More Info →Dr. Doris Adeyinka

One of the images in the photographic exhibition "Belonging [Hononga] [Pertencimento]". "My name is Doris Adeyinka and am originally from Nigeria (West Africa). We moved with my family to New Zealand in January 2007 (15years). I came to New Zealand with student visa to study for my doctoral degree in Veterinary Science at Massey University, Palmerston North and graduated in 2013. Initially, I came with four kids within the ages of 12 – 5 years old without knowing anyone except my supervisor who promised to pick me up from the airport. My supervisor (Richard Laven) brought the Massey University van to pick us up and took us to a motel which I thought we had booked but did not go through. He was kind enough to look for another motel we could stay which took more than 2 hours to settle for the night. This made me question if I had taken the right decision of coming with young kids to study without knowing what I was getting myself into. That soon changed when I went to church right next to the Motel on Sunday and everyone welcomed us and visited us after the service. I got a lot of help from my ‘Kiwi Mums and dad’ about schools for the children and donated furniture and a car I can use before buying mine. Massey University international office played a vital role in settling into the community, which made me feel like home. As a migrant, my kids were bullied at first, and was difficult to make friends but as soon as i told some of their teachers, that was well addressed. My husband could not get a job in his field of expertise (Animal breeding and genetics). Also, as a doctoral students, I got involved with helping in science labs for undergraduate students and they would not ask any question as they thought I would not know the answers. I soon gained their confidence and made friends with them. Despite these challenges, we applied for residency and eventually got citizenship. We love New Zealand and this is home for me and my family." "The exhibition reflects on the personal experience of the photographer, Aline Frey, as a migrant woman who chose Palmerston North as a new home for her family and herself. "Belonging" is a series of 10 portraits celebrating migrant women who made Palmy their new home. By allowing characters to share their narratives as they open their hearts to spectators, the exhibition focuses on a multiplicity of ethnicities and biographies. It follows migrant stories while giving a nuanced portrayal of the city's ethnic and cultural diversity. Above all, the exhibition aims to give visibility to migrants' diverse roles in PN society, as attendees can learn and better understand the challenges and achievements of each person's journey. Attendees are also invited to reflect back on their own whakapapa and family memories while making connections and recognising the city’s multicultural formation. The exhibition was organised by Palmeirinhos – Brazilian Heritage Group. All events organised by Palmeirinhos are open to the general public and have been attended by many members of different communities, as well as local kiwis. These Palmeirinhos events have been giving Brazilian children a sense of belonging to the new land that their parents chose to call home. Those children are learning to be proud of who they are and at the same time learning to respect and accept the cultural differences of this very diverse city.