
I have been residing in New Zealand for the past ten years. My first ‘encounter’ with New Zealand happened when I was about seven years old. The South African rugby team, the Springboks, were playing New Zealand’s All Blacks. As a little boy it was confusing as to why anyone would call themselves Black, especially ‘All Blacks’.
Growing up under Apartheid we were indoctrinated to believe that anything black was inferior or wrong, and ‘White was right.’ So I was quite fascinated to see who these All Blacks were.
I can still recall my utter amazement and shock, when I saw the All Blacks running onto the field. I had to enquire of my father,
‘Dad, why are there white guys playing in the All Blacks team?’ I was totally astonished to see that amongst those running onto the field wearing the black jerseys were White men. These All Blacks from New Zealand were actually comprised of Whites, which astounded me.
That was my first encounter with anything from New Zealand and little did I realise that some 20 years later I would find myself living in the land of the All Blacks. In many of my introductory lines to audiences I often joke and say, As Indians growing up in South Africa we were not regarded as black but rather half black . Now that I’ve immigrated to New Zealand I have completed the process and am all black !
