DEBATE ISSUE 04 | APRIL 2017
Kiwi Stories 1
Got an idea? Your North Campus Student Representative subcommittee want to meet with you and discuss any ideas you have for the North Campus. Whether you’ve got a suggestion, solution, or just need to get something out there, we’d like to hear from you.
1PM | North Shore Campus | AF107 27th March,15th May, 4th August, 6th October
You’re welcome to speak to us privately too. Feel free to send any questions to: hesfacultyrep@aut.ac.nz
CONTENTS Pg 4 Editor’s Letter
Pg 15 Tassle Me This
Pg 26 LazyAz
Pg 5 Prez Sez
Pg 16 Go Fuck Yourself: Shame
Pg 29 Levi Patel Interview
Pg 6 BOYS
Pg 18 ID Fashion Week
Pg 30 Feature Artist: Natalie Lim
Pg 8 The Last Adventure
Pg 20 Cool Shit
Pg 32 Reviews
Pg 11 Successful NZ Businesses
Pg 22 A Coffee Between Humans
Pg 34 Recipe
Pg 12 The Rise of Taika Waititi
Pg 24 Fashion
Pg 35 Puzzles
C O V E R I L L U S T R AT I O N B Y H O P E M C C O N N E L L
EDITOR Laurien Barks lbarks@aut.ac.nz SUB - EDITOR Grace Hood-Edwards DESIGNER Ramina Rai rrai@aut.ac.nz
CONTRIBUTORS Ethan Sills, Maddie Leigh-Smyth, Nathalie Teboul, Grace HoodEdwards, Cornelia Huxtable, Robecca Leyden, Shivan, Anita Cook, Irra Lee, Shawn Cleaver, Tharindu Jayasinghe, Hope McConnell, Julie Cleaver ADVERTISING Harriet Smythe hsmythe@aut.ac.nz
PRINTER Nicholson Printer Solutions DISCLAIMER
Material contained in this publication does not necessarily represent the views or opinions of AuSM, its advertisers, contributors, Nicholson Printer solutions or its subsidiaries.
Debate is a member of the Aotearoa Student Press Association (ASPA)
This publication is entitled to the full protection given by the Copyright Act 1994 (“the Act”) to the holders of the copyright, being AUCKLAND STUDENT MOVEMENT AT AUCKLAND UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED (“AuSM”). Reproduction, storage or display of any part of this publication by any process, electronic or otherwise (except for the educational purposes specified in the Act) without express permission is a break of the copyright of the publisher and will be prosecuted accordingly. Inquiries seeking permission to reproduce should be addressed to AuSM.
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Editor’s Letter Hey All! This is my last Debate editorial ever. By the time this magazine hits stands, I will be in a new job, my desk will be home to someone else, and I will be lurking around campus from time to time to snatch up a magazine and get my Debate fix. Debate was first brought to my attention just over three years ago. I was a lowly writer-wannabe with nought but a blog and a dream. When I was asked if I would mind having one of my blog posts published in the pages of Debate, and handed a copy of the latest issue, I was beyond flattered. Of course I said yes, and got a taste for having my writing polished, designed, and published. I contributed to Debate every week for about six or seven months. Writing whatever I could,
whenever I could. I pulled some seriously late nights and/or early mornings to fit Debate around my assignments and other uni cocurriculars, but it never felt like a chore or sacrifice - I was absolutely hooked. When I was eventually asked to be a sub-editor, I couldn’t think of a better job to really sink my teeth into, and the rest is history. The best part about being part of the Debate team, has been the team itself. Our crazy talented, dedicated, inspiring, and sexy-pieceof-ass designer, Ramina, not only comes in every day and makes Debate the beautiful piece of art that it is, but more importantly, has become one of my best pals in the process. I always planned to propose to her in my final ed’s letter, but she’s gotten married between the planning and the execution stages, so instead I’ll just conclude this tribute to her with a heartfelt ‘Thank you and I will miss working with you so very much.’
To the sub-editors and regular Debate contributors - y’all have made me think, made me laugh (like really ugly laughs that escape with a lot of saliva because you weren’t expecting to laugh), and helped me improve as a writer. You’ve been a pleasure to work with, and build Debate with, and celebrate with, because let’s be honest...we’ve all done some pretty great work together! I hope y’all keep picking up Debate and giving it a read each week, that’s why we do what we do. I can’t wait to see the direction it takes, and it’ll be exciting to have the opportunity to be a proper Debate reader rather than just reading it in word doc form on my computer. All the best kiddos, it’s been a blast. Debate will always hold a special lil corner of my heart. See you around, Laurien
Prez Sez Urshula Ansell
Student Rep Council (SRC) Niranjan Patil
Kia ora,
Kia Ora/ Hello/ Namaskaar,
With extortionate rent prices, consistently increasing AUT fees, and a StudyLink allowance that doesn’t come close to covering the demanding price of living in Auckland, students are suffering financially more than ever. At AuSM we are at the forefront of student issues and have been listening!
Welcome to the new start, new semester, many goals to achieve. Short about myself. I am a P.G.D Engineering student, majoring in Mechanical. I like outings, hiking, exploring new places, have an interest in meeting new people, socialising, attending events happening around, rifle shooting, sketching and many other hobbies.
Through understanding the current student climate and the struggles that go with it, we have been looking at ways of improving the learning environment of students. The most prominent issue we are working on is around the recording of lectures. Solving this issue will help those with different learning styles thrive, allow students to work and study to pay to live, and support their respective lifestyles such as caring for children. Bringing together your views we have put together a report which our Student Representative Council (SRC) is presenting to the top levels of management at AUT this month. We are striving to see a shift in protocol of recording lectures for the beginning of Semester Two 2017. If this issue effects you, please send in your feedback to our Facebook page: facebook.com/ausm1/
Many of you would have seen me around during International Orientation as Student Ambassador helping you out at or at City/South campus as an AuSM volunteer. So to take this bonding little further, I am also International Affairs Officer for 2017 and hold a seat in the Library Advisory Committee as postgraduate student rep. International Students out there: if you have any issues related to uni, or any issues to do with the library, please flick me an email to international.affairs.officer@aut.ac.nz. Any recommendations or feedback would be appreciated. And don’t forget to say hi if you see me around, I would be glad to have a chat with you. All the best for your life at AUT, I hope you enjoy and make most of it!
