Naturist living ~ nudist life ~ naked happiness NEW ZEALAND
for health and well-being
Marina’s PUBLISHED SINCE 1956 238 September 2016
ISSN 2463-4743 New Zealand $8.75 Australia $9.75 UK £6.99
beautiful nude life
4WD Naked Overlander • 2017 Youth Camp • de-sexualising nudity gonatural 238 September 2016
gonatural 238 September 2016
PHOTO Michael Moore
PHOTO Jeff Norman
Audrey and Damian celebrate winning Kubb at Auckland Outdoor Naturist Club
NEW ZEALAND
for health & well-being
PUBLISHED SINCE 1956
September 2016
MAGAZINE OF THE NEW ZEALAND NATURIST FEDERATION INC
The magazine for freedom lovers and those who embrace the naturist way of life characterised by the practice of communal nudity with the intention of encouraging self-respect, respect for others and the environment. The benefits of naturism are wide and varied, from health benefits to therapy; from getting close to nature and the simple pleasures of pure freedom...let us show you how you and your body can benefit from the lifestyle that is nude recreation - or naturism. It’s good for your health. Measured sun exposure and vitamin D is very good for you. Naturism is more about doing normal, everyday activities, without the encumbrance of clothing and helps in prevention of many diseases from rickets to some forms of cancer (including melanoma), arthritis, osteoporosis, diabetes, asthma and cardiovascular disease. Mental health - Being naked outdoors on a sunny day isn’t sexual, but it is sensual – a delight to your senses. Self Esteem - An increase in euphoria, naturism helps to increase confidence and self esteem. Lifestyle - Experience the true ‘freedom’ of exposing your whole body to nature’s elements. Freedom - gain a sense of freedom when you remove the ‘entrapments of civilisation’ Recreation and Enjoyment - enjoy sports and many active pursuits.
ON OUR COVER
Naturist living ~ nudist life ~ naked happiness NEW ZEALAND
for health and well-being
“The opinion of those who have actually seen the reaction of children to nudity is remarkably consistent. Nudity is only an issue if an adult makes it into one and making it into an issue can cause harm. -Malcolm Boura, ‘Children Deserve Better’ British Naturism 2016 Report
from the editor If you’re a reader of gonatural magazine, you’re part of the solution to growing the acceptance of naturism and healthy nudity in New Zealand. I receive letters from people in Michael Moore all walks of life and professions: white collar Wellington business folk, to tradies in postearthquake Christchurch. We all have different lives but have the common belief that non-sexual social nudity is something that is inherently good and positive in our lives. In this issue, we look at Children Deserve Better, a new British Naturism report which is compelling reading. I delighted to share my friend Marina Grace’s unique story and sure you’ll enjoy her beautiful photos and inspiring attitude to a peaceful life in accepting our own bodies. Glen Donnelly is an inspirational young advocate leading Nude Movement, an online community. He challenges us to look at things in a different way. Possum and his faithful gang venture on the now infamous annual Naked 4WD Overlanders tour, exploring the beautiful Golden Bay region. His advernture and photos are fantastic. Kris Williams talks about de-sexualising nudity; former gonatural editor Kay Hannam writes from her poolside ‘office’ in Italy, whilst preparing for the International Congress on Naturism in Wellington in mid-November. There’s a splash of good Vitamin D advice; some naked history of the Olympics, and a tale of the Winter Solstice. NZNF president Wendy Lowe is delighted to announce plans for an inaugural youth camp in January near Rotota, something we hope is the beginning of something wonderful for those under 25 to experience nudity. So, sit back, outside in the vitamin D, and enjoy your Spring read as we see Summer starting to return!
-Mike
Marina’s PUBLISHED SINCE 1956 238 September 2016
ISSN 2463-4743 New Zealand $8.75 Australia $9.75 UK £6.99
beautiful nude life
4WD Naked Overlander • 2017 Youth Camp • de-sexualising nudity gonatural 238 September 2016
Marina Grace and her journey BACK COVER Nick trying to climb the Abel Tasman Monument
Deadline for December issue: 15th October 2016 Editorial & Advertising editor@gonatural.co.nz PO Box 37375, Halswell, Christchurch, New Zealand 8245 Subscriptions Print or Digital gonatural.co.nz/gonatural-magazine magazine@gonatural.co.nz Tel +64 21 32 1144 facebook.com/gonaturalMagazine
gonatural
238 September 2016
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Letters
NEW ZEALAND
for health & well-being
MAGAZINE OF THE NEW ZEALAND NATURIST FEDERATION INC Published since 1956
#238 September 2016 ISSN 2463-4743 PUBLISHER
New Zealand Naturist Federation Inc EDITOR
Michael P Moore editor@gonatural.co.nz MANAGER
Noel Thomas magazine@gonatural.co.nz DESIGN & LAYOUT
Michael P Moore ADVERTISING
editor@gonatural.co.nz PRINTER
Wickliffe New Zealand, Christchurch CONTACT
PO Box 37375, Hallswell, Christchurch 8245 www.gonatural.co.nz THANKS TO
Andrew Boyd, John Lowe, Hamish Patrick CONTRIBUTORS
Kay Hannam, Wendy Lowe, Marina Grace, Possum, Kathy Earby, David Baric, Malcolm Boura, Constance Gervasi, Kris Williams, Glen Donnelly. Purchase either the print edition from your bookseller or via subscription post, or subscribe to the digital edition online. New Zealand’s national naturist magazine is published quarterly in March, June, September and December, by the New Zealand Naturist Federation Inc. Registered at the Chief Post Office, Wellington, as a magazine. This magazine is protected by copyright. No part of it may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form by any means electronic, mechanical, photographic, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior written permission of the Editor. In our desire to present different points of view, gonatural will publish articles and letters which may not necessarily represent the opinion of the editor nor the policy of the New Zealand Naturist Federation.
