ISSUE 231, NOVEMBER 2023
community news, issues, arts, people, events
Celebrate WITH US THIS
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The Fringe, Issue 231, November 2023
Contents Flooded home-owners still waiting....................... 4 Locals make the impossible possible................... 5 Memory brings Uncle Frank back to life.............. 6 Out & About in the West.................................. 8 – 9 The Nukes, a Westie story....................................... 9 Art & About with Naomi McCleary............... 10-11 Couple prepare for Open Studios Keeping it Local.................................................... 11 Sustainable Action with Fiona Drummond ....... 12 Feature: Body & Mind.......................................... 13 Live @ the lounge; Riding under cover ............. 14 Advertisers Directory............................................. 15
www.fringemedia.co.nz Delivered free to letter boxes, post boxes, libraries and selected outlets throughout Tītīrangi, Glen Eden, Green Bay, New Lynn, Konini, Wood Bay, French Bay, Waima, Woodlands Park, Laingholm, Parau, Cornwallis, Huia, Oratia, and beyond.
Published by: Fringe Media Ltd, PO Box 60-469, Tītīrangi, Auckland 0642
Editor: Bevis England 817 8024, 027 494 0700 bevis@fringemedia.co.nz
Advertising:
info@fringemedia.co.nz
Writers and contributors: Moira Kennedy, David Thiele, Naomi McCleary, Fiona Drummond, Jade Reidy, Karen McCarthy, John Goudge
Advertising deadline for December 2023: November 10
Kindness makes the heart glad Food rescue charity, Fair Food, has provided 29.8 tonnes of kai – that equates to 85,266 meals – to locals through its West Auckland hub since the beginning of this year. From its Rosebank Road hub in Avondale, four or five trucks are on the road daily rescuing surplus food from growers, manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers (including supermarkets and bakeries), to prevent the food being wasted and going to landfill. Instead it is distributed through local pātaka kai (street pantries) and food banks. Facilitator of the Glen Eden pātaka project, Heather Tanguay, says the dedication of volunteers is huge and has extended to rescued food like fruit and vegetables now being turned into jams and pickles at an industrial kitchen at the hub. “It’s all done by volunteers, and when the food is delivered to the local pātaka, it disappears in hours. Their commitment is terrific. There’s a great feeling of kindness around the project. It makes my heart glad. And it’s great for the planet too.” To find out more or to get involved please email info@fairfood.org.nz. – Moira Kennedy
New Lynn Lions have helped out at the Pink Ribbon Ride fund raiser for the Breast Cancer Foundation since 2017 and this year was no exception. On a recent Sunday morning they were setting up gazebos and getting the barbecues ready at Eden Park, where the ride ended. Placemakers New Lynn provided the barbecues and Reubens – Aussie Butchers also in New Lynn provided the sausages. This year was the 20th Anniversary for the Pink Ribbon Ride and it raised over $12,000, bringing the total over the 20 years to more than $100,000.
ON OUR COVER: The walls and ceiling of a room at the NZ Sculpture OnShore exhibition are completely padded with soft toys. All the eyes have been replaced by the centre part of the cross from the New Zealand Bravery Medal reflecting the hidden bravery of children in the face of domestic violence. See page 10 for more information. Every issue of The Fringe (and the Tītīrangi Tatler before it) since April 2011 is on-line at www.fringemedia.co.nz. Like us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/FringeWest) to hear when each issue is available and get other updates.
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Our Place
Flooded home-owners still waiting Auckland Council has agreed to cost-share with the Crown a $2 billion package for flood recovery and house buy-outs, but very few home owners have had their properties finally categorised. A record 307mm of rain fell between January 27 and February 1, 2023, with floods damaging hundreds of homes. Cyclone Gabrielle on February 13 and 14 brought a further 300mm of rain, high winds and landslides. “Category 3” home owners, (homes that posed an intolerable risk to life, without a viable way to mitigate the risks) are to be offered 95 percent of pre-flood market values for their properties. However, assessments could take months, exacerbated by a skills shortage in flood and geotechnical engineering, Council said. Council planned to spend up to $774m to purchase an estimated 700 Category 3 homes, with the buy-outs starting by the end of October. "We're going to start with the easy, clear ones straight away and work through the harder ones,” Mayor Wayne Brown said. "We want to get on with this as quickly as we can, but it will take some months.” It’s understood Council’s initial analysis of flood damaged properties came up with the 700 number. It’s unclear what will happen if that number rises with final assessments. At the time of writing residents in Muriwai were still waiting on a final report on ground stability and risk assessments. Piha and Karekare households could expect geotechnical assessments to be carried out in October and November, according to Council. It’s thought there were some 200 slips in that area during the rain events. Council previously signalled possible help for Category 2 houses, where alterations could be made to avoid FRINGEADLTD.pdf 1 15/11/16 16:33 unacceptable risk in future storms, but it’s understood
this would not include funding for property-level interventions, such as having to raise a home. The cost-share agreement also included $820m to fund ‘resilience projects’: stream rehabilitation, culvert and bridge upgrades, and overland flow path management. Another $390m would be put towards roading, including access to Karekare and Piha. First time house buyer Morgan Allen had his home inundated on January 27. He thought it would be assessed Category 3 but says waiting for information is tough. “Every six weeks or so something is meant to happen. But nothing happens. Then it’s another six weeks, and we might hear a little bit of information. Then it’s another six weeks. It’s been like that since March,” he says. The insecurity led him and his partner (and others) to set up West Auckland Is Flooding (WAIF), an advocacy group lobbying Government and Council on behalf of thousands of flooded residents. He says the buy-out of homes at 95% of pre-flood values could financially disadvantage many in their situation. Having owned their home for less than two years, and house prices having dropped in that time, they were likely to lose all the money they had put into their mortgage. “It’s bitter sweet. On one hand it will be good to get out of a bad situation,” he said. “But on the other hand, we might lose everything we have put into it. Council acknowledges the financial hardship that people are going through – but we don’t want the buy-out process to continue that.” The agreement between Auckland Council and the Crown secured $1.076 billion in Government funding. Council will borrow up to $800 million, with repayments funded by ratepayers. Mayor Brown said rates would rise as a result. – John Goudge
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Presland and Co provide a variety of legal services including conveyancing, family law, criminal law, wills & estates.