In January 2017 we also saw AUT raise the cost of parking on our North and South Campuses by $1.50 a day. This decision, in combination with the increased price of shuttle passes, has enlarged the already demanding barriers to gaining a tertiary education for AUT students. To combat this issue we have released a petition to see a reduction of these parking costs from $7.50 a day to $6.20 in 2017. We are also suggesting that the increase of parking is capped at 20c per annum for subsequent years. If you want to see change, please sign the petition: change.org/p/auckland-university-of-technology-aut-reduce-aut-parkingcosts-on-north-south-campuses
Niranjan Patil (N.D.P)
Feel free to contact me on urshula.ansell@aut.ac.nz
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B OY S Sexism, homophobia, sexual violence and other unfortunate topics of a similar vein have been in the news a lot over the past few years, whether it be the Roastbusters, rugby teams abusing strippers or the President of the United States. While it’s depressing, we are still dealing with these issues today and a new play aims to explore the many different sides of this discussion and hopefully shed some new light on it. A reimagining of Greg McGee’s seminal 1980 play Foreskin’s Lament by rising playwright Eleanor Bishop brings the text into the 21st century, exploring how masculinity has changed over the last 30 years and bringing conversations around sexism and homophobia into it as well. She tells Ethan Sills about her inspiration and reasons behind the Can you just explain what your take on the play is going to be? We’re starting off with Foreskin’s Lament, quite traditional. The play’s set in 1976, written in 1980, [about] a rugby team. The first act takes place in a locker room. Then [as] there’s not very many women in the original play, we are adding some more women into it. I wanted to bring Foreskin’s Lament into dialogue with the contemporary moments. We have found out about different cases of violence in New Zealand: sexual violence, physical violence, violence against women. Bring that perspective into what is traditionally seen as exploring male on male violence, bring a female perspective into it. That material is discussing Tony Veitch, Wellington College, the Chiefs stripper situation and a couple of other things. The last third of it is the cast dealing with that new material and trying to carry on doing that play and how does that play
change now that we have introduced this other contemporary side to it. Are you still looking into the masculinity side of it? There’s nine men and seven women in it, so it is very much looking at masculinity and toxic masculinity and how that was portrayed in the original play and how we might look at it now. We’re trying to create a space where men and women and people of all genders can talk about masculinity together in a way that makes the space for it. Making space initially for a feminist conversation, and making space where men and women can all talk about how this stuff affects us – it’s not just women who are harmed, men are harmed as well. Will there be homosexuality? A big part of the first act is that there is this character Larry, who is the manager, and it is alluded to several times that he is gay or queer and he is not “out”, and he is really teased and bullied by other members of the rugby team in shockingly homophobic ways. In the last part of the play we [ask] what would that character be now. They’d probably be out now but would there be that bullying? Homophobia is a huge part of toxic masculinity.
Do you think this is one of the classic plays of New Zealand theatre? I would say it is, for me, the classic [local] play. It is one of those plays that crossed over into mainstream society. My parents talk about going to see it at the opera house in Wellington and everyone going to see it and talking about it. It was this slice of life of men alone that you had never seen on stage if you were a man, or if you a women ever in your existence. There are some things in the original material that I still find shocking but we are also trying to add some things that
the audience may not have thought about. Do you think much has changed since Foreskin’s Lament was first released? I think a lot has gotten better, for lack of a better word. There’s a lot of things in the original play around culture on the rugby field in terms of violence, and from my conversations with people who actually play I think with the professionalisation of rugby some of the safety has gotten better and the culture has gotten a bit better because of that. The heart of what we’re interested in is the locker room culture. That Trump line, “it’s just locker room talk”. The whole thing about Trump is interesting because so many people stood up and said as a response that’s not locker room talk, men don’t talk like that. How many people stood up and said that’s not acceptable but men do talk like that? Do you think people will be shocked now? I’ve been shocked by some of the material that’s been put forward. I think that’s good. We’re not trying to be shocking in a violent, triggering way, but it’s important to acknowledge that the piece has discussion of misogyny, homophobia, sexual violence, and domestic violence. It’s not physicalized. It’s all very factual and plain spoken, and I think that fact and the sheer volume of material is shocking. But I think we should be shocked. New Zealand has shocking rates of domestic violence and sexual violence and male suicide rates. These are all real things which are all ongoing conversations in the culture anyway. This is just an artistic contribution to the conversation. BOYS is part of the Here and Now festival at the ASB Waterfront Theatre April 21-24.
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The Last Adventure Maddie Leigh-Smyth With winter on its way, many of you may have already put your GoPros in the top shelf of your cupboard, only to gather dust until November rolls around. But the fun doesn’t have to be over just yet. Grab your friends, grab your yuck sneakers that you’ve had since year 10 PE, and grab your cameras, because you’ll all be wanting to ‘get that shot’ once you lay your eyes on these beauties I’ve got in store in for you. Here are my top five picks for your last summer adventure of 2017:
The Coffin Located in the wild North Piha, the track which leads to the coffin starts at the end of Marawhara Stream car park. It leads you along the Marawhara stream and into the gorge and only takes 10 minutes. The ‘Coffin’ gets its name from its appearance – a coffin-shaped rock pool perfect for manu popping, or whatever you’re into. But don’t let this shady term diminish your enthusiasm, The Coffin is a completely understated gem of Piha, one of which will make you even more excited to find more of these last adventure destinations. Often overshadowed by Lion Rock and Kitekite falls, The Coffin is an incredible natural beauty of the rugged west, further proving that the west, is indeed, the best.
Muriwai Lookout Muriwai beach and Maori Bay are already well known summer hot spots, but there is one gem in this magical west coast location the locals have been hiding from you. The unofficial
Muriwai lookout is an extremely short walk from the Maori Bay (Maukatia Bay) car park. Follow the track that leads you down to the Muriwai beach car park (Maukatia-Maori Bay track) and you will come across an open area which is entirely under the canopy of native bush. On the other side of this under-canopy area, you will find a steep, muddy bank that leads up to the look out. This, being an unofficial lookout, does not have steps to follow or a gravel track, so be prepared. Once you’ve scrambled up the bank you should emerge from the canopy into the open air. Here you turn right and keep walking until you find a small grassy mound where you can look out along Muriwai beach, the gannet colony and flat rock. Take some food and beverages and make a night of it.
Ti Point Walk Ti Point is often overlooked by the surrounding spectacles that are Omaha and Matakana, but is of equal, if not more beauty. This walk requires no off-the-beaten-track, scrawlingup-a-muddy-hill tiki tours, so could be easily done by anyone, even me. The walk starts at the very end of Ti Point Road, where you simply follow the marked track that leads you all the way to the end of the headland– so if you get lost, you are unbelievable. This track is a feast for the eyes, with every corner bringing you a completely different sight making you feel like you’re travelling through realms as you walk. This a two hour round trip, so it’s best to bring food and drink and set yourself up a wee picnic at the headland to refuel before making your way back.