Deadline December edition
15th October 2016
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gonatural 238 September 2016
editor@gonatural.co.nz It may not be intellectual, but, for the first time, I came home to find my 10-year-old son sat naked on a towel in the kitchen, eating his pudding. This may seem totally natural to most / any of you - but for me, having been naked at home for the last 30 years - so he’s grown up seeing me about the house - this is a step in the right direction acceptance of his body in the suitable place. More amazing is the fact my wife didn’t tell him to put his clothes on, and was telling him what she knows about naturism - so he asked me questions later... Fingers are crossed this is not a one off - one question was “Is there a club nearby?” -Primvs Aebvtivs, Ramsey, Peterborough, UK The last issue [June 2016] was absolutely superb. Excellent work. Thanks so much. However, regarding Murray Mackenzie’s letter, he wants to erase the visibility of gay (and presumably lesbian) naturists from the pages of gonatural magazine, to send us back to the closet and punish us for not being heterosexual. He would like the NZ naturist movement to be defined by and include only people of a particular sexual persuasion. In effect to become the exclusive enclave of ossified psycho/ sexual values and traditions Well Murray, the world has moved on from this narrow view. Internationally, nudist clubs and organisations are recognising that gender identity and sexual orientation are fluid and personal and not an impediment to membership. Rather, the movement is adapting to the reality of evolving social awareness in this area of human-beingness. If the movement is to genuinely reflect society in all it’s nakedness it must be an inclusive one. After all, what is a naturist other than someone who wishes to be naked in community. I expect the delegates and attendees at the Wellington INF Congress will reflect this view. - Peter Finlayson, Autumn Farm, Golden Bay In response to Mr MacKenzie’s Letter to the Editor in the June 2016 issue, I would like to re-iterate that this is entirely a personal view and not the viewpoint of the Wellington Naturist Club. We live in an ever-evolving global society and consider ourselves to be inclusive of people from all walks of life, regardless of their race, religion, gender or sexuality. -Ken Mercer, President, Wellington Naturist Club I was upset to read the views from Murray Mackenzie in gonatural about who is entitled to participate and who is not! Is this 1930’s Nazi Germany? Actually the Germans are more tolerate of inclusive nudity than Mr Mackenzie! I hope he learns to accept all those who want to enjoy the naturist lifestyle. - Susan Fredrick, Westland
I’d like to recommend nude yoga in Auckland. I recently did a class on Tuesday. It’s great for fitness and the stretches are so much easier without clothes. The studio has very subtle low lighting. I highly recommend giving it a try. - Dave Melville, Auckland “Couldn’t you just not mention it?” That was the stupefying question I was asked when, some years ago, I revealed at my “interview” with the local nudist club that I was gay. Unlike some nudist clubs, the one in Cairns, Australia, accepts single males, so after submitting my application form I was granted an interview. All was going well until I revealed my sexual orientation. “There are some long-term members who would resign from the club if they knew you were gay,” I was told, and the interview came to a polite but abrupt end. Certainly, I didn’t want to be part of a club where some members held such bigoted attitudes. But this is the type of discrimination gay people continue to endure, at least in Australia, including in nudist clubs who can apparently decide who is (and who isn’t) acceptable. From reading gonatural, it seems some Kiwi nudists hold similar, discriminatory views. As one of “these persons”, I find Mackenzie’s remarks offensive. I’m sure gonatural Frank with Tom from Cologne, Germany has many gay nudist readers, like myself, who are interested in places such as Autumn Farm (March 2016). Why shouldn’t these places be given writeups in naturist magazines, or are these publications only for heterosexuals? Being a nudist and being gay are not mutually exclusive. Please, let’s be more inclusive! My home is now a naturist homestay for nudists (and potential nudists) from around the world, regardless of their sexual orientation. Tom from Germany (pictured above) is not gay. - Frank Pagram, Cairns, Australia My family and I were inspired by Brando Yelavich’s amazing story of trekking around New Zealand [June 2016]. It was so wonderful seeing this in gonatural magazine: a proud young man, his tenacity, commitment and transformation, is something we all got so much inspiration from. Brando displayed the hallmarks of how a young person can turn his life around. - Laura Kennedy, Taranaki
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Letters................................................................................ 2 New Zealand and world News.......................................... 4 Why I don’t call myself a nudist......................................... 6 Naked origins of the Olympics........................................... 8
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2017 Youth Camp.............................................................. 9 Marina Grace shares her love......................................... 11 Children and healthy nudity............................................ 15 Kay Hannam writes.......................................................... 16 De-sexualising nudity....................................................... 18
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Winter Solstice ................................................................ 20 2016 Naked 4WD Overlanders tour............................... 22 Around the country ......................................................... 30 History............................................................................... 31 Subscriptions .................................................................. 39
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What’s On......................................................................... 41
Letters
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NZ Naturist Directory ..................................................... 40
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editor@gonatural.co.nz In my opinion, one important aspect of naturism is accepting people as they are. I would leave any organisation which excluded people on the grounds of sexuality, race, gender etc. I would also terminate my subscription if you had such a policy. - Jeff Norman, Auckland Naturism is a way of being life affirming and fully human, embracing this in all its diversity. By the way, I would rather think that being involved in a way of life that’s considered marginal and perverted by most might make one cautious about criticising another way of life that the same good folk view in a similar fashion. - Charles Ronald Grinter, Auckland
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