CANTA ISSUE 2, 2024

CANTABURY

CANTALENDAR

6th March 5th March

Quiz Night @ The Foundry, 7pm - 9pm

Open Night @ Darkroom, 7pm - 10pm

March

The Grade Cricketer Comedy Night @ Muy Muy, 7-9.30pm

8th March 9th March 12th March

Andy C (3-Hour Set) @ Cathedral Square, 5-10.30pm

PRINS @ James Hay Theatre, 7pm10:30pm

Quiz Night @ The Foundry, 7pm - 9pm

13th March

Kelly/Shaw @ Christchurch Art Gallery, 6pm

March

Genre Fluid @ The Arts Centre, 7.30pm9.30pm

March

Candlelight Tribute to Queen @ The Piano, 6.30-7.30pm

16th March 17th March 18th March

Jen Cloher @ Space Academy, 8pm

St. Paddy’s Day Comedy Night @ Good Times, 7pm - 9pm & Takatāpui Pride Picnic with Mana Tipua, 12pm

Next Canta Magazine Drop!

‘The Vic’ - The Victorian Coffee Gallery built in the 1880s, on the corner of Oxford Terrace Pete McLauchlan

The ‘C’ in Christchurch stands for culture…?

Welcome to the second issue of the best university magazine ever. Our first issue went flying off the shelves, so we thought we better be on our best behaviour for this issue to do you all proud.

This Christchurch Culture issue is for all you people that have literally no idea what you are doing in Christchurch. Let’s be real – It happens to the best of us, where we get into a routine of university, back to the flat, study, drinking, repeat. Yes, I intentionally left out sleep, because none of us are getting any. We tend to forget that there is more to do in Christchurch outside of the campus walls.

Where else in the world can you ski and surf in the same region?

Probably heaps of other places, honestly. I suck at geography.

But I know for a fact that you can’t do that in Wellington or Auckland, so look at Christchurch go, being the city that’s all

different and special. Christchurch is actually pretty cool, and this issue is going to help you see this for yourself.

Not only is Christchurch such a pretty landscape for a nice sunset picture, but the people here are crazy resilient. Christchurch has had to rebuild itself, both physically and as a community, after multiple earthquakes and March 15th.

If we have anything to show for it, it’s the community on campus and outside that is the glue that has helped Christchurch overcome and prevail. From support groups, to our clubs scene on campus that allows students to find a place where they feel they belong, to fantastic art and culture which bathed the city post-quakes, this city has a way of coming together like no other.

The Botanical Gardens makes for a lovely day away from study, the beaches are stunning, Hagley Park is great if you love running – could not be me. The food places here are fantastic, and the placement of Christchurch makes it easy to go on a roadie to the West Coast, Dirty Dunners, or even Queenstown. There is definitely more to Christchurch than what first meets the eye.

Christchurch means a lot to us here at Canta. We are really proud to be the student media for UC and the whole of Christchurch. With that said, this entire magazine is just for students. It is made by students, for students – what more could you want?

This all means that Canta will be with you every step of the way, answering the tough questions or even just giving you a good little break from all of your university responsibilities. We will be besties by the end of the year, we promise.

Remember, we don’t just have a magazine! We also have a pretty cool website, social media, and a podcast. It would be rude not to check those other channels out.

Without any more beating around Deans Bush, here it is, your guide to Christchurch.

If you still hate it here, just do the puzzles and quiz.

Lots of love,

Hariklia Nicola, Your 2024 Managing Editor

President's Piece

Hey all you keen CANTA connoisseurs, welcome to week 3! If you don’t know me, I’m Luc, that’s just Luke with a C. The year has started off strong with Ori and clubs’ day being huge successes.

Pictured here, is one of my favourite moments from the gigs we’ve been hosting during Ori. I really enjoyed the harmony amongst the crowd at Summer Stein, everyone was so friendly (bar the few munters we had to kick out), and you could feel the warmth of the crowd in both a physical and mental sense. Friendships were formed and memories were made, that’s what we’re here for!

As this issue of CANTA is about CHCH Culture, I would like to talk about some recurring problems we all have as students. Getting back into classes has been a bit of a mish, but keeping on top of that mad workload has to be your top priority, especially early in the year when you can still save yourself. If it’s all a bit too much, talk to your lecturer or tutor about any stressful workloads and they might be able to help you out.

In my opinion, one of the hardest things as a student is catching back up on lectures. We’re only in week 3, so if you’re already slipping, make sure you keep on top of your sleep, food, and exercise levels.

Sleep is one of the biggest contributors to poor performance at Uni (and everywhere really), so take steps to ensure you’re sleeping well. Set strict phone down times and commit to them. Give yourself little rewards to feel good about going to bed on time.

Not only is sleep a factor, but so is exercise. In between big study sessions, I love to go for a quick walk around or even a skateboard, to keep myself fresh and alert. Give it a try, you’ll see how helpful it is!

And of course, food, how can you expect to have any energy and focus if you’re not feeding yourself properly? It’s okay, this is one we can help out on! We have plans to host a few simple cooking workshops, because we all have that one mate whose idea of dinner is maccas every night. We also have a food bank service, which is available if you reach unexpected and temporary hardship.

I wanted to end this piece with something negative that will hopefully have a positive impact on your life. Unfortunately, thanks to our caveman brains, we latch onto negatives a hell of a lot easier than positives. It’s so easy to find what is wrong with the world as

opposed to what is right. It’s so easy to take a first interaction with someone at face value and assume the worst. If the world seems a mess, pick apart your own biases, and the fog will clear. By this I mean, attempt to remove any bias you have from a first interaction, and give people an opportunity to truly reveal themselves.

Anyway, that’s all from me this week! Remember that my email and door are always open. And as always, live life to the fullest, and take any opportunities that come your way.

Tumuaki Piece

Mauri ora e te whānau,

I hope that everyone has had a strong start to their Semester and is staying on top of their workload so far, I currently have a 100% lecture attendance rate this year (1/1) and I hope to keep it that way (very unlikely).

I for one, have thoroughly enjoyed the O-Week festivities, particularly Te Rourou a Haere, the International Welcome Dinner, Clubs Day, and Mardi Gras. I would like to offer a huge mihi to the UCSA and all the amazing staff who work incredibly hard to make these events possible. However, now that things are starting to settle down, I gratefully welcome the steady rhythm that I hope the following weeks will provide.

As I recover from O-Week and reflect on culture, it would be very remiss of me to not acknowledge the positive impact that fun, connection, relaxation, and being a little bit silly has on our wellbeing. Although the mahi is starting to pick up, it is important to remember to make time for the above. Some would have you believe that the culture of University is very serious, and that there is no space for such trivial things. I would disagree. Fun doesn’t have to stop because of study, nor should it, but I would encourage everyone to be sustainable with their fun, which includes taking it easy on the bevvies, picking up your rubbish, finding some good friends, and looking out for one another.

Culture is all around us and has a huge influence on our lives. It includes what many would consider to be ‘mainstream’ or ‘normal behaviour’. We experience and outwork culture in many ways, through beliefs, behaviours, symbols, and rituals. I start with this broader perspective on culture because it would be easy to write a love letter to Te Ao Māori and all of our beautiful practices and ways of being. What isn’t easy is looking into the hearts of ourselves, and the spaces we sit within and asking ourselves ‘What’s missing?’ or more importantly ‘Who is missing?’.

As a young(ish) queer Māori, reflecting on Christchurch culture is an interesting experience. There are words that come to mind, not many of which foster hope, happiness, and other such positive feelings that you may expect to find within the pages of your typical Canta issue. Simply put, existing within environments that don’t reflect your existence is hard.

For me, culture often comes down to the values. Those concepts and ideas that sit at the core of our being and shape how we perceive and interact with the world. When you take things back to values it can become quite easy to find points of nuanced similarity across different cultures.

Te Akatoki has values that guide what we do and who we hope to be.

Whanaungatanga

• We see connection as foundational to success and hope to foster it in all that we do. We aim to work collaboratively to provide the best opportunities that we can.

Manaakitanga/Aroha

• We show respect, kindness, and care to those who enter our space. We do this so that people feel comfortable being themselves and empowered to participate and contribute.

Ūkaipōtanga

• We hope to nurture a sense of belonging, akin to feeling at home. Paramount to this is embracing our cultural identity and upholding the safety of our space.

These are the things that are important to us. Have a think about what’s important to you and why it’s so important. It’ll help you in the long run.

Chur nui, Kiwa Kahukura Denton (He/They) Tumuaki o Te Akatoki

Canta News.

The Christchurch City Council’s Long-Term Plan, and what it could mean for you

Heidi Slade (she/her)

The Christchurch City Council is wrapping up deliberations over its Long-Term Plan (LTP) 2024/34, which Riccarton Ward City Councillor Tyla Harrison-Hunt says is the “best way” for the area to move forward.

Revisited every three years, the plan sets the proposed rates, projects, and services the Council wants to offer over the next ten years.

As the plan currently stands, the Riccarton Ward has the thirdlowest budget, despite being the second-busiest hub in the city, with $0 allocated for parks, community services, and transport, said Harrison-Hunt.

“A lot of our students live in Upper Riccarton and Sockburn, not just UC but also Lincoln, and the things they’re after are appropriate waste management, safe cycleways, safe places to walk. It’s real simple stuff, it just hasn’t been done.”

Harrison-Hunt’s goals for the LTP deliberations include making tertiary students’ council pool and gym fees the same as high school students’, a waste management initiative at the University for recycling unwanted or used furniture this year, increased waste management and litter collection in the area for 2025, and creating a council app used to access rates, events, consultations, maps, bus routes, cycleways, and more.

“I think around the Ilam catchment particularly, there’s a lot of issues that need solutions and this is the best way to do it.”

Port Hills once again struck by wildfire

On February 14, seven years and one day after the destructive 2017 Port Hills wildfires began, another wildfire started burning in the Port Hills.

Throughout Valentine’s Day afternoon, smoke was visible across Ōtautahi Christchurch.

39,000 properties in east Christchurch lost power. RNZ reported that this was due to the fire, “burning under the high voltage power lines that connect Ashburton and Christchurch”.

Orion general manager Steve Macdonald said, “We’ve got backup plans, and we were able to enact those and have our customers restored within 25 minutes.”