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Anawhata Rock Pools If you haven’t seen or heard about the Anawhata rock pools, then you may have been living underneath them. All summer I saw people posting on Instagram about them so I figured I’d better suss them out myself. To get to this amaze place, park your car at the Anawhata Road car park and start to walk down to the beach. On your way there you’ll come across a scenic lookout. From here take a look around until you spot a small waterfall – then the fun begins. You now have to hunt around for the track that takes you to the top of this waterfall. You should be able to find a track which takes you through some lovely gorse bush until you reach a gravel track. Follow this until you come across another track which is through the bush. At the end of this are the rock pools, finally? No. The last part of your trek is scaling the side of a waterfall to descend into the rock pools. It’s best to bring out those scummy year 10 PE sneakers again for this one, but take them off before the gramming. The pools look out onto the pristine native New Zealand bush, and onto the beautifully isolated Anawhata.
Motutapu Island Motutapu Island is not an adventure for the faint hearted, but luckily I have some tips to make this adventure far more smooth sailing for you than it was for me. Firstly, I recommend bringing a compass and a map, one which is water proof (learned that the hard way). Secondly, invite more people to share the load of tents, sleeping bags, food, water and clothes – again, learned this the hard way. Lastly you’ll want to plan this trip in temperate conditions – LEARNED THE HARD WAY. If you follow all these tips, I guarantee you will have a wonderful last adventure of 2017.
Now let me tell you a story about the first time I ever travelled to Motutapu Island. It was smack bang, right in the middle of winter, in the middle of a storm, and with only one other person. We planned to camp overnight and how we (and our parents) thought this was a good idea, I’ll never know. But we had the best time and survived to tell the tale. We departed Rangitoto Island and headed across the bridge to Motutapu. I got out the map we were given on the ferry, had a geeze, and put it back into my not water proof bag (first mistake). We followed what we presumed was the track to Home Bay where we were to camp. About 20 minutes into our walk, the rains and winds set in, drenching us from head to toe and completely ruining our map (which we were to discover later). We walked for what felt like hours up steep hills, through cow paddocks, over fences, back over fences and back through cow paddocks after realising we had gone the wrong way, before rounding a corner and finally seeing the best view I have ever seen in my life, Home Bay, our camping destination. After struggling to find a place to pitch a tent in the absolutely, completely, desolate campground, we pitched our tent in the rain, climbed in, and settled in for the night. I can assure you, no sleep happened. Half the night was spent with the sides of the tent blown onto my face, and the other half wondering if we were still pitched in Home Bay or floating somewhere in the Pacific Ocean. The next day we managed to get a ride with the volunteer ranger back to Islington Bay. He showed us all around the island, taught us a bit about the history of Motutapu, and walked us through some of the incredible restoration work volunteers do on a monthly basis. Camping on Motutapu was honestly one of the most stupid things I’ve done. So much could have gone wrong, and for some miracle reason, it didn’t. Me and my friend still laugh about this trip even though it’s been two years since it happened. If that doesn’t convince you how good it is, then try it for yourself.
Successful New Zealand Businesses
Nathalie Teboul We are surrounded by thousands of successful New Zealand businesses, and some of us might not stop to think about their stories and how they became so successful. A designer marketing firm’s successes were brought to my attention recently, and I thought it was only fitting to write this article about them. This week I interviewed Jon Dunn, director at Spruik. I asked him 10 questions about how the business has become successful and how the business was initially established. When was ‘Spruik’ established? It started in 2000.
How do you advertise your business? We don’t… all our new business comes from “word of mouth”. To what do you attribute your success? Hard work and good people. What is unique about your business? The breadth of services that we offer. What made you choose this type of business? Creative work is immensely rewarding and great fun. How important have good employees been to your success? It’s 100 percent about the people.
How did you get your idea or concept for Spruik? There was a gap in the market for a managed creative marketing resource that “bolted on” to existing businesses. What is your long term goal for Spruik? Where would you like to be in 10 years? We aim to maintain our relevance and our continued ability to add value to our clients’ businesses.
What three pieces of advice would you give to university students who want to become entrepreneurs? 1) Listen to your instincts. Find the “thing” that really excites you, not what society or your peer group tells you. 2) Embrace failure: It’s apart of life. Learn and move on. 3) Patience: Most successful businesses take time. Hard work is the variable for success.
What services or products do you offer/ manufacture? · Strategy · Brand Development · Brand Management · Creative Development · Campaign Creation Activation
I’ve been discovering how New Zealand businesses have gotten to where they are today, and it truly motivates and inspires me... it’s so interesting! Daily you see businesses all over New Zealand and it is like you almost assume they were successful from day one. However, it isn’t all as it
seems. By the time you feel influenced by a business, it means they are already successful because it means that they have had the ability to make a connection with you. Which is usually one of the main goals of most businesses, to attract YOUR attention and YOUR recognition. Before then it is all hard work, long hours and very stressful ongoing weeks. But hard work eventually pays off, and I think all the unseen efforts should most definitely be recognised and spoken about, as that is what inspires us young entrepreneurs to discover what really excites us and gets us ticking. ‘Spruik’ is not only a highly successful business externally, but even more so internally. Within their business they have managed to create such a warm and friendly environment which sparks creativity on a daily basis. I know this because I’ve been in and amongst it, and I’ve been able to compare that feeling to other businesses I’ve worked in and visited. There are hundreds of thousands of businesses around New Zealand, but it is the ones who are first successful internally before you recognize them externally. It’s businesses like ‘Spruik’ who started from nothing and are now a highly achieving business with an impressive international client list who you should look up to.
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The Rise Of Taika Waititi Grace Hood-Edwards | Illustration by Ramina Rai I read an article recently, from 2004, about Taika Waititi referring to himself as a “rising film-maker”. That was 13 years ago, the same year that his short film Two Cars, One Night was nominated for an Academy Award. It is pretty well accepted that this charming and clever film is what put Waititi on the map internationally. Even at the Oscars he stood out, and he did a sleeping-bit when his nomination was called. This is the type of understated and undercutting humour that we expect from Taika Waititi and his ilk – most notably his comedic partners and peers, Jemaine Clement and Bret McKenzie. We expect them to be modest and quietly smart with a bit of dumb thrown in the mix. Taika himself describes New Zealand comedy as a “comedy of the mundane”. Since this article was published, Taika Waititi has continued to rise, a bit like an unstoppable loaf of bread. It’s a horrible simile, but perhaps one mundane enough to be appreciated. It’s interesting to consider the idea of “rising” and all the associations made with it in relation to a career. On the rise, rising to prominence, rising star – all words that are flung around Taika Waititi, and seem to have been for 13 years. I wonder if he’s ever considered what it would take for him to finally reach whatever he is on the rise to. One could consider his new position helming Marvel’s next big film Thor: Ragnarok to be that peak. The head of a big blockbuster in a franchise with a long history of commercial and monetary success? Or perhaps, on a more local scale, it was his win of New Zealander of the Year? Either way, it is clear that in whatever way you can ‘make it’, Taika has done just that. However, he is still being referred to as ‘rising’, usually with a shiny noun tacked on the end, like star or talent. And that is not necessarily a bad thing. In an industry that is constantly evolving, where you have to continue producing (and usually improving, as long as you’re not a Straight White Man) in order to stay relevant, perhaps a never-ending upward trajectory is the best direction to have. Who doesn’t want to be on an upward curve? (As long as it’s not a hill you’re physically trying to cycle or run up.) But a momentum where you are constantly improving and bettering yourself is a pretty great momentum to have. As a representative for a country that has been known for its tall poppy syndrome, to the point where individuals themselves undermine and play down their achievements, could we have a better voice than someone who is continuously growing and rising in esteem?
