Aleyna Martinez

My name is Aleyna Martinez, I was born in Malaysia and moved here when I was two. Mostly I grew up in New Zealand, I am Spanish on paper and it's in my blood but that's as far as it goes...Gutted! Spell check only recognises my name as Alien or Alpena.

That's how I feel though, funnily enough like an Alien/

I vaguely know what it is to be from Malaysia. And That I am not even a Malay- Iam a cockatil:

take 1/2 a cup of Indian

1/4 cup of Chineese

1/8 Spanish

1/8 Phillipino

Mix vigorously, put in an oven of way too many complex ideas and then you have me. Actually you'd have an interesting meal.

I'm often told to shutup but I think it's because I have too many things in my head and that's why I talk about it... because I want the answers I ask the question.

Technically I was born in Malaysia, but the reality is that I have lived and grown up in New Zealand society, picked up New Zealand values- whatever they are... To my parents which are still rooted in the Malaysian culture, though New Zealand values are defined.. to me not so.

Anyway, though I am a New Zealander by technicality, I don't feel I have the right to say that I am one, because I am not Pakeha and I am not Maori.

I guess that is why I am so interested in the Babel project because I get the chance to explore not only my identity but also New Zealand's identity and learn that just because I have a reason to feel that I don't belong in New Zealand people that technically do-are also struggling witht their identity. I also get the chance to meet some amazing people, learn and make friends which to me is the nicest part of all of this- connecting.

SEe you!