Evacuation centres were set up at the Lincoln Community Centre and the Halswell Library and Community Centre.

Four hours after the fire started, a state of emergency was declared.

Student radio station RDU lost their Marley’s Hill transmission tower in the blaze. A backup transmitter allowed broadcasts to continue.

RDU announced on Instagram, “This is obviously not an ideal situation for a business that broadcasts, but this is not RDU’s first hurdle!”

The University of Canterbury released an “update for students” on February 15. The update recommended the Student Care service “if you need to talk,” and Te Whare Hauora UC Health Centre.

The update also stated that the Herea tō Waka Welcome Day, set for February 16, would “proceed as planned”. No UC events were disrupted by the fire.

The Christchurch Adventure Park had incurred damage. Their website was updated to direct visitors to their ‘Park Status’ page,

The draft plan currently indicates overall provisional rates increase of 14% for 2024/25, according to Newsline.

“Historically, the focus [of the plan] has been on ratepayers, but little do people know that renters actually help those ratepayers offset their rates through their rents, so it’s actually really important that students have a voice and know that they’re valued at the table,” Harrison-Hunt said.

A summary of the City Council’s key proposals for the plan included a 10-year budget of $16.4 billion, with $4.8 billion planned to be spent in the next three years.

The Council proposed to spend $226 million on improving existing roads, cycleways, and footpaths in the first three years of the Draft LTP, and a $486 million investment of capital spend into renewing and upgrading drinking water, stormwater, wastewater, and flood protection.

$286 million would be committed to complete Te Kaha Stadium over 2025-2027, and $7.4 billion to council services such as waste collection and libraries.

The council says it would make savings of $6.1 million in 2024/25, with a planned $41 million in operational savings and additional revenue over the entire 10-year period.

According to Newsline, the plan will be formally adopted on March 11. The draft will go out for public feedback from March 13 to April 17.

which advised people to stay away from the park to allow emergency services to continue working.

The damage to the park is not as significant as the damage incurred in the 2017 Port Hills wildfires, which left the park shut for ten months.

Chairperson Maurice Noone said, “The outcome is considerably different to the fires of 2017 and will likely see the park fully re-open with all current attractions within the next few months.”

UC lecturer Dr Andres Valencia told The Press, “I think it is important to at least start the discussion about what we should do in order to mitigate, or reduce the consequences of, wildfires.”

After one week, the state of emergency was lifted. Stuff reported on February 24 that the blaze “engulfed 650 hectares”.

No injuries or deaths have been reported.

As of February 25, the cause of the fire remains unknown.

Charlotte Thornton (she/her)

Christchurch nightlife known for rigid dress code

Charlotte Thornton (she/her)

Clubgoers and bar patrons must abide by an unofficial and inconsistent dress code in Ōtautahi Christchurch’s central city.

Those not dressed up to standard are turned away or sent to the back of the line.

Office administrator Alex Parr, 22, was denied entry to the nowshuttered bar Baretta for wearing Converse sneakers. He also witnessed his friends being turned away from Original Sin for “not dressing well enough”.

He described the expected attire for men as including a buttoned-up collared dress shirt, formal trousers, and dress shoes. He said that the dress code for women is slightly less strict but still “inconsistent”, with exposed skin being rejected or accepted depending on the venue and the security guard.

“Depends who’s on the door that night,” Parr said. On many occasions, formality was not the main goal; he has seen people turned away for wearing blazers. Another of Parr’s friends was rejected for wearing Gucci loafers which looked “too nice”.

Rose Hubble, 21, is a former bartender who worked at a venue catering to patrons on their way on Christchurch’s main strip.

“The dress code for the Terrace was always a point of conversation between people at my bar […] lots of people would be joking that they might not get let in because they had dressed too casual,” said Hubble.

“The dress code is […] something that is definitely on people’s minds when it comes to town in Christchurch.”

Hubble said that due to the dress code, “every man looks exactly the same,” and that it limits personal expression.

In a 2022 Re:News story, Ash Nobari described Christchurch’s town dress code as “strict” and “heteronormative”.

He stated that he had been turned away for wearing nail polish. On another occasion, he was rejected for wearing an $800 mesh top from Prada.

Nobari said that when dressing according to the code, “I’ve got to get myself looking as hetero as I can.”

Recent UC graduate Caleb Langdale-Hunt, 22, believes that the dress code makes it more difficult for LGBTQ+ people to express themselves through fashion.

“Boys are expected to wear a dress shirt and dress pants with some dress shoes, so there’s a lot more skin coverage […] there’s a lot of heteronormativity that’s enforced in that dress code,” said Langdale-Hunt.

“It’s hard for queer people to fit within these spaces and it’s just reinforcing these ideals. We need more queer spaces where queer people can just be them.”

Rising temperatures and rising prices – how to embrace your sustainable side on a budget

Heidi Slade (she/her)

From changing up your transport to foraging for food, I sought out some waste-reducing tips to help make the most of your money.

It takes balance to live more sustainably, said Imogen McRae from UC Sustainability.

“Some ways to live more ‘sustainably’ save you money, whereas some come at a higher cost.”

Some of McRae’s top tips include opting for a bike or the bus, shopping local, and educating yourself on gardening and foraging.

“Come along to our community garden [Te Ngaki o Waiutuutu] on campus. You learn how to garden and get to take home fresh, nutritious and free kai from the māra! Any foraged food is free toojust make sure you exercise foraging etiquette and save some for others.”

McRae also said shopping plastic-free, at places like farmers’ markets and Bin Inn, often worked out cheaper.

“Each new thing you try to live more sustainably, for example, trying bulk bin shopping, starting a compost, buying second hand instead of new, switching to solid shampoo/conditioner bars, buying local produce from a farmers market, brings a sense of pride.

“You feel better knowing your choices are aligned to your values. Amidst all the bad climate news, you can feel better knowing you’re making changes for good. Don’t frame it as reducing negative impact, but increasing positive.”

In terms of being able to see the fruits of your own labour, McRae said attending plating days or supporting predator trapping can have direct impacts to restore the biodiversity around you.

“It’s not just about saving the planet; the planet will endure whether humans are around to see it or not.”

“Making these changes are about feeling more connection with your environment and people, and truly living in a deeper sense. It is freeing to break away from the societal norms of consumption and capitalism and only just coping with the pressures of a fast-paced life.”

Maria Lamb, Waste Minimisation Officer for the Christchurch City Council, encourages students to be “food savvy”.

She also shared some of her budget-friendly tips and tricks, which included knowing how to store food correctly, keeping vegetable scraps to use in soups, and meal planning.

“Shopping wisely will prevent unnecessary items being purchased [and] you will create less waste by storing food correctly,” she said.

“Explore local growers or explore opportunities to go food foraging locally.”

The Gateway to the South:

A Student’s Guide

Ōtautahi is the gateway to the South. If you like a swim, a hīkoi, hike, surf, ski, or just a scenic drive, Canterbury can cater. As UC students, it’s our special slice of heaven. It’s important to make the most of it by venturing out of Ilam and exploring the Garden City – and beyond its borders to the rest of Te Waipounamu.

In my two years thus far, I have made it a mission to venture South. The memories made on those afternoon, day, or weeklong trips have been the highlight of my university experience. Here’s a brief guide to the gateway of my top spots I’ve found so far, to inspire you to embody your inner explorer amongst the study grind.

Close to Ilam, we have the famous central parks:

• Hagley Park

• Botanic Gardens

• Riccarton Bush

• Mona Vale

These are your best local go-to’s for a quick getaway and refresh after a hectic uni week or dusty Sunday stroll. The trees, the Avon streaming, the blossoms springing, autumn leaves, and ducks to befriend, these spots are places of comfort whenever you need it most. Early in the chilly mornings or as the sun is setting, it’s this Fab Four that crowned Christchurch as ‘The Garden City.’

Sumner & Taylors Mistake:

• Surf and swim

• Godley Heads walk

• Fish and chippies on the beach

• A good thrift shop or two

If you come from the North, it might feel hard to beat those beaches you know and love back at home. However, Sumner and its friendly neighbour Taylor’s Mistake are hotspots in Christchurch, perfect for any sunset swim, surf, or stunning walk around Godley Heads. En route, you pass through Woolston and Toff’s – Christchurch’s top-tier op-shopping spots. Not too far away, but enough to give you a quality afternoon outing, these beaches are hubs for a hit of that summer feeling you miss in the chilly months and grey

Ilam days.

Port Hills mish:

• Go up to Vic Park

• Sugarloaf Reserve

• Harry Ell walk or Crater Rim tracks

• Sign of the Kiwi for coffee and a scone

• Adventure park for those Mountain biking feigns and Cashmere kids

Going up to the Port Hills is a rite of passage for any UC student. A scenic drive and picnic at Sugarloaf is a must-do to see the best views of our student city.

There’s a heap of hikes in the hills, from shorter, accessible but beautiful staples like Harry Ell, to steeper ones like Rāpaki or any of the Crater Rim tracks, you can find something to suit any fitness level with some of the most stunning scenic spots.

The Sign of the Kiwi is famous for its delish scones and good coffee once you reach the end of the Harry Ell track or turn up the steep road to Sugarloaf. And if you’re striving for that Cashmere kid aesthetic, or are a bit of a thrill seeker, mish off to the Adventure Park to get involved with all those sendy mountain biking feigns.

Rosie Leishman (she/her)

Lyttelton area:

• Lyttelton markets on a Saturday morn are super quirky and cute

• Can’t beat a more underground and high-quality Lyttleton gig

• Quail Island ferry

• Corsair Bay & Cass Bay or Governor’s Bay Area

Lyttleton is that one step further away, but always worth your time for a touch of that left-field artsy energy the city can sometimes lack.

The strip of cute shops and cafes have great food and trinkets, but the Saturday morning markets always provide a lovely activity to start your weekend on the right note. Lyttleton also provides a different night out, frequently offering the most talented artists visiting Ōtautahi in cool hotspot venues like The Loons and Wunderbar.

Some of my best memories have come from trips to Quail Island. For the day or overnights in the hut, Quail Island is the destination. After a brief, fun, ferry ride over from Lyttleton, you can walk around the island in a few hours, swim, or hangout in the powerless hut to have an easy getaway. How good!

