Rabelais - Edition 3, 2019 by La Trobe SU

EDITION THREE

RABELAIS

h DOODH CHAI GOING ON EXCHANGE AVENGERS END GAME REVIEW (RMDb) MAKE YOUR VOTE COUNT

acknowledgement of country 0 The Rabelais team acknowledges the Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander peoples, the traditional owners of the lands in which La Trobe University and its student union are located. We acknowledge the Wurundjeri, Latjie Latjie, Barkindji and Yorta Yorta peoples, whose sovereignty was never ceded. Rabelais is committed to honoring Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander Peoplesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; unique cultural and spiritual relationships to the land, waters and seas. We pay our respects to Elders both past and present. Rabelais | Edition Three

We hope that Semester One has been full of learning and abundant experiences, that you can now forget about while relaxing over the winter break, after you finish all of your exams of course.

Also, we can include columns if you’d like to have a short opinion piece in the student magazine. Just message one of our socials to pitch ideas. It can be about politics, music, film, gaming or literally anything you want!

With the world rapidly changing before our eyes, the influence individuals are having on large scale issues is more prominent than ever. This is one of the major thoughts which we considered while curating this exciting edition of Rabelais.

Rabelais is also currently selling advertising space for future editions. If you’d like to advertise your company or business through us you can contact us through our contacts. We sell all segments of pages as well as online space.

Rabelais Movie Database (RMdB) has returned in this issue, with an Avengers: Endgame review and a write up about something more local- the Melbourne Women in Film Festival which happened in Feburary. Now remember, if you, too, would like to write reviews of films that are upcoming or you've watched a thousand times and want to share how great they are with the La Trobe World, get in touch! We are always looking to add fresh submissions to RMdB.

Speaking of online space... be sure to check out Rabelais. com.au! Most of our larger pieces are also online so if you enjoyed one of them we’d love for you to share it online through your socials. Just like the physical copy of the magazine that you’re holding, online also has exclusive content for you to enjoy.

Anyway, we hope you’re enjoying this edition just as much as the last two and can maybe now guess what the writing on the spine spells? If you’re missing one or two of the first two editions and

can’t find them at one of the drop spots, you can come to the LTSU office on the second level of The Agora. Enjoy!

In this edition of Rabelais, we hope to share with you the notion of global community and responsibility.

For future editions, we’re going to be adding a music review section. If you want to send us album, song or even artist reviews, find our details throughout the magazine and hit us up!

Welcome to Edition Three of Rabelais Magazine for 2019the World Edition.

LETTER FROM THE EDITORS

RABELAIS Edition Three

Contributor

LETTER FROM THE VICE CHANCELLOR

John Dewar

LETTER FROM THE LTSU PRESIDENT

Abood Shehada

THE FUTURE OF OUR PLANET & ECO ANXIETY

Silje Melsom Simon Ashby

BROOKLYN BRIDGE

Alyssa Gornalle

BRIBING-STOCK OF KOLKATA

Tynique Dimcevska

EXCHANGE STORY

Natalie Di Pasquale

VOTING

Sean Carroll

INTERVIEW WITH MITCH COLLINS

Sean Carroll

HEPWORTHS

Mindy Francis

THE MEN IN THE HILLS

Jamali Bowden

ACCESSIBILITY AND CREATIVITY

Natalie Williams

SUSTAINABLE FASHION

Allanah Sciberras

SPEAK UP

Stephanie Arturi

SOME POETRY

Various

DOODH CHAI

Leman Zehra Arslan

PERKS OF BEING A STUDENT REP

Moshin Khawaja

WHITEWASHED RAINBOWS

Anonymous

VANESSA AMOROSI INTERVIEW

Kristen Settinelli

AVENGERS END GAME REVIEW

Andrew Drake

WOMEN IN FILM FESTIVAL

William Chesterfield

GAMES OF THRONES REVIEW

Lachlan Miles

VAPORWAVE

Cody Mathieson-Lowe

EASTER IN ADELAIDE

Eknath Prabhu

HUMANITARIAN SOCIETY

Chelsea Tokaker

THE ARCADE

ARTLCLE NAME What it is about

ABROAD

MIND

CULTURE

Rabelais | Edition Three

LETTER FROM THE VICE CHANCELLOR 0

elcome to another important edition of Rabelais.

the globe are playing an important role in our community through online mentoring of current students. In the last couple of years we have held events with our alumni in cities as far afield as Riyadh, Kuwait, Dubai, Hanoi, Beijing, Shanghai, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Berlin, Paris and London. You too are part of this global community.

RABE I congratulate the editors on publishing an edition that focuses on multiculturalism and diversity. La Trobe University has a long history of diversity and inclusion, and we welcome people of all backgrounds and walks of life into our community. We have 8,000 international students from 110 countries studying with us, making La Trobe an incredibly rich community of people.

But itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not just international students that make this a diverse place. We have approximately 800 domestic students who are from a non-English speaking background, 280 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, and more than 100 students from refugee backgrounds who are able to study with us while on humanitarian visas.

I am always very proud of the way that our students embrace their peers from different cultures, often coming together to learn about the traditions and ways of life from countries around the world, as well as the traditions of Indigenous Australians. A recent example was the terrific celebrations held on the Melbourne campus to celebrate Vaisakhi, the festival that marks the birth of the Sikh religion. Our staff and students also mark NAIDOC week each July to celebrate the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. These events can be colourful and fun, but they also provide an opportunity to learn about other cultures. When you go on to finish your degrees and become alumni of the University, you will continue to be part of a multicultural La Trobe community. In May last year international student Harsha Iruvaram became our 200,000th graduate, and he is now a member of the La Trobe alumni community that is based in more than 100 countries. In recent years, we have increased our engagement with alumni who are based overseas, and despite being in another country former students across

I hope that you enjoy this special edition of Rabelais, and make the most of the vibrant atmosphere created by our multicultural communities on every campus. Whether you are an Indigenous or international student, or from a small town in regional Australia, you all have a story to tell and a contribution to make. The diversity of the La Trobe community is something that makes our university such an interesting place to be. Professor John Dewar Vice-Chancellor

L E T T E R F R O M T H E LT S U P R E S I D E N T 0 Hello and welcome to the final edition of semester one, the world-themed edition!

best way to do that is to listen to what students want.

First and foremost, I’d like to acknowledge the traditional owners of the lands that the La Trobe University Student Union operates within: to the Wurundjeri, Latjie Latjie, Barkindji and Yorta Yorta peoples. I would also like to acknowledge that the lands on which each campus is built is on Aboriginal lands, whose people’s sovereignty was never ceded; and pay my respects to their elders past and present.

And of course, the LTSU offers essential services to your university life such as advocacy, finanancial counselling and legal aid. You can find these and more at our office which is located on level two of the Agora next to Grain Express. We understand that student life can sometimes be a bumpy journey and we’re here to help.

ELaIS It has been one super-duper busy semester and a very productive one. The La Trobe Student Union (LTSU) hosted events such as O-Week, Stress Less week, kicked off the Be A Better Human campaign and debuted our new membership packages (including a nice lil’ hoodie) among others! On top of all these stand-alone and annual events, the LTSU continues to host the free breakfast and barbeques as well as the chill-out trolley which is going to be going around the Library much more in the SWOTVAC week. It is all, of course, free of charge.

Heading into semester two the LTSU is hosting another O-Week with another clubs and societies festival! So, if you’re interested in joining a club or society on campus, want to meet people or just like fun events in general, come along to the week before campus starts. I’d like to thank the environment officers: Sijle and Simon for the incredible work they’ve done thus far. They have their own page in this edition and will speak to you directly about what they do in their role. They can be contacted at ltsu_ environment@latrobe.edu.au. If you’d like to contact any part of the student union, our details can be found on our website (latrobesu.org.au) through our socials (Facebook or Instagram) or just grab one of the people in the funky purple LTSU shirts on campus and we can answer your query. We aim to do everything we can to improve student life on campus and the

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And finally, I wish everyone the best of luck for their exams and/ or final assignments and may the procrastination fairies stay away for just a couple of weeks. From everyone here at the LTSU, we wish you a safe and happy semester vacation period and to enjoy yourself, I know I will be. Thank you,

Abood Shehada 2019 LTSU President

of climate change we can see, denial of the impending crisis is difficult. There is a great feeling of fear towards the fact that the climate crisis will dramatically change our future for the worse, adding to the array of negative emotions that come with eco-anxiety. So how can you try to reduce this anxiety that comes with climate change? Reach Out, an online mental health organisation for young people, has these tips: 1. Know that you’re not alone. Looking at all these protestors that are striking school for the climate, or simply rallying in the streets can give you a sense of solidarity. 2. Take action. Little things like reducing your plastic consumption where possible, eating less meat, and using public transport can add up to make a difference.