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People
Locals make the impossible possible all the latest gear and technology. It also A group of actors were looking for a provides a professional and affordable project. Perhaps a radio play or podcast. studio for the general music community. The subject? A comedy/satire with a Calling themselves Squashed Hedgehogs whodunnit thread and environmental Productions, Simon and his team came to themes. The budget? Next to nothing. an arrangement where they could use the The talent? Mostly West Auckland. The studio when no-one else needed it. That timing? Well, that depends. may have included odd times of the day. And so after five years, co-producers Or night. Simon Grant and Phil Needle along with The crucially important sound actors Lucy Lever, Rick Leckinger and Roy engineering skills to pull it all together Kaunds have brought their project, Perfect were offered by Alex Wrightson, “a young Earth, to fruition. person from Zeal who was keen to develop But why did it take so long? Simon Phil Needle, Roy Kaunds and Simon his sound engineering skills,” says Simon. (with a working background that includes Grant – learning the ropes at Perfect Earth. So, finally, the first of seven 30-minute writing, drama, ecological restoration and landscaping) says yes, there were a couple of fairly major episodes of this “funny but also thought-provoking” radio barriers that hindered the production of the satirical comedy. play will be on Spotify this month. “It’s a local community effort, written by a local (Marmaduke One of them was Covid. Others included a lack of recording space and the fact they had no sound engineer for this non- Netskin of Huia) and produced by locals,” says Simon. “We did it on virtually nothing, for fun and the experience." paying enterprise. Check out the first of the seven episodes on Spotify, or When Covid moved on, Simon headed to Zeal Recording Studio in Henderson which was established to provide through https://feeds.buzzsprout.com/2239882.rss – Moira Kennedy local youth with professional-sounding recordings using
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The Fringe NOVEMBER 2023 5
3/10/23 5:59 PM
Books
“Scant and hazy” memory brings Uncle Frank back to life Laingholm author Louise Maich (left) was only a pre-schooler in 1965 when her famous Uncle Frank and his friend Johnny Cumming were killed in New Zealand’s first helicopter hunting accident. He was only 30 years old. Louise’s Uncle Frank was Frank Erceg who had built an impressive reputation as a marksman, deer hunter, mountaineer and photographer. He was highly respected by his peers, but Louise’s memory of Frank was “scant and hazy. I grew up knowing very little about his life,” she says. “He always appeared as a handsome, adventurous uncle who died tragically and, of course, someone I wish I had known. He was a part of my family history, someone that I was driven to uncover and write about.” Still remembered as one of New Zealand’s most prominent deer hunters of the 1950-60s, Frank’s photographs were widely published in newspapers and magazines of the day. He was frequently mentioned in books on the history of deer hunting but no book had ever been written about his life and achievements. Until now.
Weaving magic in Avondale
Hail, rain, and wind didn’t dampen the spirits of the Whau community who came out to support We Are Woven. The event, run by I Love Avondale and supported by Whau Local Board, Auckland Transport and Eke Panuku, featured live entertainment on the car-free Crayford Street West. This included Whaea Bella with her karanga and opening karakia, Tung Tek Lion Dance Association, the Clan Celtica tribal Scottish band and Avondale local, MC and rapper MELODOWNZ. Visitors also enjoyed a mākete (market), food trucks, live muralling, cultural clothing parades, bike and scooter pump track, free kai and face-painting. Whau Local Board deputy chair, Fasitua Amosa, says the event was an incredible get-together for a community experiencing rapid intensification. “The board is proud to have supported the event and the feedback has been fantastic,” he says. “As a board, it’s great for us to look at how we can best manage our local suburbs with all the intensification happening here. Woven is another example of an awesome placemaking event in Avondale and I’d love to open the streets for the people on a more regular basis to encourage more locals to use our streets and have fun in our public places.” We Are Woven was the third of four events from the Avondale Open Streets Activation project. The project delivers events in parts of Avondale town centre, which will temporarily be made car-free. The final event of this series, Avondale Christmas Parade, is coming up on November 25. Advertisement
6 The Fringe NOVEMBER 2023
Louise has spent more than 20 years researching Uncle Franks’ untold story through family memories, letters and recollections and yarns from Frank’s contemporaries. The result is her just-released Finding Frank, published by Bateman Books, a heartfelt tribute to one of New Zealand’s true hunting legends. The book covers the migration of the Erceg family from the former Yugoslavia to the central North Island. Growing up in a small settlement near Taumarunui, Frank was influenced by three older brothers who taught him hunting, fishing and bushcraft skills. From there he moved south, first enlisting as a government shooter – deer culling for the New Zealand Forest Service – and then becoming an independent meat hunter. Full of atmosphere and including dozens of rare photographs, some of which have never been published before, Finding Frank is a story of hope, overcoming trials and tragedy and of a family finding their way in a new country. Louise has dug deep, and succeeded, in bringing her famous and handsome Uncle Frank back to life. – Moira Kennedy
The Fringe has a copy of Finding Frank to give away. To go in the draw to win a copy, write your name, address and phone number on the back of an envelope and post it to Finding Frank, PO Box 60-469, Tītīrangi or email your details to info@fringemedia.co.nz with Finding Frank in the subject line. Entries must be received by November 10.