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Taika Waititi may be effected by tall poppy syndrome, but he thrives in it. He has taken something – the supposed genial, laid-back characteristic of New Zealand – and shown the world what it, and the people of New Zealand, are like.
Taika Waititi hasn’t escaped this concept of tall poppy syndrome, or some offshoot of it. His work is known to display portraits of humanity in its most modest and self-effacing light. The committee for the New Zealander of the Year awards even pointed this out, stating that “the humble and easy-going nature of his characters resonate with New Zealand and international audiences”. Taika Waititi may be effected by tall poppy syndrome, but he thrives in it. He has taken something – the supposed genial, laid-back characteristic of New Zealand – and shown the world what it, and the people of New Zealand, are like. Even if it is simply a facet of a multi-layered and unexploited society. For me personally, as an aspiring film student from New Zealand, Taika Waititi has become a role model and an ideal to try and attain, just like Peter Jackson before him. The same is probably said for every film student in NZ at the moment. It is difficult to know what Waititi himself thinks about his success, but after almost two decades of hard work, although he may not refer to it as such, he is finally getting the attention and the accolades that his vision and style deserve. He is the Lin-Manuel Miranda of New Zealand. I only just realised that they’re far more connected than just through comparison, due to their mutual work on Disney’s Moana – which, inspiringly, had a majority of Kiwi actors and film-makers working on it to display Polynesian culture proudly. I hadn’t realised, until I first started my film degree at uni, how much influence Taika Waititi has had in the fabric of NZ story-telling. I had watched Two Cars, One Night and had seen Boy (and found it hugely tragic rather than funny, to the confusion of most around me), but didn’t realise until we studied What We Do In The Shadows that all of these famous pieces of NZ storytelling were interconnected. I was really impressed
that one man, who has been referred to as one of New Zealand’s pre-eminent story-tellers, had been the guiding thread between all these pieces of art. But it wasn’t until I saw Hunt for the Wilderpeople, surprisingly recently – sitting on the floor of my friend’s lounge with cold pizza – that I jumped aboard the Taika-train. I loved that film, just as I had originally loved Two Cars, One Night when I watched it on YouTube all those years before, and, to me, it felt like a groundbreaking moment. Film students always have directors and writers that they love and aspire to. There’s the Tarantino buffs, the Scorsese and Spielberg sycophants, and countless others who, previously, I had never felt much of a connection to. There are films that I love, but I’d never seriously considered many of their directors as someone to look up to and to be proud of. But I am proud of Taika Waititi, even though if we met he probably would make a joke that I’d be a beat too late to understand and would catch up and laugh breaking into his new sentence and everyone would stare at me oddly. There aren’t many New Zealanders who have broken into international audiences, but those who have are fiercely cherished, protected and embraced by New Zealand society as a whole. As such a small country, it often feels like there’s always something to prove, stuck here at the bottom of the world. Whenever one of ours stumbles (or works their butt off) into the limelight, we cheer from afar and are increasingly proud of their achievements. Strangely, being in the majority of Kiwis who support Taika Waititi and his work, I feel some form of citizenship and kinship that is usually absent in regards to a sense of national identity. This must be what rugby fans feels like.
Tassle Me This After a sell-out debut in Tempo Dance Festival 2015, Shani Dickins and Jessie McCall bring the laughs, dazzling design and slick moves back to the stage in a five night season at The Basement Theatre. Shani Dickins and Jessie McCall joined forces in 2014 in a unique collaboration, drawing from their combined contemporary dance expertise, love of tassels, and deep interest in investigating the human condition in an age of cellphones and selfies. The resulting critically acclaimed full length work was awarded Best Dance as well as Best of Fringe at Dunedin Fringe in 2015, and is finally returning to Auckland by popular demand. Debate had a chat to Shani and Jessie about their experience with Tassel Me This, and why you should be making it a must-see show.
Any funny stories from your rehearsals? Shani: After a long exhausting day Jessie and I often lose the plot, where we can’t even string a sentence together. We don’t take ourselves too seriously, we work hard but we laugh a lot. We’re talking about NZ stories/successes/heroes this week in the mag…who would you say your New Zealand hero is? Shani: Kate Shepard. Jessie: So many people doing amazing unsung things in everyday life... in terms of a public figure I’d say the poet Hera Lindsay Bird. Why should people come and see Tassel Me This?
What role do you have in Tassel Me This? Shani & Jessie: Choreographer and Performer. What’s the best part about working on a show like this? Shani: It’s work I believe in – it’s really in our own voice. It’s also a lot of fun working side by side with a great friend. Jessie: Although you do a lot of crazy work on a freelance production like this, not just in rehearsal but also organizing everything that gets the piece into the theatre looking good, the upshot is that you really do have creative control– what you want to say with the piece isn’t mitigated by funding requirements or institutional pressures.
Shani: To come and see two bad ass women do something epic. It’s funny with a bit of darkness, sparkle, sweet moves, and a banger of a soundtrack. Jessie: Getting out and seeing live theatre or dance is such an invigorating experience, and this show is particularly great for people who don’t do a lot of that. It’s accessible, funny and visually captivating, and at the same time we are addressing some of the issues that we feel really strongly about as young women in this particular social climate, that are relevant to us all. Tassel Me This is running from April 11- 15 at the Basement Theatre. Tickets are $16-$20 and can be booked through www.basementtheatre.co.nz.
