Abstract
Changes in NZ’s immigration policy (2003) have resulted in the recent growth and diversity of New Zealand’s Indian population by 48% since 2006, with the majority Auckland based (Friesen, 2008; Statistics New Zealand, 2013). It appears that the diversity of the Indian diaspora under which by the immigration policy has operated in direct opposition to the current cultural policy, which has reduced support to communities, centralized control of cultural production, and sought to recruit ethnicity as a feature of the pursuit of tourist dollars. Tensions arise within the growing populous reflecting the diverse nature of the diaspora migration experience and cultural differences within the Indian subcontinent. This study considers the growing market for events targeting the Indian community presented by producers inside and outside of the community. Who has access to government funding is an emotive topic. Not all feel they get supported on an equal platform. This is compounded when government support of ‘cultural’ events for their own political and economic development; the local Indian community is left in a tricky situation and riddled with tension. This study aims to unpack some of the complexities this current situation.