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Discovering beach treasures There’s much to find meandering along a beach with small children when the tide is out. Tide’s Out is a simple bilingual counting book by Frances Plumpton with water colour illustrations by local artist Stephanie Thatcher. It features many beach treasures to encourage young children’s curiosity. Frances is a former Waitākere Libraries children’s librarian whose family has spent summers at Huia on the Manukau Harbour since the 1960s. (Te reo Māori translation by Dr Darryn Joseph, Ngāti Maniopoto.) To order a copy ($20), email tidesout@francesplumpton. com. To go in the draw to win one of five copies, write your name, address and phone number on the back of an envelope and post it to Tide’s Out, PO Box 60-469, Tītīrangi or email your details to info@fringemedia.co.nz with Tide’s Out in the subject line. Entries must be received by November 10.
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Welcome to Street Feast! The stories behind the food ...
Mexican food from Loco Bros is exactly like Mexican food in Mexico. That is, it’s not Tex Mex. It’s not a Kiwi version of Mexican. There is not a buritto or sour cream topping in sight. Loco Bros at Street Feast serves up genuine Mexican street food: high protein, served on fresh corn tortillas and packed with flavour. And the owners – who are also the founders of Jo Bros Burgers – encourage us to toss our preconceptions about Mexican cuisine aside and experience it. “Burritos are not Mexican,” says Loco Bros co-founder Brody Jenkins. “Burritos were designed in Texas to make Mexican food a quick, on the go meal. We wanted to get away from American-style Mexican and offer a true Mexican menu.” He says that real tacos are messy to eat. We can tell you tacos from Loco Bros are definitely that.
“Most of our tacos are braised meat, slow cooked in whole pieces. Our chickens are poached whole in stock and hand-pulled. The meat is mixed with our own Mexican spice. Our Pork Carnitas are made from chunks of pork belly and scotch shoulder, deep fried in pieces. We add vegetables to the braised milk and fresh condiments like onion and Jalapeño. The 100% natural tortilla are freshly made each week in the Hawkes Bay and you can taste the difference.” Authenticity is everything for the former fine-dining chefs. “Our food is prepared and served the same way it’s done in Mexico. Mexico has a rich history and culture, and food is central to it. When Mexicans come here, they tell us our food is exactly like at home, and we love that.” The Loco Bros Taqueria menu also offers fish and vegan options.
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The Fringe NOVEMBER 2023 7
A DINING EXPERIENCE: A Fringe special feature
Mexican food without the Kiwi twist
Places to go – Things to do
Out and About in the West Event organisers: Do you have an upcoming event you’d like
listed in The Fringe? Send the details, including a contact person and number, to info@fringemedia.co.nz.
Readers: While we take care to ensure listings are
correct, errors may occur. Check with the contact person wherever possible.
Covid precautions: All events and gatherings in these listings will require full compliance with relevant Covid regulations.
November
w 8 and 22, Wriggle & Rhyme; Glen Eden Library, 12/32 Glendale Road, Glen Eden; 11–11.30am. Phone 377 0209. w 9 and 23, Rhymetime; Glen Eden Library, 12/32 Glendale Road, Glen Eden; 10.30–11am. Phone 377 0209.
w 10, West Auckland Men’s Rebus Club, guest speaker and morning tea; Friendship Hall, 3063 Great North Road, New Lynn; 10am-12noon. Phone Vince 021 189 6822.
w 10, Ladies’ Probus Club, fellowship, fun, speakers, and a monthly day
trip; St John’s Hall, 247 Edmonton Road, Te Atatū South; 9.45am-Noon. Phone Betty 09 832 0484.
w – 5, Connection: Emerging Artist Awards, 2023; Upstairs Art Gallery, w 10 – December 3, Downtown 23. four West Auckland artists (Valkyria Level 1, Lopdell House, 418 Tītīrangi Road. Phone 817 4278.
w – 12, Running with Scissors, contemporary portraiture by Hannah Ireland; Te Uru, 420 Tītīrangi Road. Phone 817 8087.
