Well we’re all from the North Island.

I live in Wellington but I just moved back actually. I was down here for a year, living with Nan. She was living in Aranui, down Shortland Street. Everyone knows Shortland Street aye. Seems like anywhere in Christchurch you have to go through Shortland Street.

The little gecko that just ran past that’s my grandson. We were blessed enough to have her in his life, you know?

So we’re all grands; she got 18 grandchildren, 13 great grandchildren and almost two great greats.

She loves all the grandchildren; all the babies she loves babies. It was said at her tangi that she was always the baby whisperer. When we were breastfeeding, we would take them to her to put them on a bottle.

Every child that I had, she was there. Every birth.

Great legacy aye. She lived aye, she did well.

That’s right aye cuz? She lived.

She was 82 but she still had her wits about her; she had to bloody plonk on with cancer. Before that she was fit as; it was only cancer that took her out.

A little four-foot nothing white lady. Pane whero like this guy. That’s where he gets it from. He’s probably a taller spitting image of our Nan.

She used to love Brighton Beach. Bring the babies, any outing to get out of the house, she couldn’t stay stuck at home.

She loved everything; how everything was broken and now they’re fixing things up. She loved the pools; she thought they were marvelous.”