SOUTH Spring 2023

BOMBS OVER BAGHDAD

I was in the storeroom at work as the Gulf War began in January 1991. Peter Arnett was in Baghdad, reporting live on CNN as the United States bombed the city.

He stayed in Iraq for 57 days, his landmark broadcasts allowing the world to watch in real time. It was just one instance where the Southland raised Arnett was at the centre of the action, his name becoming synonymous with the true meaning of war correspondence.

His years as a prominent member of the press corps offered a front row seat to conflicts around the globe.

From his early days covering coups in South East Asia, to reporting from Vietnam, Central America, Afghanistan, the Gulf War, and the Iraq War, Arnett was across it all.

His career includes the only Pulitzer Prize awarded to a New Zealander, earning the wrath of various American administrations, and famous

interviews with Saddam Hussein and Osama Bin Laden. The latter in 1997 was chillingly prescient, with the Al Qaeda leader uttering the fateful words “You’ll see them and hear about them in the media, God willing”, when asked of his future plans. While most of the western world was shocked by the 9/11 attacks, less surprised were the journalists who had witnessed American foreign policy in action over the preceding decades.

(Gavin Bertram, Editor)

WHO WE ARE

EVEN over 20 years since it opened, Speight’s Ale House Dunedin still trades on the same ‘‘generous to a fault’’ approach it was originally founded on in 1999. And at the Speight’s Ale House Dunedin, the beer is matched to a menu of equal quality. Food has always been a major part of the offering, with a focus on Southern fare, hearty servings, and value for money.

The menu has something for every taste, with classics including seafood chowder, blue cod, lamb shanks, steak, venison, and vegetarian options.

And, of course, there’s a superb range of brews on offer, including the original Gold Medal Ale, the Triple Hop Pilsner, Distinction Ale, Old Dark, Empire IPA, and even a cider What more could you want from a Dunedin Bar & Restaurant!

Speight's Summit Ultra Lime Summit Ultra with Lime is a refreshing low-carb lager, with an added twist of lime. The brewing process is extended to create a beer with a crisp, drier finish and 75% less carbs than the average carb content of leading NZ beer. The perfect way to socialise after a hard days work or to celebrate a job well done.

EDITOR

Gavin Bertram

gavin.bertram@alliedpress.co.nz

DESIGN

Mike D’Evereux

ADVERTISING SALES MANAGER

Nic Dahl (03 479-3545) nic.dahl@alliedpress.co.nz

CONTACT

Email: south@alliedpress.co.nz

Online: www.southmagnz.co.nz

Digital edition: issuu.com/alliedpress

Facebook: @SOUTHMagNZ

Instagram: @south_magazine_nz

meals, so there is no wait!

“We are going to punish somebody for this attack, but just who or where will be blown to smithereens for it is hard to say. Not even the Generals in what remains of the Pentagon or the New York papers calling for war seem to know who did it or where to look for them.” (Hunter S. Thompson, Fear and Loathing in America)

Cover image: supplied by Peter Arnett. The correspondent chats with a gunner at US Army helicopter base in Pleiku, Vietnam, in 1966.

Visit Waitaki’s geological wonderland

Tucked away in the heart of New Zealand’s South Island lies a true geological and cultural wonder: the Waitaki Whitestone UNESCO Global Geopark.

This unassuming yet extraordinary destination invites all to uncover the mysteries of Zealandia’s past and the stories embedded in its rocks and landscapes. The geopark’s charm lies in its diversity.

From the renowned Te Kaihīnaki/Moeraki Boulders, captivating in their perfect spherical shape, to the rugged limestone cliffs and tranquil braided rivers, the Geopark is a living classroom of geological and cultural history. Nature enthusiasts and curious minds alike can explore the incredible forces that have shaped these formations over millions of years and how these landscapes have shaped the lives of its people, animals, and plants.

Explore impressive limestone ‘elephants’ at Elephant Rocks – remnants of an ancient seafloor where the surrounding softer material has been eroded away. Visit the Vanished World Centre nearby to explore

the evolution of marine animals including ancient whales and giant penguins. Beyond its geological marvels, the geopark preserves a cultural heritage that enriches the visit. Discover Māori rock art at Takiroa and Maerewhenua. These limestone overhangs were shelter for early travellers along a seasonal route up the Waitaki Valley and are physical reminders of the ancestors who have passed through this landscape. Incredible forces formed our Geopark under an ancient sea. Volcanoes, mountains, rivers, glaciers, and people then further shaped this region. Written in the stone and in our land is the story of the Waitaki – a geological wonderland, steeped in Kāi Tahu Whānui histories and culture waiting to be explored. It’s an invitation to learn, reflect, and connect with the Earth’s story as you uncover the remarkable treasures hidden within Waitaki’s landscapes.

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FOREWORDFEATURES

4 Editorial 7 Big Picture

10 WHAT’S ON: Five things to do this spring.

13 EVENT: Dunedin Writers & Readers Festival.

14 FOOD: Wholesome offerings from Ginger Fox Foods.

15 DRINKS: What’s good at Meenan’s Liquorland this spring?

17 JOBS: Dunedin composer Anthony Ritchie.

18 SHOPPING & FASHION

20 BIG ASK: With Adventure Consultants’ mountain guide Guy Cotter.

21 WHERE IT’S AT: Meredith Parkin on living in Queenstown.

22 In the shadows: Andrew Paul Wood’s new book explores the occult in New Zealand.

24 Stand-up stand-out: Comedian Josh Thomson comes south with 7 Days Live.

26 Line of fire: Bluff raised journalist Peter Arnett reflects on a life spent on the frontline

ENDNOTES

32 BOOKENDS

33 HOW YA GOING? Dunedin expat Injy Johnstone writes home.

34 ONCE UPON A TIME: Phil Manzanera reflects on Roxy Music’s career.

36 I WAS THERE: Pete Hodgson on the dawn of MMP.

38 LOOSE ENDS

BIG PICTURE

“I wonder if I'm the only one in the running business with this system of forgetting that I'm running because I'm too busy thinking.”

Photo: Stephen Jaquiery

The Dunedin Marathon is on Sunday, September 10.

(Alan Sillitoe, The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner)

Inspired exteriors

Whether your home’s exterior is clad with weatherboard, timber, concrete, brick, plaster stucco, fibre-cement or corrugated steel, there is a Resene product that’s fit to protect it from whatever nature throws at it.

When it comes to choosing your colours, the most popular hues often correlate to the style of the home. Resene whites, creams, light greys and blues such as Resene Rice Cake, Resene Villa White, Resene Grey Chateau and Resene Duck Egg Blue continue to be popular options for traditional villas, earth tones like Resene Flax, Resene Colins Wicket and Resene Woodsman Uluru and classic reds like Resene Pioneer Red are great choices for mid-century homes and dark greys and blacks like Resene Tuna, Resene Foundry, Resene Nero and Resene Woodsman Pitch Black suit contemporary styles.

Top tip: When choosing medium to dark paint and wood stain colours on any of your home’s exterior surfaces, consider using the Resene CoolColour formula. A Resene CoolColour looks like the regular Resene colour but has been technologically formulated to reflect more of the sun’s harsh UV rays to better protect your coating and substrate.

Black continues to be a popular colour choice for contemporary exteriors. Walls painted in Resene CoolColour Bokara Grey and fascia and pergola in Resene CoolColour Black. (Project Atlas Architects. Photo Tess Kelly).

Timber stained with Resene Woodsman offers natural appeal while protecting your investment from the weather. Board and batten wall stained in Resene Waterborne Woodsman Smokey Ash, deck in Resene Woodsman Decking Oil Stain Tiri, privacy screen in Resene Ironsand, table in Resene Touchstone, plant pots in Resene Ironsand and vase in Resene Touchstone. Lamp from Jardin, screen from Mitre 10, glassware from Bed Bath N’ Table. (Project Melle Van Sambeek, photo Bryce Carleton)

Top tip: Exposure to UV light causes timber to lose its colour and grey, so always protect any outdoor timber cladding on your home with an exterior wood stain or paint. Resene CoolColour paints and stains reflect more heat to keep surfaces cooler than the normal colour.

Paint is a great opaque option for changing the look of your concrete walls, patio pavers or planters, but you can also add buildable semi-transparent colour with the Resene In The Wash collection of finishes. These colours can be applied to surfaces in a uniform manner using spray application, such as on these outdoor patio paving stones, to achieve an even wash of colour. But if you’re after an artistic, fresco-like look, you can experiment with how you apply them. On the front two plant pots, we applied the wash with a brush in a criss-cross manner to create an appealing visual texture. Wall painted in Resene Sour Dough with Resene FX Paint Effects Medium mixed with Resene Blanc applied on top, floor in Resene Walk-on Concrete Clear tinted to Resene Claywash, plant pots in (from front to back) Resene Concrete Clear satin tinted to Resene Stonewash, Resene Concrete Clear satin tinted to Resene Claywash and Resene Double Akaroa. Chair from Danske Møbler, throw from Baya, concrete plant pots from Mood. (Project Amber Armitage, photo Bryce Carleton)

Grey-edged Resene blues continue to be popular choices for home exteriors as these colours always seem to sit well within the natural landscape. Wall painted in Resene Baring Head, decking in Resene Woodsman Uluru, pendant lamp in Resene Alabaster, plant pot in Resene Baring Head, vase in Resene Ocean Waves, tray in Resene Timeless and art object in Resene Alabaster, Resene Timeless and Resene Ocean Waves. Table, chairs and cushion from Danske Møbler, tableware from Good Thing and Bed Bath & Beyond, throw from Furtex, basket from Father Rabbit. (Project Melle Van Sambeek, photo Bryce Carleton)

Mimic the chic look of Mediterranean tiles on your patio pavers by handpainting or stenciling them in an array of complementary designs. Weatherboards painted in Resene Half Grey Chateau, patio floor in Resene Landscape Grey and Resene Off Piste, table in Resene Grey Chateau and plant pots in Resene Grey Chateau, Resene Poet and Resene Jimmy Dean. Chair from Nood. (Project Megan Harrison-Turner, photo Bryce Carleton)

Top tip: Resene Non-Skid Deck & Path is a great option for painting stairs and outdoor areas that are prone to being slippery when wet.

Bring a cheerful energy to your backyard space by painting furniture, plant pots and accessories in a monochromatic palette of turquoise blues to complement pale blue weatherboards. Wall painted in Resene Carefree, deck in Resene Woodsman Uluru, chairs, wall hooks and large plant pot in Resene Calypso, table and small plant pot in Resene Big Chill, rug in Resene Coast and light fixture in Resene Alabaster. Mugs from Le Creuset, bowl from Stevens. (Project Megan Harrison-Turner, photo Bryce Carleton)

If you need help choosing the right Resene colours, paints and wood stains to bring out the best in your home, or even just advice on how to get the prep work done, come in and see your local Resene ColorShop team. Or use the free Ask a Resene Paint Expert online resene.co.nz/paintexpert or Ask a Resene Colour Expert online resene.co.nz/ colourexpert

6 Hour Enduro

Highlands Motorsport Park, Cromwell

November 4-5

It’s the 10th birthday for Highlands, and as part of the celebrations they’re hosting the inaugural 6 Hour Enduro offering fantastic racing with plenty of drama. Other supporting categories are: Aussie Racing Cars, Central Muscle Cars, and 1 Hour Enduro. They’ll also be giving away a Lamborghini Huracan - see www.highlands.co.nz/events/highlands-6-hour-enduro for details.

