Toi Te Rito Maihi, one of our favourite artists, is having a retrospective exhibition at Village Arts Gallery in Kohukohu until 26 June, so we decided to spend a few days in the Hokianga. Her exhibition is inspiring – she is so talented in many different media- drawing, writing, poetry, painting, print-making and , of course, […]
W.H.O Celebration
May 18, 2016 by Leave a Comment
On Saturday 30 April, W.H.O (Women of Hope: Helping Ourselves) invited Ranui residents and others to a celebration in the newly renovated Ranui Community Centre. Beginning with a processional dance by Congolese and Burundi women, the evening continued with a PowerPoint presentation of their activities so far (gardening, driving lessons, establishing a play centre for the […]
The Auckland Writers’ Festival…
May 18, 2016 by Leave a Comment
…last weekend, offered an abundance of wonderful literature read by authors and others, and some excellent interviews and presentations. We indulged ourselves this year, going to nine sessions together and a couple separately. We’re filled with admiration at the efficiency of organisation, fine sound systems, diversity of literature.. The most wonderful session for us was Spirit House: Foreign Soil, a […]
The 1980s – the forgotten decade that changed NZ forever
May 18, 2016 by Leave a Comment
On Tuesday 17 May, Charmaine spoke at one of Ika’s Salon evenings… Laila Harre, the owner of Ika Bar and Grill, asked Charmaine to describe some of the huge changes in Auckland and Aotearoa in the 1980s, their effect on her personally and politically, and on the students and staff of Auckland Girls’ Grammar School […]
In Plain Sanskrit
April 19, 2016 by Leave a Comment
A most amazing dance performance, with chanting and taiko drumming, had six of us mesmerised on Saturday 9 April. We took our Japanese guests Alex and Tomoko, and our Congolese friends Lema and Amani, to this fundraiser for Shakti at Q Theatre, put on by Karma Dance Australia. The two dancers, Raina Peterson and Govind […]
Polynesian Panther Women
April 19, 2016 by Leave a Comment
On March 23, the Auckland Women’s Centre hosted a wonderful forum, “Women in the Polynesian Panthers and their Legacy”. It was deeply moving to hear three women speak about their experience of joining Polynesian Panthers to fight racism in Auckland in the 1970s. It was also inspiring to listen to the daughters of two former […]
Alex and Tomoko at Earthsong
April 19, 2016 by Leave a Comment
Ten years ago, Tanya began a conversation with a young Japanese woman sitting on her own at a film during the Out and Proud Festival. We learnt she was a doctor in training- having a gap year to study medical anthropology and English language at Auckland University- and eventually she told us she was in a […]
Ruaumoko, Marama, Tar Baby
March 19, 2016 by Leave a Comment
Ruaumoko – was the struggle of light against dark, good against evil in a newly imagined Maori myth. Heroine Hine Ariki sought to calm the rumblings of Ruaumoko, the earthquake god, by defeating evil forces with the aid of winds, rain, mythical creatures and her own inner strength. The story was brought to life over four weeks […]
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