The future of our planet & eco-anxiety 0 BY SILJE MELSOM AND SIMON ASHBY

any people, especially in the aftermath of the federal election and its surprising results, may be feeling the stresses of dealing with what is no longer climate change and is becoming a climate crisis. With reports coming from the United Nations telling us that the planet is changing for the worse it can be hard not to feel overwhelmed and anxious about our future. This anxiety may be something that has been recently coined ‘eco-anxiety’, a negative emotional response to environmental conditions and knowledge about them. This can go further on to become environmental melancholia, described by environmental psychologist Renee Lertzman as ‘a combined sense of primal loss and paralysing powerlessness’. These emotional reactions are in response to the fact that people aren’t feeling safe in their changing environment, and that with all the information that is available to us, as well as the clear effects

3. Advocate for change. Write to your local MP addressing your concerns, use your vote wisely, join in on a protest, or sign up to a La Trobe club or society that fits in with your values (there are plenty to be found on the student union website). 4. Talk to others. Have a chat with a mate, and join in on discussions with people that share your values. It’s important to look after your mental health, so remember that there are lots of people and organisations out there that are doing their part to reduce the impact humans are having on the environment. If you are suffering from poor mental health, or just need someone to talk to, La Trobe has a free counselling service who you can contact on 9479 2956, or you can visit their website at latrobe.edu.au/students/support/ wellbeing/counselling We, Simon and Silje, are your environment officers in the 2019 student union, and we are passionate about tackling this climate crisis however we can. If you, as an individual or as a group, would like to get involved, please contact us at ltsu_environment@latrobe.edu.au, or message us via Facebook: LTSU Environment. We’ll be in touch!

SECTION ONE ART

abroad

Artwork by Stephanie Muculj

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THE SECRET POWERHOUSE OF THE BROOKLYN BRIDGE 4 BY ALYSSA GORNALLE

t was May 23, 1867. John. A Roebling sat beside his son Washington, drink in hand.

“A bridge connecting Brooklyn to New York?”

To Gouverneur Kemble Warren, Mississippi River

“Precisely.”

Dear brother,

“Father, surely you’ve gone mad.”

Washington is fearfully ill. It seems that the disease we discovered so much about in Europe those months ago has followed us home. The bends has no mercy. I am grateful he is alive, however much pain he must be in. I simply cannot sit by, stagnant, as his title is taken from him. Washington worked for this, Kemble, he

“I assure you I have not, Washington.” “Can it be done?” “It can, and you’ll be the one to help me do it.”

….

has been relentless. I know what I must do. Do you think it unkempt if I were to take his position, if it were so possible? The bridge must be finished, and I know a little. Washington speaks to me often of it all. Brother, I am so grateful to you. It was your guidance which lead to this knowledge, and to Washington. I hope you are resting well. The work you are doing is deathly important, but it is not worth your life. The trains will still run in the end. I have no more to say at this time. I anxiously await your reply. Much love,

called out from across the landing. “They sent us the wrong materials.” “Again?” Emily called back, before muttering under her breath. “Incompetent.” “Have a look for yourself,” he waved his hand. “Show patience, I’ll be with you in a moment!” Turning back, she glanced at the water rushing by beneath their looming structure. It was 1876, and their bridge had a presence you could no longer ignore.

Emily. 1872

“Stop fussing,” Phebe pulled at Emily’s hair. “We must have haste to avoid tardiness, therefore you must stop moving.” Standing behind them in the doorway was Kemble, two hands stretched out in front of him to stop the youngest two from entering the room. “Please let us through,” they begged, running into his hands relentlessly. “We want to see her.” “You will, with patience,” their mother called out. Quietly, she whispers to Emily, “I would not have guessed their excitement to be so full.” “I’m nervous,” Emily words are quiet, before she is wincing at the pulling of her hair. “You shan’t be,” Kemble smiled. The sound of their other siblings running the halls echoed into the room. “The Georgetown Visitation Covenant is a worthy establishment; you’ll learn much there.” Emily glanced at Kemble, smiling as he pulled a face. “Thank you for helping to enroll me.” “Anything for you.” …. “Emily,” a man with oil stains across his face

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Moving from the metal frame back to solid land, Emily returned to examine the materials. “These cables,” the man removed his right glove to wipe the sweat from his forehead. “They’re no good. Look here, you see.” Nodding, Emily examined the wheel of cable by hand. Running her ungloved fingers along them, she noted their size and thickness. “You’re right, they won’t do us much good at all.” “Why not get someone qualified to examine them,” the supplier, arms crossed, walked over to her. “I’m not sure you have the right to reject them, Miss.” “Where is your qualification allowing you to make such a judgement?” “I’m a voting citizen. That should give you enough of an indication,” he smiled to himself, seemingly pleased with the insult, “why your husband even allows you out here is questionable.” “Sir, I suggest you load these back onto your cart, and head back to your factory,” she smiled thinly. “And tell whoever you need to tell that we are no longer accepting their products if they are delivered by yourself.”

“He should not be recognized as the Chief Engineer of a bridge he can’t even see!” Surrounded by men determined to remove her husband from his position, Emily stood tall. “Look at this bridge behind you, look at it. Every single piece was orchestrated by Washington. Before he was unable to be here, there was nothing he did not oversee. Now, I am his eyes. He is here, he is giving instruction. The progress, you cannot fault. It is all his doing.” “I understand what you’re trying to say Miss, but a man who cannot walk cannot oversee a project of this size.” “We are all standing here, we are all qualified.” Emily couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “This is not your decision to make.” “Neither is it yours!” “It is my decision, as I stand here I represent my husband. You may not respect me, but you should respect him. This job has allowed me so much, and I now know more than you may even yourself know. How much do you know about the stress these cables can withstand? How to analyze it?” “We’ll discuss this further at a later time.” …. Arriving at the bridge, no one was working. The stillness was unsettling, as if time had frozen. Approaching, Emily began to feel panic rise from her stomach into her throat. Grabbing the nearest person, she gripped their arm tightly before quickly letting go. “What happened,” she breathed, unable to speak at full volume amongst the thundering sounds of the river. “Edward, he was attaching one of the cables,” the man couldn’t look her in the eye. “There was no one else near him. A gust of wind hit him, and he couldn’t keep his balance.”

Emily glanced towards the top of the bridge, her eyes rimming. Blinking back tears, she saw him. Edward, atop the closest tower. Leaning forwards to attach the cable, she screams up at him. There is no sound. The wind swallows him, pushing him forward past the point of recovery. He falls, catching on the wire before crashing into the river below. “Emily, Emily,” the man was waving a hand in front of her face, “are you alright?” “Yes,” she shook her head. “We need to keep on working. Can you rally everyone?” … “Today we start constructing the towers,” Emily sat beside her husband as he lay in bed. “What sort of things would you like me to tell the men?” Washington sighed, hoisting himself up slightly with immense effort. “Please tell them, foremost to be conscious and careful. They need to look out for each other. Follow the plans as closely as you can.” He was silent for a moment. “We don’t need more casualities.” … It was a glorious day. In front of her stood the finished Brooklyn Bridge. The whole city had paused in time to celebrate the opening of the grand structure. Its power was undeniable, its strength and purpose like none other. In the end, it would be Emily who was to take the first ever steps across the completed bridge. Her first step was the slowest, the sweetest; a release of all her pressures and anxieties. Her second step was for her husband. The third, for those who sacrificed their lives. The fourth, for the workers. The fifth, for herself. The tears as strong as the river below threatened her tear ducts; blinking, she smiled a wide smile of relief. It was over. Stepping into the carriage that would carry her

across the Brooklyn Bridge, she looked out over the view of the river. Its power was deafening, a reminder of all the lives lost to its water. This time, however, she would rule over it. The crowd cheered as her carriage moved on over the bridge, others flooding the structure. In her mind, John and Washington sat beside her.

from his gaze. She saw her husband, crippled by his love for that bridge. She saw all he had sacrificed; all everyone had sacrificed. “It’s worth it,” she grabbed his hand tightly. “It will be worth it.” … To Emily Roebling, Brooklyn, NY

… Dear Emily, “This bridge,” Washington breathed slowly, “means everything to me.” “I’ll take care of her,” Emily touched his forehead. “I promise.” … “Two more men came down with the bends the past week,” Emily sat beside her husband, candles spotting the corners of the dim room.