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Cornelia Huxtable “OOOOOH! SHAAAAAMEEEE!” echoes around kiwi schools, kids putting down kids as they give the wrong (or right) answer in the classroom, drop the ball on the rugby pitch, or receive an award at assembly. What kid hasn’t felt that feeling? Hot face, sweat prickling palms, armpits, lower back. Stomach caving in, words stuck, body frozen. Shame. Isn’t it no wonder we carry the burden of shame into our adult years, and into our sexual lives? Our shame is simultaneously universal and unique. Feeling shame about your body, genitalia and the fluids that come out of them is incredibly common. Feeling shame about experiencing pleasure in masturbation, fantasies, porn, and talking about sex with people you want to have sex with is also pretty common. And on top of this, you’re likely to carry your own unique shame triggers, a potent concoction of all the body and sex negative messages you’ve received from your parents, siblings, friends, religion, culture, media, teachers. Physiologically, the bodily experience of ‘shame’ sends a message to our autonomic nervous system that we’re experiencing a threat, which in turn ups our adrenaline, raises our heart rate and switches our body into our sympathetic stress response, otherwise known as fight, flight or freeze. But, to become sexually aroused, feel pleasure and orgasm, we generally need our autonomic nervous system to be doing the opposite thing, easing our bodies into a
lovely parasympathetic response known as rest and digest. It’s a paradox: feeling shame about sexuality is universal, however if we are shamed it’s impossible to fully enjoy and appreciate our sexual selves. What to do? First things first: get clear with yourself on what you’re ashamed about.
voice (with compassion, and without judging yourself for judging yourself!). What is this voice saying? Where does it come from? Once you’ve got a handle on what your shame is, the next step is learning how to guide your body and mind to learn what is and isn’t a threat, gaining control over your shame triggers. One way to do this is to share what you’re ashamed about.
It’s a paradox: feeling
Shame needs secrecy and starts losing its power as soon as it is talked about and
shame about sexuality
brought out into the open. This has to be done carefully, with:
is universal, however if we are shamed it’s impossible to fully enjoy and appreciate our sexual selves. What to do? If you’re not sure where your sexuality related shame lies, listen to what and who you’re judging. Shame and judgement go hand in hand, we tend to judge the things we ourselves feel shame about. That doesn’t mean it is literally the same: the person you’re calling a slut isn’t necessarily because you want to explore sex with many partners, but perhaps you’re feeling envious of the sexual pleasure they have in their lives, their open levels of desire, their seemingly easy relationship with their own sexuality. Internalized shame is when we turn this voice on ourselves, casting judgement on our own needs and desires. It can be revealing to step back and listen to this self-shaming
- Someone you trust - Who will respect your privacy - Listen to you carefully, believe your experience - Respond with empathy - And NOT FURTHER SHAME YOU. If you don’t have this person in your life, I suggest finding a good counsellor who will respond to you in all the above ways. I’ve added some suggestions for how to do so at the end of this column. Shame keeps us all down, keeps us from exploring our diverse sexual and gender identity and discovering our unique sexual potential. Talking about the things you’re ashamed about can feel really fucking scary, I’ve been there. But, sharing the dark, icky corners of yourself with someone who responds with empathy, compassion and love, who still sees you as a good person, despite airing your shame gremlins, well, that feeling makes it all worth it. Next issue? Back to the fucking: excellent sex toys for all genitalia!
Counselling and groups: • • •
AUT counselling is free for students! Find out more about it on the health and wellbeing page on the AUT website. Rainbow Youth has free peer support groups for queer, questioning and gender diverse youth (generally, up to age 27). Youthline offers affordable face-to-face counselling services as well as help over the phone and by text.
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iD Fashion Week By Robecca Leyden - @sans_pareil_blog Hi! How are ya? Kia Ora. What’s up? I’m Robecca. I went along to iD Fashion Week this year and I’m a fashion blogger. First thing’s first, here’s the rundown if you’re not quite sure what iD is: every year thousands of fashion folk flock down to Dunedin for a week of fashion, much like New Zealand Fashion Week (which is held in Auckland). The difference is that there is the ID International Emerging Awards where designers from all over the world showcase their designs (there were even AUT designers). The thing I love about this show is that the clothes get extremely creative and become walking works of art. Some stand-out designers for this year were Emily Cameron, Lila John, Megan Stewart and Victoria Bliss. And the winner, Sydney-based Nehma Vitols. All of these designers took colour to the next level! It was refreshing to see such bright colour pallets strutting down the runway. New Zealand, and Dunedin especially, is known for sticking to dark, muted colours – this may or may not be because it’s freezing down there even in summer (for this Aucklander, anyway). The second major event is the iD Fashion Show. The thing that sets this apart from a regular fashion show is that it is held on a very long runway, and instead of lasting 20 minutes or so, it is a good few hours. Lots of patrons come along to these events and make a night out of it. Some of the biggest names in New Zealand fashion showcase their latest collections, including Carlson, Stolen Girlfriends Club, Hailwood, Nom*D, Company of Strangers, DADA and so many more. Some standouts for me were LDD (I’m a sucker for anything political and I love when designers use the runway as a voice – check out their website if you get a chance) and Maaike. I hadn’t heard of these designers before and fell in love.
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Arrow Tag Lock N Load has given us a voucher this week for a double pass adult entry to Arrow Tag! Yes, that’s an actual thing! The voucher includes a one hour session, entry, mask, gloves, and a bow. To be in to win this ridiculously cool prize, Facebook message us your name, campus, and tell us about the person you’d take with you to arrow tag. Debate Magazine
Common Sense
Classic Chicken
Commonsense Organics has offered up a $25 gift vouchers to use on any Commonsense Organics products! If you’re keen to get your hands on some beautiful discounted organic goods, Facebook us your name, campus, and favourite healthy snack.
We’ve got vouchers galore here at the office, for a 2 for 1 deal on the Nandos Classic Chicken Burger! Just take one of these bad boys into Nandos, present your student ID, and get two for the price of one. To be in to win, Facebook message us your name, campus, and tell us why the chicken crossed the road.
The Bounciest Place On Earth Move over Disneyland – our friends at JUMP are giving away three 2-for-1 passes to any of their jiggly venues around town. All you have to do is book online, enter the unique code on the voucher, and enjoy. Oh, and you have to win. To do that last niggly thing, Facebook message us your name, campus, and your favourite childhood tramp-related memory (e.g. playing crack the egg with you grandma).
100% Pure Scrub The Manuka Doctor has hooked Debate readers up once again with a free bottle of their Purifying Facial Scrub. This stuff is legit – it’s made with all natural ingredients, including real bee venom and Manuka honey. To take this bad boy home, send us a Facebook message with your name, campus, and a tale about your first experience being stung by a bee (lies are fully acceptable).
Student Card If you want discounted booze, pizza, clothes, electronics, travel, and basically every other category you can think of, these cards are the way to go. They normally cost $20, but Debate has a bunch of free ones to hand out to y’all. They’re pretty easy to set up, all you have to do is pick up a card from us, download the app and register, and they’ll send you a physical card in the mail. Or, if you’re super keen, you can use the app to start saving immediately. To win, message us with your name, campus, and best money-saving tip for students.
