1. This is racism. Clear racism. On the movie Keisha, one of the japanese ladies was also called Pumpkin.

2. In China, an Western would be called by the name and not a nickname, it’s atypical expression by Western Media to patronise individuals.

3. A parent calloing daughter Pumpkin is affection. The media calling an unknowed girl “Pumpkin” is racism. Specially the Australian and New Zealand Media.

end off.

Yes but Lillybing was her family nickname. My objection to Qian Xun being called Pumpkin is that it is not any family nickname or a name by which she has ever been known. It is a media adoption and I find it dehumanising.

I suppose for an average English speaker, names like Qian Xun and Hinewaoriki don’t conjure up images of cute little girls, but a Pumpkin or a Lillybing will tug at the heartstrings and remind us of the cute names our parents gave us when we were little.

I do believe that when pronounced it sounds something similar to “Garffy”. I laugh loudly when it is used and think it is rather hilarious. I am not offended at all.

However I think you souldnt be out of bed at 2 minutes past mid-night. Obviously the late hour doesnt agree with your temperament and you get spots on your liver – or maybe since its past midnight the warewolf in you comes to the fore after midnight. You could do with the sleep.

And you refer to my son – news to me that one.

My point was that the media continued to call this girl Pumpkin long after they full well knew her name was Qian Xun Xue; and that Pumpkin was not a name Qian Xun has ever been known as to her friends and family.

Her identity was known to the media by Monday night but her real name was not used in any New Zealand print media in Tuesday’s editions though some Australian media had named her as Qian Xun by then, ie The Age in Melbourne which carried extensive reporting by Eugene Bingham in Auckland who last time I looked wrote for the NZ Herald.

It is not for the media to decide unilaterally to go on calling someone by a bizarre name like Pumpkin when journalists know what her real name is.

Clearly, it was probably much easier for our media to call her Pumpkin than Qian Xun — how many Kiwi journalists could pronounce her real name? Happily, Radio New Zealand at least was trying by Checkpoint last night and our print media was by this morning, though the Herald was mistakenly calling her Qian rather than Qian Xun despite Lincoln Tan having a hand in the coverage.

Thanks DPF for putting this issue above the parapet!

But she’s a toddler and a poor unfortunate story attaches.

We all care more when the child no matter what race, is called Pumpkin.

Me, I got interested when I saw a picture of a Garfield toy on the lawn of her parents home. She moved from cute then to downright adorable.

I like Pumpkin way more than Madeleine or Maddy.

Pumpkin rocks.

They’re not offended. So why should other people be?

The 6pm update on the Heralds main page has “Pumpkin” in the heading but her name was mentioned at the first possible moment.

It was also the name given to her by Melbourne Police, though maybe Lily might have been a better choice.

Barry, you are a real backward f**cking idiot. Does your son have a mullet?

That pissed me off, ‘cos I call myself stan ‘cos I prefer it. And so what if it’s for the sake of convenience? Would’ve saved me from trying to get her to pronounce it properly and always having to spell it out for people.

No doubt, like other parents, I am suprised and concerned over the mother’s apparent lack of police contact to facillitate reuniification with her terrified daughter. I understand the case and police appeals are being given blanket coverage in NZ Chinese media, so let’s not hear any silly claims of ‘racism’ being lobbed at the police. Given some of the latest media tidbits regarding the father having police contact because of domestic violence etc and TV3 reporting the claim that his daughter from his first marriage has also mysteriously disappeared does not bode well.