Dargin-Greig, Java Leonard, REKSO and Fauze Hassen) deliver a nod to graffiti and the urban landscape; Upstairs Art Gallery, Level 1, Lopdell House, 418 Titirangi Road. Phone 817 4278.
w – 12, Untitled. Susan Te Kahurangi King makes work that speaks for w 11, Tītīrangi Poets with a guest poet and readings by members; Tītīrangi
itself without any written language to describe or frame them; Te Uru, 420 Tītīrangi Road. Phone 817 8087.
w – 12, Layla Dahlia, a work by glass artist, Layla Walter; Te Uru, 420 Tītīrangi Road. Phone 817 8087.
w – December 3, Ihirangaranga/Resonances of the Forest, drawing attention to the effects of kauri dieback and myrtle rust developed by Toi Taiao Whakatairanga, a collective research project; Te Uru, 420 Tītīrangi Road. Phone 817 8087. w – December 3, There is Nowhere to Go, There is Nothing to Do, celebrating
25 years of photography by Greta Anderson; Te Uru, 420 Tītīrangi Road. Phone 817 8087.
w – December 9, This Raw Material, an exhibition featuring contemporary wool craft and bespoke creations by Liz Mitchell; Corban Estate Arts Centre, 2 Mount Lebanon Lane, Henderson. Phone 838 4455.
w 1, Book Chat; Glen Eden Library, 12/32 Glendale Road, Glen Eden; 10.30–11.30am. Phone 377 0209
War Memorial Hall, 500 South Tītīrangi Road; 2-4pm. Phone Ron Riddell 021 181 6698.
w 12, Open Day at Morrisons Funerals show-casing the facilities available with a sausage sizzle, coffee van and a display of beautiful vintage hearses; 220 Universal Drive, Henderson; 10am-2pm. Phone Trish Williamson, 836 0029 or email trish.williamson@morrisons.co.nz. w 14, West Auckland Historical Society Family History Group meeting;
Henderson Central Library West Auckland Research Centre; 10-11.30am. Phone Gary Snow 832 5098, 021 618 434 or email gary@snofam.co.nz.
w 15, Combined Waitākere Rebus Club; St John’s Hall, 247 Edmonton Road, Te Atatū South; 10am-Noon. Contact Philis on 838 5361. w 16, Waitākere Forest and Bird 2023 Lecture Series: The Great Pest
Genome Treasure Hunt with Erica Hendrikse; Rānui Community Centre, 474 Swanson Rd, Rānui; 7.30pm; koha appreciated.. Phone Liz 0274 762732 or email lizanstey@hotmail.com .
w 17, Crafternoon: Pocket Scrapbook making; Glen Eden Library, 12/32
w 1, 8, 15, 22 and 29, After school Lego club; Tītīrangi Library, 500 South Glendale Road, Glen Eden; 3.30pm–5pm. Phone 377 0209 w 17, Shared Reading Group; Glen Eden Library, 12/32 Glendale Road, Tītīrangi Road; 3.30–4.30pm. Phone 817 0011. Glen Eden; 10–11.30am. Phone 377 0209. w 1, 8, 15, 22 and 29, Rhymetime morning session of dance, bubbles and more, ideal for 18+ months; Tītīrangi Library, 500 South Tītīrangi Road; w 18, New Lynn Lions Club $1 Book Sale: Books, Magazines, CDs, DVDs, 9.30–10am. Phone 817 0011.
w 3, Crafternoon: Celebrate Diwali; Glen Eden Library, 12/32 Glendale Road, Glen Eden; 3.30–5pm. Phone 377 0209.
LPs and jigsaw puzzles; New Lynn Friendship Club Hall, 3063 Great North Road, New Lynn (down the driveway by the traffic lights); 8am-4pm. Contact lianne.sloan@xtra.co.nz.
w 4, Tītīrangi Folk Music Club presents Gone but not Forgotten, a tribute w 19, Advent Fair – fun for all the family; Tītīrangi Rudolf Steiner School,
to those who are no longer with us, no floor singers. Tītīrangi Beach Hall, bottom of Tītīrangi Beach Road; 8pm; $15, members $10, under 18 free. www.titirangilivemusic.co.nz or text Cathy on 021 207 7289.
w 4 – December 3, A Sense of Place: paintings by Terry Prince; West Coast Gallery, Seaview Road, Piha; Open Thursday/Friday 10am-3pm, Saturday/ Sunday 10am-4pm. Phone 8128 029. www.westcoastgallery.co.nz.
w 5, Pony Rides, Huia Road Horse Club; 436B Huia Road, Laingholm; 3-4pm; $5 per child per ride. Phone 027 499 1732. w 6, 13, 20 and 27, After school Uke sessions with Mark; Tītīrangi Library, 500 South Tītīrangi Road; 3.30-4pm. Phone 817 0011.
8 The Fringe NOVEMBER 2023
5 Helios Place, Tītīrangi; 10-3pm. Contact Katrin Staugaard 021 403 792.
20, Henderson Falls Combined Friendship Club – fun, friendship and fellowship with monthly speakers and frequent outings; Henderson Bowling Clubrooms, 2/20 Alderman Drive, Henderson; 10am-noon. Contact Joy 837 4646 or 021 267 3544.
w
w 24, Glen Eden Combined Probus Club: company and fellowship, interesting speakers, morning tea and monthly outings; Ceramco Park Function Centre, 120 Glendale Road, Kaurilands; 9.45am. Phone Brian Holt 838 5857.
w 24, Tītīrangi Folk Music Club presents Friday Folk, an informal Advertise with The Fringe – It’s who we are
Places to go – Things to do
gathering of musicians, singers and listeners; Tītīrangi Beach Hall, bottom of Tītīrangi Beach Road; 7.30pm; $5. www.titirangilivemusic.co.nz or text Cathy on 021 207 7289.