Keep driving around the road to cute shoreline spots like Corsair Bay, Cass Bay or to Governor’s Bay area for chill swims, picnics, beach days, and some serenity where the hills meet with the sea. Bliss!

Akaroa:

• French markets, kai, cafes and restaurants– it’s all very quaint

• Any venture around the Banks Peninsula area offers stunning views

• Lots of walks around the area

Castle Hill:

• Big cool rocks! (some people even love to play a hectic game of hide and seek there)

• Even more slopes to ski and hills to hike

Every time I speak with a Christchurch local, they rave about their memories at Castle Hill. My first time going was on a Sunday, when I was overwhelmed and stressed with university work and all I needed was a reset and escape. Castle Hill was the cure!

It’s a breathtaking and unique spot nestled in the mountains that is a pretty spectacular part of Te Waipounamu. There are also lots of tramps and club ski fields nearby for the pros out there.

Tekapo

To conclude, I thought I’d suggest my favourite special Southern spot, far but not too far away for a top-tier weekend mish.

A mere three-hour trip, Tekapo is stunning. The little church, the bright blue lake, the stars, the skating, the snow and a mandatory Fairlie pie en route, a trip to Tekapo is a must-do while living south.

Although it might not be known to have the most diverse population, Canterbury is a diverse playground for any sort of outdoor pursuit and we are all lucky enough to call it our very own!

So get out there and enjoy!

Akaroa is a postcard French township plotted right on one of the Banks Peninsula shore lines, with the sweetest cafes, best fudge, and lovely day trails. Its rich history, colourful culture and cute cottages make it one of the best day-trip getaways for any of us students needing a taste of that Euro summer we dream of in the colder months.

Mt Hutt:

• Skiing, snowboarding or sledding for the masters or the rookies

As winter approaches, an early morning drive to Hutt is a must. Although it’s more on the pricey side of the spectrum, getting on the snow is the best way to clock off for a day out with your mates and a guaranteed entertaining yarn on the car ride home.

Whether you’re a pro shredder or a novice, Mt Hutt serves up a lot of fun. It’s worth sparing a bit of that student loan for a good time on the slopes.

Hanmer Springs:

• The Hot Pools

• Forest walks

It would be offensive to forget Hanmer Springs. Hanmer Springs is an institution in the Canterbury region for a day away. Those age-old hot pools now have a new slide on offer and the hypothermic walk from the hot pools to slides is well worth the twenty-second thrill. But don’t worry, the classic slides still stand strong.

Along with the pools, the Hanmer forests are magical, with lots of trails for walkers, hikers, and bikers to explore.

I s A F G

Three dishes, no bookings, nearly twenty-five thousand followers, and with no set hours, AFG walks to the beat of its own drum, and people make the effort to get there every time.

Nearly a decade ago, two loyal AFG fanatics noticed the abnormal opening hours of the restaurant as they biked home from work. Navigating an alternative route to identify the hours, they created a Facebook group designated for the opening of the beloved restaurant, called ‘IS AFG OPEN?’

With the possibility of waiting in lines for up to two hours, AFG’s loyal customers commit to the sacrifice for a meal to be thoroughly enjoyed. For only $21 per head, head chef Abdul overcompensates with the size of his meals, delivering three plates of finger-licking goodness.

The chef himself does not spend his time dealing with the tens of thousands of members in the Facebook group. Instead, a beloved associate known as ‘Quad Bear’ liaises with the eager customers.

I took it upon myself to investigate.

My nerves began to linger as I built up the courage to post on the page; I feared that not adhering to the page’s rules would leave me victim to the community’s amusement. To my delight, the iconic Quad Bear responded promptly, saying “[y]es miss, open at 5:30,” with a smiley face.

After joining this page in early 2023, I’ve noticed a few

aspects that make it unique. It reminds me of the Barbie monologue about being a woman. You have to join the FB page to know whether it’s open, but you can’t expect it’ll be open when you need. You need to ask Quad Bear if it’s open, but don’t ask before 11am. You can ask before 11am, but it’s likely you’re going to get a sassy comment from a regular.

If you’re unsure, ask the question, but don’t expect that other members will attend to your question politely. Doors open at 5:30 – but good luck getting your food within the hour. Yes, the meals are large, but you do not share one meal between two. You say how many people are eating and Abdul takes the reins.

My tummy began to rumble as I envisioned the sensation of trying the food for the first time. Would 5pm be too early? But if I went any later, I feared I may be there for over an hour.

Unforeseen circumstances made the decision for me.

Much to my disappointment, my partner and I had run out of petrol in the middle of nowhere, and we had to wait three hours for AA to bring us enough to make it to the nearest service station. I started to come to terms with the fact that my AFG experience was near impossible.

Convinced my article was going to go bust, I had admitted defeat. But we got on the road after three hours, with an ETA of 7:20pm, two hours after they opened.

O p e n ?

The satisfaction was much sweeter when I realised there was next to no line.

After insufficiently reading the Facebook page, I stood around for a while before people behind me sat themselves down and told a man how many people were eating. It appeared to be a ‘rule’ that I had missed, so I nervously sat myself down and gestured towards the mysterious man who seemed to organise the diners.

The mystery man, Jay, gave us the nod and I took a seat wherever I could find room, which meant sharing a table with other people. The room buzzed with a good community feel. The saucy, spicy salad had the fresh goodness of olives, jalapenos, lettuce, and cucumber, drenched in zappy sauces.

We were then served with the largest bowl of rice and chicken-and-lamb kebab that I had ever laid my eyes on. To be completely transparent, the images I’d discovered on the page hadn’t convinced me. But once the aromas hit my nose and the flavours hit my tongue, the chatter ground to a halt and the food was shovelled at a fast pace. A curry similar to butter chicken flooded the bowl, filled with succulent drumsticks.

Passion for AFG’s meals has inspired creativity throughout the online community. Some write poems for Abdul and his food; others write long, complimentary descriptions of the meals whilst asking if it is open; some have made charts on the likelihood of the opening after thorough investigation. I feel inspired to write a song about the experience

I had just had.

It’s so intimate that it’s almost uncomfortable at first, until you realise the beauty of such a cosy experience. The ‘hostess’ per se, Jay, sat right beside me with a luminous smile, and we engaged in a brief conversation.

The whole environment felt like a warm hug from a family member – the kind of place you’d go for a good meal when you’re feeling a bit down. After paying $42 for an enormous meal, we left with two full takeaway containers as well as protruding stomachs, feeling fulfilled and gracious for the experience. Jay shook our hands as we left, telling us that if we continue to be happy, we will be so strong in life.

As I stepped out onto the bustling streets of Ōtautahi, the taste of AFG still lingering on my palate, I felt a wave of contentment wash over me. Despite the challenges of getting there and the uncertainty of its opening hours, the experience was more than worth it.

AFG isn’t just a restaurant; it’s a community, a place where strangers become friends over a shared love of Afghan cuisine. As I walked away, I know that I’ve experienced something truly special, which would stay with me long after the last bite was gone.

Elsie Williams (she/her)

An Explainer

Te Tiriti o Waitangi is an important document within Aotearoa; it’s an agreement made between Māori and the Crown, signed on February 6th, 1840. Te Tiriti is often referred to as the founding document of Aotearoa. Due to the proposed idea of a Treaty referendum, it is important to have a basic understanding of Te Tiriti and its relevance today.

Why Te Tiriti?

Before the colonisation of Aotearoa, Māori had developed a thriving trade operation with whalers and sealers. They were also welcoming to individuals who wished to settle in Aotearoa, such as missionaries and Pākehā. However, as Aotearoa was not considered a British colony, some of the settlers, whalers, and sealers engaged in lawless behaviour, which caused many issues within the country.

This behaviour, and the opportunities the Crown could provide for trade, were two of the motivations Māori had for signing Te Tiriti. The Crown also wanted to have the ability to govern their people, as the lawless behaviour was affecting everyone. Another motivation for a treaty from the British was to gain sovereignty over Aotearoa.

The translations

Article One

Te Reo Māori: Gave Queen Victoria “te kawanatanga katoa” (governance or government) over the land.

English: Gave the Queen “all rights and powers of sovereignty” (authority) over the land.

Article Two

Te Reo Māori: Confirmed and guaranteed the rangatira (chiefs) “te tino rangatiratanga” (self-determination, autonomy) over their lands, villages, and “taonga katoa” (all treasured things). Māori agreed to give the Crown the right to deal with them over land transactions.

English: Confirmed and guaranteed the rangatira “exclusive and undisturbed possession of their lands and estates, forests, fisheries, and other properties’.” The Crown sought an exclusive right to deal with Māori over land transactions.

Article Three

Te Reo Māori: The Crown’s assurance that Māori would have the Queen’s protection and all rights afforded to British subjects.

This was an accurate translation in the English version. However, the rights were not defined.

Differences in translations

The translations of Te Tiriti are one of the main sources of conflict and debate around Te Tiriti. This is mainly due to the difference between the words “sovereignty” and “tino rangatiratanga.”

The basic definition of “sovereign” is supreme power of authority over a nation. This means that in the English version, the Crown would have the right to colonise the land, since they would take over government and assert control. The English version was primarily signed by Crown representatives.

Rangatira signed the te reo translation, which agreed to the Crown creating a government to govern the country. The intention behind this was to govern their people. It also guaranteed tino rangatiratanga over their lands, villages, and taonga katoa.

“Tino rangatiratanga” can be translated as selfdetermination; this means that Māori were guaranteed the right to continue to have the autonomy over themselves and their assets. Although they gave the Crown permission to govern the land when they signed, Māori did not agree to sovereignty, as they were guaranteed their autonomy over their land, villages, and taonga katoa.

The Crown’s attitude towards Te Tiriti

The Crown did not uphold its obligations under Te Tiriti. One of the reasons for this is because the Crown did not acknowledge the te reo version, instead interpreting Te Tiriti based on the English text. This meant that they did not provide rangatira with the rights of tino rangatiratanga, as it conflicted with their views.

Although Te Tiriti promised protection of Māori land rights as seen in Article Two, this was ignored by the government, along with many of the other promises made in Te Tiriti.