OF THE BEST

Queenstown

Multicultural Festival

Queenstown

10am-4pm, Saturday, October 7

A gold coin donation will get you into this exciting community event, that is a showcase of Queenstown’s cultural diversity. As well as unique performances, there will be live music, fantastic food, fun games for the kids, and various craft stalls.

Ōtepoti Dunedin Heritage Festival

Dunedin

October 5-15

The festival celebrates many aspects of the city’s growing heritage, and the transformations that have shaped it. As well as being able to explore buildings and gardens, there will be storytelling, film, heritage Minecraft worlds, and a virtual journey into the subterranean architecture of Dunedin’s past.

Design & Decor

Queen: It’s a Kinda Magic Regent Theatre, Dunedin

7.30pm, Saturday, October 14

Recreating Queen’s epic 1986 World Tour, this Australian production features 20 of the band’s biggest hits, including Bohemian Rhapsody and Another One Bites the Dust. Dominic Warren performs the Freddie Mercury role with studied perfection. This show also visits Invercargill on October 15 and Gore on October 16.

Boundless photography exhibition

Dunedin Community Gallery

September 12-20

OurSight, a group of 11 photographers who are members of the Dunedin Photographic Society, are hosting their own Boundless exhibition. This will include workshops, with topics such as the use of Artificial Intelligence, processing your own images, and a street photography excursion. A short film about the group will also be screened.

Left: 'Vertigo' by Noelle Bennett: 'A double exposure image taken looking straight down the dam wall at Lake Ruataniwha in the Mackenzie Country, and seeking to give an impression of the enormity of these structures'

BEHIND THE WHEEL FOR 21 YEARS

We catch up with Daniel Mosley of Gilmour Motors Suzuki. Dan is Service Assistant and Vehicle Detailer for the locallyowned and operated car dealership in Princes Street, Dunedin.

How did you get started in the automotive industry?

It started with work experience through the Prince’s Trust. I’ve now been at Gilmour Motors for 21 years. The day of my job interview, it was midwinter and the motorway was closed, which could have been a problem, living in Warrington. I came in with my uncle who worked on the train. I think he got into trouble, but everyone was really impressed that I managed to make it in, and I got the job.

What do you enjoy about your role?

It’s a role that supports everyone. I’m a person of many different jobs. When I started, there were over 20 staff members at the Andy Bay Road site. We have eight now. It’s a good wee small team. I enjoy the variety, pretty much helping out with everyone and

everything - deliveries, picking up and dropping off parts, checking over parts and new vehicles when they arrive, helping out with Hertz rentals, and sales on Saturday, as well as preparing the vehicles and keeping them presentable.

What do you like to do away from work?

I’ve been playing indoor bowls for the Warrington club since I was 13, and I’ve been selected to play for Otago a few times in recent years. I also enjoy camping with friends and get away on 4WD trips every so often, around Otago.

Any tips for car care?

Always make sure you hose down your car before getting the brush out, clean off any bird droppings or tree sap as soon as possible, and get a professional clean once a year or so to keep your vehicle looking great.

Daniel and his team at the Festival Fours Bowls Tournament in April 2023, where they placed first!

Celebrating 20 years with Gilmour Motors, Dan with Emma’s parents Alistair and Carola Gilmour, who started the business and first employed Dan in 2002.

Dan helps to keep things running smoothly at Dunedin’s Suzuki dealership.

Festival bursting with talent and brilliant books

“Te Pūao - the place where the river meets the sea” is the theme for this year’s Dunedin Writers & Readers Festival.

Booklovers in Aotearoa’s first UNESCO City of Literature are once again preparing to gather around the ancient fire of story.

The beloved Dunedin Writers and Readers Festival is a biannual three day celebration of writers, readers, books, and poetry.

“Our team are thrilled to be presenting a programme bursting with talent and brilliant books,” festival director Kitty Brown (Kāi Tahu, Kāti Mamoe) says. Authors from around Aotearoa will be converging on Ōtepoti Dunedin for the festival, bringing knowledge and enthusiasm for a range of topics, from foraging to gentrification and beyond. Among the many highlights to this year’s

festival are a huge Festival Gala Night at the Regent Theatre on Friday October 13. Celebrating the 50 years literary career of Witi Ihimaera, the evening will be hosted by Stacey Morrison, and feature David Eggleton, Jacinta Ruru, Fiona Farrell, Emma Espiner, Chris Tse, and Ihimaera himself.

Then there’s the festival’s inaugural Curator Māori Series, Toitū Tauraka Waka, by Jacinta Ruru (Raukawa, Ngāti Ranginui) and Angela Wanhalla (Ngāi Te Ruahikihiki, Ngāi Tahu). This will feature Witi Ihimaera, Monty Soutar, Linda Tuhiwai Smith, and others.

“Māori writers help make sense of the past, create narratives for our future, and

provide inspiration for the generations to come,” Ruru says.

Deep River Talk is a poetry series presented by the Hone Tuwhare Trust, that draws its korowai around big topics like activism, poetry, and politics

Radiant Revelry celebrates the timeless legacy of New Zealand’s boundary pushing literary giant Katherine Mansfields, on her birthday (and the centenary year of her death). There will be a series of wild and wonderful children’s workshops held at the Dunedin City Library, where young authors and illustrators are invited to meet their heroes and enjoy stories.

That’s just a few of the highlight’s of this year’s festival. To explore the programme further, visit www.dunedinwritersfestival. co.nz

With a central hub in the Dunedin Public Art Gallery, events will also be hosted at Te Whare o Rukutia, the Community Gallery, and other venues orbiting the Octagon. “We all know the beauty of river mouths, where the restless river runs into the welcoming ocean,” Dunedin Writers & Readers Festival board chair Nicola McConnell says. “ Our festival will move as a current, bringing ideas in and sending others on a voyage beyond.”

• Dunedin Writers & Readers Festival: October 13-15.

The Hone Tuwhare Trust will present a poetry series. Witi Ihimaera. (Photo: Andi Crown)

The festival’s inaugural Curator Māori Series, Toitū Tauraka Waka, is by Jacinta Ruru and Angela Wanhalla.

The Fantastic Ginger Fox

A desire to create something from nothing and exploring personal nutrition led to the launch of Dunedin’s Ginger Fox Foods.

Adam Sudale believes there’s an overlap between his job as a product designer, and the Ginger Fox food products. Whether designing for innovative Dunedin fireplace company Escea, or honing his own range of peanut butters and tahini, the process has some similarities.

“I think the reservoir of creativity I can dip into is the same,” he says. “Whether it’s a food product or a physical product, the process of creating something and design thinking transfers.”

Ginger Fox Foods’ range has been available at Taste Nature since 2022, and at the Otago Farmers Market since the beginning of this year, and is about to stock into Fresh Choice.

For a long time Sudale had harboured an itch to launch a venture from nothing, saying that he’s made long lists of ideas. That desire coupled with lifestyle decisions that his family had made around consumption to form the rough vision for Ginger Fox.

Having single-use plastic free six years ago and adjusted their shopping

behaviour as a consequence, they were growing more food (wife Amy captains that ship), and making more from scratch.

They were also paying more attention to the ingredients in the items that they were still purchasing.

“That gave us more inspiration to make more food, to exclude the ingredients we didn’t want to eat or didn’t understand what they were,” Sudale says. “We were making our own peanut butter, and tweaked it and made it again and again. Samples went around and people were saying how good it was.”

As well as using high oleic, and red skin peanuts , the Ginger Fox Foods range of peanut butters are fortified with nutrient dense whole food ingredients. They include ‘Chunky’ with banana and cinnamon, ‘Chewy’ with beetroot, sweet potato, and carrot, and ‘Seed Bomb’ with rye, oats, and numerous seeds.

Blending health enhancing adjuncts into peanut butters has become popular in recent times, but few have advanced the concept as far as Ginger Fox Foods.

As well as having friends and work colleagues sample products, tasting afternoons at Taste Nature (the first to support the company) and the Otago Farmers Market offers a perfect testing ground for new ideas. Getting instant feedback informs how the products are further developed, in relation to taste, and appearance and mouth-feel too.

“Getting that direct feedback is great,” Sudale says. “And to see that people are enjoying it, that’s where I’ve always come from in product design.”

The playful Ginger Fox branding is derived from a nickname that his brother once gave him that stuck. But Ginger Fox is suffixed with ‘Foods’ rather than ‘Peanut Butter’ to allow the company to expand, as it has done recently with a white and a black tahini.

With a lot of potential to expand into other foods, Sudale would in time like to broaden distribution to the South Island and then nationwide.

“I’m not wanting to think too far ahead,” he says. “But if the momentum is there then it makes the next decision easier.”

Ginger Fox Foods’ Adam Sudale at the Otago Farmers Market.

Bottle Store Secret

The first Sunday of September also marks a special day for us all to honour our dads.

As a rule, Southerners are typically loyal to the bitter end, but we are not insular. In our experience at Meenans Liquorland we are a calm and considered region who research the latest and greatest and take great convincing to step off the path. With over 3200 products in stock, we have a few suggestions for heading down that garden path and discovering a flavour sensation that you never knew existed...

MEENANS PICKS FOR SPRING

Gin: London Dry styles infused with local botanicals. Shop local and love what your region has to offer. Have you stumbled on Dunedin’s very own Sandymount Distillery’s range of gins or Dunedin Craft Distillers small and steady range?

Whisky: Of course all dads love a great single malt, but don’t forget to look into the ever-growing range of single malts available from New Zealand. Have you tried any of the NZ Whisky Collection drams that are now distilling at Speight’s Brewery? Or single malts from our not-so-distant neighbours across the ditch, specifically Tasmania. Meenans has a great selection of products that we import from all corners of the globe. Sherries, Madeira, and port from Spain. Wines from Chile, France, Portugal, Spain, and South Africa. Rums from the Dominican Republic, Guyana, Martinique, and Panama, along with whisky from Tasmania, Wales, France, and Scotland. Top that all off with all the usual suspects, and you really can’t go past Meenans for that little something more than the norm.

The team at Meenans Liquorland all love what we do. We are here to offer great advice and solutions to your needs. We also ship nationwide.

Reach out and discover the South’s best kept bottle store secret!

Spring brings change! Longer days, brighter moods, and the likelihood of trying something new, including liquid refreshments.

New Art exhibition at the Museum

TERMINUS, a major virtual reality exhibition, and XYZZY, a planetarium show, are both by leading contemporary artist Jess Johnson and director Simon Ward.