I apologise for my delayed response. There is no solid reasoning to justify you not following in Washington’s place. We know you to be capable and efficient, and I have no doubt these skills will do you well. Please pass on my well wishes to Washington, I hope his pain is relieved wherever possible. The work is hard, but I expected it to be so. Know I am thinking of you.

“I don’t know what to do about it,” Washington couldn’t look his wife in the eyes. “The process, it cannot be changed. We need the foundation. But all those men …”

Do not thank me for your own hard work and persistence.

Silence threatened to take up a chair. Emily dismissed it.

I hear whispers that the bridge is progressing beautifully. You are a gift to our family, and to America. Persist.

“They are aware of the risks,” she gritted her teeth, “it’s difficult. But we are changing lives.” “I need you to tell me their sacrifice is worth it.” Emily looked at Washington, not shying away

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Well wishes, Kemble

Hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s how I turned in to the bragging-stock of the Kolkata Police Department

BY TYNIQUE DIMCEVSKA A first-hand recount of a journey in India that will never be forgotten.

ar horns honking, dogs barking and seas of men trying to score a sale in the markets. A very good morning in Kolkata, the former capital of India while under the British Raj.

water as someone approaches the river with bags of rubbish which they have just dumped in to the water. I decide to pull my phone out and take a photo.

It’s half five in the morning and the city is already hot and bustling. I wake up to the heat and plan my morning adventure, out of the city centre and to the Mullick Ghat Flower Market, which is the largest and most popular flower market in Kolkata. Flowers are an important part of Indian culturethey are present for births, deaths, celebrations and in times of mourning- so I’m thinking, why not experience the city’s beauty, straight from the source.

I search through my bag for five minutes before I accept the fact that I have just lost my iPhone in a foreign country for the second time (first time was on a train from Czech Republic to Italy, but that’s another story). Friends I was traveling with notice my state of panic and use their own phone to check the Find My iPhone app in hope that we can track the phone to where I have dropped it and retrieve my baby.

After a bus ride that was equivalent to peak hour on Plenty Road if Plenty Road had two lanes and there were also cows crossing the roads while every car is driving at least 50 kilometres per hour and sounding their horns, I arrived at a fragrant, colourful and abundant flower market. I love to feel like a local, so I started to go rogue, exploring the beauty of natural flowers, mixed with the talented vendors, threading individual buds on to twine to create necklaces and flower chains. It’s such a shame that being a red headed girl with olive skin and non-traditional Indian clothing makes me stick out like a sore thumb, so instead of observing, I’m observed. Marigolds, Pansies, luscious greenery and the most dainty sunflowers I’ve ever seen fill the market, making it the most beautiful sight to see, so beautiful that the smell of the nearby Ganges River (pronounced Gan-geh) is almost filtered out. I take narrow twists and turns through the flower marker to get down to the Ganges River- I think that it would be a beautiful sight to see at six in the morning, as the city wakes up and uses its healing powers to get them ready for the day. So, I make it down to the river. There’s people bathing in the grey, muggy water, right next to a man sitting on the banks chewing on a stem of Neem to brush his teeth. I just take in everything that fills my senses. The sights, the smells and the sounds of what is going on at the bank of India's longest river, spanning 2,525 kilometres. I remember my aunty, Vesna, asking me if I would visit the Ganges, so I sit thinking of her and how I can explain that there is someone bathing in the

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The small dot on the Find My iPhone App is moving through the flower market. F**k. My Knight in shining armour, disguised in a maroon t-shirt paired with brown sandals- also known as local cultural insider, Manoj- picks up the phone and is running through the flower market chasing the dot. After ten minutes, I receive a call on my friend’s phone. Manoj is in a slum, the dot has stopped moving and the people where the dot has landed are refusing to give up my phone. I ask Manoj to offer up to $100AUD to get the phone backthat’s a whole lot of money for India. They refuse and yell things to the note of “we don’t have your phone and we don’t know where it is”. Manoj assumes they won’t let any amount of money step on their pride, so I accept my phone is as good as gone and will enjoy its new life in the hands of the slums. Manoj returns to the flower market- it’s still not even nine in the morning. His maroon t-shirt has turned a dark burgundy thanks to the sweltering heat and marathon through some of the worst parts of his city he’s ever seen. “I’ve never seen places like this on my worst days, Tynique” he assures me. My phone is going to have a change of scenery that it never imagined, compared to its usual sweet life in Melbourne. I admit defeat. I’m disheartened. Manoj has other things in mind. So now we’re walking in to the Kolkata police station. They have cold water so scull a c

whole litre. Manoj speaks to the officers in Hindi and explains what’s going on. At this point I realise that I’m not sure if I’ve been pick-pocketed or if I’ve just dropped my phone, but I definitely know someone other than me has it. The officers ask me questions to get to know who I am and where I’m from- things like what my father’s name is and where he was born. After an interrogation session, two police officers are escorting Manoj and I down through the flower market and in to the slum. I’m not sure if you, reading this, have ever been to a slum before, but it’s not pleasant. There is sewerage water flowing at the doorsteps of people’s small wooden shacks which they call home. Still being the same olive-skinned, red-headed girl that I was at the start of this story, the whole slum flock to see what is going on as our delegation approach the house that Find My iPhone said was the one. The police officers are questioning the elderly woman and her three middle-aged sons that stay put outside their home. Conversation is getting louder and louder between one of the sons and a police officer, but I don’t understand if they are arguing or not because I don’t know a word of Hindi. Okay, so they are definitely arguing, the man is trying to push forward toward the police officer to fight him, but the police officer takes charge and steps in to the house. There are pieces of clothing flying everywhere in the small shack. Suitcases used for storage are being opened and searched, and beds are being unmade to search for my phone. I am so embarrassed at this point. I tell Manoj that we should give up and get out of here- an iPhone isn’t worth the humiliation that I have just caused this family infant of their whole community. We are walking away from the trouble we have just erupted, without my phone. Now I’ve definitely come to terms with not having a phone, and quite frankly I’m okay with it if it means that there won’t be anymore of a scene made by the white girl in the Indian slum. Just as I’m thinking that I can continue my day and start to plan the story for my insurance claim, an Indian man is running after us. We stop and talk to the man, and he tells us that he

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knows something and that we should follow him. Great, it continues. We follow the man on to the train tracks, below the slum. Now, I downplay this part a lot, but walking along a train track in a slum is actually really scary. A train is coming toward us and I have to tactically lean on the narrow landing on the side of the train track to make sure I don’t get sucked up by the speed of the train going past. We walk further down the track, behind the house that we were just interrogating a family at, then meet two young men who are on drugs and have my phone. We’ve found it. Now what? One man hands me my phone and grabs my hands apologising. “Sorry miss, sorry miss” he keeps repeating. I am sweltering in the sun while the police have a conversation with the men. The men ask for a bribe. We offer them 2000 rupees for giving us the phone back with the sim card, then I realise the sim card is not in the phone. They have thrown it away in panic that it would be found. After negotiations, a search for the sim card and trading a packet of chewing gum with an elderly woman to stand in the shade out of the sun, we realise that one of the men we originally met on the tracks has left and then returned with a forearm full of bloody cuts and covered in turmeric. Manoj explains to me that the men are on drugs and don’t want the police to take them in to custody, so the cuts are to deter the police from taking them in- they can claim that the police have abused them if they do. Time is passing, it’s around 10am now and there is no sign of the sim card. We are still on the train tracks and I can’t believe what is going on. I definitely won’t be telling my mum about this on day three of my trip- it can wait until I get home, right? The police offer the man who had my phone 500 rupees to get out of our hair and another 500 rupees to the man who lead us to the train tracks in the first place. We leave the scratch and cut covered, alcoholsmelling men to continue their day in peace. The police give them a warning but most importantly make an example to the community that they are capable, so not to do it again.

