Jan

“As a girl who left school at sixteen, I never dreamed of university education or in adulthood gaining a Ph.D. in chemistry. I didn’t know about my Māori heritage until a few years ago. I had no idea. I was brought up entirely Pākehā, but the first time I stepped onto a Marae to go […]

Warren

 “I always had a love of the outdoors so right from school I started as an apprentice in the Botanic Gardens. I used to see the rangers going around and I thought; those guys had a great job. I joined the Police and I thought if I like it I’ll stay, and if I don’t, […]

Beth

“It sounds pretty cliche, but when people asked me what I wanted to do when I was older, I had no idea but I always knew I wanted to help people. I’ve been in hospitality for about 10 years and I’ve seen firsthand how much food wastage there is. When I heard about the free […]

Maire

My brother Aperahama and I are passionate about healing the land, to heal the waterways and people – it’s all connected. Regenerating ngahere is a legacy left to us by our tupuna (those who have passed). It’s a way to practice and pass on the values and teachings of Kaitiakitanga, Manaakitanga, Tohungatanga and Rangatiratanga.

Steve

“My father had prostate cancer, his brother had prostate cancer, his sister had breast cancer. They say men should get annual blood tests from age 50; or 40 if your father’s had it. Other than my blood test I had no symptoms whatsoever. My father – he suffered. That gave me a horrendous fear of […]

Jen

“I’ve spent the first 18 years of my life in Christchurch and it will always be where my heart feels calm. I was only 11 when the earthquakes hit, so I was quite little. Just trying to figure the world out, when during lunchtime at school, the door slammed and I got locked in a […]

Blair

“We moved out to New Brighton when I was about 3 years old. When I was young I had asthma, so my parents decided to move out here because there’s a lot less smog by the beach and it was better for my health. I used to bike to school and back, it was a […]

Leigh-vii

“Darker seasons call for deeper perspectives; Shades of nature that make my dimples ache. A colour palette of longing. A muddy green and flimsy orange Colours of votive Autumn. The sacrificial tinge. I’m in possession of a cryptic medicine.” -Leigh-vii

Maria

“It started about nine years ago alongside my kids. There was a swan plant at our playcentre and I thought it was amazing that anyone could purchase a plant and see this miraculous life cycle of a butterfly happening in their own garden. I realised how much joy, wonderment and magic my children got out […]

Di Foster

At 31 I was diagnosed with breast cancer, and at 38 I was diagnosed with terminal breast cancer metastasised in my lungs. It was suggested that I had a 12 month life expectancy with zero percent chance of lasting 18 months.