Explainer of Te Tiriti

By 1860, almost the entire South Island was alienated from Māori. By the early 1890s, around two-thirds of the North Island had been alienated, and land loss continued through the 19th and 20th centuries.

Māori land was alienated through purchase and confiscation. This was done through different policies such as the New Zealand Settlements Act 1863, which ruled that land of any iwi that “engaged in rebellion” against the government would be confiscated.

Although Māori did not seek sovereignty through signing Te Tiriti, in May 1840 Lieutenant-Governor William Hobson declared British sovereignty over New Zealand – this included the Māori who did not sign Te Tiriti as well as the Māori who did.

Furthermore, The Crown rendered Te Tiriti as a “nullity” in 1877. This judgement was made by the Chief Justice, who declared Te Tiriti “worthless.” This ruling was used to further justify the alienation of Māori land.

Under the Crown’s nullity of Te Tiriti, Māori did not just lose land. They also lost economic stability, as they had lost the land on which they farmed and gathered food for trade. They also lost important aspects of their culture, such as their language.

The loss of Māori culture was enforced through attempts at assimilation, the urbanisation of Māori, and policies including the Tohunga Suppression Act 1907, which banned traditional healing practices, and the 1867 Native Schools Act, which banned children speaking te reo in school.

Though they are no longer active, these acts and policies have had detrimental effects on Māori, and have contributed to socioeconomic disadvantage which can still be seen today.

The principles of Te Tiriti

A relevant aspect of Te Tiriti are its principles. Since Te Tiriti o Waitangi was not a legal document, it does not feature explicitly in our law. However, because of the efforts made starting from the 1900s to implement and honour Te Tiriti, principles were created to represent Te Tiriti within law. There is no final or complete list, but the most well-known principles are the three Ps.

Partnership: Te Tiriti created a relationship between Māori and the Crown, and both parties must act with the utmost good faith.

Participation: The Crown will provide tāngata whenua with opportunities to engage with decision-making processes at all levels.

Protection: Active protection of Māori interests, rights, taonga, and rangatiratanga must be a government priority.

Te Tiriti in the contemporary era

Due to years of work and protest done by Māori, Te Tiriti is recognised in Parliament in the present day as a legitimate agreement. It is important to understand that colonisation is still happening. Just because Te Tiriti has been legitimised, it does not mean everything is alright for Māori and that people respect and honour Te Tiriti. This is seen in Parliament and through the discourse in Aotearoa – Te Tiriti is still being heavily debated.

Some policies have been put in place for the purpose of honouring Te Tiriti. In 1975, the Waitangi Tribunal was created. The Waitangi Tribunal is a government department in which iwi and hapū can put a claim in against the Crown to gain redress (to set right) harm done by the Crown.

Another way in which Te Tiriti has been honoured recently was the creation of co-governance. However, the new government has halted progress on this issue.

These are only two examples of ways Te Tiriti have been honoured in government. Māori are still fighting for Te Tiriti to be honoured. This has been done through peaceful protesting, hīkoi (march), wānanga (discussion), hui (meeting), and through Māori working within the government system. The most recent example of this was the hīkoi to honour Te Tiriti at Waitangi on Waitangi Day, 2024.

Te Tiriti is an extremely important agreement which, throughout history, has been ignored by the Crown. In the future, Te Tiriti is important for the development of Māori in all areas of society. This is only a brief overview of Te Tiriti; if you’d like to look deeper into the history, visit Te Ara, NZHistory, or The Guardian’s Treaty explainer.

Sources for this article include Te Ara Encyclopedia of New Zealand, NZ History, Ngā Kupu Wero, The Treaty of Waitangi | Te Tiriti o Waitangi: An Illustrated History by Claudia Orange, and The principles of the Treaty of Waitangi as expressed by the Courts and the Waitangi Tribunal.

Maia Aramakutu (Ngāti Pāhauwera, Ngāti Porou, she/her)

Olivia Welsh (she/her)

Are you a fan of Kings of Leon? Or Arctic Monkeys’ alternative style and energetic performances? Yes? Then I’ve got a treat for you. Founded back in 2018, Castaway is the musical lovechild of UC’s Rochester and Rutherford Hall Rec Room. Fun fact: their name is derived from all the boys staying in the same House. Yes, you may have guessed it already: Wilson House.

Castaway has played thrice at the iconic Tea Party, released their debut EP Chaos & Order in 2021, and came out with stream-worthy single “Supernova” in early February of this year. Their music is available on Spotify, and they’re regularly seen jamming it up at Fat Eddie’s on the weekends.

I had the pleasure of getting in contact with them – Jackson, Joe, Jack, Rhys and Austen – just recently, and received a range of fresh and articulate answers to a bunch of questions I posed surrounding music, cohort and individual challenges, and life in Ōtautahi.

Olivia: First off, why create a band together? What is the history of Castaway?

Castaway: Like many students in Ōtautahi, we come far and wide from across Aotearoa. A crazy stroke of fate landed us all in the same hall of residence. Bedroom jams turned into gigs in the local student and bar scene, and armed with a dedicated fanbase of mates from our hall, we continued honing our craft and connection as a band.

Written in the freezing living rooms and bedrooms of our early flats, [Chaos & Order] explored the themes of identity and isolation in a time of transition to adulthood; a pretty authentic and cathartic body of work for a group of young men. When we aren’t chasing each other up for not unloading the dishwasher or sharing a delicious meal at the dinner table, we’re hard at work on our sophomore EP, “Nondual”, which is due to come out in November 2024.

Olivia: Who are your biggest musical/personal inspirations and why?

Jackson [vocals, guitar]: Coldplay has been a big inspiration of mine. With Fall Out Boy, “Infinity on High” was my go-to

childhood album and will always hold a place in my heart. It’s a true masterclass and an album that I’ll always come back to when struggling to find a creative spark.

Joe [vocals, drums]: The 1975 for their beautiful soundscapes, The Killers for great energy. Both of these bands really capture the emotion of what they’re singing about.

Jack [saxophone, keys]: Leonard Cohen, the master of lyricism and storytelling, and Coldplay.

Rhys [backing vocals, guitar]: Pink Floyd. Maybe it’s because I grew up with these guys being blasted on dad’s record player with mum shouting to turn it down. Favourite album, “Wish You Were Here”. Others include John Mayer, The War on Drugs, and Sem Fender.

Austen [bass]: Alex Turner; his song-writing and lyrics are really a bar above the rest, and he has never shield away from being true to his artistry. He always knows how to put an interesting spin on something universally experienced.

One of my favourite lyrics of his is, “the knife twists at the thought that I should fall short of the mark”.

Olivia: As artists, what advice would you give to other budding Kiwi musicians?

Castaway: To be truly honest, we’re no experts and we’re figuring it all out ourselves failure by failure, success by success. However, if there’s one thing we’ve learned in the last few years, it’s that the Aotearoa music industry is pretty damn intimate.

Being a good human is so important to being a successful musician, so put yourself out there and meet people the way you want to be met. Also, a huge shoutout to SOLE Music Academy who have provided us with invaluable connections, lessons and support. And, if you’re in a band – be nice to your bass player. Just do it.

Olivia: How has growing up in Ōtautahi shaped you as musicians and individuals. What’s your favourite thing about this city? Any challenges?

Castaway: Ōtautahi holds a special place in our hearts because it is the melting pot that brought us all together. In this city that none of us calls home, we’ve found ourselves a family of sorts, and have surrounded ourselves with an amazing community of supporters and mates. It’s not the biggest city in Aotearoa, but it punches above its weight in terms of university culture and appreciation for live music. The Southern half of Aotearoa is a mecca for indie and rock music.

Olivia: Who is your go-to band or artist to cover?

Castaway: The Killers, ABBA, Jet, Blondie – we love taking those classic tunes and infusing them with a youthful, energetic feel. We’ve also got a special place in our heart for those infectiously groovy songs; the ‘stank face’ is a sign that we’re really enjoying ourselves, even if it doesn’t look like it!

Olivia: If you had to encompass the Ōtautahi music scene in one word each, what would it be?

Castaway: Electric, growing, rockin’, juicy, and sublime!

Olivia: Loved your newest single “Supernova” – how did that song come to fruition?

Castaway: Hey, cheers mate! “Supernova” was created off the back of another demo called “Higher Place”. There were some cool moments in the original demo, but it was missing that pop-rock grit and youthful energy that we wanted to capture. Jackson played “Higher Place” a bit faster than the original version, and there was a collective ‘oh damn, that’s another level’ moment. The song then fell together after some (very) late nights in the garage.

We started with the chords and melody, slowly pieced in the drums and bass, followed by some little sparkles of production. The last piece of the puzzle was the lyrics, which we all had a hand in creating. It feels like there’s a bit of each of the band members in the song, which is something we place a lot of importance on. The opportunity to fly up to Auckland and record in The Lab Studio was super special. Our producer Greg Haver has produced a track with a Spice Girl, so him and his team did an unreal job on the track.

Olivia: Are there any Kiwi artists that you recommend?

Castaway: Check out The Butlers, Double Parked, Mako Road, and NO CIGAR if you’re into indie rock. Lunar Intruder are one of Ōtautahi’s best. There’s A Tuesday and PARK RD

are unreal. L.A.B. are also heroes of ours!

Olivia: What should we be expecting from you in the future?

Castaway: We’re treating fans to a stellar line-up of releases this year – five songs released as singles, and a sixth that will culminate in the EP Nondual. It is set to be a high-energy, pop-rock journey that takes the listener through what it means to be connected to all things, and aims to inspire feelings of hope and positivity through a collection of tunes that are as catchy as they are profound.

Olivia: Sounds great. Anything you’d like to say to your listeners and supporters?

Castaway: We’re just so grateful for the experiences we had at university - students at UC have such a unique opportunity to make mates, get involved, and even start a band. They were the best years of our lives, and we’ve made so many memories and mates that will last a lifetime! If you’re new to us, welcome to the Castaway community, it’s a pleasure to have you on board!

Castaway show themselves to be a very promising, supportive Ōtautahi band, formed through a love of music and the power of brotherhood and collaborative efforts. Remember to keep an eye on their socials and current work, and look out for Castaway’s next EP Nondual. I sense a hit.