Following a hot and sweaty walk back to the police station, our delegation gets all of the necessary paperwork done. That’s when I officially became the bragging-stock of the Kolkata Police Department. The damsel in distress, with a first world problem that they had just solved in their emerging country. We take a photo to prove that the phone had been retrieved and I’m sent on my merry way. I could not have asked for this kind of experience, where I was taken in to the reality of some 64 million people that live in slums across India. I learned more in those four hours than I ever expected to learn on my journey through Indialessons about pride, humanity, geography, politics and community. If you ever get to India, remember that there is more than Taj Mahal and that the 1.37 billion people that call the country home are the important part which are where you will find stories and lessons you could never imagine.

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WORLD

AN EXCHANGE STORY BY NATALIE DI PASQUALE

spent semester two of 2018 studying abroad at Università Cattolica di Sacro Cuore in Milan, Italy. I took a couple of subjects for my Diploma of Languages in Italian and a couple in International law for my Bachelor’s degree. I left as soon as semester one exams finished so I could enjoy the Italian summer! All up is was six and a half months. University in Italy is so different to Aussie universities. There is a historical and cultural difference. My university was built on top of an old monastery and ancient Roman ruins which were still visible in some classrooms! As a lover of Italian history, this fascinated me so much. The university itself is very old with arched ceilings and high columns. The buildings surrounded two main courtyards or “chiostri” where you could sit and hang around in between classes. Italian students would smoke cigarettes and have a quick espresso at one of the many bars on campus. It was always busy and you can never find a seat in the library! The teaching method was also something I wasn’t used to. The teacher simply talks the whole lecture and you have to write your own notes. That is what you will use to take your exam, which is most likely an oral one. There are no notes online to help you. You must learn the content and the textbooks back to front and you aren’t exactly sure what questions you will get on your exam. I found this good in a way that the student is encouraged to learn the wide variety of content but also very time consuming and way more to study. Italian students don’t have jobs like us. After classes everybody is social and gets a drink or “aperitivo”. They also get involved with the student union events or other social clubs. On my days off, I would take trains

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with my new friends to nearby Italian cities such as Torino, Venice, Bologna, Florence, Como and way more. Switzerland was also an hour away and I visited France, Spain and London during my summer. Otherwise I would remain in Milan and get to know the city in and out. In September I was lucky enough to be around for Milan Fashion week. Unfortunately, my brother and I booked a trip to Florence that week and as a big lover of Italian fashion I was disappointed that I would miss out. However, it wasn’t over just yet… We arrived back in Milan one very sunny September afternoon, which happened to be the last day of Milan Fashion Week. My brother decided to try and spot some famous models around the city last minute while I freshened up and rested at my apartment. Without success, he called me asking if I wanted to grab a drink instead nearby. I met up with him at Corso Vittorio Emanuele, the main shopping strip – sort of like your Bourke St. but bigger. On the way to the bar, we spotted a big crowd in the middle of Corso Vittorio Emanuele. I said we should wait around to see what was going on...maybe a famous designer will come out. And then I heard somebody mention Stefano Gabbana’s name. Now I must quickly add that I am a big fan of the brand Dolce & Gabbana. I fell in love with their designs and effortless street style campaigns many years ago. Little did I know that out of that crowd would emerge three models dressed in the Spring/Summer 19 campaign outfits, along with a group of photographers and camera crew! I was in shock as I watched these models laugh and walk whilst posing for these cameras.

Photo by Natalie Di Pasquale The shoot aimed to get the Duomo (famous church) in the back and the shopping strip itself with the public walking in the back. All of a sudden, “Tu, vai!” (which translates to “You, go!” was directed at me by the photographer. I was lost and looked around at who he was talking to.. “Si, vai, vai!” The models pulled me in and for the next half hour we spent having fun, posing and dancing around like a traditional Italian festa! I pulled my brother in and during the time got to know the models and the staff. They told us we would be featured in the SS 2019 campaign in a few months if we gave our permission. Automatically we said yes! At the end we could not even believe what had just happened. A dream I could never expect to become a reality. Two weeks ago they just published the video and photos on their social media, website and Youtube. I am still speechless watching it today. Although this was one very big highlight of my exchange there were so many times I said, “Wow, I can’t believe I am actually here.” I simply can’t write about it all in a blog post. What I can say is that if you have an opportunity such as a study abroad program at your reach, take it! This experience is a once in a lifetime opportunity that will allow you to meet new people that will be your friends for life! You will see new places, eat new foods and learn things about yourself and the world we live in! If I could do it again I would. Living abroad was a good break from the hustle and

bustle of my life in Melbourne. I saved enough so I didn’t need to work to support myself, therefore I was able to live comfortably and have more time to do things I wanted such as travel. Although I did have English conversation lessons with two Italian native speakers who I now consider best friends, it was only for a few hours a week and it never stopped me from doing what I want. That experience in itself was very much worthwhile. Exchange allowed me to breathe a little slower, live in the moment and appreciate what was around me and what still is. I gained so much confidence as I did three Italian subjects and pushed myself to speak Italian when I went out. It was so scary initially but I got through and now anything seems possible! Before my trip I was confused as to what path I wanted to take with my degrees. Living in Milan made me realise I would like to pursue a career in International Law, branching out into the field of Intellectual Property, specifically fashion brand based. I hope to study a Masters of Law overseas in the future. I hope this was enjoyable to read, if you would like to read or see more head over to my Instagram @signorinanatalina where I love to blog and post about my trip and my passion for Italian culture! Grazie!!!

SECTION 2 ART

mind Artwork by Kiara Allis

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by Sean Carroll

Why should you care about voting?

Before this federal election, people between the ages of 18 and 24 had been underrepresented in Australian elections. In this piece, originally written for upstart.net.au, Sean Carroll looks into the issue.

“

Mostly because I thought my vote really isn’t going to make a difference,” RMIT student Taylah Lambert told upstart. Lambert spoke about why she didn’t place much value on her vote in the 2016 federal election, which was her first opportunity to vote. “Like, I was one in how many voting? I thought, who cares?” she said.

population; this is often considered an essential element for a democracy to function effectively. This is because it may cause a disconnect between what the younger demographic want from their government and the message the government receives at the ballot box. Skye Riggs, Director of Y Vote, a non-partisan movement, dedicated to encouraging young

Lambert still voted in that election, but only to dodge the fine she would have received. Many people in her age demographic [18-24] had not even enrolled to vote for the 2016 election. According to the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC), in 2016, 254,432 Australians who were eligible to vote failed to enrol. That’s two-and-ahalf times the capacity of the MCG. Monash University student Sean Conlon enrolled on his seventeenth birthday and voted at his first opportunity, also the 2016 federal election. “I thought, we’re lucky enough to live in a democracy and we’re taught in school that voting is a privilege, so I figured I should use that privilege,” he told upstart. “It did feel insignificant, but it was important to me that I did get to vote”. Although Lambert and Conlon share a belief that their vote is unimportant and won’t make a difference, the significance of their vote increases when you consider youth participation in elections. Youth involvement in voting is at 86 percent, which is nearly ten percent lower than the national average of 95 percent, according to the AEC. This underrepresentation of young people, in terms of voter turnout and enrolment, means they are not being represented in proportion to their

people to vote in Australia, summarised to upstart why this younger demographic should vote. “Because it’s one of the simplest and quickest opportunities to influence every aspect of your life at a structural level,” she said. The idea for Y Vote began when Riggs was unsure about her own vote in the 2013 election. “I was feeling like there would be no point in voting. I realised that if I am feeling this way, probably a lot of other young Australians are too… So, I decided to start something to change that.” Riggs sees voter participation as just one aspect

She believes the most valued topics for young voters currently are insecure work and tertiary education. “As long as we are talking about those things that they value, and they care about, like any other aged voter, they will be engaged,” she said. Kearney also believes that younger voters are more likely to engage when they “see themselves reflected in [politics]”. “I’m so lucky that I have a lot of young people to campaign for me and for Labor in Cooper,” she said

of “broader elements of democracy”, and believes more must be done to engage young voters in democracy. “There is a lot of work to do there in terms of improving access and influence on power and decision-making processes for young Australians,” she said. “We address this in a range of ways, including through media campaigns, consultancy, providing digestible and trustworthy resources and through our training programs.” Y Vote will continue to deliver information for the upcoming 2019 federal election including covering key issues for voters to consider, and explaining topics such as “climate change, education and mental health, and how to spot fake news”. Ged Kearney, current Labor MP for the Cooper electorate in Melbourne, spoke with upstart about how she and her party engage with young voters to increase their turnout. “People get engaged in politics when there is an issue that really affects them. So, you have to be aware what the biggest issues are for young people,” she said.

