Know your neighbour: Church 'central focus' for couple

Alwyn (right) and Muriel Castelino arrived from India in 1995. Photo / Chris Gorman

We profile some of New Zealand’s ethnic communities

Alwyn Castelino, 64, moved to New Zealand from India with his wife Muriel in 1995 for a change of lifestyle and a search for better opportunities.

"We fell in love with New Zealand and decided, yes this will be our new home," said Dr Castelino, who grew up in Mumbai.

Between 2006 and 2013, the Indian population increased by 48.4 per cent, after a 68.2 per cent increase between 2001 and 2006.

More than 155,000 people, or 3.9 per cent of the population, identify with the Indian ethnic group, making it the second largest Asian ethnicity after the Chinese. Seven in 10 live in Auckland, many in the Otara-Papatoetoe, Howick and Whau local board areas.

Dr Castelino, who works in mental health at Counties Manukau District Health Board, said many were surprised when he told them he was raised a Catholic.

"I guess when you mention Indian, people expect you to be Hindu and that we eat nothing but roti and curry."

Almost all, or 96.4 per cent of migrant Indians had an affiliation to at least one religion. More than 81,000, or 53.6 per cent are Hindus, followed by 12.5 per cent who are Sikhs followed by 10.8 per cent Muslims.

Indians are a diverse group, with others identifying with ethnic groups such as Anglo Indian, Sikh, Punjabi, Indian Tamil and Fijian Indian.

Among all the Indian groups, 24,582 Indians recorded a Christian religious affiliation and Auckland is where most of them live.

Dr Castelino said Indian Christians were "generally more westernised", and believed that having anglicised names had helped make their settlement process easier compared to other Indians.

Mrs Castelino said the church was a "central focus" for her.

The Hindu festival of lights, Diwali, is the most important festival for the Indian community, which Mrs Castelino said Indian Christians also observed at a "cultural level".

English is the most widely spoken language followed by Hindi. Six in 10 could speak two or more languages.

More than 81 per cent were in full time employment, and the most common occupations were professionals, managers and sales workers.

One in three Indians owned or partly owned the home that they lived in.

Indian neighbour

• 155,178 live in New Zealand, nearly 7 out of 10 in Auckland

• 93.7% live in the North Island

• 90.8% speak English, with Hindi as the second-most common language

• 93% have a religion, mostly Hindu, followed by Sikh and Islam

• $27,400 - median income, retail trade, health care and social assistance main industries worked in

- Source: Census 2013