they say “Oh I would have never picked you to be from Brazil” I think what’s a person from Brazil look like. (Provider) Racial profiling: Participants described a range of experiences such as others frowning, avoiding eye-contact and clutching their handbags in the presence of darker skinned people. Some participants had been followed around stores or served last, interrogated by the Police in their own (white) neighbourhood, or mistaken for cleaners and prisoners rather than professional employees. Being a big brown Samoan guy, in the police force he has experienced racism a lot and he shared quite a few where people misjudged, and they thought he was one of the prisoners. (Kiribati focus group) …She was horrified at the [clothing store], she said, I walk in here and I can keep my bag but you watch what happens to these [Pacific Island] men that are coming in, and immediately they’re like “Put your bags here” completely different treatment. (Pākehā 2 focus group) Asian focus groups highlighted racial profiling in schools and public settings and unfair targeting in relation to COVID-19: Something happened to my daughter at school. Someone told her to go back to your country with the virus and she came home and cried. When I heard that, I told her you can say, "I come from a good house and I don't have any virus. I was born here, and my parents work here. I am a New Zealander." (Chinese focus group) During the lockdown, a white lady shouted at a Chinese lady at the supermarket and said, “It’s you the Chinese who bought the virus to New Zealand.” She was just in the queue. The lady also asked the other customer to stay behind and far away from the Chinese lady in the supermarket. (Provider) Māori focus groups specifically noted differences in profiling and racist experiences among whānau/families with fair and dark skin. Some with fairer skin noted being included in fear mongering against their own because they were seen by Pākehā as one of them. My mother is Pākehā she has blonde hair and blue eyes and we don’t look the same…I was followed around the store and I went home telling my mum…My mum not ever experiencing anything like that herself said I was making it up, you’re being dramatic. The next time we went to town she came, and she could not believe the difference in how she was treated to me. (Te Ika-a-Māui Māori focus group) Being fair in a hui is very interesting because I think if you’re in a hui with a lot of Pākehā colleagues I think they feel comfortable saying whatever they want. (Te Ika- a-Māui Māori focus group) European tauiwi and Pākehā participants highlighted experiences of exclusion and non-engagement from other cultural groups. I just find, the reaction you get, like I have approached people from all different cultures, and some are more open than others. I have talked to Chinese people and a lot of them www.malatest-intl.com Drivers of racism – March 2021 56