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A Coffee A Coffee Between Between Humans Humans Anita Cook It was a cold, May morning. I’d been past frosty lawns and iced-over cars while traveling on a drafty bus into the city. I had a fabulous black, knee-length woollen coat on, something I’d splurged on in Wellington where the weather was always crisp. I also had a beautiful thick, long salmon-pink scarf and matching beanie – items I treasured as both absolute necessity and luxury. I rubbed my salmon-pink gloved hands together as I fantasized about the flat white that I would purchase on my way to uni. As I stepped off the bus into the biting cold, I noticed a man in a doorway. He appeared to be sleeping and I immediately felt awful; here I was bundled up against the cold dreaming of fresh hot coffee, while this man, my very own fellow human-being, huddled under what could only be described as a raincoat. Prior to taking this sociology paper, I had no idea that people who were homeless actually didn’t choose to live on the streets. My misguided assumption was that they’d either chosen to live on the streets, or they simply had not worked hard enough to change their circumstances. I’d heard stories of homeless people being offered food and then throwing it in the thoughtful persons face,
because they actually wanted money, presumably for drugs or other substances. I’d heard of “ungrateful” homeless people who’d thrown money back at the people who’d given it because it wasn’t enough, they were insulted. I’d heard that homeless people talked to themselves; they were “crazy”, and therefore unpredictable potentially dangerous or violent. I’m not going to lie: I was afraid of homeless people. How little I knew of privilege prior to taking an Introduction to Sociology. I learned how just having white skin immediately gave me a leg-up in life I had never been aware of! I learned how society stigmatizes people with mental illness, and how, without adequate support, these people can end up on the streets. I learned how just being white gives you more job opportunities and higher earning potential. And I learned that people who have no-fixed-abode are ineligible for a benefit, therefore homeless people get caught in an unending web of poverty that is very hard to get out of. So, as I stepped off the bus that morning I was faced with a sudden feeling of shame that I had been so ignorant of people who are just people, but with shitty circumstances. I must have stood there for five minutes or more watching that poor guy shivering under his raincoat. I’m very glad he never opened his eyes to see
this weird woman standing there staring. I had to fight everything I thought I knew about homeless people. I had to swallow my fear and say something. But what to say? I didn’t have anything to offer… what would I most want on this most unpleasant of mornings if I was in his shoes? And it came to me…. coffee. I said “Excuse me?”, but that didn’t work. I had to swallow more fear of what germs he might be harbouring and I gently touched his shoulder. “Hi there” I said, “Its freezing this morning! Can I buy you a coffee?” I think at this stage he was more confused than me, but he nodded his head and followed me to the coffee shop. He didn’t say very much, and I had no idea what to say but tried to make small talk (ugh! I can’t stand awkward small talk!). As I went to pay for the coffee, I was struck by another dilemma – I had filled my coffee card and was entitled to a free one! And I had been so ready to pay for this guy’s coffee! Some quick thinking led me to pay for the coffee and give the card to the guy in case he wanted another one at a later date. I wished him a good day as we parted ways. He was very dignified about the whole thing which made it much easier for me; I didn’t want any lavish gratitude for having the privilege of affording a coffee when our society had created such inequalities, I simply was one person sharing what I had.
That was almost four years ago. I never told anyone about this experience because I didn’t want to be given the dutiful praise from people who know me who thought I was so nice for doing one tiny thing, I didn’t even tell my (now) husband. If I’d bought him a house, then yeah, sure, maybe I would have deserved some praise, but it was just coffee. I never saw that man again, but I think of him every time the weather starts getting colder. I have decided to share my story with you in hopes that it might encourage you to buy a coffee for a cold homeless person if you ever find yourself in the position to do so. Opportunities don’t always present themselves just as they do in stories, however the moral to this one is that some people have less, other people have more. If the people with more give to the people with less, then we will start having a much more equal society, but this needs to happen at an organisational level as well. Kiwis could learn a lot from Scandinavian countries. An Introduction to Sociology changed my life and the way I judge things. I highly recommend the class to anyone who will listen, but I especially recommend the class to those smart people who think they’ve really got life figured out – trust me, you don’t. Things aren’t always what they seem.
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Spotlight on NZ Designer
Wy n n H a m l y n
Shot and Styled by: @gathum (www.gathum.co.nz) Models: Becky @clynemodels Carpet Coats by Wynn Hamlyn from @publiclibraryshowroom Makeup: @jamilaserville Hair: @jessihawkinsxx Jewels by:@dinner_dates
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Feeling LazyAz Interview: Irra Lee. Photography: LazyAz
Meet Aryaman Taore: a 19-year-old mechatronics student and CEO of start-up LazyAz – taking on the world with his innovative spirit. It’s no secret: we’re an impatient bunch, our generation. We want things, and we want them now. This is where the ingenuity of Aryaman Taore and his business LazyAz comes in. The name itself is pretty self-explanatory: feel like a burger, but don’t have the time or level of energy to walk over to Burger King? Need some flowers before your partner realises you’ve forgotten that today’s your anniversary? LazyAz has got you covered. With an average delivery time of 25 minutes through their app anywhere in the CBD, LazyAz will buy and deliver practically anything you need, straight to you, at a very low cost. The city is at your fingertips. At the age of 17 and straight out of school, Aryaman and his team developed the very first version of the LazyAz app which was committed to providing an on-demand delivery service. Since then, the business has developed its model and formed closer partnerships with local stores, placing their mark within the world of e-commerce. I caught up with him to talk about business and life.
‘What I’m giving up is very little compared to what I’m getting out of it in terms of learning and growth.’
What’s been going on recently with LazyAz? We’re getting a new app launched. That will help develop an e-commerce environment where people can just tap on a button, order, and have things delivered to them. The second thing we’re doing is focusing on marketing that app. The third focus is growing our delivery metrics by partnering up with a wide variety of stores which will include restaurants and electronic stores like PB Tech and Noel Leeming.
How did the idea of LazyAz come about? The idea came about when I was at home at the age of 17 and I couldn’t drive — I still can’t drive (laughs) — and I wanted McDonald’s but I couldn’t get it. So, I came up with this idea ‘cause I thought it’d be cool if it got delivered to me. Then, that idea extended to the idea of, well, why can’t anything and everything else be delivered too?