TERMINUS has been shown in New York, Tokyo, and Sydney, and is free to the public at the Museum. Made of five virtual reality portals, visitors will explore a mysterious universe of alien architecture populated by humanoid clones and cryptic symbols, traversed via a network of travellators and gateways.

The planetarium show, XYZZY, is being shown in New Zealand for the

worms, hallucinogenic patterns, and messianic alien deities. The dynamic visual atmosphere is charged with 90s inspired electronic synthesizer tracks.

“These exhibitions are bringing international-level contemporary art to Dunedin. We are just delighted to have the works here, and the digital aspect really appeals to a broad audience which we love. They are totally worth a trip to Dunedin for, this foray into art is really exciting for us,” the Museum’s Marketing Manager Kate Oktay said.

While you are at Tūhura, make sure you check out the other eight free galleries

The biggest science centre in New Zealand

Three-storey slide

Hundreds

Tūhura Otago Museum has two new digital art experiences for the public this spring.

AN URGE TO CREATE

This month, Symphony No.6 by Dunedin composer Anthony Ritchie will have its world premiere.

Although he’s been composing for almost half a century, Ritchie still gets nervous and excited when his work debuts, especially for longer pieces. Symphony No.6 was begun during the first lockdown in 2020, when the composer wanted to capture a sense of crisis, both due to the pandemic and global politics.

It was also a personal work, embracing a theme of love, as Ritchie faced a serious illness.

“My piece is a little bit darker than my previous works overall, in its mood and tone,” he says. As well as the Dunedin Symphony Orchestra performing it alongside Dvořák’s Symphony No.9, From the New World, the symphony has also been recorded by the NZSO for a CD release.

Ritchie began composing when he was little more than 10, as he began improvising on the piano rather than learning the prescribed pieces.

He says he was probably exposed to music even before he was born as his mother, a soprano singer, practised her scales. Father John Ritchie was also a noted composer in Christchurch.

With an urge to create, Ritchie was a keen painter

as a child, and says he loved his piano when aged seven he started taking lessons.

Teenage heroes were 20th Century composers including Sibelius and Shostakovich, and as a teenager he dreamed of pursuing the same career.

“I really let rip and wrote a lot of music in those first few years when I was at high school supposed to be doing other things,” Ritchie says. “I just really wanted to write a lot of music, but the sort of training for it, the craft, had to come a little bit later, at high school, and then university.”

Having completed a PhD on Bartok at Canterbury University, a pivotal moment in his career came when he took up the Mozart Fellowship at the University of Otago in 1988.

This allowed Ritchie to escape the “insular music society” in Christchurch, and living in his father’s shadow as a composer.

“The move created a certain amount of independence,” he says. “It meant I could just compose without worrying about finances too much, and we brought the young family here.”

Ritchie was later the composer-in-residence for the Southern Sinfonia, and over subsequent years has written many commissioned works, and had multiple works released.

There’s been international recognition too, with the BBC Symphony Orchestra recording A Bugle Will Do in 2014, and the oratorio Gallipoli to the Somme was performed in London in 2018.

As Head of School at the University of Otago’s School of Performing Arts, it’s hard for Ritchie to find much time for composing. But he tries to carve out some hours on Fridays, and took a sabbatical during the first half of this year to work on his own music.

He loves the range of artistic activities that he gets to witness at the School.

“I think it’s stimulating to see what other people are doing,” Ritchie says. “To see what research and what creative work is going on at the school. That makes me want to do stuff, so from that point of view there is a bit of overlap.”

As well as awaiting this month’s premier, he’s currently one of five composers collaborating on a big piece for Matariki next year, when the World Choir Games is being held in Auckland.

• Anthony Ritchie’s Symphony No.6 and Dvořák’s Symphony No.9, From the New World performed by the Dunedin Symphony Orchestra. Dunedin Town Hall. 7.30pm, Saturday September 23.

How I became a… composer, with Dunedin’s Anthony Ritchie.

Anthony Ritchie’s Symphony No.6 will premier in Dunedin this month.

Turntable, available from Relics HiFi

PSB Alpha IQ Streaming Active Speakers, available from Relics HiFi in Dunedin. A true, all-in-one wireless system. The Alpha iQ speakers are built for the modern music lover – thanks to BluOS, users can instantly connect and stream nearly all the music ever recorded without needing any other components or devices.

Rega P1

in Dunedin.

Textone Classic Mini speakers, handcrafted in Dunedin, available from Relics HiFi.

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anne mardell antler blacklist cartel & willow coop cooper curate ketz-ke leo+be mink pink nyne nineteen 46 naturals ricochet recreate stitch ministry staple + cloth staple the label silk & steel

tuesday

1. Coop The Pleat is On skirt, available from Hype in Dunedin.

2. Coop Hot Topic top, available from Hype in Dunedin. 3. Nyne Ever dress, available from Hype in Dunedin.

4. Tuesday Sammy dress, available from Hype in Dunedin.

5. Tuesday Band t-shirt, available from Hype in Dunedin.

Wild things

Add a curiosity to the home with some taxidermy from Flora Fauna in Queenstown.

1. Green finch on 1940s crystal decanter and glass set, on antique silver tray, by Claire Todd @vintageliberation, available from florafauna.co.nz

2. Baby Bunny in yellow Art Deco bowl, by Claire Todd @vintageliberation, available from florafauna.co.nz

3. Juvenile Blackbird on antique silver platter with nest, 4,25ct pigeon-blood ruby, by Claire Todd @vintageliberation, available from florafauna.co.nz

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328 George St, Dunedin

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BIGASK:

GuyCotter

Wanaka based mountain guide Guy Cotter has spent his life at altitude. He took over as CEO of Adventure Consultants after Rob Hall perished on Mt Everest in 1996. As well as climbing many of the highest summits on the planet multiple times, Cotter is a renowned high altitude cameraman.

Mountain Guide is his soon to be published memoir.

Mountains have always inspired Guy Cotter.

What inspires you?

Mountains inspire me, but I guess that’s no surprise! I love looking at mountains whilst visualising ways to get up and down them and ‘working them out’. I do the same with rock cliffs that I might climb on.

And what annoys you?

I’d have to say drivers who want to go slow and enjoy the view, but don’t pull over to let others pass.

Can you recommend a book, a film, and a song?

Annapurna, the book about the first ascent of an 8,000m peak by the French in 1950. It was an ascent of epic proportions that saw them reach the summit, but some of the climbers endured horrific frostbite injuries, then they had to travel across India while the maggots ate their dead flesh. Himalaya, a film made by Eric Valli in the Dolpo region of Nepal. And I love the song In this World by Moby.

What’s the most important thing that you’ve learnt?

You’re only as good as your last rodeo.

Who do you admire?

Anyone who shows kindness and compassion to others and doesn’t take their good fortune for granted or hold others accountable for their bad fortune.

What do you love about where you live?

The views, the access to the outdoors, the cleanliness, the solitude.

Where/when are you happiest?

Definitely happiest when out rock climbing or skiing or mountain biking or kayaking or fishing…

When (other than now) was the best time of your life?

The best time in my life was in my early 20s when living in California rock climbing at Yosemite Valley.

What are you looking forward to?

I always look forward to my next adventure whether it is climbing mountains or any of the aforementioned activities. Let me just finish writing this and I’ll be out there getting at it.

I think everybody should… at least once in their life.

Do a safari in Africa. It’s accessible to anyone and mind bogglingly incredible.

• Everest Mountain Guide by Guy Cotter will be published by Potton & Burton in October.

Cotter with actor Jason Clarke on the set of Everest.

Guy Cotter skiing in Wanaka. (Photo: Geoff Marks)

Welcome to Your Big Day wedding guide 2023

Being someone’s true love means that you accept them for the person they are, and that you do not wish to change them. Saying ‘‘I love you’’ in front of the world is what your wedding day is all about. It means standing by the one you love during those days of delirious happiness, and also during days of sadness and selfdoubt. It means knowing their deepest

secrets - and how they have their coffee. It means coming together to plan your wedding - because it’s time to take that ultimate leap!

While planning a wedding can be a lot of fun, it can also be very stressful. That’s why within Your Big Day you’ll find a safety net of tips and useful information - keep it handy as you plan this great occasion.

‘‘To get the full value of joy you must have someone to divide it with.”

(Mark Twain)

Photo: Stephen Jaquiery

Photo: Stephen Jaquiery

9-12 MONTHS BEFORE 6-9 MONTHS BEFORE

PLAN style and budget, and decide who is contributing to the wedding. SET date, time, and place.

BOOK venue(s) and musicians/DJ.

ASSEMBLE quotes from photographers, caterers, and wedding dress makers/suppliers. ORDER wedding transport. LOOK at wedding dress designs. DECIDE on colour

INSURE your engagement ring.

CHOOSE your wedding dress.

VISIT your minister, priest, or celebrant. WRITE a guest list. SEND a save-the-date.

ESTABLISH beauty and exercise routine. SELECT a caterer. BAKE/order the wedding cake.

DISCUSS flowers with the chosen florist. CHOOSE your photographer. ARRANGE videographer and discuss your social media/ Insta/Twitter plan.

3 MONTHS BEFORE

BUY bridesmaids dresses and decide on accessories. THINK about the vows you’d like to take, or write your own.

FIT groom and groomsmen suits.

SELECT a wedding gift registry or piece of art etc. for guests to contribute towards.

FINALISE guest lists.

SEND out invitations. BEGIN any DIY decorations. RESERVE wedding night accommodation for yourself and out of town guests.

LIAISE with photographer, chauffeur and celebrant. CONTINUE beauty and exercise routine.

ONE MONTH TO GO

APPLY for a marriage license. ARRANGE seating plan. ATTEND hairdresser with veil or headpiece.

PURCHASE thank you presents. DECIDE who will be making the speeches and let them know. ARRANGE wedding rehearsal. ACCEPT last-minute RSVPs. TASTE menu selections and beverages. FINALISE running order. SCHEDULE final dress fitting. PICK up wedding rings. CRAFT or purchase wedding favours for guests to take home.

TRIAL hair and makeup. WEAR wedding shoes so they are comfy on the day.

You’re going to need to be super-organised to make it the best day ever. There’s a lot to think about, so use this checklist and tick items

Wedderburn-Becks Road, SH 85, Wedderburn, Central Otago, New Zealand

The Wedderburn Tavern is a unique and beautiful Central Otago wedding venue set amidst the spectacular landscapes of the Maniototo.

ONE WEEK TO GO ON THE DAY

GO through a full rehearsal at the ceremony site with all attendants.

PRINT speeches.

COLLECT hired items. WRITE place cards.

RECONFIRM all bookings, numbers, times and details.

ENJOY a hen’s night or combined party.

CHECK venue has the running order.

WRAP presents for attendants.

PACK for your wedding night and honeymoon.

PRACTISE your wedding vows.

Chisholm Links

SLEEP late. EAT breakfast.

PAMPER yourself.

LET others do their job. THANK friends and family.

RELAX don’t stress over tiny details.

