Weaving people together for 30 years

Multicultural Nelson Tasman has celebrated its 30-year milestone with the opening of its new home on Waimea Rd.

Formed in 1994 under the name Nelson Ethnic Council, the non-government organisation supports migrants, former refugees and people from minority ethnicities in the region with their settlement process.

But founding member Marie Lindaya says it’s grown to so much more over three decades.

It now also promotes positive race relations through community education, ensuring people of all ethnicities feel empowered so that they can actively contribute to our community.

“Success is not mine, but the collective’s,” Marie quickly points out of the team of people who have helped shape the organisation to what it is today.

Coming to Nelson from the Philippines in 1990, Marie saw a growing ethnic community while working for the local branch of Department of Internal Affairs.

“People needed to connect to each other,” she says.

So, along with a colleague she organised a meeting to test the waters for such an organisation.

“I started looking at the phone book, looking at foreign sounding names, went through A-Z on the electoral role, and invited people randomly,” she says of getting the word out.

“People turned up, and to my surprise they had all these ideas.”

The rest is history, as is Marie’s long-standing hardwork with the organisation which includes board member, treasurer, secretary and deputy chair.

“MNT promotes positive race relations, we help people feel empowered, we’ve become so much more than celebrating dances, food and culture. We’ve enriched the region, and we are part of ecomnomic growth.

“We’re health workers, farmers, construction workers, scientists, support workers, dairy owners, bus drivers... you name it, ethnic communities - migrants and former refugees, are there working hard.”

She says the new Waimea Rd headquarters, which was former Nelson MP Nick Smith’s electoral office, will be a hub that welcomes all.

“Reports from the latest census show NZ is increasingly culturally diverse. We want to bring those people together and make them stronger,” Marie says.

Marie says, by 1997 it was clear the organisation was only going to continue growing, and despite the challenges faced over the years, it was never an option to stop.

“It’s too important and too valuable, to have the organisation to bring people together.”