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Kearney won the 2018 by-election in her electorate [named Batman at the time] with 54.4 percent of the vote, confirming it as a marginal seat. She outnumbered the runner-up Greens candidate, Alex Bhathal, by just over 3,000 votes. The Cooper electorate had approximately tenthousand voters aged between 18 and 24 enrolled to vote by March 2019, according to the AEC – more than enough voters to have influenced an election outcome. In some cases, only a few hundred votes determine the difference between a party winning or losing an electorate. A party winning an electorate might make the difference for them to win a majority and take control of the government. Conlon and Lambert, along with many other young voters, might have thought their vote was insignificant. But the youth vote can be large enough to determine who runs the country. So this election, if you’d like to have your say in Australia’s government, head on down to the polling booths and make sure to grab yourself an overcooked democracy sausage (with onion on the bottom) or veggie patty while you’re there.

This piece was originally written before the 2019 Federal Election for Upstart.net.au.

By sean carroll Ahead of the Melbourne/ Australian ComicCon, Rabelais magazine were able to talk to Mitch Collins, an illustrator from Melbourne and talk about how he got into the industry and projects he’s working on. Rabelais magazine: So, you’re an illustrator and from your website I can see you do many different types of work. How would you describe your occupation? Mitch Collins: I’d best describe my work as narrative illustration, the art of telling a story visually through multiple frames Rm: What made you get into illustration? MC: The one thing that made me get into Illustration was animation, mainly the animation of the Batman animated series. The bold and stylized art of co-creator Bruce Timm appealed to me as a child (and continues to), and really began my love for art. And then later as I grew up and found comics and delving deeper into animation, I saw it as a profession I could do, that illustration was an industry I could break into, and further made me fall in love with illustration and really pursue my passion as a job. Rm: Is it hard to find work in this occupation in Melbourne? MC: Yes, it is hard to break into a full time illustrative career working for a studio or agency, you really have to make it as a freelancer and develop your skills before an opening will be made for you, or through persistence, exposure and luck. But there is work internationally I’ve been fortunate to illustrate and provide for clients and agencies abroad Rm: Who would you say is your biggest inspiration/ influence to do what you do? What made you get into this profession? MC: Bruce Timm and Chuck Jones started my love and interest in Illustration. Their style is so perfect, and Chucks storytelling and humor is something that continues to inspire me and

Interview with Mitch Collins

something I learn from and strive for. Nicola Scott who will be at Oz Comic-Con is a huge influence for me, she has been a mentor for me and has always given me criticism for my work and continues to since I first showed her my folio in 2014. Other influences include Chris Samnee, Gerad Way, Mike Mignola, Darwyn Cooke, Gennedy Tartakovsky, Mitch Gerads, Gabriel Hardman, John Brack. There is so many! Rm: What projects have you worked on in the past? MC: My past projects are all present projects in comics. I’ve got a story I illustrated for Talgard by Gary Proudley and published by Gestalt comics, with the printed edition on sale at OZCC Melbourne this year. I have Skyscraper being released sometime within the next few months, I’ll have promotional material for the book at OZCC. Another project I have upcoming is Undad from Creator Shane W Smith, which is an anthology series featuring a number of artists and writers, including Ryan K. Lindsay, in which I’ll illustrate my part of the volume, the book just reached its funding on Kickstarter. Rm: I believe you’re going to be at the upcoming ComicCon with Ryan K to share your upcoming project ‘Skyscraper’, can you tell me what this project is? MC: Skyscraper is a supernatural, mystery thriller, focusing around the strange and creepy history of KDP industries and its employees, as we explore its history we learn that it’s not what is shown on the surface, It’s what’s underneath it all that counts Rm: What’s next for Mitch Collins after ‘Skyscraper’? MC: After Skyscraper I’ll be working on Undad, and hopefully have some more stories from Gestalt I could work on and there will be more from me and Ryan K.

Mitchell Collins and Ryan K Lindsay Present

A One Shot

Image courtesy of Mitch Collins

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HEPWORTHS BY MINDY FRANCIS I don’t understand why he didn’t move. My brother and I watched from across the meadow as the fire swept towards him. I was so scared. I wanted to scream and cry but I had to keep up a bullshit farce of calm in front of my brother. Wasn’t he worried? I saw the figure in the distant run towards his vehicle and shut himself inside, but he didn’t drive. He just stayed in place. “Should we do something?” I asked my brother as calmly as a could. “Nah, he knows what he’s doing” He replied, but I could see the worry in his furrowed brow. We watched on as the flames surrounded the vehicle. Seconds that lasted for hours ticked past. He still hadn’t moved. I looked at my brother, his eyes pinned on the vehicle in the distance. My brother took up the UHF and tried him. “RP on channel?” He repeated into the radio. There was no reply. I was terrified. I pulled out my phone and punched in his number. It rang, and rang and rang until finally a voice answered, “Hello?”. “Hey Dad, whatcha doing over there” I asked, fear lacing every word. “Just hanging around” He replied. “Are you getting a bit warm?” I pushed. “Yeah, it’s a bit toasty” He replied with only the tiniest kernel of worry. “Are you ok?” I asked. “I’ll be right” he replied. “Ok, well if you need anything let me know” I offered. “Will do” he hung up. My brother and I watched as the fire engulfed him. Why didn’t you move?

THE MEN IN THE HILLS BY JAMALI BOWDEN The men in the hills are mad Is there sanity beyond saving? They’ve tormented the mothers of their children Traumatised the kids with their raving The women are sick of being superheroes But what of sons and workmates? They remain concerned at a distance And the boys self-medicate The men in the hills are lonely Do they just age out of friends? Wonders a growing son, “Is that what I’ll be in the end?” They live for the visits How else can they connect? They’ve burnt too many bridges Ironically, out of fear of losing respect

MEN IN THE HILLS The men in the hills are stuck Can they return to employment? Their workplaces are wary These outsiders aren’t young men

They’re tormented by nightmares Not just when they sleep Their insides are warring violently On this conflict we seldom speak

The men in the hills are quiet Hard to imagine they once roared Tormenting the townsfolk with their paranoia Now they seem so small, so fragile, so unsure

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Artwork by Kiara Allis

Photography by Sean Fennessy

Accessibility is Crucial For Creativity BY NATALIE WILLIAMS Why the NGV is taking steps in the right direction.

elbourne has long been known as a creative hub for up and coming artists and for the last seven years has been famously regarded as ‘the world’s most liveable city.’ The city’s art scene and buzzing creative culture supports studying university students as they have a large range of exhibitions, shows and workshops they are able to attend. None of course, as popular as Melbourne’s finest gallery, the National Gallery of Victoria. Funded by Study Melbourne, ‘Meet NGV | Uni Student Night’ was the first event at the gallery as part of the new ‘Meet NGV’ project that aims to connect students to the world of art. Head of Learning at the NGV, Michele Stockley said that the event: “specifically seeks to welcome international students to the NGV and to support students to find their place within the NGV community through social events and learning opportunities.” With entry to the event accessible through reserving a free ticket online, university students were ecstatic to gain such affordable entry to one of Melbourne’s finest institutions and its

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9 latest exhibition: Escher X nendo Between Two Worlds. On arrival, students were presented with free tickets to the gallery’s winter exhibition, ‘Terracotta Warriors’ and were provided with student discounts in the National Gallery’s store. Stockley also stated that: “...having access to art is important for all young people. The visual arts and design provide rich opportunities to explore ideas, make connections across places and times, and discover new ways of thinking about the world.” Whilst the NGV’s exhibitions remain to be an affordable attribution to the creative landscape of Melbourne, there are unfortunately some events in this city that are prohibited for wealthier students and those who are able to afford the high costs of Melbourne’s art scene. According to Live Performance Australia, as of 2017 the average price to see a live show in Australia was a staggering $90.56, a seven dollar increase from their 2016 report.

