More than half of the world’s Muslims live in Asia. Southeast Asia alone is home to as many Muslims as the entire Arabic-speaking Middle East, and Indonesia has the world’s largest Muslim population.
The Muslims whose thoughts and portraits appear in this exhibition represent many strands of Asian experience that have converged in New Zealand. Some are recent immigrants, many other voices in the exhibition speak as Kiwi-born. All express an emergent indigenous Islam in the Asia-Pacific region.
In the making of ‘The Crescent Moon’ renowned photographer, Ans Westra and writer Adrienne Jansen travelled through the country, catching up with people in their everyday lives. They met a very diverse group, ethnically, culturally, and theologically. There are lawyers and farmers, computer trainers and butchers, fourth generation New Zealanders and new migrants. They talk with disarming honesty and humour about the media, about identity, about their faith – but mostly they just talk about their lives as Muslims in New Zealand.
The fateful 9/11 terrorist attacks in the United States and the subsequent invasion of Iraq laid the groundwork for the emergence of the militant fundamentalist group Islamic State which has wrought such havoc around the world. Today ordinary peace-loving Muslims face unusual challenges in finding acceptance and mutual respect based on understanding. The Crescent Moon: the Asian Face of Islam in New Zealand is designed to further that understanding.
It provides a captivating and often surprising insight into the lives of our Muslim community – who have been an intrinsic part of New Zealand’s population makeup since the first Muslim Chinese gold miners landed on these distant shores over 130 years ago.
The exhibition has been developed by the Asia New Zealand Foundation, with curatorial and logistical support from Pataka Museum of Arts & History.
The Crescent Moon is showing in the Main Gallery and is free for Taupō residents and all children.