Lots of young people have an ambition or a vision, but what’s the intermediate stage of actually bringing something like that to life? I guess the vision for me when I started was simply to have convenience. The intermediate stage was just giving it a go. I mean, nobody really thought that it would turn out to become something profitable and commercial. It’s very easy to think of an idea. Then, of course, when you’re developing an app, it’s still easy and you can do it from your home without requiring too much. After we created the initial app, things just flowed on from there. The real concern is actually going out and meeting with partners, connecting with them, presenting ideas to the public, and really commercialising it. That’s where Toss [Grumley of Wolf & Fox Consulting] — one of my first mentors — as well as my mum and dad looked at the idea of LazyAz in terms of making it a commercially viable product. That’s what really helped me.
What are the advantages of starting up a business so young? For me, starting quite young was good. You learn so much and this ranges from something as simple as the confidence to be able to talk to anyone in terms of connecting with them and creating those networks, to as big as managing people and understanding marketing. That’s something that is so important ‘cause I can take those skills to my next venture, even if LazyAz fails or succeeds, and continue to grow from that.
Have you found that there are any disadvantages? You don’t get to focus on anything else, and this includes your study and your friends. But, I think other than that, there really aren’t many disadvantages — if you look past the lack of sleep. You weigh it up and realise that [running the business] is worth a lot more in terms of its advantages. It balances out. What I’m giving up is very little compared to what I’m getting out of it in terms of learning and growth.
Describe your typical day. A typical day would be, like, let’s say waking up at 4am. Then, from 4 to 7am, I’ll be working on LazyAz. It’s just because after 7 or 8am, phone calls start to come and you can’t really do actual work because you’re managing things. With university starting, it’s really just about balancing studies with work that needs to be done.
So, in that sense, how does running LazyAz effect your studies? Oh, you can’t do your studies, that’s how it effects it. It’s because when you want to study, problems show up — that’s what business is. Then, of course, when you’re not studying, you’re focused on the business and making it productive. It’s really hard to balance between the two. Despite studies being so important, business becomes the first priority because that is what’s at hand.
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And what about your social and family life? How is that effected? In terms of social life, that starts after 9 or 10pm because that’s when LazyAz shuts down. I’ve got amazing friends, so clubbing and everything like that starts after then. With my family, they’re very supportive. But, I guess when we started off, they didn’t understand where this was heading and sometimes they’d still kind of be like: what are you doing? This is probably not worth it. Gradually, they were able to understand what LazyAz means to me in terms of what it can create.
What’s your top tip for budding entrepreneurs? You have to understand that there is a journey curve. You start off with an idea and you think it’s amazing. Gradually, what starts to happen is you’re gonna start going down. That’s the problem because everyone starts to give up at that point after seeing their idea go down. Then you hit rock bottom. That’s the best place because, from that point, all
you can do is rise up. If you don’t understand that journey, you’ll simply drop out after that initial failing.
Did you see that with your own journey? For me, on the first day we started, no one ordered. We promoted it, but still, nothing. We didn’t get our first order until two weeks later. Even then, for the first three or four months of launching, we weren’t actually exceeding more than five orders a day. That’s when we started to hit rock bottom. Then suddenly, when we hit that bottom, we just started to rise. Now we’re hitting 70 to 80 deliveries a day and it’s growing rapidly. It’s just about waiting for that point.
Who was by your side going through that journey? So, the team when we started was just made up of my friends Omkar and Yasir. Omkar was my advice man and Yasir tested the apps out. We used to wake up at 2am to work on the app. Then, we hired deliverers and a team
of operators. We’re now a team of around 25 people.
What’s in the future for LazyAz? Our initial vision was to become a delivery company. We’ve realised now that that’s not what the vision is. What we want to create is a platform where people can order anything from a phone to a watch to some clothes and some food, and then, as soon as you tap a button, 20 minutes later you get a knock on your door and the item is with you. If we can create that in every retail sector, what we can do is start to dominate that market in New Zealand because all the retail starts to happen through us through our app. Once you reach that level, you can dictate what happens in terms of shopping. It’s about revolutionising what online retail is.
Finally, what’s in the future for you? Right now, it’s just about growing with LazyAz. Let’s see how it goes.
Exclusive AUT Deal: $1 delivery fee when you order through the LazyAz app or www.lazyaz.co.nz with the code ‘AUTLA’ placed in a comment box.
An Interview with Levi Patel Levi Patel, the modern classical composer, has recently released his debut fulllength album, Affinity. With two previously released solo EPs that received glowing reception, as well as a recently released single, he’s truly an inspiring musician. He had a chat to Debate about his new album, writing music, and his future projects. You’ve recently released your first fulllength album! Congratulations! How long have you been working on that? Thank you! I only recently looked back to consider this and was shocked to discover that I started writing the album in 2013, so it took almost four years to complete. I spent a lot of time writing and reworking the tracks until I felt satisfied with the whole album. My perfectionist tendencies can be painful but I’m proud of the result. How would you describe your sound to someone who had never heard it before? I’ve never been able to answer this question very well so I would recommend
listening to it if you get the chance, but I’ll give it a shot. I make instrumental music that is cinematic and ambient, making use of strings, electric guitars, piano, and voices, or sometimes it’s more intimate and piano-based. I hope to create music that is gentle but emotional, both uplifting and melancholic at the same time.
Silence’ was my introduction to the genre and forever changed how I approached music. The others would be Alex Somers and Jónsi (of Sigur Rós). Alex has produced some beautiful Sigur Rós tracks, but the album they wrote together called ‘Riceboy Sleeps’ was a truly life changing work for me.
Where do you draw inspiration for your music?
What advice would you offer to budding musicians out there?
It’s difficult to pinpoint. I always feel inspired when I’m writing music but it’s usually only after I finish that I can reflect and work out what I was feeling. Occasionally it can be sparked by a life event but I think that most of my inspiration comes from other music. I spend whatever time I can fully immersing myself in music, listening with no distractions and really taking it in. There’s a lot of beautiful art out there.
I wish I could offer some quick tips but all I can say is to keep making music that you love. Don’t get caught up worrying about what people will think, what tools or plugins you should be using, or anything like that. Just make art that you care about and work hard at it.
Who inspired you most in terms of music? There were a few people who launched me into creating the style of music that I do now. The first was Wellington composer Rhian Sheehan. His album ‘Standing in
Any projects we should keep our eye out for in the near future? Now that Affinity is complete I’m focusing on some more intimate piano-based music, and seeing what I can do without using the layers and soundscapes that I usually reach for. I’m also producing an album for This Pale Fire. He’s written some absolutely stunning songs, it’s going to be beautiful.
