Pahiatua camp a homage to UN principles
THEY came from eastern Europe in their hundreds aboard Norwegian refugee ship the SS Goya and found themselves adjusting to a new life deep in the heart of northern Wairarapa.
Among those displaced by World War II and the Greek civil war were men, woman and children – mainly ethnic Greeks from Romania – but also Estonians, Yugoslavians, Austrians and later Albanians and Bosnians.
They were housed at the Pahiatua reception and training camp, previously used for Polish World War II refugees as well as an internment camp.
When Evening Post reporters visited the camp in October 1951, they were ebullient in their praise for the camp teachers, who were ‘‘supplying a New Zealand social and civic background’’ while teaching English and helping the new settlers to assimilate to the Kiwi way of life.
‘‘New Zealand is paying perhaps her single biggest homage to the principles of the United Nations.’’
Adults in more advanced classes were schooled in discussions around local ‘‘taboos’’.
‘‘Typical admonitions are: Don’t bow or kiss hands if accustomed to do so; don’t ‘tickle the trout’; don’t go round shooting up native pigeons; don’t walk straight into a house after knocking, but wait until someone answers.’’
Parents’ affection for their children was also noted as the paper cast suspicion on fellow refugees in camps across the Tasman. ‘‘Officers at the camp just cannot credit reports from Australia that some displaced persons have allegedly sold their children.
‘‘The devotion to children is very real and, on the first days of school, parents often stand outside the classroom windows to see what goes on. Children were the only possession many arrived.’’
Otaki writer John Vakidis returned that love with his play Tzigane (Romanian for ‘Gypsy’), a fictionalised account of his GreekRomanian parents’ trip on the SS Goya. It won five awards at the 1996 Chapman Tripp Theatre Awards.
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