w 25, New Lynn Repair Cafe, New Lynn Community Centre, Tōtara Avenue, New Lynn; 11am - 2pm; Koha. Enquiries to shi@ doughnuteconomicsnz.com. w 25, German Christmas Market, Food, music,
Santa and fun for the whole family; The Crossing Community Centre, 30-44 Kaurilands Road; 3-8pm. Contact Katrin 021 403 792.
w 26, Tītīrangi Village Market: art, craft, produce and music; Tītīrangi War Memorial Hall; 10am-2pm. Contact tvm.manager@gmail.com or phone 022 631 9436.
w 28, Tītīrangi U3A – informal learning for
people 50-years plus, guest speakers, study groups; West Lynn Garden, 73 Parker Avenue, New Lynn; 1pm. Contact Jan George, 027 478 4119 or jan@jangeorge.co.nz. www.u3a.nz.
The Nukes, a Westie story…
December w December 3, Pony Rides, Huia Road Horse
Club; 436B Huia Road, Laingholm; 3-4pm; $5 per child per ride. Phone 027 499 1732.
w December 6, Waitākere Greypower Pre
Christmas lunch; Swanson RSA, 663 Swanson Road, Swanson; 12.00pm; $25. Phone 838 5207 by Friday December 1 to confirm attendance.
w December 8, West Auckland Men’s Rebus Club, guest speaker and morning tea; Friendship Hall, 3063 Great North Road, New Lynn; 10am-12noon. Phone Vince 021 189 6822. w December 8, Ladies’ Probus Club, fellowship, fun, speakers, and a monthly day trip; St John’s Hall, 247 Edmonton Road, Te Atatū South; 9.45am-Noon. Phone Betty 09 832 0484.
Saturday 18 & Sunday 19 November 10am–4pm Visit some of Waitākere’s most celebrated artists including sculptors, painters, jewellers, illustrators, ceramic artists and photographers. With over 60 artists involved, and 40 studios from Piha to Glen Eden, Titirangi to Te Henga, it’s an inspiring weekend out and about. Take a self-guided tour at your own pace with our Open Studios Map and mobile App, or jump on an Open Studios Van Tour. For more information visit
openstudioswaitakere.co.nz or find us on Facebook and Instagram.
w December 9, Tītīrangi Poets with a guest
poet and readings by members; Tītīrangi War Memorial Hall, 500 South Tītīrangi Road; 2-4pm. Phone Ron Riddell 021 181 6698.
Way back yonder in 2008 three fully grown men banded together and embarked upon a perilous musical journey with no destination. Their mission? To write and perform original music using only the humble ukulele. Thus, The Nukes were born Photo: Sammy Milne. and quickly grew into a bonny wee thing, gaining a reputation across Australasia for boisterous live shows and impressive original material. Riddled with optimism and fuelled by beer and bonhomie, David ‘Fingers of fire’ Parker, Ben ‘Country boy’ Collier and Dave ‘Snapper’ Thiele set the burgeoning parochial ukulele/ folk scene on fire for a full, glorious decade. And then... Rumours swirled, accusations were levelled: Was Snapper doing a solo album? How many wives did Ben actually have? Was David really involved in the Church of Constant Sorrow? Actually, Snapper got tired and just wanted to lie down for a bit. So he did. The Nukes carried on in various line ups but the question has always lingered, like a dog outside a butcher’s shop, would the original three ever reunite? Yes. The answer is YES.
The Nukes Reunion Concert: Oratia Settlers Hall; Sunday December 10, 7pm; $30.00 through Eventfinda or with cash at the Oratia Bowling Club cafe. www.thenukes. co.nz for more information.