ENJOY YOUR WEDDING DAY.

ideal wedding venue

Make

Chisholm

For more information, please contact the clubhouse manager: P: 027-209-7228 E: manager@chisholmlinks.co.nz

You’re not really married if it’s not legal. In New Zealand there are two ways to get married or have a civil union:

Making it legal

By a registered marriage celebrant

You can choose:

When and where you’ll get married. To write your own vows. A religious or independent celebrant. To find a celebrant visit celebrants.dia.govt.nz (only registered celebrants can perform weddings or civil unions in New Zealand). You will need to arrange your celebrant before you can get a marriage licence. The cost varies.

Registry ceremonies

Although registry offices have not been available for ceremonies in New Zealand since 2019, registry ceremonies remain a popular option.

They must be held on a weekday and not on a public holiday, and have a set cost ($240 in total) and standard vows.

Step 1: Decide where to get married in New Zealand. You’ll need to arrange the celebrant and venue, and remember guests are limited to 20 people.

Step 2: Apply for a marriage licence at least three working days before the ceremony, to confirm that it’s legal for you to marry.

Step 3: Arrange witnesses - you’ll need to bring two to the ceremony.

Step 4: Get married. Registry ceremonies follow a script and you must use standard vows. Your celebrant will give you a “Copy of particulars of marriage”, and will register your marriage with the government.

Making the right connection

One of the most significant people at your wedding is the person standing together with you in front of your guests.

In a celebrant, you must find someone that suits your style, someone you connect with and trust to have the huge responsibility of narrating your special day. Pick someone that is going to fit with your personalities. The ceremony can be one of the most emotional parts of your wedding so you need someone you feel comfortable to laugh and cry with.

They will get to know the intimate parts of your relationship story and sometimes the harder things you want to acknowledge in your ceremony. You should feel natural and comfortable to discuss things openly and honestly, and your

more in advance. An option is to be willing to be flexible on your time or date. The most popular wedding time is between 2-4pm on a Saturday. Morning or twilight weddings are a fabulous idea and will allow you to get the celebrant you want to work around other weddings. Friday or Sunday weddings are also a great option.

Once you find your celebrant, make sure that you have something in writing with them. This not only ensures you are getting what you are expecting, in relation to date, time, location and fees, but should also outline some terms and conditions for all involved.

Esther Smith-Devaney

You have decided to make the public declaration of marriage with your partner in life. Be it an intimate service or a large gathering – what’s next?

There are a few things that you need to nail first. Choose a date for your ceremony, venue, catering, musician, and don’t forget legally you need a Celebrant or Denomination to officiate. It is important that the people you choose to guide you are the people you want, and it's no different when choosing your celebrant. Ask around; how many weddings has your celebrant officiated?

I became a celebrant because I love being part of the joy that special celebrations bring to people. Having been involved in education for many years and with people of all ages and backgrounds, I have learned the importance of communicating and listening effectively. My warm and caring personality helps me to connect with people. Being a strong family-oriented person who enjoys spending time with those close to me, I can ensure that everyone who is important to you is included in your special day.

Anke Buhrfeindt - Significant Moments

New to Dunedin, but a celebrant since 2008, I spent 30+ colourful years in Asia as employee of the German Foreign Service, then as childbirth educator and doula. In NZ since 2007, I married close to 400 couples here. I draft ceremonies honouring clients’ beliefs, wishes and cultural backgrounds. My life experiences and challenges as birth practice activist, teacher, student, mother, grandmother, divorcee, business innovator are supporting and culminating in my celebrant work. I am a student of the

Celebrants will guide you through the process. I offer a free no obligation meeting to discuss your vision and dream day. We meet as many times as needed to get your service written. A rehearsal the day before, and then “the day”. Honestly, anything goes these days so let’s do it!

Call 0276 756 284, email estherjdevaney@gmail.com, See Instagram (esther_celebrant_) or Facebook (Esther Smith-Devaney-Celebrant), or visit www.esthersmithdevaneycelebrant.co.nz

Call 0273 272 851, or email dfordcelebrant@gmail.com

“Leading up to the day Dyanne was fantastic, meeting with us via zoom… guiding us through the whole upcoming process and putting in a lot of work behind the scenes. (She) allowed us to make all of the important decisions about our ceremony ourselves… Dyanne has a true gift when it comes to understanding couples and she created a ceremony that was so unique to us as a couple.” (Holly and Sean)

Your Perfect Wedding Venue

Macandrew Bay, Dunedin

humankind with no graduation… lots of wonderful co-students, resulting in the delivery of Significant Moments with charisma, inner presence, heart and humour.

Call 021 861 611; email anke@significantmoments.co.nz or visit www.significantmoments.co.nz

Dyanne Ford

A top spot

In the beautiful part of the world that we live there is a venue to suit all sizes and styles of wedding.

The level of involvement you wish to have will determine the perfect location for you. Some couples prefer a more do-it-yourself style of function, while others just like to turn up on the day and have nothing to worry about.

The reception is likely to take up the largest chunk of your budget, so it is certainly worth putting in a little more effort to find the place that is just right for you.

Hotels, resorts, events centres

With everything taken care of, there’s really no guesswork involved. All you have to do is arrive, unpack, and be pampered.

Vineyards and wineries

What’s not to like about an outdoors wedding surrounded by vines? But yes, this is a weatherdependent choice requiring sensible footwear, so make sure that you have a rainy-day Plan B. Gardens, parks, gazebos

A seasonal favourite for the outdoors inclined. Plan for the best blooming season so photos are filled with flowers and green leaves.

Church halls and sports clubs

If you know how to make the most of a fairly stark space, this is the perfect option for an inexpensive, cheerful family-friendly occasion with all your favourite people.

Unique locations

It’s your special day, so why not make it super memorable by tying the knot on a boat, a hilltop, or even in your perfectly decorated backyard?

Tips

• Go online, and ask friends for some ideas.

• Be clear on the budget.

• Is it a good fit your style?

• Consider having your wedding on a weekday.

• Save by having the ceremony and reception at the same place.

What a dish

Canapes keep guests occupied and socialising while they wait for you to arrive.

Cake your mind up

Choosing what type of cake you’d like on your wedding day has to be one of the most delicious decisions.

Three-tiers will generally serve 50-100 guests. A great way to save yourself a budget blow-out is to order one small, beautiful, decorated display cake, and enough sheet cake to feed the masses.

Take a picture

• Your budget will determine how much of the day the photographer can capture.

• Understand exactly what your photographer is offering and confirm it in writing.

• Make sure the photographer understands what style you are after: documentary, natural, posed, candid.

• You can’t control the weather. Have a backup plan.

• Make sure your wishes regarding social media posting are made clear.

Be on time

Platters of meats, salads, and vegetables allow guests to help themselves, and encourages interaction.

A buffet is a great way to serve a lot of people on a budget, and guests are in control of food selection.

A formal meal brings structure to the reception, but the additional wait staff

will cost more.

Food trucks are increasingly popular - but consider how quickly guests can be served and where they will eat.

Also, consider whether any of your guests have special dietary requirements, and sample the dishes before committing.

Use your imagination and choose a transport option that matches your wedding theme - and your personalities!

Depending on the location and style of the wedding, you may also need to offer transportation for your guests - to the ceremony, between the ceremony and reception, and a safe transport option home afterwards.

Limousines, hot rods, vintage classics, buses... there are a range of providers throughout the region to suit your needs. Shop around and find the one that suits you best.

WALL STREET MALL, GEORGE ST · DUNEDIN · PH 03 477 5899 · WWW.MENSWEARDUNEDIN.CO.NZ · 100% DUNEDIN OWNED, 100% PROUD OF IT

The right stuff

Most people getting married stick with a fairly traditional combination of ‘‘love, honour, and obey’’ in their vows.

Speak up...

Although the prospect of speaking is enough to inspire terror, remember that a wedding reception audience is there out of love. The following tips will help you deliver a memorable, heartfelt dedication:

Be prepared

Give yourself plenty of time to write and practice. Memorise the speech, use cue cards when necessary.

Take it easy

Make sure everyone can hear you, while speaking clearly and slowly.

Read the room

To deliver a speech that is wedding appropriate, the humour and tone need to appeal to everyone. Then there was the time... It is okay to lightly tease the person you are toasting, so remember

Tradition dictates

Father of the bride

• Thanks the guests for coming and sharing in the special day.

• Thanks everyone who contributed to the cost of the wedding.

But more and more couples are looking for something fresh and deeply personal to start their marriage, with vows that tell their love story, include a meaningful poem or quote, emphasise the marriage as an adventure, or celebrate the offbeat.

• Compliments and praises the bride, and welcomes her new husband into the family.

• Toasts the bride and groom.

Groom

• Thanks the father of the bride for his toast.

• Thanks the guests for attending and for their gifts.

• Thanks both sets of parents.

• Compliments his bride.

• Thanks his best man.

• Thanks and toasts the bridesmaids.

funny stories to make the room smile.

Praise be

People love to have their efforts recognised, so remember to mention the bride, bridesmaids, and families.

Two drink maximum A bit of liquid courage is tempting, but you will thank yourself later for not slurring.

Timing is everything Five-to-10 minutes is perfect - ask someone to give you a cue to wrap things up.

Best man

• Thanks the groom for his toasts to the bridesmaids.

• Comments on the bridal couple, particularly the groom.

• Reads any messages from absent friends and relatives.

• Ends with a final toast to the bride and groom.

The FULL CIRCLE

Ring care

Insure it against theft, loss or damage (you can lose a diamond down the sink, knock it out of its setting at the supermarket, children have been known to swallow them).

Remove your ring when using harsh chemicals, applying makeup or sunscreen playing sports, gardening, doing the dishes. OK you’re probably going to forget and if your mum’s anything to go by your wedding ring will soon become a part of you.

Keep it clean

Many jewellers will clean your ring free of charge. Ultrasonic and steam cleaners are the most popular choices. You can clean it at home with a solution of water and mild liquid detergent. Use a soft bristled brush, such as a baby toothbrush to loosen dirt, rinse under hot water and dry the ring with a soft, lint-free cloth. For extra shine, soak your diamond in a small bowl of ammonia diluted three times the amount of water then clean and dry as above.

There are many things to consider when choosing wedding and engagement rings - colour of the stones, cuts, metals, price. Ultimately it comes down to personal taste. But even well after your big day is over, you’ll be wanting to take good care of this ultimate symbol of your union.

(Pictured are rings from Dunedin Goldsmiths)

Get gown, get gown

You’re the centrepiece of the entire day, so it is worth putting in some real time and effort to find the perfect gown.

Local wedding boutiques and designers have wedding gown styles to suit all tastes and budgets. Use their experience and knowledge to find the perfect dress for your perfect day, whether you intend to save on the dress, spend, or splurge.

Perfect suit

Whether you are tall, slim, and long-legged, short and stocky, or an athletic build, a well-fitted suit will make you the apple of your bride’s eye.

To buy or hire?

