resident has since returned home six times. During one trip she investigated setting up her own business.

"I would love to be able to return and run my own small business. But I don't have a lot of money to take back and the airfare is very expensive.

"I talked to the Government there, but they offer no help to those returning and there are very few jobs. What could I do?"

She fears that the growing Niuean population in this country will lose its links to home, threatening the future of the culture and language.

"The children learn a few words and sentences, but that is no way to keep a language alive."

Mrs Lavakula would like to see the New Zealand Government set aside some of the aid money destined for Niue for the Niueans who live here.

"We are New Zealand citizens and should be treated differently to other groups. We came here to work and have paid our taxes. That money could be used to return to Niue so we can help.

"I love Niue - that is something that will never change - and if we could do more we could really help our people."

The Rev Leuatea Sio says people cannot return home unless there is a good economy to return to.

"Samoa is doing fine. Many elderly Samoans fly home to live, but a lot more would go with them if they could still receive their pensions there.

"I know there is worry among the people of the Cook Islands, Tokelau and Niue, so maybe being free to come and go from this country isn't always a good thing."

New Zealand took possession of Niue and the Cook Islands in 1901.

In 1974, Niue became a self-governing democracy in free association with New Zealand. Its people are New Zealand citizens.

According to Census statistics, overseas-born Niueans have been living in this country for an average of 26 years, longer than any other Pacific Islanders.

The biggest influx of Pacific Islanders came in the mid-70s. By 1976, 65,694 New Zealanders were of Pacific Island descent.

KEEPING COUNT

PACIFIC POPULATION

The Pacific Island population resident in New Zealand is 231,801 or 1 in 16.

City by City: 1. Manukau City: 72,378. 2. Auckland City: 47,619. 3. Waitakere City: 23,241. 4. Porirua City: 12,228.

ESTIMATED POPULATIONS OF PACIFIC ISLANDS

Fiji: 844,330, Samoa: 170,900, Tonga: 99,400, Cook Islands: 19,300, Tuvalu: 10,000, Niue: 1900. Tokelau: 1500.

COUNTRY OF BIRTH

Six in 10 Pacific Islanders living in New Zealand were born here. Cook Island Maori have the highest New Zealand-born population (7 in 10). Tuvalu Islanders have the lowest New Zealand-born population (3 in 10). Nearly 2 in 5 foreign-born Pacific Islanders arrived in the country before 1981.

AGE

Median age for New Zealand Pacific Islanders is 21. Nearly 2 in 5 people are under 15. The number of Pacific Islanders aged over 65 years doubled between 1991 and 2001.

RELIGION

1. Presbyterian (Congregational and Reformed): 46,971. 2. Catholic: 44,184. 3. Methodist: 27,150.

INCOME AND WORK

Median income for Pacific Island people aged more than 15: $14,800. Median annual income for Pacific Island men is $17,800 and for women is $13,000. Nearly 2 in 3 Pacific Islanders are employed, with 4 in 5 working full-time. Most common occupations: 1. Plant and machine operators: 12,804. 2. Service and sales workers: 11,382. 3. Clerks: 11,097.

EDUCATION

The highest qualification for 1 in 6 Pacific Islanders is at tertiary level. Nearly 3 in 10 Fijians have a tertiary qualification. More than 50 per cent of Samoans' highest qualification is at secondary level.