Proudly supported by
New for Summer 561 Blockhouse Bay Road Blockhouse Bay Village (opposite the Library) Tues – Fri: 10am-5pm, Sat 10am-3pm Closed Sun and Mon
Ph 626 5633
Lopdell Precinct presents
Twilight Market 2023 Friday 15 December, 5–9pm A curated assortment of festive stalls Free gift wrapping Free films and face painting for tamariki Live music and carollers Lopdell Precinct 418 Titirangi Rd lopdellprecinct.org.nz
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The Fringe NOVEMBER 2023 9
Art & About with Naomi McCleary
At Their Fearless Best! are the victims’ inner and Bernie and Turtle are unspoken voices. I have seen Westies to the core. You may this work in progress and it know them as the generators reduced me to tears. of the extraordinary ‘Give a This is Bernie and Turtle at Kid a Blanket’ project. their fearless best. Their work Without one wit ignoring is a stark reminder of the that, and the myriad ways harsh reality faced by many in which they both serve the individuals living in abusive communities of the West, households. Visitors also I know them as artists with have the opportunity to write a significant track record postcard messages to women of installation work that or children in refuge, which unflinchingly exposes the will be passed on to Women’s desperate underbelly of our Refuge NZ. ‘...and then they society. I have watched their kissed me’ is one of more than work for many years and it 130 works being exhibited at not only confronts me but stays John Parker: always been interested in starkness. with me; often haunts me. This is what art that operates in NZ Sculpture OnShore with proceeds going to Women’s the socio-political arena must do. It is about change and for Refuge NZ. change to happen some of our least desirable issues must be NZ Sculpture OnShore, November 4-19 (closed Mondays) exposed to daylight. The thing that makes Bernie and Turtle’s at Operetu, Fort Takapuna, Devonport. Tickets available work so powerful is that it is immaculate, detailed, even through www.nzsculptureonshore.co.nz. beautiful in its surface presentation. This year they have been commissioned by Women’s Portage Ceramic Awards: It comes around at this time every year; broken only by Refuge NZ to create an installation ‘…and then they kissed me’ at this year’s NZ Sculpture OnShore. This work will be Covid for a couple of seasons. It’s comforting to have this installed in the ‘engine room,’ an underground space with annual interrogation into what’s happening and hidden in four interconnected rooms. It fearlessly delves into the the countless clay studios of Aotearoa. Established in 2001, hidden struggles faced by women and children who seek the Portage Ceramic Awards is a big deal for our ceramics communities across the motu, showcasing some of the best refuge from domestic violence. There are always verifiable statistics generating and work currently being made, and serving as a platform for backing the work that these two artists produce; and this is dialogue about developments in the ceramics field. It’s not always predictable, but it does reflect back to us some of our what makes it so unavoidable and arresting. One room suggests a cell with the walls and ceiling cultural interests and collective concerns, albeit in coded completely sheathed (or padded) with soft toys. All the eyes ways. Climate change and Covid were highlighted by the last have been replaced by the centre part of the cross from the two judges as a driving motif in much of the work. In the early years the awards grew its mana as the inheritor New Zealand Bravery Medal reflecting the hidden bravery of of the earlier Fletcher Brownbuilt Pottery Awards by always children in the face of domestic violence. A second room uses the full medal, fabricated from woollen inviting an international ceramics expert as the judge and blankets. These are pinned to 14 hospital blankets hung arbiter of all things. It certainly added a frisson of glamour. Yes, Covid did put a halt to that, but I also like to think that to represent the number of women killed each year. Below these on tables, and in regimented order, are terracotta Kiwi, we have matured beyond believing that overseas experts each scratched for the injuries endured by children. One have the jump on local ones. We are, by the way, still doing it in some of our major cultural institutions. Cultural cringe is child is killed every 5 weeks in our country. 480 cellphones line the walls of a third room, representing not entirely dead and gone. So, the announcement that John Parker is the judge for the number of family harm calls that the police receive daily 2023 is a matter of delight. Not only is he one of Aotearoa’s (one every three minutes) and the 175,573 family harm truly great ceramic artists, he is also a much-loved local. incidents attended by the police in 2022. His achievements are too numerous to detail; notably, Seven bedroom dressers with mirrors symbolise the seven attempts women statistically make before seeking refuge solo exhibitions at the Dowse, Objectspace, Wellington City support. Across the wooden surface of each dresser the Gallery and a Te Uru 50-year retrospective in 2016. He is a life aggressive voices of the perpetrators’ are literally burned into member of the Auckland Studio Potters Centre, a Waitākere the wood. Beneath, and only readable in mirror reflection, City Millennium Medal holder and was made a New Zealand
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Art & About
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Arts Foundation Laureate in 2010. His work is spare and immaculate. I own and love two of his white vessels; pride of place in my ceramics collection. It’s an old quote, but I feel it is still relevant: ‘I’d always been interested in starkness, and the purity of form and control and in black and white.’ He is also a theatre-designer and I recall memorable sets he has designed for some big productions. So, here we go! 2023 Portage Ceramics Awards. What surprises will it hold? What will we love and hate? How many heated discussions over a glass of wine? We can be sure that it is, as always, a not to be missed show. The 2023 finalists will be announced on 27 October and the Premier and Merit Award winners will be announced at the Awards Night on Thursday 23 November. The finalist works will be exhibited at Te Uru from November 24 to March 3, 2024.
Couple prepare for visitors
The vibrant and diverse local art scene is to come alive as Open Studios Waitākere returns on November 18 – 19. This celebration of art offers a unique opportunity to explore artists’ workspaces and the creative process. Among the many talented artists participating this year are Janel Reid of Okay Ceramics and her partner Hayden Scott, Champion Knives. After working for chef Al Brown for many years, Hayden (left) now spends his days forging culinary knives. His knives, wrought and transformed in the harsh environment of the forge, are designed to be functional tools for everyday use. “You’re constantly at the mercy of the metal,” he says, and things don’t always go to plan. Hayden acknowledges each failure as an opportunity to learn and grow. Janel shares similar musings, enjoying the challenge that the creation of every new piece brings. “In pottery, you don’t have control, the clay or the glaze has the control,” she says. Janel feels comfortable letting the clay take the wheel, enjoying the magic and delight on any given throw. Details about all the artists participating in Open Studios Waitākere, supported by Waitākere Ranges Local Board, are on the event website (openstudioswaitakere. co.nz) and in event brochures available from local cafés, libraries and community centres.
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She showed you nothing but love. Let us help you show it back. showed youwho ThereShe are people in life who shape you are. Always therebut to givelove. you advice, nothing comfort and love. When the time comes to Let us help you say goodbye, talk with us and we’ll guide you show it back. through a farewell as special as your loved one. There are people in life who shape who you are. Always there to give you advice, and love. When time comes What acomfort character. Hethewas onetoof a kind. say goodbye, talk with us and we’ll guide you He lived life to the max, full of rich memories and through a farewell as special as your loved one.
wonderful stories. We’ll guide you through a farewell that honours his rich life. A life well lived.