— Buying Pros — You’ll get plenty of future wear out of it — Custom-made will ensure it looks and feels perfect — It’s a stylish keepsake from your wedding day — Buying Cons —Buying a suit can be expensive — You may need to have several fittings — Hiring Pros — Can ensure you look great without blowing your budget — You may never have use for a tuxedo again — Hiring Cons: — Disappointment that you don’t get to keep it — Potentially paying extra for any damage to the suit.

riverbendflora.com

riverbendflora@gmail.com

A small flower farm based on the Taieri Plains with a design studio focused on wedding & event floristry. Creating & designing in a unique way to showcase stunning blooms that reflect couples individuality.

Photo: Sinead Jenkins

Photo: Jess Howzen Photography

Photo: Luisa Apanui

2603540

Mum’s the word

Mums are special, and never more so than on the day you get married. She will be so proud of you, so why not pay tribute with some thoughtful ideas that show how important your mum(s) is/are to you?

• INCLUDE her in your planning, choosing a gown, bridesmaid pamper sessions, hens’ night festivities and the excitement on the day of getting ready together.

• PHOTO CALL in the busyness of the day, organise some special time for a photograph with just the two of you; this is often overlooked with dismay.

• SOMETHING old, something new, borrowed or blue will have special meaning if it’s come from your mum. Ask her for ideas and if nothing springs to mind, perhaps try to replicate her own bridal bouquet to represent

an older era: new flowers, a borrowed design, and a blue ribbon or blossom.

• PUT IT IN WORDS by inviting your mum to do a reading at your wedding, thank her in your speech, and send her a note of thanks on the morning of the wedding with a bouquet.

• ARM IN ARM with your mum and dad down the aisle is a current popular trend or you may ask her to be your matron of honour. There are no rules, only wishes.

• VIP or MVP - make her a special sign, decorate her chair or find a special place for her at the top table.

• REMEMBER her. Even if you no longer have your mum with you she can still be a part of your special day. Carry her photo, wear her gown or her jewellery, play her favourite music and toast her memory.

Save yourself

Weddings can certainly get expensive quickly. Here are some tips to help ease the financial burden:

• Shop around

• Make, borrow, or hire

• Any day but Saturday

• Have an off season wedding

• Invite a smaller number of guests

• Buy booze wholesale, and make your own signature drink

• Don’t arrange such a lavish wedding that it will put you in debt

• Ask guests to contribute to a money wishing well.

Inspiration comes in many forms for Margaret Wray designer

Designer and founder of the Margaret Wray label, Jamie Richards uses her wealth of international experience to create unique bridal and evening wear couture.

You’ll mostly find garment technologists like Jamie Richards living in big cities, where fashion houses and couture customers tend to be. After 20+ years working in fashion, Jamie returned from the UK to Central Otago, to re-establish her business designing and making wedding dresses.

“A number of clients were Kiwis in England who were going back to New Zealand to get married. So I figured that was a good market for me to start with,” she says. Word of mouth is a wedding supplier’s biggest booster, and since returning home to Clyde, Margaret Wray has continued to expand. Jamie soon outgrew her shed-turned-studio and moved into an atelier shop in 2020.

“The locals love that I’m here in Clyde, however I get people coming from all over as they know that my bridal background means I have experience in working with delicate fabrics.”

Clients have included brides from all over New Zealand, as Jamie can employ her practised eye for the beginning process over video call. Jamie has always loved clothing, she made her first dress at age 12, before going on to study fashion design. She went on to make many gowns for family and friends before starting the business.

Inspiration comes in many forms; a vintage dress pattern, movies and styles of icons.

‘Margaret Wray’ is named after Jamie’s

Canopy Camping Escapes

We seek out special places from around New Zealand. Our escapes range from super luxurious - to simple and rustic and you won’t find them anywhere else. In every case, they have a little bit of magic, a certain charm and an unsurpassed connection to nature, so you can slow down, reconnect and go where you feel most alive.

www.canopycamping.co.nz hello@canopycamping.co.nz

The Margaret Wray collection Colore sulla bella donna on the catwalk at this year’s iD Dunedin Fashion. (Photo: Seen in Dunedin)

grandmothers who she says were “elegant and distinct”.

The high-end bridal collections Jamie creates include both couture and vintage-inspired gowns, all finished with classic details. Having been a garment technologist (which she explains is a sort of clothes ‘engineer’) she can alter clothes to a high standard or create a bespoke look.

The retail space has allowed Jamie to diversify into underwear, furs, shoes, accessories, and menswear. Having a place where people can drop by has also seen an increase in those seeking alterations.

“When people bring a wedding dress in that isn’t quite working, I can pin them up and add bits or take bits off – the style can change quite considerably and people love it again,” she explains.

As with many in the industry, the buzz of seeing happy customers never wears off. “It’s so nice to make someone feel the most beautiful they’ve ever felt. That’s an amazing feeling.”

Margaret Wray collections include both couture and vintage-inspired gowns.

“It’s

nice

make someone feel the most beautiful they’ve ever felt.”

Margaret Wray founder and designer Jamie Richards (left) at iD Dunedin Fashion week in 2023. (Photo: Seen in Dunedin)

Around the world

From the bride tossing her bouquet to single female guests to wearing something old, new, borrowed, and blue, American wedding customs are still so popular today that even the most non-traditional brides happily take part.

But America doesn’t have a monopoly on such rituals - other countries have their own beloved wedding customs.

Some are sweet - female guests in Sweden kiss the groom when his new wife leaves the room. Some are perplexing - certain Indian brides must first marry a tree for her husband to chop down. And some are downright strange - engaged pairs in Mongolia must kill and butcher a chicken to find a healthy liver before being allowed to wed.

But what binds these seemingly disparate customs from near and far is one simple thing: love. If you find them charming, adopt it for your own ‘I dos’ even if it’s outside your heritage: because when it comes to love and

• A South Korean groom has to tolerate having his feet whipped by family and friends.

• In Wales, brides hand out myrtle to their bridesmaids who plant the cuttings. If it blooms, she’ll be next to marry.

• In Ireland, brides and grooms must keep both feet on the floor at all times when dancing or evil fairies will sweep her away.

• Congolese brides and grooms must not smile for the entire wedding day, to show they’re taking the marriage seriously.

• In China, the prospective husband shoots his brides with a bow and arrow

(hopefully with the arrowheads removed) then breaks the arrows during the ceremony.

• No crash dieting for brides on Mauritius: the chubbier the better for the husband, who is thought to be wealthy with such a well-fed wife.

• Kenyan Masai brides’ dads spit on them so as to not tempt fate by being too supportive.

• Every man who dances with a Cuban bride pins money to her dress to help the couple pay for their wedding and honeymoon.

• Rain on your wedding day is good luck, according to Hindu tradition (but not Alanis Morrissette).

50 GUEST

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Where it’s at: Meredith Parkin

Queenstown is home to Meredith Parkin and family, having moved south to open the amazing Flora Fauna store in 2021.

I moved here… after coming down for a romantic weekend post all the lockdowns of 2020. My now husband and I got off the plane and went straight to Amisfield Winery - sitting outside by the fire, the sun was going down, the wine was delicious, and we were like “why aren’t we living here!?”

What I like most about Queenstown… is its beauty. I find nature just completely awe inspiring, and the scenery in Queenstown and its surrounds is the true representation of beauty and the sublime. It's the whole inspiration behind Flora Fauna.

My favourite place to go… is anywhere that has delicious food and beautiful views. The Boatshed,

the Bannockburn Pub, and The Lodge Bar are some of my particular go-tos.

The community here is… diverse, and that's Queenstown's real strength. It's a small town feel with a big city, cosmopolitan vibe. I've lived in quite a few regional places before,

but this one is different because of the enormous number and variety of visitors, and the enterprise, activity and exposure they bring to the people that are lucky enough to make their home here. One interesting thing… is you didn't used to be able to fly into Queenstown in the dark as it was considered too dangerous. The runway and approach are so technically challenging that co-pilots are not allowed to undertake a landing, and only specially trained pilots do this route – something that gives me comfort on the often bumpy ride in and out of here!

• Flora Fauna is at 8 Church St, Queenstown. See www.florafauna. co.nz for more.

(Photo: Daniel Ashbolt)

DEVILS in the DETAILS

The fascinating hidden history of the occult in New Zealand is the subject of Andrew Paul Wood’s new book Shadow Worlds.

By Gavin Bertram

Shadow Worlds author Andrew Paul Wood studied in Dunedin, and says the city should celebrate its weirdness. Rosaleen Norton (Photo: Fairfax Media/Getty Images)

ANYONE WHO has visited Dunedin would be unsurprised to find it has long had connections to occult activity.

There’s something in the city’s heavy gothic atmosphere and its rapid rise as an isolated colonial outpost that feels ripe for ideas beyond the orthodox.

Movements such as Spiritualism and Theosophy were prominent, and there are connections with witchcraft, English occult icon Alesteir Crowley, and Satanism.

All these are covered in Andrew Paul Wood’s recently published Shadow Worlds: A History of the Occult and Esoteric in New Zealand.

“Dunedin had this perfect confluence,” he says. “An extremely wealthy middle class, literate, educated people who were intellectually curious, and the Gold Rush brought a massive influx of people. So it became a natural attractor of money, curiosity, and interest.”

As a consequence, despite its serious Protestant roots, the city was a hotbed for the fevered debate of new ideas and approaches to living.

But while Dunedin was something of a hub for the occult, Shadow Worlds also shines a light on other New Zealand towns that have been centres of similar activity. Christchurch, Auckland, and even Havelock North, have figured significantly in this country’s occult topography.

Wood has been interested in the strange and unusual since he was a child, but while he had a lot of books on the topic he says it was a cursory interest.

“But I’ve been accumulating stories for a while, because it’s quite interesting from a folkloric perspective,” he reflects. “Increasingly, I’ve been seeing how they’re actually quite significant influences on mainstream history.”

As an historian and journalist, Wood was aware of the many occult strands that had a foothold on these shores. But as he says, the subject is rarely discussed, and is largely undocumented.

Using resources including the National Library’s Papers Past, he scoured New Zealand’s colonial history and found that occult movements had been written about at the time, and were in fact verging on the mainstream.

“A lot of these people were celebrities, travelling from overseas and around the country,” Wood says. “They garnered huge amounts of attention and serious discussion in newspaper columns, which you wouldn’t see today I don’t think.”

Both Theosophy and Spiritualism had footholds throughout New Zealand. The Theosophical Society was formed in New York in 1875 by Madame Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, and encompassed Eastern beliefs and mysticism. Edward Sturdy was at the vanguard in New Zealand, joining in 1885 and founding a Wellington Lodge in 1888. The Society has had a presence in the south since the Dunedin Lodge opened in 1893.

about losing their flock, there wasn’t a huge spiritual conflict.”

Of particular Spiritualist interest in Dunedin is the ‘Blue Room’ located in a Tahuna house. Here, the clairvoyant Pearl Judd regularly held seances during the 1920s and 1930s. Sherlock Holmes author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle even attended one such gathering while visiting New Zealand in 1920.

Another link the southern city has to occultism is through Lady Frieda Harris. Married to politician Percy Harris, son of Dunedin trading magnate Woolf Harris, she designed the Thoth tarot cards for Aleister Crowley.