As the prices for theatre, cinema, exhibitions and live performances increase, accessibility for lower income students to art is more crucial than ever. Third year student at Melbourne University, Elektra-Flaskas Troaditis was one of many to attend the sold out event and had many thoughts surrounding the benefits of affordable pricing to Melbourne’s arts events. “Students/young people should be able to afford arts events because art should be available for everyone to see. It would allow young people to become more creative and innovative which is a great skill to have in the workforce and generally in the ‘real world’.” Assistant Director of the NGV Donna McColm, explained her own biggest lesson in working in the real world in an interview with RMIT: “The one thing I’ve learned, I think through trial and error, is to put your hand up for everything. It might not make sense at the time but you never know where an opportunity is going to lead you.” The National Gallery of Victoria’s recent event showcases the importance of art being accessible to students and how that is crucial for creativity and networking opportunities - something often missed out on for those who can’t afford entry to industry opportunities which are often easier to access in wealthier circles. MC Escher once said: “If you only knew how entrancing, how stirringly beautiful the images in my head are, the ones I am unable to express.” The Meet NGV evening demonstrates exactly how the NGV are taking the right steps to ensure that all artists/students, regardless of their income, are given the opportunity to express their own beautiful images out into the world.

For further information about events and exhibitions, you can visit the NGV websitengv.vic.gov.au/whats-on/

Photography by Sean Fennessy

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by Allanah Sciberras

The rise of sustainable fashion in Melbourne

here is no doubt fast fashion has dominated the garment industry over the last few decades.

essential to purchase it, you can source it second hand – or you could go to a sustainable brand,” Flood told upstart.

Trend-driven clothing items and accessories, made at high volume and low cost, are undoubtedly quick, cheap and profitable.

How does it fare globally? Globally, fast fashion dominates. More consumers, however, are making conscious decisions when it comes to buying clothing.

Media reports have found major brands, such as H&M and Burberry,to be burning undesired clothing items over 2017-18. So, it doesn’t come as a surprise when people are turning away from this fast fashion lifestyle. In recent years, however, some key industry players in Melbourne have begun actively pushing against this trend, by embracing a more sustainable fashion movement. So, to what extent are Melbourne consumers becoming more sustainably and ethically conscious when it comes to what we wear? What is sustainable fashion? Despite the growth of sustainable practices around Australia, there is no formal definition of ‘sustainable fashion’ however, it can be referred to as an environmentally friendly way of dressing. Sustainable textile firm, Green Strategy defines their concept of sustainable fashion in a statement on their website. “In practice, this implies continuous work to improve all stages of the product’s life cycle, from design, raw material production, manufacturing, transport, storage, marketing and final sale, to use, reuse, repair, remake and recycling of the product and its component,” they state. Founder of the Ironic Minimalist fashion blog, Jenna Flood, prefers the term ‘slow fashion,’ which for her encompasses how you relate to what you already own, as well as the production of new items. “Slow fashion to me is taking time to be aware of what you have, altering if needed and if it is

A survey from Nielsen Global in 2015 found that 66 percent of global consumers say they’re willing to pay more for sustainable brands – up from 55 percent in 2014. The survey polled 30,000 consumers between February and March across Asia-Pacific, Europe, Latin American and North America. This attitude change coincides with the closure of a large number of stores by fashion giant H&M in 2017. The brand announced the closure of nearly 170 stores after sales decreased 4 percent. H&M have been previously scrutinised in the past for their business model of dropping new fashion lines monthly. Despite major fashion retailers announcing a fall in profits, Greenpeace have reported that sales of clothing have almost doubled from one trillion dollars in 2002 to 1.8 trillion dollars in 2015. Melbourne meets sustainable fashion Over the last year, Melbourne consumers and retailers have taken an active role in combatting the dominance of fast fashion. Initiatives such as The Clothing Exchange, Australian fashion conferences and sustainable festivals are paving the way in education and changing consumer attitudes. Sustainable fashion was a notable theme at Virgin Australia’s Melbourne Fashion Week in March. Many panels moderated by Ethical Clothing Australia (ECA) featured discussions between Australian designers and industry figures about creating a responsible and sustainable fashion label. ECA formed the “guide to ethical shopping”

brochure that describes multiple ways to be sustainable in Melbourne. In a statement on the ECA website, National Manager Angela Bell said that the guide was created to support the welfare of textile, footwear and clothing workers in Melbourne. “The guide has been created because the increased interest in ethical fashion means that we need to make it as easy as possible for people to be able to purchase it in the right way,” she said. Another trend that has emerged over the last year has been an increased interest in clothing swaps. The Clothing Exchange in Melbourne hosted by Stacey Kirkby gives Melburnians the chance to swap high-quality garments. Kirkby emphasises that sustainability can still be fashionable and affordable. “At The Clothing Exchange, we believe looking good shouldn’t ‘cost’ the earth. We currently host regular events in Melbourne and offer corporate and council hosting services, swaps for schools and we can assist with charity fundraisers. I would love to continue offering a varied amount of swapping services in metro and regional areas in Victoria and continue sharing the joy of swapping,” Kirkby told upstart. Melbourne was host in March to The Australian Circular Fashion Conference (ACFC). Over two days, international experts and industry stakeholders gathered to collaboratively share their passion and innovation. In a statement on Sustainability Portal, ACFC founder Camille Reed said Australians are embracing sustainable fashion at rapid speeds. “In Australia, we can and will be the leaders of a global initiative that will rally our industry into a new era.” “This event presents a pioneering opportunity which does not exist anywhere else in the world to invest in fashion sustainability to secure market growth and economic stability. We are in a prime position to embrace greater market growth… this conference will be one of the leading events in the world that focuses on fast-tracking implantation and action for sustainability.”

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Fashion labels in Melbourne are beginning to offer a solution to the complex problem of fast fashion. “Now we see A.BCH which is a Melbourne based fashion label – they think about the style and material of the item, for example, organic cottons and threads and then after the consumer is finished with it, the brand thinks about where it is going to go, so they offer an initiative where you can give it back the material and they will make a new item of clothing or they compose it,” ethical stylist, Jenna Flood said. How far do we need to go? Melbourne has been influenced by sustainable fashion over the last two years. Many designers and industry professionals have started to create lines that are sustainable and ethically sourced. This growth is substantial but how can Melburnians continue the evolution of sustainable fashion? Melbourne host of The Clothing Exchange, Stacey Kirkby believes that the only way to contest the dominance of fast fashion is to recognise the need for sustainable initiatives within the industry. “For brands to combat this they would need to be producing clothing in a sustainable and environmentally responsible way. There are many brands in Melbourne combatting fast fashion through their own production practices including A.BCH, Keegan the Label, Nobody Denim and KowTow,” she said. While fast fashion remains the principal industry model, a louder voice can be heard, pushing for change. Melbourne consumers, designers, and retailers are embracing eco-friendly initiatives that pave the way for a more sustainable future in the fashion industry.

