They are us - Chch terrorist attack

What I had once jokingly characterized as a strive for mediocrity, signified by common slang like “she’ll be right” or “Sweet as [quince]” (quince isn’t even really that sweet, its somewhere between tart and sour), was completely off-base. Instead, I think kiwis are generally and wonderfully hopeful, and non-judgmental, regardless of skin colour, or whether or not someone is wearing shoes when they walk into a supermarket. I think this gives them an identity, and even though New Zealand has a population under 5 million, this makes it feel even smaller. Compared to Canada, New Zealand is a very new country, and through most of its lifetime non-European immigration has been nonexistent. Our experience up until this point is a general acceptance toward non-Europeans with some fearful racialist undertones, but mostly a genuine curiosity for other cultures. So basically like Canada only with better treatment of their indigenous.

Anyways,

After finishing the Queen Charlotte Track, we headed down the east coast, stopping in Kaikoura and Gore Bay for a surf. While we certainly glazed over this part of the country, we were both in awe of how dramatic the coastline was, both full of wildlife (we saw seals, dolphins, and possibly even a whale), and rugged the terrain was, wave hammered rock, green hills, and the towering coastal Kaikoura Ranges. We are not to sure if we will make it back, but the hope is to head back this way before we head home. Our initial plan was to head into Christchurch and stock up on groceries, then head for Cass our next Destination, but on-route disaster struck.

Literal disaster, we first overheard a group talking about it in a coffee shop not more then 20 km north of Christchurch. This was confirmed by the radio. A shooter was at large in Christchurch, multiple casualties, and the city was in lock down. As the events unfolded we learned that it was an attack on a mosque, a terrorist attack, hundreds of people injured or dead. We were in shock. New Zealand felt so safe. New Zealand feels so safe. The county is so isolated, it typically modern, and progressive, and you honestly do feel a strong sense of security. We later heard, that one of the reasons why the attacker (who is not a Kiwi) chose New Zealand as a target was because he felt like it would be the last place on earth anyone would expect it. What an asshole.

But from all the sadness something truly amazing happened over the following weeks. The country banded together, an outcry of support for the New Zealand Muslim community was felt and almost overwhelming, rival political parties unified reverberating the words of the PM Jacinda Arden, “They [NZ Muslim community] are us”. Nearly half the city of Christchurch showed up for the memorial ceremony. Nationwide gun laws were changed within 10 days and it was illegal to own a copy of the shooters manifesto even sooner. Under the international spotlight, Jacinda Arden exemplified what a great leader should be. She said all the right things, she showed composure and compassion, she even unknowingly started a movement among non-Muslim mourners in attendance at the various memorials throughout the country by wearing a hijab while visiting mosques following the attack to show support for Muslims. She had the support of the country. Honestly, it was like the entire country shared here sentiment.

In the weeks that followed, the entire country embraced their own Muslim community. And they still do. The newness and curiosity of Muslims in New Zealand seemed to vanish overnight. The feeling that “they are us” is universal. This, to me is how a country should act, in stark contrast to what goes on in the US. I can’t say if the Muslim community, especially the people who lost loved ones during the attack feel safe or alienated. I don’t know, and it will never be a valid repayment for the lives of 51 innocent people. But I do think this showed a country new to non-European immigrants that love and mourning are universal, and that immigrants are integral parts of their communities. I can only hope that the resulting binding force between Muslims and non-Muslims will extend beyond the boarders of New Zealand, and embed into future generations. There may always be people like the shooter so out of touch with what it means to be human and so disillusioned that are capable of causing so much physical and emotional harm. But for every one of them, there will be millions from all faiths and all socioeconomic branches, like Kiwis, who stand against them and lovingly support the victims.

So thoughts and prayers to all Muslim communities who have to deal with shit like this, rahamahom Allah jamee'an (Rest in Peace) to those who lives ended before they stopped being good people, and to everyone else, act like a kiwi next time tragedy strikes.Les mer