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 […]
Whakapirau Bay
April 19, 2016 by Leave a Comment
A lovely water’s edge house filled with colourful art works in flax, mosaic and paint, looking across an inlet to Pahi, on the north-eastern Kaipara Harbour…a very restful place to take a break. We read books on the fascinating local history – including Dick Scott’s Seven Lives on Salt River, about early Maori occupation and […]
Who Owns Our Water?
April 19, 2016 by 3 Comments
When I saw this heading in huge capitals on a one-page article in the NZ Herald… SHOULD ONE RACE CONTROL NEW ZEALAND’S FRESH WATER? my first thought was “could this be an article about how Pakeha colonists have taken over the country’s natural water sources and used, abused, bought, sold, polluted , drained and destroyed so many, […]
Professor Ranginui Walker (1932 – 2016)
March 19, 2016 by Leave a Comment
We are mourning the loss of a very inspiring Maori leader, Professor Ranginui Walker, of Whakatohea, and long-time resident of Tamaki Makaurau. Thousands gathered at Takaparawhau during the three days of his tangi to pay their respects to this activist and academic who has reshaped Maori-Pakeha relationships in Aotearoa. We went to the tangi on its […]
Tahuna Minhinnick (1960-2016)
March 19, 2016 by 1 Comment
We are also mourning the sudden death of Tahuna Minhinnick, aged only 56. We have known Tahuna and his family from Ngaati Te Ata Waiohua for almost thirty years, and worked with them during our 22 years on the Awhitu Peninsula. Tahuna Minhinnick’s death is a tragic loss to his whanau and his iwi. The son […]
Autumn Equinox
March 19, 2016 by Leave a Comment
The Autumn Equinox in Aotearoa officially happens at 5.30pm Sunday 20 March this year. Day and night are equal. From now on the nights become longer than the days until the Winter Solstice on 21 June. We’ve noticed the cooler nights here at Earthsong, and some quirky autumnal clouds, although our days have still had the heat of summer. […]
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 […]
Hip Hoperation – Tanya reports…
February 18, 2016 by 1 Comment
Wow, it’s over – I have a new composite right hip joint made of stainless steel, plastic, ceramic and bone concrete! As many of you know, I’ve been managing two seriously arthritic hip joints (resulting, no doubt, from 30 years of sport, 22 years of developing a farm, plus genetics maybe) for more than three […]
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