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The Fringe NOVEMBER 2023 11
Sustainable Action with Fiona Drummond
Working to slow climate change The global charity Save the Children has been working to make a difference in the lives of children since 1919. One of the organisation’s top five issues in New Zealand is working to mitigate climate change. In the lead up to this year’s election the organisation collated around 200 messages from New Zealand children calling for climate action. Children care deeply about climate change and are demanding political action for a healthy environment that protects people, planet and animals. The 200 messages were presented to representatives from the Greens, Labour and National, including the Ministers for the Environment and Climate Change. These messages were then presented to world leaders at the UN Sustainable Development Goals Summit, alongside messages from other children around the globe. Save the Children recognises that the Pacific is on the front line of the climate crisis and that the situation is serious. They are committed to helping children share their concerns and will continue to call for political action to mitigate the impact of climate change and promote the voices of children to political leaders and at global events such as COP28 UAE, commencing this November in Abu Dhabi. To pledge your support go to https://actnow.savethechildren.org.nz/cop28/
The recent Auckland Climate Festival saw repurposed Greenpeace activist banners feature as upcycled clothing in a Fashion Rebellion show at the Ellen Melville Centre. The event was an opportunity to showcase textile artists and upcyclists from across the motu. Among those involved was Lucy-Mae Goffe-Robertson, founder of New Lynn’s Upcycle Collective who wanted to highlight how the fashion industry is responsible for 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions and is also a massive contributor to the world's plastic pollution. The industry also creates humanitarian problems through the treatment of factory workers. Lucy-Mae has collaborated with Greenpeace to launch an online petition, lobbying the government to “implement producer responsibility measures to slow down the overproduction and consumption of fast fashion in New
213 – 215 Woodlands Park Road, Titirangi, Auckland 0604 Phone: 09 817 8495 or 09 817 6188 www.kenturnermotors.co.nz
12 The Fringe NOVEMBER 2023
Zealand” as well as to mitigate the costs of the pollution caused by their products over their lifecycle. To find out more and add your support visit https:// community.greenpeace.org.nz/petitions/end-fast-fashion
Keep our local bird hospital open
Spring is here and so are the baby birds! Every year Birdcare Aotearoa, our local bird hospital, cares for hundreds of orphaned chicks at its premises on Avonleigh Road, Green Bay. The dedicated nursery team works for 12 or more hours every day, feeding and caring for the babies. Each species has its own specific menu to ensure the correct nutritional needs are met. The birds are weighed daily, monitored, and receive any necessary medications and treatments. Staff aim to mimic the birds natural developmental needs as much as possible, to give them a smooth transition back into the wild. While the care of these feathered youngsters is intense, it is rewarding to see them grow up and become ready for a new life back in the wild where they belong. However, the hospital needs to raise $200,000 to help keep the hospital's doors open. To support this campaign visit https://birdcareaotearoa.org.nz/urgentappeal/
Love them and leave them
Most of us like books of some description but what can we do with them once we’ve finished with them? For South Tītīrangi locals, an historic stone bus shelter in Tānekaha Road has become a unique book swap venue, and there are also two swap sites in Laingholm, at the Laingholm Hall and the Laingholm Baptist op shop, both in Victory Road. To make these sites operate well, users swap books they’re finished with for a new book so there is a regular turnover of material. You can also drop your books off at some charity shops. The New Lynn Lions Book Sale is also a good option. Proceeds of the monthly sale go back to the community and many people arrive with a stack of books and take away another stack. The next Lion’s Book Sale is Saturday, November 18, 8am-4pm at New Lynn Friendship Club Hall, 3063 Great North Road, New Lynn (down the driveway by the traffic lights and Cover Decoration Hire). Tītīrangi Library offers a home book delivery service – if you or someone you know are unable to visit a library due to mobility, access or other special circumstances, the library has volunteers who can collect and deliver items to your home. Monthly book selection, delivery and pick-up are all free. For more information contact the library on 817 0011 or email titirangi.library@aucklandcouncil. govt.nz.
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Body & Mind Did you know. The Australian tea tree (Narrowleaved paperbark, Melaleuca alternifolia), is a small shrubby tree that produces a surprisingly effective antiseptic. The Aboriginals were using tea tree as a remedy for colds, coughs and respiratory illness long before the Europeans reached Australia. During the 1920s, and 30s the Australian
medical community was also using tea tree oil for cleaning wounds and surgical incisions. The use of the oil waned with the over use of antibiotics and by the 1970s wild harvesting had all but stopped. In the 1980s, however, an Australian farmer set up a tea tree plantation in northern NSW. The idea caught on with European and American markets and the rest is history. Laboratory research and clinical trials support tea tree oil’s effectiveness against minor skin infections caused by bacteria, fungi, and some viruses. Tea tree oil is toxic and should never be taken internally or used close to the eyes. Keep out of the reach of children.