Crowley, ‘The Great Beast’, founded the esoteric movement Thelema in the early 1900s. He was one of the most notorious occult icons of the 20th Century. Then there’s Rosaleen Norton, who was reputedly born in Dunedin during a thunderstorm in 1917. As an artist she became prime tabloid material in Australia during the 1950s, when she was dubbed ‘The Witch of Kings Cross’. A documentary on her life is available on Amazon Prime.

Wood is dubious about Dunedin’s claim on Norton as her family departed when she was young. But he does believe that the city should recognise such connections.

The Spiritualist movement was another product of New York, emerging in 1840 with a strong belief in the spirit world. It arrived in New Zealand two decades later, and was a hot button topic locally during the growth and tumult wrought by the Otago Gold Rush.

While these movements were viewed with suspicion by elements of the establishment and stirred debate, they also found favour among many churchgoers.

“The vast majority of these people never considered themselves other than ordinary, upright Christian soldiers,” Wood says. “Maybe they leaned more into the mystical or esoteric side of that, or they saw the exploration of Eastern religion and philosophy as an extension. But most of these things didn’t actually require them to drop that or change their core religious beliefs. Apart from preachers worried

“Keep Dunedin strange,” he says. “Dunedin is weird. I lived there for eight years, and I celebrated its weirdness. We should be celebrating these things as part of this rich texture of our history.”

Shadow Worlds traces the occult in New Zealand through to the present day, taking in latter day Satanism, neopagan groups, and even the countercultural of the 1960s and 1970s.

As Wood says, as society moves away from the moral strictures of organised religion, alternate belief systems are more widely embraced.

“People have a need for the mystical and ‘higher truths’,” he reflects. “I think it’s the way we’re wired. We’re curious, and we’re always going to seek the pattern behind the pattern.”

“We should be celebrating these things as part of this rich texture of our history.”

• Shadow Worlds by Andrew Paul Wood is published by Massey University Press

Rosaleen Norton, the ‘Witch of Kings Cross’, was born in Dunedin during a thunderstorm in 1917.

Sherlock Holmes author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle attended a Spiritualist seance at Dunedin’s renowned Blue Room in 1920.

Arthur Connan Doyle

(Photo: Bettmann/Getty Images)

Thomson says he doesn’t follow the news, and is often confused by what’s going on.

CONFUSED by the NEWS

By Gavin Bertram

Josh Thomson’s unique brand of comedy was forged during his childhood in Timaru and while studying in Dunedin. He returns to the south this week with 7 Days Live.

There’s a possibility that I had a small hand in forging Josh Thomson’s comedy career.

Over 20 years ago, working in a bar that hosted Dunedin’s nascent comedy scene, I distinctly remember serving drinks to Thomson and his peers.

As it turns out, those free beers were a prime motivation during his early comedy days.

“I got into it for beer and chicks,” Thomson relates. “I was just doing it for fun, but I got given some free beer and my friend said some girls wanted to talk to me.”

From such undistinguished beginnings, he has since built a successful career as a funnyman. Thomson’s credits include

various movie roles, and popular TV shows including The Project, Patriot Brains, and 7 Days. And when we speak, he’s on location in Sydney filming an Australian version of The Office, due to stream next year. This week, though, he’ll be on stage at Invercargill’s Civic Theatre with the 7 Days Live crew.

The touring version of the comedy panel show is far more anarchic than the television counterpart that spawned it.

“When you watch the (TV show) it’s been edited,” Thomson says. “We film for a long time, and they cut it right down. Live, you don’t have the safety net, so it’s more terrifying but it’s a lot more fun. There are seven of the funniest people in the country who are all masters of their game.”

Comedian Josh Thomson on the set of 7 Days, with Hayley Sproull and Melanie Bracewell.

(Photos: Nick Gibb; Emily Donald)

That cast also includes moderator Jeremy Corbett, Paul Ego, Dai Henwood, Ben Hurley, Justine Smith, and Hayley Sproull. There’s a raw chemistry between them that sees the jokes emerge organically.

Nominally, 7 Days is a current affairs show. But while an understanding of the news is beneficial for the comedians, it’s certainly not compulsory. Many of the show’s funniest moments come from poor readings of what’s actually happening in the real world.

“Some of us are a lot more news geeky than others,” Thomson says. “I’m not really across the news, so I tend to get quite confused. But I like to think I represent a lot of people who don’t follow the news and are quite confused by what’s going on.”

Comedy was always nearby during Thomson’s childhood on a farm near Timaru. His late Tongan mother Soana “had a really big laugh”, while civil engineer dad David was fond of classic British sitcoms like Blackadder, Some Mothers Do ‘Ave ‘Em, and Monty Python. “My mother made fun of my dad a lot, and we all would,” Thomson recalls. “And I did a lot of plays growing up, and I developed the physical humour that way. I think I’m 100 percent the product of Timaru.”

When he left his hometown to do theater studies at the University of Otago, his desire was to be an action star like Arnold Schwarzenegger.

But in his first year of study, it was those free drinks, female

attention, and the possibility of a trip to Auckland to appear on Pulp Comedy that changed Thomson’s direction. The small but prolifically creative comedy scene in Dunedin offered the perfect vehicle for trying things and finding out what worked.

editing, directing, and writing. New Zealand comedy has advanced over the years since, and there are now far more avenues available for those who can bring the laughs.

“It’s much stronger now,” Thomson says. “7 Days has become something to aim for, for younger comics. There are many roles for comedians now, so it’s a viable job.”

Appearing on TV commercials and shows like 7 Days and The Project has made him public property.

Thomson doesn’t really mind the attention, whether it’s people saying nice or not so nice things. But it can be a bit intrusive when someone wants a chat as he’s trying to get to the doctor, or a selfie when he’s with his kids.

“Apart from that, it’s all good,” he says.

“It could be anything you wanted it to be because we were developing it,” he reflects. “I was very lazy, but there were people doing amazing stuff there, and there still are.”

Thomson’s self-confessed laziness doesn’t really stack up. After university, he moved to Auckland and worked numerous jobs to survive in the tough and competitive environment for actors.

That included working as a barman, in a fish’n’chip shop, and painting houses. Some TV commercial work helped pay the bills, as did becoming involved in

A product of the South, Thomson is looking forward to visiting these parts this week. He regularly returns to Timaru, which he says will always be home. These days he enjoys staying in a motel instead of on the floor at his dad’s farm, and he’ll collect mussels and go floundering with his family.

Being cold but never admitting it is part of the deal, Thomson laughs.

“But I love it; I don’t feel like I’m at home until I’m cold,” he says.

“When I get off the plane and feel the cold in my bones, it feels really good.”

• 7 Days Live: Civic Theatre, Invercargill, 7.30pm, Tuesday September 5.

“I like to think I represent a lot of people who don’t follow the news and are quite confused by what’s going on.”

Dispatches from the frontline

By

PETER ARNETT is reporting back to his homeland in New Zealand by phone from his place in the California sun.

In Fountain Valley, surrounded by the trophies of his long and colourful career, he vividly reels off tale after tale from his years spent on frontlines around the globe.

But as he approaches his 10th decade there’s also a trace of melancholy from the man who survived decades in warzones and the resultant political fallout. “I’ll be 90 years old next year, and all my great pals from the newspapers around there (New Zealand) are dead,” Arnett laments. “As in the US, most of the Vietnam crowd that I covered the war with, they’re all gone. So in that way it’s a professional lonely time for me.”

GIVEN how often the war correspondent was in the middle of the action, it’s difficult to know where to start with Arnett’s story. His biography includes hugely significant interviews with Osama Bin Laden and Saddam Hussein, reporting live from Baghdad during the United States bombing in 1991, and winning a Pulitzer Prize for his Associated Press (AP) work during the early part of the Vietnam War.

That 1966 award for International Reporting remains the only Pulitzer won by a New Zealander. Not bad for a boy born in Riverton in November 1934, with deep Southland roots. Even after spending most of his life elsewhere, and having been an American citizen for the last 35 years, Arnett states, “I definitely am a man of Southland.”

Great-great-grandfather James Leader was a member of an English whaling team who landed at Riverton and founded the settlement there. Many, including Leader, married local Māori women, and began farming in the area.

Over time, Arnett’s family spread throughout the South, with branches from Bluff to Oamaru. The journalist’s childhood was spent in Bluff, where father Eric was a skilled carpenter. Brothers John, Peter, and David were all educated at Waitaki Boys High – and all launched their journalism careers at the Southland Times.

Arnett had an itch for adventure. Seeing other journalists including John forging international careers

After growing up in Southland, Peter Arnett forged a career as one of the greatest war correspondents. As he approaches 90, the journalist contemplates those decades spent in the world’s most dangerous places.

Gavin Bertram

“The war will still be here tomorrow.”

(Roxanne, Apocalypse Now)

Peter Arnett at home in Fountain Valley, California, in 2018.

(Photo: Max S. Gerber/ Redux/Headpress)

in the profession inspired him to believe it was a ticket to the world.

There were important lessons learnt about the role of the press during those formative years working in Invercargill. Interviewing a prominent economist, Arnett realised he was there to pass important information from influential people to the public, through the newspaper medium. “Basically, that view prevailed throughout the rest of my career,” he reflects. “I was essentially a messenger, determining to the best of my ability the accuracy of what I was hearing and presenting it in a way I thought made sense to the general public.”

Arnett’s desire to travel saw him work for newspapers in Wellington and Sydney, before he embarked on a Southeast Asian adventure that would consume the better part of two decades.

COVERING the Laotian coup in August 1960, Arnett improvised when the telegraph office in Vientiane was closed by the military.

Swimming the Mekong River to Thailand with his story, passport, and cash between his teeth, he delivered news of

the event to the world via AP.

Arnett’s scoops from Laos gained him a full time gig with AP in 1961, as their Indonesian correspondent in Jakarta. His coverage eventually annoyed President Sukarno’s regime to the extent the reporter was expelled in 1962. His AP boss Don Huth soon uttered the fateful words, “Pedro, you think you’re tough, huh? I have just the place for you. Vietnam.”

Simmering since the mid-1950s, the Vietnam War was escalating with an expanding US military presence under Kennedy's administration.

Working for AP, Arnett had absorbed the history of the news agency since its formation in 1846.

“They had reporters killed during the American Civil War, killed in World War One and World War Two,” he says. “It was understood that they didn’t encourage you to make the kind of decisions that would lead to your death. But they kept citing the historical correspondents who had done so well, many of whom of course had died.”

With a drive to report the truth of this complicated war, and an understanding of the highly competitive nature of war correspondence, Arnett embraced the dangers and challenges.

Some of those he was competing against were fellow New Zealanders. They included Nick Turner from Reuters, Kate Webb from UPI, Richard Myerscoff from NZPA, and CBS technician Derek Williams.