LA TROBE UNIVERSITY TO SPEAK UP AGAINST SEXUAL HARASSMENT BY Stephanie Arturi

iia Maasarwe had moved to Australia on a study abroad program at La Trobe University, just six months before she was killed. Her death was a tragedy that hit close to home for La Trobe University students and the university community at large. It was only after this horrific incident occurred that students demanded instant change. Increased security, CCTV cameras, security escorts and increased lighting around campus are just some of the recommendations the university have taken on board. But the prominent question is whether these safety practices can be sustained and further improved to ensure the long-term safety of current students and the students of future generations. La Trobe’s Proactive Response A report conducted by the Human Rights Commission showed that universities around Australia have generally performed poorly in addressing and responding to sexual assault and sexual harassment. Vice-Chancellor of La Trobe University, John Dewar, is committed to ensuring the campus is safe for everyone who enters the grounds. “Ever since the 2016 ‘Respect Now Always’ report conducted by Universities Australia we have been doing a lot in the areas of consent training and trying to change the culture on

campus around sexual harassment and sexual assault.” Prior to January, La Trobe had developed infrastructure and policy plans to strengthen personal and physical safety in order to foster a respectful community culture. “The problem with Aiia’s case is that it happened off campus and it was early in the morning. This is something that is quite hard for us to address directly as we do not have immediate jurisdiction.” Mr Dewar’s passion for change is driven by the student body. “We have a campus safety group which I chair where key players from across the campus, including student leaders, come together to talk about ways in which we can improve safety on campus.” Since January, there has been increased promotion to students and staff of available oncampus security services and support services at the university. These include counselling and meetings with student leaders and student representatives. Currently, the University are accelerating the next phase of the on-campus Security Lighting Upgrade and CCTV projects. Mr Dewar has assured students that there will

be a review of the Glider Bus Service to extend to non-semester times. The development of a new ‘Night Glider’ service is also underway. “Essentially we’re orienting the escort service so that if students want to get around the campus after dark or within the immediate vicinity of it they can ask someone to pick them up, take them somewhere and drop them off.” Perhaps one of the most underrated safety measures that is under development through La Trobe’s strategic partnership with Optus is a potential smartphone safety app. This development would allow students to contact security very quickly and opt in to having their location tracked. “It’s like a virtual panic button on a phone,” Mr Dewar says. Collaboration with Local and State Governments Mr Dewar has gone beyond implementing safety measures for just the Bundoora campus. He has initiated engagement with PTV, the Local and State Government and Victoria Police to improve safety measures off campus. Recently, the University has been in discussion with the State Government to find long term solutions for safety around public transport. In the short term, the State Government want to increase the regularity of the 561 bus service. This collaboration also sees deployment of PSO’s, improved lighting and CCTV on the Tram 86 line. Mr Dewar says “this is mostly as a deterrent, but in the unfortunate event there was another incident, it would be easier to find the perpetrator.” Eventually, the long term plan will be to deploy the 301 Shuttle bus to Heidelberg Train station. A change like this would ensure students travel safely from the university campus to either of the two major train lines that connect them to the rest of the transport network.

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An Action Research Proposal has also been proposed by the State Government named ‘Improving the Safety of Women and Girls on Public Transport.’ “We have sought and received funding from the Premier’s Office for a research project that would use the Tram 86 as a living laboratory for improving safety on the tram network.” The Minister for Public Transport is also onboard with the proposal. A scholarship memorial in memory of Aiia Massarwe is also being discussed and if implemented, will be co-funded by state and federal governments. Universities Australia The report by the Human Rights Commission found that students who were sexually assaulted in a university setting were most likely assaulted on campus or on public transport to or from the university. The survey shows that one in four students were sexually harassed in a university setting on at least one occasion in 2016. Since the release of these figures, the university has responded quickly and with great concern for its students. Mr Dewar believes “La Trobe’s response to the ‘Respect Now’ Recommendations have been by far the most comprehensive of any university in Australia.” So it’s only a matter of time before we start seeing promising results. What’s next? The university urges students and the community to speak up. La Trobe is on the right track to improve safety procedures both on and off campus. However, more awareness and information of these changes to students and the community is essential for these procedures to be effective. “All of this is fed into the planning we are now doing. We can only respond to things we know about. If people have a concern then please tell us and we can do what we can to address it.”

Photo by Tom Barrett on Unsplash

Inner child

Glum

By Antonio Rullo

By Ari Kokkaliaris

The inner child, Needing encouragement, Yet misunderstood. Needing a hug and love, But shuddering beneath All that is ostensibly sound. Inviting, Yet not invited. Enticed, Without advice on how to live And heal And see Without the rose-coloured lens Of the world, As it moves, Devises, Seeks And plays. The child, Always at play, And though time flies, She’s here to stay.

I thought with silver shields I might have my way Branches on iron fields Moulded like sour clay, A hop. A Hope. A drain. A seal. Cut fine (bleeding red) like a venison or veal A thought. A train. A kiss. A smile. Why write legislature that could run a mile With no story, code or creed A thousand volumes one may need…

Sensical Thoughts

Ducek

By Antonio Rullo

By Ari Kokkaliaris

In a sense Inner sense Innocence, Think about it. Notions as wide as oceans, Yet as specific as life, Abounding in courage and wisdom, That one endeavours to find. Knowing and leading, But without a place to rest. Hoping that some day will yield, What one needs best.

Unqualified strokes of light Made the flowers wail And so too did the spring set sail Dignified, not waiting for the sun

To hold a simple smile

Once hope ruled, shot roots Beyond time, across walls Did he dream… As the eve of catastrophe fires a blink Do we see the suns teeth, Clambering into the edges of earths children When? Tell us when we will be free Alexander Now that the terrors come? Now that the end times close on us? Tell us Alexander who will come to crush the Spring?

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DOODH CHAI 9 BY Leman Zehra Arslan

ilk Tea. This is the story of an act of kindness and a cup of doodh chai. Actually, multiple cups of it. In the city of Sirhind, India, a man wakes up in the middle of a cold November night. Milking the buffalo in his garden, he carries the precious milk cautiously into the mausoleum. Placing the pot of milk on the ground, a copper key appears in his hand as he unlocks the doors of the grand kitchen. A dark passage leads into an empty room with makeshift ovens on the floor and pots in various sizes scattered to the right. He walks into the little chamber which opens up to a dining hall with assembled wooden floor tables. While everyone is wrapped tightly in their beds, he places an oversized pot on a stove and fires it up. The fresh buffalo milk goes in followed by all the secret ingredients to make the perfect doodh chai. Nine of my girlfriends and I were fortunate enough to have a sip of that chai. We arrived in Sirhind after a long seven-hour car ride from Delhi, with horn sounds blaring from left and right. Turns out, drivers in India honk every second to inform the neighbouring vehicle about their whereabouts and proximity. I guess side mirrors aren’t a thing in Indian traffic. What’s surprising is that all the trucks have colourful sings attached to the rear in English, ‘Honk Please’! I do not understand how people can drive calmly in such an environment, it was enjoyable to watch it as a passenger for sure! During our stay in Sirhind, we heard about this man brewing chai during the early hours in the morning and opening the doors of the grand kitchen to the public. Our goal was to be able to wake up early and visit the grand kitchen for a cup of chai, to see if it was really worth it. With multiple layers on and wrapped in our blankets, we walked out into a foggy morning. The streets were covered with a light grey mist as the sun was slowly appearing behind the mausoleum. The doors of the grand kitchen were left wide open, welcoming everyone who passed

by. Like a row of ducklings, my friends and I made our way through the dark passage and into the little chamber. From here, we could see the man brewing doodh chai from the window openings. Like us, the man was wrapped in a cloak which extended to his feet. His arms appeared on his sides as he held a long wooden stick and stirred the pot slowly. The steam from the pot spread out, creating swirls and reaching the ceiling as it dissolved into the air. He grabbed a teapot, a sieve and a pitcher. The pitcher dove into the pot and came out full of doodh chai. He emptied the pitcher into the teapot as he poured it through the sieve. Spices in various sizes were filtered in this process, as the milky liquid made it into the teapot. He carried a tray full of white cups towards us and placed it on the window opening. The metallic teapot appeared once again and he filled the cups one by one with a light brown doodh chai. He had nine pairs of curious eyes looking his way, analysing his actions and of course taking photos of everything. This man sacrificed from his time early mornings to welcome others to a warm start to the day by serving the perfect blend of his hot cup of doodh chai. A selfless act that attracted a crowd of locals to come together, enjoy some freshly brewed chai and then begin their daily errands. What an uplifting start to a day that is. We picked up the white cups from the tray and took a sip. Silky, sweet, spicy.