ACUPUNCTURE SANCTUARY Dr Ada Sobieszczuk (TCM)
Tea tree or Narrowleaved paperbark
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Yoga for health and well-being Yoga is one of those exercises that can help improve your physical heath, tone up muscles, assist the function of internal organs, reduce weight, relieve tension and strengthen bones. Yoga is also beneficial for calming the mind, improving both physical and mental well-being. Dana Sulikosky has been teaching yoga in her fully equipped, home based studio for many years. She offers classes in five-weekly blocks, which are beginner friendly and individually focusing on detail and safety within each pose. While the classes are open for everyone, there is a limit of only eight people each class. Dana also offers a monthly restorative class which focusses on relaxation, inward attention and opening up the blockages which interfere with healthy mental and physical function. The next class is on November 26. Dana also offers a mobile service for both massage and yoga if you are unable to leave home. Contact Dana by text: 027 439 6400.
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Essential Massage and Yoga
Hidden away in Glen Eden is an oasis from the noise and bustle. Dana Sulikosky has established a homebased haven for therapeutic and aromatherapy massage and also has a fully equipped yoga studio offering small weekly classes with a focus on each client individually. Dana graduated from Wellpark College with Diploma’s in both Therapeutic and Aromatherapy Massage. She has been in practice for over 25 years, in both the corporate sector as well as in private practice. Dana specialises in Hot Stone massages, a technique she is passionate about and which has proven to be very popular over these cold winter months in her warm, Zeninspired clinic. Have you considered giving someone special a Hot Stone massage voucher for Christmas?
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The Fringe NOVEMBER 2023 13
Live @ the lounge
“I was searching for a fool and I’ve found you” Yeah gidday, Lizard here. Lately I've been at a bit of a loose end. Shaz thinks that I still grieve the loss of my Mum. “She was the knot that kept you from unravelling Lizard." Unravelling? A bit strong? Sure I've been maybe ropey? Undone even. Perhaps occasionally beside myself? (If that's even possible.) Not only beside myself but slightly ahead. As are the complex ways and swings of the modern Westie man, when pressured to get his gathers, I went for a drive. Since converting Whitevan into a hybrid I can now afford to aimlessly drive about whenever the mood takes me. Going semi electric was surprisingly easy. Earlier in the month I was asked to do a favour by Māori Phil and Gay Garry. They'd asked Whitevan to drop by Feel Good Fellas, their gym, to pick up three 44 gallon drums of expired energy drink. Naturally I had to accompany Whitevan, 'cos the cycle lanes confuse him, so together we shot down to Phil and Gazza's. Phil gave me a hand to load the drums onto the stainless steel shower trough I'd inserted as a tough deck in the back of Whitevan. It was a tight fit 'cos I'd already stacked some lead tiles from the church roof I'd been working on. "Are you sure we shouldn't throw a strap round the drums, Lizard?" yelled Māori Phil as we shot out of the alleyway. "Nah. What can go wrong?"
What immediately went wrong, hooning round the first roundabout, was a hell of a loud crash followed by the sound of a 132 gallons filling the trough! Turns out, and this is the easy bit, the energy drink had morphed into concentrated electrolyte, i.e. sulphuric acid. When this mixed with the church roof lead, bingo, Whitevan had a belly full of battery acid. Over the next few evenings, with the addition of a few hundred yards of copper wire, the electric motors from two Frigidaire freezers, assorted pulleys and belts running to Whitevan's V8's alternator, a set of jumper leads and an OMC inverter: Hey Presto! Whitevan's a hybrid! So, I hear you ask, ‘Did you eventually manage to get your gathers?’ Yes, as it turns out. Later that week, Whitevan stopped to pick up a hitch-hiker who was a very enthusiastic member of a little theatre group. Her name was Bertha Child and she said, "You are just the fellow. I was searching for a fool and I've found you. Do you by chance act?" Well folks, that's another story for another day. So, neglect the boring stuff. Seek out the joy in life. Buy a new hat...
West Auckland Riding for the Disabled Association (WARDA) has been able to upgrade its services to include a covered riding facility thanks to two major grants, $1.28 million from Auckland Council and $300,000 from the New Zealand Community Trust. WARDA is a volunteer organisation, first established in 1976, providing weekly therapeutic horse riding for children experiencing disability, or who have specific challenges or needs. Through therapeutic horse riding, it aims to enable and support them achieve good lives including meaningful participation in, and contribution to, important life activities and roles in their communities. Building a covered riding arena has been a goal for WARDA for 20 years as it would make it possible to increase its
sessions by up to 400% with shorter waiting lists, a wider range of programmes, and no more weather cancellations. In 2020 an Auckland Council lease was secured allowing the project to proceed and serious fundraising commenced, with significant support from the community. Riding RDA horses regularly gives many children a huge confidence boost. It improves their balance, strength, and coordination, but also assists communication and social skills. westaucklandrda.org.nz/
Later, Lizard.
PS: I still really miss my Mum.
Riding under cover
14 The Fringe NOVEMBER 2023
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LATEST APARTMENT RELEASE
OPEN THE DOOR TO VILLAGE LIFE
Artist's Impression
If you’ve been considering a move to Murray Halberg Village, our latest release of apartments are available now. Whether you want a ground floor apartment where you can tend to your pot plants or an apartment with views out to the village gardens, native bush or Manukau Harbour, we have an apartment you can call home. Join a thriving community with a village centre that includes a heated indoor pool and spa, gym, hair salon, movie theatre and cafe. Best of all, the on-site care centre offers resthome, hospital and specialist dementia care. Apartments priced from $740,000
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