Ofusina – Part 1

Christianity, it’s always been with me. It’s always been instilled with me all my life. I grew up wanting to work for God in any way I can. I always prayed to him to use me, although I don’t have much to offer. Then all of a sudden I was married, and the man I […]

Merepeka

WARNING: the following story deals with a motor vehicle accident causing death and may be distressing to some readers. Ko Motakiora tōku maunga Ko Manga-o-kewa tōku awa Ko tainui tōku waka Ko Ngāti Maniapoto tōku iwi Ko Ngāti Rora tōku hapū Ko Te Kūiti tōku marae Ko Te Tokanganui a noho te whare e tu […]

Rhys

I’m all about planes. I’ve always been obsessed ever since, like, my dad first took me to the airport. I remember being on his shoulders in the regional terminal and just seeing all the planes. Now my plan is to be a pilot. I’ve spent a lot of time on flight simulators and stuff. I’ve […]

Mina

I’ve written music. I just haven’t thrown it up. I’m actually advertising myself, but at the same time just playing music on the streets, and just playing just like, you know, Ed Sheeran, bit of Elton John, bit of John Lennon. They’re sentimental to me, because they mean, they mean feelings to me, you know, […]

Feather

When I was a little kid, one of my grandparents took me to see my first play. I have this really magical, vivid memory of just being so consumed in the magic of theatre. All the external problems were outside for a little moment. I wanted to leave school at the end of year 12. […]

Sabry

I’m originally from Egypt. My wife is Filipino, she got a job offer as a nurse. Then I decided to come to visit. So I visited, but I never went back. I just like the environment, like the people. We came here, maybe, in 2005. I come from an Arabic background, so of course, the […]

Aman

I moved here as a student initially, so I’ve done my post graduate diploma in Business Management here. In India, I did a Bachelor’s in Commerce. The whole time in New Zealand, it’s always been on my mind to start something of my own. I wanted to start a business. I’m very lucky that I […]

Tarryn

It’s only since I’ve been in my 30s that I’ve had proper conversations about being Māori. I started to question all of that stuff when I moved away. I left New Zealand just before I turned 19. I went to Australia for a few years, to the UK for a couple of years, then back […]

Raviv – Part 2

Sarah (ranger) came to me last year and said, Look, we have these health and safety boards, would you like one? I said, Yeah, that will be lovely, but what about one in te reo Māori? She gave me the one in English, and about three months later, she comes to me, here it is […]

Raviv – Part 1

“I’ve worked for corrections for 14 years and so far, 220,080 trees in the ground. You know, a guy goes through the park. He sees one guy digging holes and one covering it. ‘What are you doing?’ ‘The guy that puts the plant in is off sick today!’ That’s a little Russian joke. I’m from […]