Who’s Behind T w o T w o

The iconic name Twominds is often sprinkled throughout UC’s musical line ups, performing at gigs such as Full Moon, Mono, and Cuba Jib. But their presence is not confined to the walls of UC; they’ve performed at numerous well-known festivals whilst also creating their own Twominds Festival.

But who the hell are Twominds?

The iconic Twominds Takeovers combat UC’s predominantly DnB-heavy music scene, with their light, fluffy, and groovy house music vibes. Not only are they incorporating different genres to the music scene, they’re also highly inclusive of musicians in our Ōtautahi community that aren’t straight and Pākehā.

I managed to get ahold of a very busy Melbourne man named Corban Tupou, one of the Twominds OGs and codirector of the upcoming Twominds Festival.

The now 26-year-old provided the inside scoop on the brain function of Twominds, as their love for flat parties blossomed into a venture that’s becoming more successful by the day.

For someone planning an upcoming festival in Ōtautahi, Melbourne seemed a little far away to be bringing this diverse project to life. Tupou states, “[t]he metaphor I keep using is that it’s difficult to read a book when you’re holding it only a centimetre away from your face.”

Rather than beat around the bush, Tupou travels back down memory lane to where his Twominds journey began.

He throws it back all the way to the year we don’t like to speak of – 2020. Tupou was situated on Creyke Road in a well-known and now-demolished flat nicknamed ‘The Local.’ The earthquake-damaged house posed as a perfect party flat in his eyes, as it was located directly across from EngCore –close to the university and accessible to mates. In 2019, his seven flatmates became the face of a venture Tupou had started called ‘Sounds of The Local,’ as he morphed their house parties into Boiler Room-like sets which he streamed

from different parts of The Local.

Twominds existed alongside ‘Sounds of The Local,’ but the two different entities were quickly combined in 2020 due to the similar ideologies and goals shared by the two groups of mates. Tupou explained, “Dan was kind of like, ‘hey, let’s sort of bring everyone together and do something collective and start doing proper events’.”

In an interview conducted in 2020, Twominds co-founder Dan Stewart said the name originated from “the idea of bringing the band scene and the house scene together into one gig - bringing two different environments together. That was an element of it. And the first person I brought it up with was my mate Liam Cullen, and then we started developing the idea together.”

After combining the two powerful groups, Twominds worked harmoniously as their house parties became events with a strong foundation.

Tupou explained how the origin of Twominds was heavily inspired by UC’s club culture. “There wasn’t much for young people to do in the city post-earthquake because of all the damage, obviously. So for students to have fun, that meant that it was kind of on their shoulders to organise something, and that’s where the club scene really thrived in Christchurch and became quite a unique aspect of studying.”

As Twominds began their new venture into the student scene, they held a hectic launch party. It sounded like one of those events you’ve heard of, and wish you’d been there to experience.

“It’s just one of those classic stories of, you know, you throw a party and you’re worried ‘are people going to show up?’ And sure enough, far too many people showed up,” Tupou laughed.

Some uninvited guests known as the riot police attended the party, to attend to the four hundred people infiltrating the student flat. With meat stolen from the freezer and laptops disappearing, the lads had a rude awakening of how events

M i n d s ? M i n d s ?

should and should not be run, but Stewart believed it ran the gamut, “from beautiful to hectic - and everything in between.”

This drive and addiction to hosting events only grew for Twominds, and they simply could not get enough of it –even three years down the track. Whilst racking up DJ and organization experience, strong connections, and a deeper love for music, Twominds decided to “take a bigger bite” and launch their very first festival.

The Twominds Festival.

Inspired by smaller boutique Aotearoa festivals as opposed to big commercial ones, the Twominds Festival leans into creating a memorable experience and atmosphere rather than large stages with huge acts.

The first Twominds Festival took place last year at Ōtautahi’s finest Spencer Beach Holiday Park, and after a raging success, they’re onto round two.

Stewart and Tupou co-direct the festival for the second time, but with a little more experience under their belts. Previously, the two directors sat in a flat garage, day in and out, pouring their heart and soul into this festival. Second time around, the team has had a large expansion of help and a lighter workload, as Tupou works on the festival from Melbourne.

Creating a festival from the ground up is no mean feat and can be a logistical nightmare. “When you show up to a festival, you think, ‘oh man, how hard is that, you just set up a stage and some speakers and you’re good to go’.” But as Tupou further explains, when you’re responsible for the safety of potentially a few thousand people, the rules are strict and compliance is compulsory.

Whilst adhering to the strict festival guidelines, Twominds somewhat defies social norms, with a lineup that focuses on involving artists from under-represented groups.

Last year, the top two tiers of the lineup were over 50% non-male and more than 40% queer, with 22% of performers being people of colour. Truly epic and rare. “I think the best kind of festivals are the ones where you get a diverse experience, Tupou explains. “When it comes to art and things like music, anyone in the crowd should be able to look up to a person on the stage and relate to that person on that stage and think, ‘oh, I can do that too’.”

This year, the Twominds Festival expands to five stages of completely different musical genres and styles which represent different cultures and backgrounds.

Leaning into a natural aesthetic, Tupou explains that festivalgoers can expect to “go on a bit of an adventure through these different sounds and atmospheres,” exploring new things they might not have heard of, or not usually thought would be your go-to.

Located only a half-hour out of central Christchurch and a five-minute walk to the beach, Twominds Festival is situated in a primo location with the promise of good vibes from March 15th to 17th.

Twominds is a perfect example of how UC’s student culture has the foundation to bloom something ‘beautiful and hectic’ as Stewart said, which is a gift we’ve all been blessed with.

As the world of Twominds expands, the future looks bright, with hopes to also shine their light on current students who may have the drive to create similar projects, to further enhance and morph the student culture into something that everyone can be proud of.

Elsie Williams (she/her)

Cantabury Tales

Welcome to a new column where we respond to a tale submitted by one of you and attempt to give advice. Want us to respond to your tale? Email us at editor@canta.co.nz.

Dear Canta,

I’ve worked in hospo for 5+ years now (who’s counting) and am getting a wee bit sick of randos getting mad at me for no good reason. I don’t graduate for another year –any tips on how to survive just a bit more of it??

From, Tired

Dear Tired,

We hear you, loudly – trust me. Working in hospo or retail is definitely a student experience we would all rather forget. But putting food on the table and being able to afford to live is so incredibly important.

Random people will always get mad at you for the most random shit that doesn’t even matter. It is super hard to try and focus on other aspects of work but try focus on all the times you were complimented for doing a great job.

As well as this, enjoy the free food! One of the only perks of working hospo is access to incredible food and beverages (who doesn’t love a good staffie). Get your fair share and make the most out of it.

If all fails and work really sucks, quit and work somewhere else. You are worth way more than what you may think!

Love, Canta.

OPEN

MON-FRI 8:30am - 5:30pm

LOCATION

UNDERCROFT, JAMES HIGHT BUILDING

PHONE

03 364 2215

WEBSITE

Unipharmacycanterbury.co.nz

Which Christchurch Hotspot is your personality type?

What scenario best describes you on a Saturday night?

A. Sinking a box at pre’s, a Foo San BYO, and then stumbling around to various Ilam flat hosts

B. Tucked up in bed in an Oodie watching Netflix with herbal tea and a choccy bikkie

C. Out for a surf and then a big feed

D. On an evening drive with some tunes to have a picnic while watching the sunset

E. Pre-ing hard to hop straight on that city bus to Fat Eddie’s, hoping you get let in

Which is your local?

A. PAK’nSAVE Riccarton

B. Fruit and veg store or GoodFor

C. Freshchoice

D. Woolworths on Church Corner

E. New World Ilam

How do you spend your dusty Sundays?

A. A trip to Maccas; if you’re up to it, you might clean up the cans and sticky stains in your kitchen

B. An early morning park run, then celebrating with a muffin and an oat flat white, then off to the library

C. A swim or surf, wandering around some op-shops, and cooking up a cheap curry for the flat feed

D. After a quality sleepin, going to the library for a bit, then an afternoon mountain bike or hike

Mostly A’s: Riccarton Mall

Ah, the local shopping mall, a Christchurch staple. You rarely leave Ilam. I mean, why would you? You are a true local at heart, living the quintessential university lifestyle. You don’t mind spending a bit of that student loan on a new item of clothing, a Maccas run, or a BYO corkage, but you can be stingy when paying for gas or using flat power.

E. Lying in bed watching TikTok, trying to contemplate the meaning of life to cure the come-down. Maybe Dom’s for dinner?

Drink of choice

A. I don’t care; just the cheapest box, highest percentage, or Jacob’s Creek

B. Clean Collectives

C. Box of beers

D. Normally sober, none for me

E. Red Bull vodka and tequila shots

What would be your dream date?

A. Receiving a bouquet of roses and chocolates and heading to the movies to share an extra large popcorn

B. A wander through the botanic gardens, then parking up on a picnic blanket to lie in the sun and read

C. An op-shopping mish, fish and chips on the beach, and an underground indie gig in Lyttelton

D. Going on a tramp

E. A fancy meal and cocktails with a mandatory Rollickin’ afterward

Mostly B’s: Hagley Park

You appear to be the definition of health, very put together with your priorities in order. You love routine and your Garden City lifestyle, always making the most of the local parks on your hotgirl walks. You are a morning person, get above-decent grades, are probably training for the Christchurch half marathon as a side hobby, are a local at the Rec Centre, you only drink Clean Collectives, and Taylor Swift is your most listened-to artist.

Mostly C’s: Sumner

You scream Sumner kid energy. Laid back, easy-going, dress well, a fan of Australian rock bands or artists no one has heard of, are probably a loyal member of CUBA, and your entire wardrobe is second-hand. You are averagely good at surfing but it’s always your first topic of conversation. You most likely study Eng.

You are in charge of where you and your mates go out… where do you choose?

A. Local BYO or Bush Inn, it’s so close and always does the job

B. Pink Lady, LastWord, or Austin Club

C. Wunderbar or The Loons for a Lyttleton gig

D. The Bog, The Church, or maybe RockPool

E. Fat Eddie’s, Sin, Hide… name anywhere in town, I’m there

Mostly D’s: Port Hills

You only live in Christchurch because it is the gateway to the rest of the South. You take any chance to get out of the city, are always outdoors, probably super fit but hate the gym and take risks that frequently injure you. You love a sunset drive, and picnics and have a quality uni-life balance which means you always have time for an adventure.

