Nazmi Mehmeti
Encyclopedia
Nazmi Mehmeti also recorded as “Mehmetovitch” on the SS Goya
, was an Albanian
born on 25 March 1918 in Rechani, Macedonia
, near Gostivar
. He came to New Zealand
in 1951 at the age of 33. Mehmeti was a very well known wrestler in Macedonia
in his youth: he was tough, strong and fought in the rugged mountains of the Balkans
until the end of 1948 when he crossed the border into Greece
. He had eight wounds in his body fighting the communist secret service in Macedonia
and Albania
. Apart from being a staunch patriot and firmly committed anti-communist he was also a devoted Muslim
, praying five times a day. He urged others to fast during Ramadan
and to love a fellow man “whoever says Amen” irrespective of faith.
By trade Mehmeti was a carpenter and worked around Lower Hutt, Upper Hutt and Wellington
. To start with he built a house in Upper Hutt and then later on he moved to Auckland
. He also worked at the Meremere
power station as a carpenter for a period. He made a marked contribution to the leadership of the New Zealand Muslim Association
during the 1960s and is particularly remembered for his constant efforts to maintain the NZMA
Islamic Centre property on Hargreaves Street.
Nazmi Mehmeti is largely responsible for securing the first Muslim
cemetery in New Zealand
. Beforehand Muslims were buried in various plots and even in the Chinese
allotments. A few days before the festival of Eid al Adha in 1963 a Muslim
burial plot was officially established in the Waikumete Cemetery in western Auckland
. The Auckland City Council
Parks and Library Committee confirmed an New Zealand Muslim Association
petition for 100 places on 29 April 1963, following two meetings in March between the Director of Parks and several members of the Executive Committee led by Nazmi Mehmeti, as president of the Association.
He shifted to Australia
, worked in Sydney as a carpenter and then bought a small farm. Later he sold everything and went first to Istanbul
, Turkey
. He returned to his native village of Rechani in Macedonia
in the early 1990s after the fall of Communism
there, and worked his father’s land together with his brothers. He later died and was buried in Gostivar
in 1995.
SS Goya
SS Goya was a Norwegian refugee ship that carried hundreds of eastern European refugees to New Zealand in 1951. Most notably it carried several men who went on to play a significant role in the development of the New Zealand Muslim Association including Mazhar Krasniqi and Nazmi Mehmeti.The ship...
, was an Albanian
Albanians
Albanians are a nation and ethnic group native to Albania and neighbouring countries. They speak the Albanian language. More than half of all Albanians live in Albania and Kosovo...
born on 25 March 1918 in Rechani, Macedonia
Macedonia (region)
Macedonia is a geographical and historical region of the Balkan peninsula in southeastern Europe. Its boundaries have changed considerably over time, but nowadays the region is considered to include parts of five Balkan countries: Greece, the Republic of Macedonia, Bulgaria, Albania, Serbia, as...
, near Gostivar
Gostivar
Gostivar , is a city in the Republic of Macedonia, located in the upper Polog valley region. It is one of the largest municipalities in the country with a population of 81,042, and the town also covers . Gostivar has good road and railway connections with the other cities in the region, such as...
. He came to New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
in 1951 at the age of 33. Mehmeti was a very well known wrestler in Macedonia
Macedonia (region)
Macedonia is a geographical and historical region of the Balkan peninsula in southeastern Europe. Its boundaries have changed considerably over time, but nowadays the region is considered to include parts of five Balkan countries: Greece, the Republic of Macedonia, Bulgaria, Albania, Serbia, as...
in his youth: he was tough, strong and fought in the rugged mountains of the Balkans
Balkans
The Balkans is a geopolitical and cultural region of southeastern Europe...
until the end of 1948 when he crossed the border into Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
. He had eight wounds in his body fighting the communist secret service in Macedonia
Socialist Republic of Macedonia
The Socialist Republic of Macedonia was a socialist state that was a constituent country of the former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia...
and Albania
Albania
Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
. Apart from being a staunch patriot and firmly committed anti-communist he was also a devoted Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
, praying five times a day. He urged others to fast during Ramadan
Ramadan
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, which lasts 29 or 30 days. It is the Islamic month of fasting, in which participating Muslims refrain from eating, drinking, smoking and sex during daylight hours and is intended to teach Muslims about patience, spirituality, humility and...
and to love a fellow man “whoever says Amen” irrespective of faith.
By trade Mehmeti was a carpenter and worked around Lower Hutt, Upper Hutt and Wellington
Wellington
Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
. To start with he built a house in Upper Hutt and then later on he moved to Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
. He also worked at the Meremere
Meremere
Meremere is a small town in the northern Waikato region in the North Island of New Zealand. It is located on the east bank of the Waikato River, 50 kilometres north of Hamilton....
power station as a carpenter for a period. He made a marked contribution to the leadership of the New Zealand Muslim Association
New Zealand Muslim Association
New Zealand Muslim Association - the oldest Islamic institution in New Zealand. It was established in 1950. In 1959 it purchased a house in Ponsonby, central Auckland, and converted it into the first Islamic Centre in the country. In 1960 the NZMA invited Maulana Said Musa Patel from the Gujarat...
during the 1960s and is particularly remembered for his constant efforts to maintain the NZMA
New Zealand Muslim Association
New Zealand Muslim Association - the oldest Islamic institution in New Zealand. It was established in 1950. In 1959 it purchased a house in Ponsonby, central Auckland, and converted it into the first Islamic Centre in the country. In 1960 the NZMA invited Maulana Said Musa Patel from the Gujarat...
Islamic Centre property on Hargreaves Street.
Nazmi Mehmeti is largely responsible for securing the first Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
cemetery in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. Beforehand Muslims were buried in various plots and even in the Chinese
Han Chinese
Han Chinese are an ethnic group native to China and are the largest single ethnic group in the world.Han Chinese constitute about 92% of the population of the People's Republic of China , 98% of the population of the Republic of China , 78% of the population of Singapore, and about 20% of the...
allotments. A few days before the festival of Eid al Adha in 1963 a Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
burial plot was officially established in the Waikumete Cemetery in western Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
. The Auckland City Council
Auckland City Council
Auckland City Council was the local government authority representing Auckland City, New Zealand, and was amalgamated into the Auckland Council on 1 November 2010. It was an elected body representing the 404,658 residents of the city...
Parks and Library Committee confirmed an New Zealand Muslim Association
New Zealand Muslim Association
New Zealand Muslim Association - the oldest Islamic institution in New Zealand. It was established in 1950. In 1959 it purchased a house in Ponsonby, central Auckland, and converted it into the first Islamic Centre in the country. In 1960 the NZMA invited Maulana Said Musa Patel from the Gujarat...
petition for 100 places on 29 April 1963, following two meetings in March between the Director of Parks and several members of the Executive Committee led by Nazmi Mehmeti, as president of the Association.
He shifted to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, worked in Sydney as a carpenter and then bought a small farm. Later he sold everything and went first to Istanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
, Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
. He returned to his native village of Rechani in Macedonia
Republic of Macedonia
Macedonia , officially the Republic of Macedonia , is a country located in the central Balkan peninsula in Southeast Europe. It is one of the successor states of the former Yugoslavia, from which it declared independence in 1991...
in the early 1990s after the fall of Communism
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
there, and worked his father’s land together with his brothers. He later died and was buried in Gostivar
Gostivar
Gostivar , is a city in the Republic of Macedonia, located in the upper Polog valley region. It is one of the largest municipalities in the country with a population of 81,042, and the town also covers . Gostivar has good road and railway connections with the other cities in the region, such as...
in 1995.