As you can tell from my surname I have the joy of being "a little bit of this and a little bit of that". The older I get the more I embrace being different but growing up was another story.
My mother Hana Pepere is of Ngati Porou and Tuhoe descent and my father Steve Lim is NZ born Chinese. My parents met in Wellington, New Zealand, and we moved to Auckland when I was two. Most of my holidays were spent growing up in Gisborne where it was hard being half-caste and Asian - this meant you were the target of the boys down the road who would say things like "Is your dad Bruce Lee?" and "do you know karate?". Being the extremely sensitive child I was/am, I always ended up in tears dreading the thought of having to walk down the road to go and play with my cousins or go to the shop. Thinking about it now, they probably had a crush on me because isn't that what boys do when they're younger - pick on the girls they like!!
School was not so bad. I had convinced myself that I was the only Maori-Asian besides my sister until I came across my friend and "twin" Te Aroha Chan. Then I was slightly annoyed that I wasn't different anymore. I was typically Asian in my studies, besides being hopeless at maths. I love reading and writing and that thing called "sport" was an unknown concept to me which, coming from a sporting family, was rather odd.
Throughout my school years I wished I could trade my dead straight Asian hair for the maths and science gene that I seemed to miss out on and that every other Asian kid had. I used to wish I could be awesome at any sport like my Maori relations. As it turns out, recently I took up touch rugby and have discovered that I am actually quite good at it!
After finishing school I studied travel and tourism, moved onto property investment and insurance before commencing my legal executive certificate. I worked in the litigation industry with Media Litigators, Auckland for a short time before moving onto a smaller practice specialising in health and insurance and as a legal secretary with the Bank of New Zealand.
The death of a close friend made me re-evaluate my life and I applied for a work transfer, packed my bags and moved to Melbourne. It was both a sad and exciting time for me but I have settled in quickly, have made many friends and have experienced first-hand the weather changes in Melbourne (hailstorms!!). People here seem much nicer and there are so many other nationalities that you don’t get stared at for being different - here being different is the norm.
Even though growing up was hard being part-Maori, I am proud of whom I am. I identify more with my Maori side now because I grew up with my mother’s family in and around Gisborne. I heard all of the stories and learnt about my background from my Nanny Mino (my Papa Ginger died before I was born). My Chinese grandmother died before I was born and my grandfather’s English was not good so I was unable to share in those stories from my Chinese background.
I know to be able to get somewhere in life you have to have the confidence to be able to tackle anything. This applies also in my views to MaraeMelbourne. When I first came to Melbourne, I didn’t realise that there were so many Maori here. For all I know, there may be other whanau (family) here that I don’t know about so having a marae would be a good starting point to get together and meet them! I am confident this project will be a success and encourage everyone to put their confidence in it and be a part of it too!
GINA PEPERE-LIM
Profiles
MaraeMelbourne volunteer research assistant Gina Pepere-Lim & her Grandmother Mino Pepere
Gina currently works for the National Australia Bank in Melbourne as personal assistant to the General Manager/s (NAB Risk Department). She has set herself a goal of two years to enjoy her overseas experience and then would like to pursue a career in radiography.
Gina currently works for the National Australia Bank in Melbourne as personal assistant to the General Manager/s (NAB Risk Department). She has set herself a goal of two years to enjoy her overseas experience and then would like to pursue a career in radiography.
Since his retirement in 1991, George Te Whakaotinga Hallett or "Koro George" as he is affectionately known, has worked tirelessly as a Maori kaumatua (elder) and leader within his own Maori community. He provides valuable community service work in his own time, visiting individuals and families in hospitals, juvenile justice units, prisons and family homes.
Koro George has lived in Australia since March 1978 becoming an Australian Citizen in 2003. He has taken a leading role in the Maori community as respected kaumatua and minister of the church.
He has also been involved with the Altona Migrant Resource Centre serving as a representative member of the Maori community and has assisted with the restoration of Maori carvings which now stand in the gateway entrance to Bayside College in Altona.
Koro George provided support to the South Pacific Foundation during the submission of a paper to the Victorian Parliament Law Reform Committee in relation to changes to the Coroners Act 1985. He subsequently gave evidence to the Victorian Parliament Law Reform Committee to support the submission presented on behalf of the Pasifika communities. At that hearing the Select Committee indicated that two of the submissions presented will be tabled as recommendations to Parliament in regards to the reform of the Coroners Act 1985. His experience and advice as a Maori kaumatua in this process was invaluable.
Koro George can be found where there are those in need of comfort or prayer during an illness or following the death of a loved one, or just simply being there to speak and listen with those who need someone to talk to.
"Ki ahau nei, no mai rano tenei Kaupapa kia tu he Marae mo te iwi Maori o Melbourne. I te wa e ora ana ahau ka awhi ahau i tenei kaupapa tae noa kia puawai te moemoea"
"For me, there has always been one kaupapa for Melbourne and for our people - marae. This is the kaupapa that will have my full support, no matter what and I hope to see this dream come to pass in my lifetime."
Koro George has lived in Australia since March 1978 becoming an Australian Citizen in 2003. He has taken a leading role in the Maori community as respected kaumatua and minister of the church.
He has also been involved with the Altona Migrant Resource Centre serving as a representative member of the Maori community and has assisted with the restoration of Maori carvings which now stand in the gateway entrance to Bayside College in Altona.
Koro George provided support to the South Pacific Foundation during the submission of a paper to the Victorian Parliament Law Reform Committee in relation to changes to the Coroners Act 1985. He subsequently gave evidence to the Victorian Parliament Law Reform Committee to support the submission presented on behalf of the Pasifika communities. At that hearing the Select Committee indicated that two of the submissions presented will be tabled as recommendations to Parliament in regards to the reform of the Coroners Act 1985. His experience and advice as a Maori kaumatua in this process was invaluable.
Koro George can be found where there are those in need of comfort or prayer during an illness or following the death of a loved one, or just simply being there to speak and listen with those who need someone to talk to.
"Ki ahau nei, no mai rano tenei Kaupapa kia tu he Marae mo te iwi Maori o Melbourne. I te wa e ora ana ahau ka awhi ahau i tenei kaupapa tae noa kia puawai te moemoea"
"For me, there has always been one kaupapa for Melbourne and for our people - marae. This is the kaupapa that will have my full support, no matter what and I hope to see this dream come to pass in my lifetime."
GEORGE TE WHAKAOTINGA HALLETT
MaraeMelbourne Maori Cultural Advisor, Mr George Te Whakaotinga Hallett receiving the VMC Award for Meritorious Service in the Community from Premier Steve Bracks (July 2006)
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“I want people to not just hear the songs I sing, but I want them to feel the heart behind it. It’s so much more than a pretty lyric, and a pretty melody, I just want them to feel the soul behind my voice, and get a sense of who I am.”
MaraeMelbourne will feature regular new profiles of New Zealander's living abroad that cover the writer’s experiences of growing up as a New Zealander, their overseas experience, their feelings of being a New Zealander , what their thoughts are on Marae development in Melbourne etc.
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