Samantha

“I love pattern design. It really, really excites me.” “I moved to Melbourne when I was 19 with the dream of working for Julia Green at Greenhouse Interiors. With no experience, I found it really hard to find a decent job that would have me full time. I think I was a bit naive to […]

Bex

“I lost my hair in 2017 and I moved here (Diamond Harbour) that same year. I didn’t realize I was having a mental breakdown until I discovered my physical breakdown. Before, my hair was down to my bum, beautiful, long, dead-straight. At first I was hoping it was ringworm because I’ve been volunteering with Cat […]

Mike

“I studied at University of Canterbury. I’ve done a Master of Science but it was actually in coastal management. My work experience was hands-on; I did a lot of physical stuff; I was an earthmover, a fisherman; sold nuts and bolts; all over the show really, just trying to find the right job. And I […]

Ratu

I came over when I was three and a half years old, so Christchurch is home to me. For whatever reason, Dad hadn’t sorted out our visas through my primary years. In 2013 we got to the airport heading over to Fiji; he told us we’re going for a holiday. The customs officer told us that we’d overstayed. I was 16, so it was heavy news.

Johnny

“I lost my boy in the mosque. He was 14 years old. A tough bloke, he had dreams of being a goalkeeper. It’s been a hard two years. I’ve got through it and my faith and belief and knowing where he is, knowing that there’s an afterlife, he’s there, enjoying life. I could have lost […]

Sarah – P2

“Music education is so important because it teaches you another code. It’s like another language that you’re learning and that’s amazing weightlifting for your brain. Then it also teaches you a code for how to be as a human as well! I’ve seen shy people come right out of their shell and be able to […]

Sarah Hickman – P1

“When I first started playing music as a youngster, I was very much a music-reading machine. It was a technical exercise, of knowing the code; what the symbols meant. I remember when I was about 15, we got stuck in a snowstorm, and we had to sleep in a shearing shed. One of my dad’s […]

Matt and Robbie

I just enjoy doing the band; it’s my creative outlet aye. We’ve all got day jobs so we don’t play that many gigs, so we look forward to each one. It’s really hit home how important playing music is for us; just the great thing that we have, and how really lucky we are. We are super important to one another.

Allan

They stuffed the whale. The council had the plans; it could’ve been lifted out in one piece. But they basically demolished it and just made another one the same. I don’t quite know why.

Kirstee

“I’ve always needed to do things with my hands. When it comes to creative work, if i’m not doing it i’ll be thinking about it. I had my business pre-earthquake but it looked alot different back then, and it evolved as I’ve evolved. It started when I filled my house with too many pieces. I […]