Mostly E’s: The Strip

You love any excuse for a good night out in town. Your closet predominantly consists of Rodd & Gunn with R.M.Williams, or $300 Ruby dresses. You always look put together and smell nice. You probably invest your student loan in Sharesies and prioritize working a part-time job over uni so you can afford silly substances, $12 tequila shots, and expensive Ubers home to your cold Ilam flat.

The Ultimate Supermarket Review

Most students choose their regular supermarket based on which one is cheaper – because of that student budget. However, as a student who doesn’t have access to a car, I’ve based my shopping choice on which one is in closest walking distance.

During my time at university, I’ve lived in Riccarton and around Ilam. I’ve had the pleasure of having all of the major supermarkets as my local, and have familiarised myself with the strengths and weaknesses of each one. Which leads me to this article: an indepth, unbiased review on the four main supermarkets around the university area.

The supermarkets being reviewed are: FreshChoice Fendalton, PAK’nSAVE Riccarton, New World Ilam, and Church Corner Woolworths (formerly Countdown).

The review will cover four categories – pricing, layout, product availability, and overall experience – and provide a rating out of five with an explanation.

I wrote out my weekly shopping list and went to all four supermarkets to do exactly the same shop. I did my weekly shop at Woolworths, and went around the other stores writing down the prices of each item.

Here is my weekly shop:

• Onion x1

• Fantastic beef noodles 5 pack

• 750 grams Sanitarium Weetbix

• Budget milk

• Budget tin tomatoes x2

• Budget Pasta

• Prime beef mince 400g

• Cadbury 180g chocolate block

• Bluebird chips x1

• Fantastic crackers x1

• Beehive 100g ham

• Oatilicious TipTop bread

• Budget frozen peas

FreshChoice Fendalton

Layout: 2/5. The layout is relatively like other supermarkets, although the aisles are split in half with a walkway down the middle, which is a pain. It makes it difficult to go back for products if you forgot something from your list. I shopped there for a year and I still find the layout hard to navigate.

Product availability: 3/5. The main positive of shopping at PAK’nSAVE is that they stock a lot of budget products and carry two different budget brands, so you have options. However, they run out of stock quickly, so you aren’t guaranteed to get everything you went in for.

Overall experience: 1/5. This PAK’nSAVE is always busy, to the point where it makes shopping anxiety-inducing and you’re guaranteed to nearly bump into another customer at least once. Therefore, the experience is not that great – I always find myself stressed and annoyed upon leaving.

Pricing: 2/5. The most expensive shop at $55.27. Some of the products at FreshChoice were priced higher than they’re worth. For example, a 750g box of Weetbix was $7.19 which is around one to two dollars higher than the other supermarkets. They also lacked in sales or deals, which was disappointing.

Layout: 4/5. Nothing special about the layout – it was standard. Everything was easy to find, and the aisles were easy to navigate and decent enough in size.

Product availability: 3/5. FreshChoice has a limited range of products compared to the other supermarkets. They did have budget products for all the essentials, which is positive.

Overall experience: 3/5. The store was empty, which was great. However, shopping felt extremely awkward – I felt as though I was being watched the whole time.

PAK’nSAVE Riccarton

Pricing: 5/5. $47.73. PAK’nSAVE will always live up to its representation of being cheap. Though not the cheapest shop, everything was reasonably priced. They had some decent sales, and you’ll find that certain items are cheaper by default.

New World Ilam

Pricing: 3/5. $44.86 without a Club Card, $42.46 with a Club Card. This was the cheapest shop, but it’s important to note that they had a Super Saver deal on mince. On average, the food is more expensive as they stock fewer budget items. However, they have decent sales and the Club Card can give a good discount.

Layout: 4/5. Nice layout and easy to navigate. The aisles are a bit small though, so if it’s busy it can get cramped.

Product availability: 4/5. Loses points for fewer budget items; other than that, the shelves are always stocked full.

Overall experience: 4/5. The best supermarket experience I had. Loses a point as it isn’t walking friendly. I nearly got hit by a car while trying to get to the door.

Church Corner Woolworths

Pricing: 3/5. $50.97. I was disappointed at Woolworths’ pricing. Some of the budget foods weren’t at budget prices. For example, their Woolworths brand tinned tomatoes were $1.30 a can, compared to Pams and Value brand, whose tinned tomatoes were under $1 each.

Layout: 5/5. The layout is amazing and everything makes sense. The aisles are large, which means navigating around people is easy and going back for missed products is not a hassle. They also had some decent specials.

Product availability: 4/5. Limited budget items – only the absolute necessities.

Overall experience: 4/5. Pretty good experience. The self-checkout didn’t get annoyed at me like they normally do, which was great considering I tried to fit my whole shop on the tiny weighing area.

I hope this review has given you some insight into different shopping experiences.

Happy shopping!

Maia Aramakutu (she/her, Ngāti Pāhauwera, Ngāti Porou)

The Hottest Spots in Town

Rosie Leishman (she/her)

When you walk into the centre of Christchurch, you are confronted with towering, grey buildings freshly rebuilt from the quakes. But Ōtautahi is also home to many hidden hotspots that bring vibrant life into our Garden City and are making Christchurch cool again.

First off, we have Rollickin Gelato, an Ōtautahi local legend. Rollickin serves up homemade gelato, sorbets, and desserts with funky flavour combinations and a cult community following.

Rollickin was started post-quake by born-and-bred local Jed Joyce. As a high school project, Jed sold gelato in a custom-built, self-sufficient horse float to raise money for World Challenge.

Following the horse float’s success, teenage Joyce hustled to find a permanent spot to expand the business. It eventually found its home on New Regent St, the most magical spot in the city centre.

Nearly 10 years on, Rollickin has become one of the most prominent local hotspots and success stories in the resilient and re-emerging post-quake city. A gelato is a rite of passage for anyone new to town, a first date, or end-of-week celebratory treat.

What makes Rollickin stand out as a special spot comes down to Jed and his vision to create a fun space for people to meet up and enjoy the sweeter side of life.

Rollickin marketing manager

Tania Smith said, “Rollickin is more than just the ice cream shop on the corner.”

“The vision is to keep it fun, and if it’s not fun, we’re not doing it,” said Smith.

The secret ingredient to Rollickin’s success story is the Christchurch community is at its core.

“Christchurch is an upbeat and vibrant and it’s exciting to see so many young people come here… the future of the city is exciting,” said Smith.

At Rollickin, people are prioritised, with customers contributing to the business by being encouraged to provide input with the team. With fresh flavours that reflect current events, there is never an excuse to not go back; your sweet tooth will always be craving another scoop.

With the bold and bright colours welcoming you in, the graphic drawings, comfy sofas, smiling staff, cheeky bumper stickers, events, and fresh flavours to keep you intrigued. Rollickin is an institution curated by community, collaboration, and creativity – celebrating the cool parts of Christchurch.

Now we move on to Nifty, the perfect pale pink hub for quality preloved clothing.

As you pass through the industrial side of Cashel Street, it is hard to miss the Barbie dreamhouse filled with pieces of colour-popping consignment clothes. It’s any thrifter’s hottest hotspot in town.

Nifty is owned and operated by a vintage hunter and a style queen, Rosie Carroll. It is a permanent space born from The Nifty Markets. Carroll started a monthly market back in 2018, out of another local hotspot, Benny’s Barber Shop.

The market was focused on sustainably and locally made goods, mainly focusing on selling vintage and second-hand clothing.

In October 2022, Carroll left her job to open the consignment clothing store. This gifted us with Nifty, a pretty pink treasure with fluffy sofas and colourful clothing, open six days a week.

Carroll started the market “to provide a place for clothing lovers to shop sustainably, hang out, and meet likeminded people.”

After the earthquakes, and the extensive rebuilds that followed, Carroll found there were a lack of second-hand clothing stores, and fast fashion giants were opening mega-sized stores in the city.

“I felt really strongly about kicking back on those companies that were taking over the city… to provide an avenue for young people to shop and sell second-hand clothing,” said Carroll.

But the two things that make Nifty a local favourite are the clothing and the people. Carroll developed Nifty to become a hub for people to explore their tastes and find things they love, while also prolonging the life of our clothing and combatting unhealthy fast fashion trends.

Carroll’s vision has been accomplished, with Nifty becoming a hotspot where likeminded people can connect, yarn, and have a good time. Like Rollickin, it is the community that is the core of Nifty.

Carroll said, “I get to bond with my team and customers over clothing all day. What a dream!”

Carroll is also a fellow OG Cantab. Since starting Nifty, the fashionista has fallen back in love with her hometown. “I feel really hopeful about the success of the city […] its future is heading in an exciting direction,” said Carroll.

If her dream of more colourful buildings popping up around the place comes true, we will hopefully be seeing a new wave of bright city staples emerge.

Ōtautahi is a city full of opportunity, becoming a place for small businesses and creatives to thrive.

These local legends and their success stories prove that we all live among an existing, innovative and cool Christchurch community. This will only continue to flourish as we support them, one special neighbourhood business at a time.

U B C O R N E R

Tell us a bit about DJSoc!

We’re a non-profit organisation that provides a gateway into events and electronic music culture - reaching from here at UC to the wider scene in Christchurch! There is something for everyone across all our different sounds, from house through 140s to DnB and more. We do everything, because our sound is defined by you! Our values are creativity, inclusivity, opportunity and respect, so you can grow and have fun in a safe and welcoming community.

Promote your club to a newbie. How would you sell it?

Teaching, nurturing, developing and showcasing. These are the core of what we do.

We help you grow as a person and as a DJ, music producer, or vocalist if that’s what you’re into.

If you’re new to DJ’ing, we bring out your hidden talent and provide a pathway into the professional DJ world. We offer extensive connections and a supportive community that wants to see you succeed. If you’re already more confident, then we aim to lift your sets to another level and provide opportunities to play alongside your favourite artists. We also need people who love the music and can support our amazing DJs. So whoever you are and whatever you groove toget involved!

What are some events or activities you have planned for this year?

