We had a week in Dunedin last month – and managed to find all the ingredients of a fine holiday: catching up with family and friends, lesbian company, cultural activities, conservation projects, and a political visit. We stayed the first night with former Aucklander, Pleasance, in her hilltop villa, and joined a monthly dinner group of Dunedin lesbians. Ann Charlotte, whom we met there, […]
Suffragette
November 17, 2015 by Leave a Comment
We’ve just seen an outstanding, gut-wrenching film, Suffragette. If it comes your way, don’t miss it. It was shown as a fundraiser for the Auckland Women’s Centre on Sunday 15th November. It’s a profoundly important film, reminding us in the most visceral way of the hatred still shown in much of the world towards women […]
Lead by example, please…
November 17, 2015 by Leave a Comment
Syria, Turkey, Lebanon, DR Congo, France…. Being bombarded by images of the cruelty, destruction, mutilation and murder in other places can too easily leave us numb. I wake each morning, and remember to be grateful. I’m grateful for living here, in Aotearoa, where as our refugee friends say, “you can criticise the government and no one shoots you. And they […]
Celebrating Women’s Suffrage – September 19th each year
September 18, 2015 by Leave a Comment
New Zealand was the first self-governing nation to grant all women the vote, when a bill was passed in Parliament on 19 September 1893. Each year Women’s Suffrage Day is celebrated throughout Aotearoa (although largely ignored by mainstream media, of course…). There’s an excellent web page about women winning the vote at http://www.christchurch.org.nz/women/ We went to […]
All Black in deed…
September 17, 2015 by 3 Comments
We’ve had enough. We’re absolutely sick of having people assume we want to hear endlessly about rugby, and the ABs, and the World Cup. Like hundreds of thousands of New Zealanders, probably, we are not fans of rugby – indeed we find it a war-like, ugly disgusting game glorifying brutishness and thuggery. It’s often played […]
Whole House: ReUse – not Refuse
August 10, 2015 by Leave a Comment
The Whole House ReUse Project was founded and codirected by two women: Juliet Arnott and Kate McIntyre. With teams organised by Rekindle almost 100 artists and craftspeople from throughout Aotearoa (and beyond) have turned a red-zone Christchurch building into 390 creative works ranging from a 4m x 2.5m studio-sleepout, and dining suites, to an elegant Maori flute, […]
cranes, containers, construction, creation, contrast…
July 19, 2015 by Leave a Comment
[singlepic id=130 w= h= float=center] The central city engages us, shocks us, grieves and enchants us. It is a personal experience, human stories around every corner. the cathedral, its new gateway a tiny wooden whare with richly planted roof and sides, its gaping nave a black cave with pigeons roosting in it giant cranes nudging […]
Right of First Refusal..
June 18, 2015 by Leave a Comment
or Refusal of First Right? We are appalled that Nick Smith, Minister of Housing, has driven a bulldozer through Ngaati Whatua and Tainui Treaty settlements, claiming that the “right of first refusal” enshrined in them means nothing – that the government is entitled to sell designated Crown land (some already offered to iwi) to private […]
Earthsong Eco Neighbourhood
Public Good