The Guest House

Journalist and poet Mohamed Hassan shares stories, poetry and conversations with members of the Muslim community as he tries to come to terms with March 15 mosque attacks in Christchurch one year on.

Mohamed Hassan works through the five stages of grief felt by Muslim New Zealanders after the March 15 attacks. Stage one is denial; he talks to Hassan Raslan, who spent three days helping with the burials.

After denial comes anger. Guled Mire became a spokesperson for his community after the mosque attacks, but when he showed anger at the death of innocents, he found the tide shifting.

After anger comes bargaining. 'If only we had taken better care of our Muslim neighbours'. But we hadn't and many Māori stepped up, drawing on their own experience of exclusion.

After bargaining, the depression. It was felt by Muslims even half a world away, who experienced the 'vicarious trauma' and thought maybe they were right to worry about their safety after all.

And finally, hopefully, acceptance. Sheikh Gamal Fouda, the imam of Al Noor mosque, traveled the world offering a message of peace. But he found his own inner peace here at home.