Full-steam ahead, we kicked off the year with a stage takeover at First Base at O-Week! Expect many more stage takeovers and homegrown events this year, where we showcase amazing DJs to an eclectic crowd made up of people like you and I. Collaborations with other clubs are also on the cards.

Whether you’re starting from square one or want to expand your skill set as a DJ, our DJ tutorials are for you! We provide high quality DJ equipment from a beginner setup to club-standard CDJs. You’ll be joined by an enthusiastic team of tutors who will guide you along your DJ’ing journey.

If you’re looking to spin your selection in a club environment and show us what you’ve got, then

S O C

S O C

keep your eyes peeled for our Open Decks nights!

Submitting a mix in our mix comps is also a great way to land a gig or win an awesome prize. And producers - watch closely for your own creative competition!

How can people get involved?

Follow our socials and sign up to be a member through QPay! You can find sign-up links on our socials. We offer both a free membership and one with a DJ and music production mentoring programme.

Instagram: djsoc.uc

Facebook: DJsoc Canterbury.

We can’t wait to welcome you to the club and show you what our music scene has to offer!

Flat Famous

Want $100? Apply at https://www.canta.co.nz/flat-famous-application

Nickname: Jorj

Worst Habit: Bossing Milan around

Favourite Flat Meal: Steak

Nickname: Loz

Worst Habit: Going travelling during uni

Favorite Flat Meal: Nachos

Nickname: Milz

Worst Habit: Leaving the oven on

Favourite Flat Meal: Porkchop

Nickname: Kripple

Worst Habit: Sleeping

Favourite Flat Meal: Chicken pasta

CANTA

New Zealand claims historic Test series win over South Africa

After 92 years of trying, the Black Caps finally secured a Test series win against South Africa with a 2-0 result. This victory was guided by a record-breaking knock of 133 not out from Kane Williamson, which brought the Black Caps to a comfortable seven-wicket win over the visiting Proteas.

Williamson’s confident century was the 32nd of his Test career and his third within this two-match series. This milestone saw Williamson become the fastest player ever to 32 Test centuries, doing so in only 172 innings. Although Williamson hit the milestone during the Test, it did not stop him from scoring the winning runs with a beautiful cover drive for four.

Throughout the Test, South Africa pushed New Zealand hard. By tea on day three, New Zealand looked finished. However, the Black Cap bowlers held their resolve and limited the South African lead to 262 runs. The team secured the victory on day four of the five-day test.

(1536), points (4434), three-pointers (568), free throws (794), steals (302), blocks (262) and steals (302). Abercrombie will sign off his career as a club legend, leaving a long-lasting legacy.

Although the news of his retirement has saddened the team and fans, the Breakers are not letting this affect its performance on the court. The Breakers have made the 2024 playoffs, aiming to make Abercrombie’s final season one to remember.

First Māori to play at Wimbledon honoured more than 60 years later

Super Rugby Pacific law variation ends ‘kick tennis’

In light of the Super Rugby Pacific season that started on February 23rd, there has been an overhaul of the offside rule. The law change aims to put an end to the tedious game of ‘kick tennis.’

The current offside laws state that players in front of the kicker can be put onside as soon as the kick receiver has either passed the ball, or run five meters with the ball. Fans have expressed annoyance at this rule, which leaves many players standing still while kicks go over their heads. Many fans find this boring and tedious to watch.

The change in the law instructs that defenders will remain offside until they have been put onside by a teammate who has come from behind the kicker, or the kicker themselves.

The aim behind this new law is to encourage teams to run the ball back after receiving kicks. The full back or winger will able to glide past any would-be tacklers isolated in front of the kickers and chasers. Ultimately, long kicks will now be tougher to defend.

Tom Abercrombie announces retirement

After announcing his retirement from international basketball with the Tall Blacks last year, Breakers captain Tom Abercrombie is set to retire from basketball completely at the end of the 2023-24 Australian NBL season. Debuting in 2008, his retirement brings an end to a 16-year professional career.

He is the only player to have played all six Championship Series appearances for the Breakers. He has also been a part of four championship teams, was the Grand Final MVP in 2011, and received ALL-NBL First Team honours in 2012.

Abercrombie is known in basketball as a one-club man, and holds the Breakers records for most appearances (425), field goals made

Eighty-seven-year-old sporting legend Dame Ruia Mereana Morrison has been admitted to the international Tennis Hall of Fame 66 years after she become the first Māori to play at Wimbledon in 1957. Morrison, of Te Arawa and Ngāti Tūwharetoa, competed at Wimbledon four times, making it to the fourth round in 1957 and 1959.

Morrison was made a Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to tennis in 2021 and was inducted into the Māori Sports Hall of Fame in 2003, where she is described as “one of New Zealand’s best players of all time.”

Some of Morrison’s career highlights include being a New Zealand champion 13 times, a Federation Club player and captain, a coach, and a mentor. Acknowledged as an inspiration, she has been described as an influential trailblazer for both Māori and non-Māori women in sport.

One of Morrison’s most memorable wins was over Margaret Court, who had just won the Australian Open, in the final of the New Zealand championship in 1960.

Morrison has said that being in the Tennis Hall of Fame is an honour for which she is very grateful.

Maia Aramakutu (Ngāti Pāhauwera, Ngāti Porou, she/her)

Morrison has been honoured as an icon of Aotearoa New Zealand sport.

Image: Getty Images

City Girl, Small Town Mindset

Olivia Welsh (she/her)

I was born in Christchurch. I have lived in Christchurch for the entire twenty-one years of my existence, and there is a high likelihood that I will reside here after I graduate. I’ll get a job, settle down. But, in saying that, sometimes I feel like an outsider.

I don’t know a lot of the history behind my city, nor the great attractions that entice tourists. I stick to the same malls, coffee shops, and cinemas. I’m familiar with the bus routes, as long as they don’t unexpectedly change. I am, essentially, a city girl living with a small-town mentality. Perhaps it’s a mix of past introversion and anxiety having a hold on me, but this has been my reality.

The thing is, I’d never thought of Christchurch as a ‘city;’ not when I’d been to New York and seen the hustle and bustle of everyday life there. The constant moving of bodies, the sickening sweet smell of food trucks on each occupied corner. Starbucks everywhere, and subways always in motion even into the AM. That, to me, is how I would describe a typical city. One that never slept.

I suppose the depiction of them in film didn’t help to expand my understanding, only showcasing the excessive clubbing, lack of socio-economic values, and unrealistic job positions held in high-rise buildings with fancy offices. But the more I think about it, Christchurch is no less a city – apart from the 8.4 million population gap.

In fact, it’s more of an inviting environment. We are the biggest city in the South Island, and arguably the most beautiful. People travel here to see our sights, take in our fresh air, engage with the culture, the food, and the wildlife. Our city is special in the way that it resides on a pedestal of natural beauty, even with the concrete creations surrounding us.

It’s for the lovers of scenic simplicity, and the appreciators of exhibitions and public gatherings. We are known to leave a lasting impression on visitors, and as a community we’ve battled so much. Major earthquakes in 2010 and 2011, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the 2019 mosque shooting that left everybody, especially the Muslim community, forever rattled.

In adversity, Christchurch has shown to not collapse. It grows.

Our protests, whether it be in support of countries being unjustifiably attacked or in the public wishing to preserve the rights and mana of Te Tiriti, keep us relevant as an atmosphere for regeneration, and in striving for respect of all

heritages. My small-town mindset is shaken up by how this city is not small in the slightest. It’s vast, and there is so much to see if we open our eyes.

The best way that Christchurch has been described is through this quote I uncovered: “Beyond the cathedrals and the churches are the homes and gardens of the people. Christchurch is a city where even factories have their gardens. And whether homes are large or small there is always room for flowers.” In that, even as we evolve in our landscapes, and building projects, and efforts to garner more traction, we will always be us.

The Garden City.

I asked around to gather a list of descriptive adjectives that everyday people would use to describe their home, including those of random strangers, my friends and academic peers. Of the people that responded in time for this to go out, 22% included the word flat, and 11% vibrant and evolving. Other notable words were inspiring, creative, inviting, peaceful, relaxed, simple, and easy.

It was also interesting to see how many commented on the old-fashioned, racially-harmful environment that is still existent today. Descriptives being colonial, traditional, traumatic, white. Because on one side of the coin, there is the majestic living of a Christchurch local, able to uncover hidden gems wherever they go, and mix and mingle with crowds everywhere.

But then on the other, a more bigot-filled reality with the potential for more. You cannot dismiss either. Each is a valid interpretation of the city we have grown up in, or moved to.

The point I’m trying to make is, there is not a better place for me to sometimes feel like a tourist in than Christchurch. My small town mindset may be due to how I grew up and saw the world, but that doesn’t mean it can’t expand so that I, and those around me who relates, can get the most out of it.

It may not always seem like there is a lot to keep us consistently occupied, but the more that we engage with new people and experiences, the more we’ll discover that the rich culture, and resilience, and the striving for a diverse community makes our city special.

New Zealand in general is a surprise to the outside world, because although our population isn’t relatively large, our hearts are.

Canta Commentary

Doctor Who Specials

Charlotte Thornton (she/her)

Wild Blue Yonder

Doctor Who is back and it’s pure chaos. Just the way it should be.

“The Star Beast” has a lot to do. Doctor Who’s ratings have plummeted in recent years, and a near-cancellation called for a ‘break glass in case of emergency’ response. The BBC re-hired their most successful former showrunner, brought back a fan-favourite Doctor, and even hopped back to the Tom Baker era with the return of a 50-year-old logo.

“The Star Beast” begs former fans to jump back on board. It worked on me. I hadn’t watched a new episode in years, but I sat my ass right back down in my parents’ living room ready for a hit of nostalgia.

While Tennant’s Doctor is a bit more sensitive than he used to be, the episode feels wholly familiar. It’s a jumbled return to the format we know and love: a London-based crisis with a reset button finale. Sure, it isn’t particularly clever or thrilling –but ratings got a healthy boost.

All is right in the Whoniverse once more.

A little bad CGI never hurt anyone. It certainly never hurt Doctor Who; the janky special effects have always been part of its charm. These creatures of the week are an uncanny delight, and they ask Tennant and Catherine Tate to stretch their acting muscles in a way the rest of the specials don’t demand.