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Feature Artist
Natalie Lim
What are you currently studying/did you study? I am in my third year of Communications, majoring in Television and Screen Production. What kind of art do you most enjoy creating? I enjoy making comics as I find that it is the best way for me to express myself. I also enjoy drawing comical caricatures, it’s fun adding a strange element to an individual’s features that wouldn’t normally be there. I also enjoy experimenting with different types of mediums especially with ink and watercolour. Where do you draw your artistic inspiration from? I draw my artistic inspiration from many things. When I was a child I used to borrow a lot of picture books and copy the illustrations as I found them charming and cute. There’s this innocence in these books that aren’t generally seen elsewhere. So often in my drawings, I notice that I try to emulate this feeling of nostalgia. I also find that my current environment influences me, as often I’m trapped in the reality of life so I like to create a sense of otherworldliness that eases the mundane and stressful situations of life. What is your dream job? Working on a variety of creative projects that both inspire and motivate me to create.
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Reviews
T HE BAC H ELOR
V ICEL A ND
Season 3
Tv Cha nne l
Reviewed by Shawn Cleaver
Reviewed by Julie Cleaver
Whether you get sucked into the magical romance of it all or not, one thing is certain: this show is a fishbowl, and it’s damn entertaining to laugh and point. We marvel at our own brilliance as we decipher what’s completely set up and what’s genuine. We love trash-talking the girl’s dresses while we sit on the couch in a wine-stained towel wiping away our ice-cream moustaches. Zac, NZ’s third Bachelor, comes across as totally down to earth even while still playing the little games that are expected of this show format. His realness makes it easier to sniff out the girls who are only after screentime to boost their Instagram following (probably most of them). It’s almost as if when season one winner Matilda dances across the opening sponsorship credits with her pearly whites, the bachelorettes are reminded of the career opportunities a long run in the show can bring. Also, credit to the show’s producers. They got the casting spot on to provide a great balance of both fan favourites and bitchiness – a whole bloody spectrum of bitchiness. We’ve had the straight-up crazy bitches, the immature and rude bitches, and even the calculated-hot-mysterious-snowwhite-type-bitch. She my girl. This is barely reality TV. This is a fantasy where 11 gorgeous girls prance around a mansion feeding goats and chickens like some Sound of Musicstyle Tui ad; where a surf lifesaver can afford an Aston Martin… and an army of totally not sponsored Suzuki’s. And Tim Tams. And Pita Pit. And Hallensteins. I’m surprised Dom hasn’t come to the rose ceremony with a Colgate brush shoved down his throat. This is where I’d usually say despite it’s flaws it’s still a great show. But it’s actually the flaws that make this show great. It’s the over the top everything, it’s the fake, it’s the real, and it’s sucked me in like a damn fool.
A hard-hitting, serious news programme aimed at young people is a style of show New Zealand has been missing out on for a long time. Instead, most news platforms try to #appealtotheyouth by employing snappy hipsters to relay information about what’s trending on social media (I’m looking at you The AM Show). But VICELAND has intelligently created a channel aimed at left-wing millennials that are interested in world issues, politics, culture, and who can afford SKY. VICELAND lives on SKY channel 13 and was launched about a year ago by the edgy multimedia company VICE. It broadcasts a wide range of shows ranging in topics, some that are more light-hearted, like F*ck That’s Delicious – a cooking/travel show starring rapper Action Bronson. Some that are pretty light but still cover super important issues, like Gaycation, where actor Ellen Page and her best friend travel the world to find out about LGBT rights in various countries. And others that are straight up depressing, like the news/documentary shows. Even though I love their newsy stuff, seriously, that shit can get you down. VICELANDs’s international reporters visit countries all over the world (including Syria and Afghanistan) to find out about the saddest, most potentially world-destroying issues out. They look into women’s rights, the environment, war, and all that other stuff we generally try to avoid thinking about to preserve our sanity. Regardless, I really like the way VICELAND keeps it real. The editors and journalists compile their stories in a way that demonstrates what really happened while they were filming, and this makes it feel like you are watching your friend travel and uncover crazy stories. I love VICELAND, but I recommend watching it in small doses to avoid an empathy burnout.
WORK IN
AMERICA 12 MONTH WORK VISA
DAR RYL. AN OU T WAR D BO UN D S TORY WWW.IEP.CO.NZ | 0800 443 769 Reviewed by Tharindu Jayasinghe Self-criticism is a brutal practice. It’s something we turn to when things fall short. In this web-series witty and self-deprecating commentary is provided in the conscience of Millen Baird’s character, Darryl. It is more comedy than drama for sure, but Darryl’s struggles with his inner demons are saddening at times and serve as a reminder of the importance of self-compassion. Darryl begins an Outward Bound course to “sharpen the saw” following a demoralising exit in a marathon. As he sets off on outdoor pursuits with his “watch mates”, it becomes apparent that he’s not a great team player, which only amplifies his self-criticism out of frustration. As funny as this materialises out to be, his struggles is painfully relatable and accurate. If you’re an Outward Bound alumnus of Anakiwa, your heart will be warmed at the sight of all the familiar settings and activities. Another noteworthy highlight is Siobhan Marshall manufacturing an Aussie accent for her role. That enough should intrigue you to give this a crack, but also consider that it is local content, has short episodes of about 10 minutes (10 episodes in one standalone season), has good intentions and carries that trademark, dry, awkward NZ humour.
Want to be the editor of Debate? Are you obsessed with writing, a natural leader, and fully onto it when it comes to organisation? If yes, then you should apply to be the editor of Debate, AUT’s award-winning magazine (that’s right, we name-dropped). As editor you’ll be inspiring and managing contributors, writing and editing content, and preparing digital material. Oh, and you’ll also be getting paid a full-time salary. This is an ideal opportunity for an English, journalism or communications student looking for some solid experience. To have what it takes, you’ve got to love students as much as you love thinking about grammatical issues like Oxford commas, dangling modifiers, and the difference between affect and effect. So as you can tell it’s a massive position, and one that requires a super special person. But if you think that’s you, then send your CV and a covering letter to Sue Jury, the Executive Director of AuSM at sjury@aut.ac.nz. 33
Classic Kiwi Pikelets Ingredients
Sift flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl.
•
1 cup plain flour
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1 tsp baking powder
In another bowl, beat egg and sugar until thick. Add with milk to the sifted ingredients. Mix until smooth.
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¼ tsp salt
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1 egg
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¼ cup white sugar
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¾ cup milk (approx)
Spoon tablespoon-full amounts onto a hot greased griddle or non-stick frying pan. Turn pikelets over when bubbles start to appear on the surface. Cook until golden.
KIWI WORDFIND
Jandals BBQ Yeahnah Shellberight Sweetas
Gumboots Hardout Hangi Haka Pavlova
Cuzzie Hotchips Stubbies Chur Cuppa
Chocka Munted Takeaways Squizz Bogan
Circle all the words in the wordfind, tear this page out & pop it into the box on the side of the red Debate stands, and you could win a motherflippin’ sweet prize!
Name:
Email: 35