Working overtime to get compelling stories from the heat of the action, Arnett often found himself offside with the US administration under Lyndon Johnson’s presidency. While this was partly because he was a New Zealander working for an American news outlet, it was also because he’d become a master of his craft. The New York Times’ David Halberstam, himself a Pulitzer Prize winner for his Vietnam coverage, later wrote that Arnett was a “lightning rod” for the Johnson administration.

“For the 10 years he was in Vietnam, no one drew more anger than Arnett. The White House was filled with young men and women studying his stories looking for mistakes.” But his attention to detail and the impact of those stories saw Arnett awarded the Pulitzer for six 1965 AP dispatches.

He covered the Vietnam War until the Fall of Saigon in April 1975. Half a century later, Arnett is still full of praise for the New Zealand Embassy staff, including ambassador Norman Farrell, for helping get his Vietnamese wife Nina’s parents out of the country.

The negative of this photograph of the AP correspondent taken in the Bong Son region of coastal South Vietnam in March of 1966 was damaged by rain.

When Arnett was a reporter on the Bangkok World in 1968, at a New Zealand Embassy reception for visiting Member of Parliament for Southern Māori, Eruera Tirikatene. (L-R) Tirikatene, Arnett, and embassy counsellor Charles Craw.

Arnett with AP photographer Rick Merron during a break in the action at the battle of Dak To in November, 1967.

(Photos courtesy of Peter Arnett)

AFTER Vietnam Arnett struggled with the AP organisation in the United States, as he wasn’t getting the international assignments he desired.

So when a new challenge emerged in the form of CNN, he willingly embraced it. Launched by entrepreneur Ted Turner in 1980, the renegade cable news channel would be revolutionary.

“I don’t know anything about news and how it works - that’s why I hired you and the others,” Turner told Arnett. “I want you to go and tell the other side of the story, not only the American side.”

The network offered him the dangerous assignments that he craved, in war zones such as Afghanistan during the Russian invasion, and El Salvador in the midst of the civil war.

Throughout the 1980s he was kept busy by these assignments, and others in Moscow, Panama, and the Middle East. It was in the latter that Arnett’s fendless commitment to reporting no matter what the conditions became a signature.

Stationed in Israel as the Gulf War unfolded, he was initially told by CNN to remain there as they had a younger crew already working in Iraq. In Tel Aviv he was itching to get to Baghdad.

With a coalition of 42 countries forming and preparations for Operation Desert Storm being made, there was a mass exodus of media from the Iraqi capital. Arnett was called in, and dramatically broadcast live to the world from the Al-Rasheed Hotel as the Americans bombed the city with supposed ‘strategic precision’.

“When I got there four days before the bombing, there were just a handful of journalists left,” he recalls. “That included Bernard Shaw, who was a friend of mine, and he was reporting with me and a former AP guy John Holliman during the first night of the bombing. It got massive usage around the world through CNN.”

As the war raged the media numbers decreased, both through fear and pressure from Saddam Hussein’s regime. But the Iraqis could see the value in CNN’s continued presence because of its commitment to broadcasting the war unedited and in real time.

Arnett continued broadcasting alone via satellite phone when the last of his CNN colleagues departed Baghdad. He negotiated an exclusive 90 minute interview with Saddam, who said, “ask me what you like”.

Despite the pressure of the situation the journalist didn’t pull his punches, asking about chemical weapons, human shields, and whether the dictator had doubts

about the battle ahead. “Not even one in a million,” Saddam stated unequivocally.

CNN resumed live video coverage of the Gulf War after bringing in a satellite uplink in the back of a truck. Despite the immense challenges, Arnett broadcast from the war zone for two months.

“All of the previous experience that I’d had, that was why I had it all going for me,” he says. “I’d built up that body of expertise and confidence. It was thrilling then, and it’s thrilling for me to think about it today.”

Just as his Vietnam coverage had got Arnett offside with the American administration, his thorough Gulf War dispatches raised the ire of the Senior Bush leadership. But while the wrath of the Republicans was ugly, CNN held strong.

“Arnett and CNN are there so that all our viewers can be there, as imperfect, restricted, and dangerous as the conditions are,” the network’s executive vice president Ed Turner stated.

THE UNFLINCHING transmissions from Baghdad made Arnett a highly recognisable figure in the United States.

In the years after the Gulf War, he took two years away

Associated Press correspondents meet with a North Vietnamese army officer and a security aide at the Saigon bureau after communist forces had captured the South Vietnamese capital on April 30, 1975. The officer wanted to assure them they would be safe.

The commander of U.S. Forces in Vietnam for most of the war, General William Westmoreland, is interviewed by Arnett in his home in Charleston, South Carolina in 1977 for the television documentary The Ten Thousand Day War.

from combat zones to pen the excellent 1994 biography Live from the Battlefield.

Soon enough his well tuned nose for news had caught the scent of another quietly developing international story. The early 1993 bombing of the World Trade Centre in New York signaled the emergence of a new level of terrorism, with the audacity to attack America at home.

While the bombing soon faded in the public consciousness, Arnett and his CNN colleagues chased the roots of the terrorist organisation in Afghanistan. His earlier work in that country meant the journalist understood the forces within the Mujahideen that now harboured deeply felt grievances towards the United States.

Ultimately Arnett’s pursuit of the story led towards a shadowy figure who’d declared a jihad against the United States. Of wealthy Saudi Arabian upbringing, and a

veteran of the guerilla war against Russia, Osama bin Laden had attracted little attention from the Western media.

But bin Laden was a hunted man, sought by intelligence agencies in the West and the Middle East for masterminding various al-Qaeda terrorist acts.

In 1997, the CNN team eventually bargained for an interview with the terrorist leader in Afghanistan. After planning in London and an arduous journey from Pakistan, they were picked up in eastern Afghanistan by militia and driven to an isolated hut in the Tora Bora mountains.

“We were walking into the unknown,” Arnett says. “There was no guarantee that we were not walking into a hostage environment, but we had the confidence to do it. Then bin Laden walks in, and he was about 6’ 3” with a big turban on, and carrying an AK47. We had a lot of information from people who’d known him and knew

he was an evil man. I was sitting in front of this guy who was four feet away from me for an hour and a half.”

All questions for the interview had been approved by bin Laden in advance, and no follow ups were allowed.

The terrorist leader was measured and articulate in his answers, and he was blunt about al-Qaeda’s commitment to ending American interference in the Muslim world.

“It is known that every action has its reaction,” bin Laden stated. “If the American presence continues, and that is an action, then it is natural for reactions to continue against this presence. In other words, explosions and killing of the American soldiers will continue.”

The warning was stark, but it went largely unheeded. But in the wake of the 9/11 attacks, bin Laden’s statement that his future plans would be seen and heard in the media was given new significance.

1.

2.

3. 4.

(Photos courtesy of Peter Arnett)

CONTROVERSY continued to find Arnett late in his career.

In 1998 he narrated the CNN/Time ‘Valley of Death’ report suggesting that American Special Forces had used nerve agents during the 1970 Operation Tailwind in Laos. In the fallout of questions about claims made in the report, Arnett departed CNN.

Later, working for NBC and National Geographic during the Iraq War in 2003, he granted an interview to Iraqi state media out of courtesy. His comments about US military failings in the conflict saw Arnett accused of being “anti-American”.

“The first plan has failed because of Iraqi resistance,” Arnett stated. “Now they are trying to write another war plan.”

Both NBC and National Geographic soon severed their ties with the journalist, but he was immediately hired by The Daily Mirror and a number of

international TV stations.

Arnett eventually stopped reporting from the field in 2007, the same year he was appointed an ONZM for services to journalism. Alongside his Pulitzer Prize, that award and a lifetime achievement award from the National Press Club of New Zealand are sources of pride.

Although he largely outshone them in terms of international profile, Arnett spent time with many New Zealand Prime Ministers over the years. From early encounters with Walter Nash and Keith Holyoake, to David Lange, Helen Clark, and John Key, he has a story to tell about each.

“When I met John Key, he introduced himself,” Arnett recalls. “He said that when he was in the banking business in Washington in the 90s, ‘I watched your stuff on CNN every day!’”

1. Arnett with arch terrorist Osama bin Laden after the CNN interview in Afghanistan in 1997.

2. Arnett in Wellington in 2009 with Nick Turner, a distinguished Reuters correspondent from New Zealand he met in Saigon during the early years of the Vietnam War. They remained close friends throughout the years. Arnett visited Nick Turner in Wellington in 2016 a few months before his death. 3. Arnett with longtime American journalist colleague David Halberstam at the Washington National Press Club in the spring of 1991. Halberstam spoke at the event which was held to present Arnett with the Club’s 4th Estate Award for Lifetime Professional Achievement. 4. Then Prime Minister John Key attended Arnett’s delayed investiture ceremony at Government House, Wellington, in September, 2012. Key told the journalist that during the 1990s when he was a banker in Washington in the United States, “I watched you on CNN many times”. 5. Arnett with long-time CNN interviewer Larry King. He appeared on King’s Atlanta-based show many times. This picture was taken after Arnett appeared in 2019 on one of King’s post-CNN shows based in Burbank, Los Angeles. 6. Arnett with then Prime Minister Helen Clark, after he spoke at an ANZAC Day ceremony in Auckland in 2008. In her official letter on December 22, 2006 advising him of the award of a New Zealand Order of Merit (ONZM) for services to journalism, she added a hand written comment: “Your career in international media has been very distinguished, fully meriting this recognition. HC”.

Do you need a Pre-Nup?

(contracting out agreement)

Are you or your partner bringing valuable assets to your relationship?

Have you received an inheritance? Blended family?

If you’re in a qualifying relationship and separate from your partner, a valid contracting out agreement (aka ‘pre-nup’, ‘section 21 agreement’) can provide for protection of your assets upon separation.

To be readily binding and enforceable though, it must

be done right. You each must receive independent legal advice before you sign.

If want to protect certain assets and want certainty as to what would happen if you separate, come and see our team of relationship property specialists.

anna Gillooly agillooly@mactodd.co.nz

5.

6.

Takahē: Bird of Dreams

Alison Ballance

Published by

Alison Ballance won the Royal Society of New Zealand Science Book prize in 2011 for Kākāpō. Now the writer, broadcaster, and zoologist has turned her attention to another flightless native bird that has flirted with extinction, the South Island takahē. Twice declared extinct, since being famously rediscovered in 1948 by Geoffrey Orbell in Fiordland, the species has made something of a comeback. That’s largely thanks to the Takahē Recovery Programme that this year celebrates 75 years. Ballance’s beautiful book does justice to the bird’s plight over the decades, documenting how the takahē came to be in such a perilous situation and the huge efforts that have furthered its survival.

Equally captivating and terrifying, Mt Erebus is a name tattooed across the heart of this country due to the 1979 Air New Zealand tragedy. But this monstrous stratovolcano has many other stories to tell, as Colin Monteath’s new book reveals. He’s the perfect person to have documented this formidable mountain. The photographer worked in Antarctica for 32 seasons, making the first descent into the Inner Crater of Mt Erebus in 1978, and helped coordinate recovery work after the TE901 accident. “I not only wanted to record the long human history of a very special volcano but I was determined to stimulate the next generation of Antarctic workers,” the author has noted about Erebus The Ice Dragon. As comprehensive as a reader could wish for, this is a spectacular volume.