Here, the show takes a minute to breathe. This is a tidy twohander, sandwiched between overstuffed runabouts “The Star Beast” and “The Giggle”. And it’s scary. I’ll bet that it’s scarred some kids for life, and isn’t that the whole point of Doctor Who?

A major drawback, which is an issue in all four specials, is poor sound mixing. I ended up having to turn on the subtitles to make out the dialogue. Thankfully, the strongest moments of “Wild Blue Yonder” are the quietest. Doctor Who has been bizarre and disturbing before, but never so eerie.

“Wild Blue Yonder” puts all the drama to the side for a moment. It gives us a fresh take on what we’re actually here for: British people chatting, hugging, running down corridors, and scaring the shit out of us.

The Giggle

Where do I start? With the puppet show? The Spice Girls dance number? The Doctor going commando?

I’ll go with that new Disney+ money, which recruited Neil Patrick Harris in the role of the gleefully evil Toymaker. His scenery-chewing fits perfectly into “The Giggle”, a new camp classic for Who.

“The Giggle” begins with humans losing their minds, because they all think they’re right and won’t accept anyone else’s opinion. It’s a bit of welcome social commentary that ends up getting muddled through the clumsy addition of Millennial buzzwords. I’m not certain that Russell T Davies knows what ‘ghosting’ actually is.

While Harris dominates the episode, there still isn’t enough of him. He departs with a whimper, not a bang, and his inclusion feels wasted.

At its climax, “The Giggle” makes a ballsy choice which I hoped I would warm to. I haven’t. I left with too many questions, and not the good kind, like “when is the next episode coming out?” or “what was he going to say to Rose on the beach?”

The Church on Ruby Road

Ncuti Gatwa was born to play the Doctor. Talented actors across the United Kingdom might have the energy to make it work, but no one else has Gatwa’s range, or screen presence, or his winning smile. He is a revelation in “The Church on Ruby Road”, let down by a repetitive script with an uneven tone.

Things get off to a rough start: the same predictable backstory told twice in a row. It’s recounted several more times throughout the episode’s 55 minutes. “The Church on Ruby Road” contains maybe 20 or 30 minutes of content, padded out with contrived banter, a Labyrinth tribute, and, of all things, a deeply cynical take on foster parenting.

This episode features the debut of a new companion, a twentysomething orphan named Ruby Sunday. Yes, her cutesy name gets an explanation, but it’s also right there in the title, so don’t get too excited about it. She’s played by the adorable Millie Gibson, a highlight of the episode until she gets removed from the narrative just when things start to get interesting.

The script feels like a first draft. It needs more suspense, more fun, more Christmas. Gatwa and Gibson deserve more.

The Star Beast

Dipper One

LUCKY

Each issue we set up two birds who are looking for love on a blind-date and then tell them to write about it.

Here are the unedited results of Canta’s chosen love birds for this issue.

If you want some free Rollickin’ and the potential to meet the love of your life, apply at https://www.canta.co.nz/lucky-dip

Let’s set the scene. I’ve been nervously getting ready for the last 40 minutes. I finally put on my tidiest outfit and I’m ready to meet the love of my life. I pull up to rollickin and get guided upstairs to meet my Prince Charming. It’s the start of every love story ever written. He’s sitting there, dad sandals with the dogs on full display (naturally, I wasn’t against it), boardies, a dad shirt, and the finisher of all finishers: a hat that states “I fuck on the first date”. He’s perfect. I want him already. My eyes wandered downwards, and I spot a Fanny pack strapped around his waist. What else did he have in there for later? He shook my hand, a nice firm grip. It sweetens the deal. We get talking, there’s so much in common. We finally decide to order, heading downstairs. We order a cookie pie with a yogi bear scoop for me and a Gerry Brownie with peanut pants on top for him. We head back with our treats. We taste each other’s, with him spoon feeding me with here comes the airplane. Nyooom brrrrrr. The conversation is flowing, and the tension is growing. He adjusts in his seat, clearly the tension is not the only thing growing (his rocky road hard cock). We can’t take it anymore, I need to see his cocket rocket, his trumpet topped with nuts.

We looked around, there were no cameras. We thought fuck it, let’s have a quickie. I wanted a magnum but instead I got a mini. Thankfully, it’s not the size of the scoop, it’s the motion of the roll. He

takes me to pound town but this dessert, much like us, won’t finish itself. We stop for some half time breaks. Turns out dessert tastes better during a workout. I’m not proud of the next part but I said the most romantic thing I could think of. It slips out, “fill me up g”. He took it in stride well. We finish the dessert. We are also finished. We leave Christchurch’s finest establishment, sacks empty and tummies full. The night is young, and we take it back to his. It should be said here that he had a poster of a wolf on his wall, but I was willing to look past it given the taster of what was to come.

I woke up, it was all a dream, albeit a wet one. I change my sheets. Dreamt of cookies, got creamed. Just kidding, or am I? The real date was almost everything I hoped for and more. Thank you Canta, had the night of my life.

LUCKY DIP

Dipper Two

It was a wonderful Tuesday evening; the sun was shining and I could barely contain my excitement for my gelato date. Not only would the gelato cool me off, but it would put me in the running to feel the soothing gaze of a woman.

After a very thrilling clubs day I started planning my outfit and soon found out there was nothing in my wardrobe that would quite live up to the lucky dip hype. I found myself getting kitted out by the flatties in some fresh boardie’s, a party shirt, sandals, sunnies and my favorite hat.

I had a cheeky beer while the fellas hyped me up before I law abidingly drove to the new rollickin gelato store. Upon arrival, I wasted my money away in a Wilsons car park and wandered into the rollickin. When I said I was there for the lucky dip, the lady behind the counter glanced at my hat and went a little red for some reason, before saying I can help myself to a seat anywhere. I found a double couch upstairs where I eagerly waited for my date.

Shortly after, my princess trotted up the stairs looking as dashing as ever. She was wearing a black suit jacket and pants, along with a bowler hat and some glasses that may have even rivalled mine in their skuxness. However ,the most sexy part of the outfit had to be her walking cane, it fitted so well with her outfit I just

had to respect it. The conversation kicked off instantly, I knew from that moment, I was going to get a whole lot more than a soothing gaze. After the usual chats about each other’s families, our degrees and so on, we realized how much we had in common. We started to sit closer to each other on the couch and we hadn’t even got our desert yet!

When it came to ordering food, it was almost like our minds were in sync, we ordered two dishes and shared them like the cute couple that we are soon to be. The convo was flowing well but I couldn’t help noticing how she was glancing at my toes. This was turning me on to the point where I had to continue the rest of the date with my legs closed if you know what I mean. As we indulged in the deserts our appetites for food settled and our appetites for each other flourished. We ended up leaving together without finishing our deserts and with the whole night ahead of us.

Anyways, a gentleman doesn’t kiss and tell so I’ll just say thanks canta for the good night;)

P u z z l e s

How many words (at least three letters) can you make with the word...

Across

Across

Untitled

Down

Down

5. A popular brand of cinemas

7. Longest river in Ōtautahi

8. Popular Kiwi filmmaker

9. The most popular softdrink in New Zealand

1. Exhibition telling stories of Ōtautahi earthquakes

2. Coastal defence heritage site in New Zealand

3. Where can you go once you turn 20 years old?

4. Historic Ōtautahi mansion

6. Snuggle with cute cats and have a drink at the...

5 : Shit job 15: Getting there 30: Slay 40+: Girlboss

1. Exhibition telling stories of Ōtautahi earthquakes

2. Coastal defence heritage site in New Zealand

3. Where can you go once you turn 20 years old?

4. Historic Ōtautahi mansion

6. Snuggle with cute cats and have a drink at the...

5. A popular brand of cinemas

7. Longest River in Ōtautahi

8. Popular Kiwi filmmaker

9. New Zealand’s soft drink

Aries

Fiery, fiery Aries. I think it might be time to cool down a bit. Head on over to QEII or Jelly Park for a nostalgia-filled splash. Try not to cuss out any kids.

Cancer

Crabby Cancer, what’s got you down? Get yourself over to your local SVA event for an afternoon of volunteering. The perfect pick-me-up for a responsibility dodger.

Libra

How does it feel being the most reciprocal zodiac sign? A bit of selfishness never hurt anyone. Do whatever you want in Ōtautahi, but I’d suggest Alpine Ice Skating.

Taurus Gemini

You’re not exactly the poster child for compromise lately. Maybe let your mate pick the hang-out spot this time, just for funsies.

How’s that sarcastic defence mechanism going? You need a relaxing day out at Sumner beach. Don’t forget to lather on that sunscreen and chillax.

Leo Virgo

Admit it, you’re a little hedonistic. Desire-filled, bold, and a lover of drama. Check out what’s playing at the Isaac Theatre Royal, you lotus-eating Leo.

Your perfectionist tendencies must get a little tiring, but your creativity streak puts you on top. Churn out something productive at Botpots Pottery Studio or…I don’t know, scrapbook.

Scorpio Sagittarius

The heat has been a bit relentless, and you know what else has? Your rage. Take it out on an axe-throwing room rather than your poor water sign friend.

Free-spirited and travelobsessed. What’s another word for indecisive? Sag, go to Riverside Market on a Sunday and learn to make a quick lunch decision for once.

Capricorn Aquarius Pisces

You cannot play Devil’s advocate forever. But I respect the hustle of you career-driven maniacs. Take a breather at the New Brighton Library or Margaret Mahy Playground.

Getting restless this time of year? Your unpredictable nature makes it hard to recommend a pastime, but you can never go wrong with bowling. Just don’t get too upset when you lose.

Dwelling on the past is not going to fix the future. Try lightening your over-emotional load by taking a walk on the Rāpaki or Kennedy’s Bush Track.

Meet The Team!

Hariklia Nicola Charlotte Thornton Madilin Macpherson Managing Editor editor@canta.co.nz Print Editor print@canta.co.nz Designer designer@canta.co.nz

Heidi Slade News Editor news@canta.co.nz

Nikki Clarke Digital Editor digital@canta.co.nz

Rosie Leishman Feature Writer

Elsie Williams Feature Writer

Olivia Welsh Feature Writer

Maia Aramakutu Feature Writer

Tessa Birch Video Editor

Ella Paterson Audio Editor

Sophie Kensington Video & Digital Assistant