Written over four years, during which his fifth child arrived, Be the Dad is Fergus Turnbull’s guide to being a great dad and husband. Based on his own parenting experiences, this real life advice aims to help other dads build a strong family life. Written in an easily digestible style, Turnbull estimates that the best thoughts from each chapter can be absorbed in five to 10 minutes. They range over three categories - family life, marriage life, and personal life. As the Christchurch author points out, life is competing with your family for your attention. “I believe you will not look back at the end of your life and regret putting your family first,” Turnbull writes. While it’s a fairly obvious sentiment, it’s one that is often overlooked in the chaos of the day to day. In Be the Dad, Turnbull offers a multitude of tips for achieving that laudable end.

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HOW YA GOING?

Injy Johnstone

Injy Johnstone featured in the ODT Class Act in 2013, her final year at Kaikorai Valley College. Over the decade since she’s completed a science degree at the University of Otago, a law degree at Victoria University, been a Fulbright scholar, and been involved

So, how are you going?

A lot better now that I’ve had my morning coffee!

Where are you and how’s the weather?

Those that know me know that can be a complex question, it has changed month by month this year. By the time this is printed, I’ll be in New York, where I expect the lovely fall weather will have started.

What’s been keeping you busy recently?

My PhD which I am handing in at the end of the month! That and my new day job where I work on reigning in the wild west of carbon credits and offsetting. 2023 also marks 10 years since I graduated from Kaikorai Valley College; organising our high school reunion in December is also keeping me busy.

When you have visitors, where do you take them?

My sister and her family from Dunedin visited me in Edinburgh a few months back, and there I was excited to show them all the parallels Edinburgh has to Dunedin. Highlights include Arthur’s Seat (like Saddle Hill), Edinburgh Castle (like Larnach’s Castle), and Portobello Beach (like, well Portobello).

What do you miss about New Zealand?

To put it differently, there’s not much I don’t miss- I am forever raving about our coffee, cheese rolls and chop suey patties (a Dunedin secret!). Definitely out in front though is my wonderful sister and her family, including my two gorgeous nephews, who alongside friends, still make Dunedin home.

ONCE UPON A TIME…

A Song For Europe:

Released 50 years ago, Stranded was Roxy Music’s first number one album. Guitarist Phil Manzanera looked back over the band’s career before their 2011 visit to New Zealand.

By Gavin Bertram

HAVING been lured by Roxy Music’s sumptuous swansong Avalon in 1982, I was later compelled to explore their back catalogue.

The 1986 Street Life collected many of the English band’s finer moments, along with solo cuts from frontman Bryan Ferry. That compilation reached number one in New Zealand, and was a good introduction to the breadth of their talents.

But the teenage me struggled with a bootleg cassette of Roxy Music’s very early appearances on the BBC music show The Old Grey Whistle Test. Those tracks from their first two albums with Brian Eno were too strange for my young ears, sounding like they’d been transmitted on some alien frequency.

It was certainly a different proposition to the sheen they’d embrace a decade later. That iteration was witnessed in their full glory when The High Road was screened on New Zealand television.

A live performance from Frejus in France during their 1982 tour, the show spanned Roxy Music’s output since the early 1970s, including Avalon, Love is the Drug and Dance Away

There were also several songs from 1973. It was a different era in music, when acts routinely released two albums a year.

In March 1973, For Your Pleasure was released - the second and final album with self-described “nonmusician” Brian Eno. It was followed in November by Stranded, with a more refined sound that reached the top of the UK album charts.

Guitarist Phil Manzanera and saxophonist Andy Mackay were songwriter Ferry’s loyal sidemen throughout Roxy Music’s recording career. When I spoke to Manzanera before they played in New Zealand in 2011, he reflected on the transition the band went through between For Your Pleasure and Stranded.

“I think that me and Andy provided a sort of musicality that was part of the mixture,” he said. “We continued after Eno left, and provided a very musical context if you like. Andy, from his classical side, added a musical world for Bryan’s lyrical ideas to sit in.”

Having been brought up in South America, the guitarist had been sent to boarding school in England during the 1960s.

After playing in college bands, he focused on becoming a professional musician and eventually auditioned for Roxy Music in 1971. But Manzanera wasn’t chosen at that point, and had to wait until David O’Toole departed after a dispute with drummer Paul Thompson.

“It was like Christmas Day every day for me,” he recalled. “I had dreamed about being in a rock band. From me joining to recording the first album was very quick. And I think a week after I joined,

Roxy Music on their Stranded tour in November 1973.

(Photo: Michael Putland/Getty Images)

we signed our first contract; so talk about being in the right place at the right time!”

From those beginnings, it was a rapid ascent for Roxy Music. Support from iconic broadcaster John Peel and the music press helped, as did being invited to support David Bowie for some dates on the Ziggy Stardust tour.

In the provocative realms of glam rock, Roxy Music were as ostentatious as any of their peers. The art school sensibilities of Eno, Ferry, and the influence of fashion designer friend Antony Price presented an image that some misread as being ‘style over substance’.

“There was an opportunity to bring back interesting music presented in a very visually attractive way,” Manzanera reflected. “We had a lot of fun, but the point is that we were quite nervous about going on stage, so this was like theatre. You put make-up on, you put on an outfit, and you become somebody else.”

Roxy Music lost their avant garde edge with Eno’s departure, instead pursuing an ever more sophisticated sound that

reached its zenith with Avalon Inbetween, there was a break and a subsequent reunion, a dalliance with disco, and a number one single with a cover of John Lennon’s painfully selfreflective Jealous Guy. Manzanera also found time to produce Split Enz’ 1976 sophomore album Second Thoughts in London.

In 1981, with Ferry at the top of his song-writing game, Roxy Music began work on what would be their final studio album. With music technology rapidly advancing, Avalon was produced by Rhett Davies at facilities including Manzanera’s Gallery Studio in London, the Power Station in New York, and Compass Point in the Bahamas.

“It wasn’t so much about going into the studio and all playing together, it was like construction,” Manzanera relates. “It was a strange period because the music was becoming less radical, and we’re becoming more successful. But you don’t want to repeat yourself, so you try to do something new.”

Avalon hit number one in several countries, including New Zealand, Australia, and the UK.

After splitting in 1983, there was no activity in the Roxy Music camp until a reunion tour in 2001. They’ve played sporadically since, including the 2011 tour that saw a single show at Auckland’s Villa Maria vineyard - just their third visit to New Zealand.

Manzanera was enjoying performing songs from across Roxy Music’s catalogue. “We’ve got to go out and show people that there’s more to Roxy than just the hit singles,” he said. “You know they’ve never heard some of the album tracks, and they’ll think ‘oh my goodness, A Song For Europe’, that’s quite nice actually!.”

• Roxy Music’s Stranded was reissued on vinyl in 2022, from a half-speed remaster done by Miles Showell at Abbey Road Studios.

“There was an opportunity to bring back interesting music presented in a very visually attractive way.”

I WAS THERE:

The 1993 electoral system referendum

The New Zealand general election in November 1993, was the last under the First Past the Post system. A closely contested referendum at that election ushered in the Mixed Member Proportional (MMP) system that has been used since 1996. Pete Hodgson was the Dunedin North MP from 1990 to 2011, and witnessed the change up close.

“Jim Bolger promised a referendum during the 1990 election campaign and then had to carry it through. I was a member of the electoral reform coalition before I became an MP and campaigned for change. Most Labour colleagues wanted change but quite a few, including our leadership, didn’t. In 1992 I had thought the supplementary member [SM] system would have done better than it did. In

fact many people described SM as if it was MMP. So there was quite a lot of confusion. National pretty much opposed all change. The electoral reform coalition had a clear campaign for MMP and that won the day in 1992. That result was no surprise to me.

I was on the electoral law select committee as we then debated the detail of the MMP legislation. There were plenty of contentious issues such as Maori seats, the threshold, the size of Parliament etc. The finished law was put to the people in the 1993 run off against FPTP.

By then the country had had enough of the 1984-93 economic reforms so the strong voices of opposition from businessmen such as Peter Shirtcliffe carried less weight with the public than might have been the case a few years earlier. I was pretty sure MMP would win.

MMP has bedded in well. It has largely delivered what the public wanted. No system is perfect. In my view the various checks and balances we have in place are about right. Of course, I would like to tinker a little, but the essence of the system is fine.

In particular the House of Representatives is now just that. At last. In nearly all other democracies that is still not the case. We can therefore be proud of our democracy. However we are less revolutionary, which for me is both bad and good depending on what sort of revolution one has in mind.”

• This year’s New Zealand General Election is on Saturday, October 14.

Former Dunedin North MP Pete Hodgson during his time in parliament.

One thing about…

Glenorchy

Born in Glenorchy in 1895, Clark McConachy left school at 14 to work in his father’s Timaru billiard saloon. That experience paid dividends for the man later known as Mac. His natural aptitude was nurtured by Alf Southerwood, and by 17 he was making breaks of 1,000 at billiards.

Incredibly, after winning his first New Zealand professional billiards championship in 1914, Mac retained the title until his death in 1980. His first shot at the world crown was in 1922. A decade later he was runner-up, and in 1951 Mac beat England’s John Barrie for the title. He was also twice runnerup in the World Snooker Championship.

Dedicated to practicing the sport, he was also renowned for his fitness, running miles every day in tandem with a strength training routine. Having often donated exhibition match fees to hospital charities, Mac was recognised with an MBE in 1964. He was also inducted into the New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame in 1990, a decade after he passed away in Auckland.

5 TRUTHS IN 5 WORDS

The Holy Land is everywhere. (Hehaka Sapa/Black Elk) Life is a game, boy. (J.D. Salinger) Democracy... belongs to the people. (Norman Kirk) Street life, that’s the life. (Bryan Ferry) Fearlessness is like a muscle. (Arianna Huffington)

QUIZTIME

1. In what year was the tragic fire at Seacliff Mental Hospital?

2. Until the late 19th century, what was Te Waipounamu/South Island called?

3. Which Dunedin track cyclist won an Individual Pursuit World Championship in 2012?

4. Where is Catherine Chidgey’s award-winning novel The Axeman’s Carnival set?

5. In 1984, who composed the Earnslaw Steam Theme based on TSS Earnslaw’s engines?

6. Where in Central Otago does the Blondini Gang sell parts from the mini in Goodbye Pork Pie?

7. The last Dunedin cable car ran on which line in 1957?

8. On which huge Southland project did Tim Shadbolt work in 1967?

9. Who is credited with pioneering tramping on the Hollyford Track?

10. What Dunedin beach lies between St Clair and St Kilda?

Answers: 1. 1942; 2. Middle Island; 3.

Alison Shanks; 4. Central Otago; 5. Ron Goodwin; 6. Cromwell; 7. Mornington; 8. Manapōuri Power Station; 9. Davey Gunn; 10. Moana Rua/Middle Beach.

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