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such as the board of graduate research, as well as the student union. All of this demands time, but more importantly your enthusiasm. If you do not like sitting near the Vice-Chancellor, working with deans and heads of different schools, or speaking up in board meetings, then perhaps this will only be an extra burden on the already piled up sorrows in your life. A major reason I enjoy being a student representative is that I find it fun working with the university staff while representing the student community.

PERKS OF BEING A STUDENT REP 1

BY MOSHIN KHAWAJA

hen I joined La Trobe University as a PhD candidate, I was occupied with the PhD stereotype - my research will be stressful, too overwhelming and would eat out all my time and social life! Besides, as an international student, I had to learn how things operate in Australia. My worries were true to a certain extent, but I had no idea that I would go on to become the student representative at the university’s academic board in the next few months. La Trobe University offers a variety of options to participate in extracurricular activities. One of these is that of student representation on several platforms. A vast majority of the students that I come across seem to miss out on this experience because they either simply didn’t know about it, or they never thought of becoming one themselves. One common reason why they don’t is that they think the assignments and exams are too stressful already. In fact, my fellow students often ask me how I manage to take time out of my research to work as a student representative. The question is valid too. Being a representative at the academic board means reading policy documents before putting your hand up during the meetings. We also end up working for certain committees (the admissions committee in my case) and connecting with other boards

After I had completed my master’s degree, I thought I would never be in school again. The only thing I found missing in my university experience back then was my lack of participation in such activities. After joining the PhD program at La Trobe I knew this was another chance for me to build this experience. La Trobe is kind enough to offer heaps of academic and extracurricular opportunities in the form of being a student representative, besides others. As I go through this journey, I realise that the role also gives me opportunities to build my network, which is key to employability. Working on the university’s board as a student representative certainly helps me meet new people and stay connected. Being a PhD candidate is rare, which means there is a high probability you might not be one from the research world (yet). I would still encourage every postgraduate, and even undergraduates, to consider becoming a student representative. There are several options to choose from, and it might be best to weigh all of them and work on what motivates you. I try to be worthwhile to others, and being a student representative I should in any case. If you feel like discussing any of this, I’m always available through email (m.khawaja@latrobe.edu.au). Mohsin Khawaja is a PhD scholar in La Trobe Business School at La Trobe University. He holds an MBA and has published several research articles in academic journals. He has been serving as the student representative at La Trobe University’s academic board since early 2018. He was also the student representative at the Admissions Committee. Mohsin is motivated about improving academic standards by working closely with university faculty and other academics. He enjoys organizing events for social welfare and participating in community events and welfare causes. You can follow him on facebook (@mohsinzk4) and on Twitter (@mohsinzk).

SECTION THREE ART

CULTURE

Artwork by Phoebe Moloney

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Art by Phoebe Moloney

whitewashed rainbows of south asia BY anonymous

here is a belief back home that young people are very angry at life, and that as we grow older we tend to mellow down and accept the hardships of life. As a young person therefore, let me quote a Solange song and say “I got a lot to be mad about”. Colonization is an issue that a lot of people would have different opinions on. There are debates about the industrial and systematic developments that the ancient Europeans imposed on my country, and how to this day we still make use of those advancements. That is however dismissing that we could have had our own developments (and we did) without self-proclaimed experts forcing their way of life on us. As a queer South Asian, the issues that I find frustrating are relatively unique. One issue stemming from colonisation that is really close to my heart is the rejection of sexually diverse people and the criminalisation of queer love. Records from my country’s history written by European explorers in the 1500s have touched on same-sex relationships as observed during their travels. When you read these accounts, it is easy to note that there is significant judgement from the observers. One compared same-sex engagements in the same light as bestiality. Another was so disgusted that queer behaviour was prevalent even in ruling classes. From a critical standpoint it would be important to note that these foreigners had their own way of life, restrictions that were normalised to them, and similar to a homophobic person from our very “modern” times, they expected everyone else’s thoughts and beliefs to be the same as their own. This is only to give some perspective, and not to trivialise the effects of invasion. As a bi-ethnic bisexual with strong cultural

background, I can’t help but imagine how much of an inclusive and compassionate place my country would be today if not for the violent white plague. A text called the ‘Cullavamsa’ that was written by ancient monks detailing the monarchs of my country make note of the relationship between a King Narasiha and a Prince Manavamma. I can only imagine what that ancient queer romance (in the royal class) would have been like. What songs would they have sung? what aspirations would they have had? What I do know however, is that it was pure and untouched by foreign arrogance and power. It is ironic that the dominant religion of the country is Buddhism and Hinduism. Buddhism preaches nothing against queer relationships even when it advocates against sexual misconduct. Hinduism weaves colourful mythology paying utmost respect to queer individuals, so much so that some are even revered. As a country backed up with such love and acceptance, it breaks my heart every time I think about the ships that reached our shores and changed our ways. When we gained independence eventually, what we didn’t regain is a factory reset to our own customs. The nations that invaded us have now gained a fair share of rights for the queer people of their lands. As we watch these people celebrate their newfound rights, we lament in the silence of our closets, thinking of the joys queer people of our land would have had, as they’d run through our fields and forests in pride.

By Kristen Settinelli You might’ve thought Vanessa Amorosi disappeared into the abyss, but really, she’s been here all along. You might remember her debut single “Have a Look” in 1999, or danced around to her debut number one album The Power, which featured “Absolutely Everybody”, “Shine”, and “The Power”. Or, if you were watching the 2000 Sydney Olympic games, saw Amorosi perform to an estimated two billion people. If you’re a 90’s kid like me, a teenage Amorosi from outer-eastern Melbourne would have definitely been in your reach. It’s safe to say, Amorosi’s music has lived through almost 20 years - with over two million albums and singles sold worldwide. 2009 was the last we heard from Amorosi with the release of her platinum-selling “Hazardous” LP, featuring her number one hit “This Is Who I Am”. Often not accounted for, the decades spent preparing music and as you might not guess, life itself, Vanessa has been keeping quiet. After dedicating most of her teenage years travelling, singing and performing, the artist’s route can get cloudy - which took Amorosi to move to Los Angeles in 2011. “I took an opportunity to go to America and start working on gospel arrangements. It was only meant to be a six-month adventure, but it ended up turning into four years… it taught me a lot about a different style of singing and music.” says Amorosi. Now married with a three-year-old son, LA’s influential music scene can be found in Amorosi’s new single, “Heavy Lies the Head” something which she can stand behind and be proud of. “This song is something that I have wanted to create my whole career. It’s a real professional highlight for me musically. I believe everyone will be able to relate to the lyrics through their

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Vanessa Amorosi returns to music

own personal experiences where it is usually harder to walk away from confrontation and maintaining the moral high ground, knowing in the end that karma will eventually kick in. I always believe good prevails over evil,” says Amorosi. “I needed to start from the bottom and crawl again so I would relight that fuel in me. Sometimes I just get to a point where I reflect on what I’ve done and I think, ‘You know what? I’ve got to be better than that. I’ve got to be better. I’ve got to go and learn how to be better,’ and it just takes longer than the thought.”

RABELAIS MOVIE DATABASE: AvengerS Endgame (2019) y

By andrew drake “You could not live with your own failure, and where did that bring you? Back to me.” - Thanos

vengers: Endgame is an ending worthy of the 10-year build-up starting with Ironman in 2008. The movie has had a large amount of hype around it. It’s recommended you see at least Infinity War because as well as being a good film, it sets up the stakes and Thanos as a villain. Going into the film with as little knowledge of the plot is recommended as the mystery of its plot is something played on. Being a sequel, it picks up straight after the events of Infinity War. With the fallout of Thanos’s victory, The Avengers attempt to undo the damage done. It can be daunting with the movie’s runtime being three hours long, but its pacing is thought out well enough to keep it interesting. The first two-thirds lack big action sequences and instead focus on character interaction and development. Focusing a lot on its less fleshed out characters, in particular, Hawkeye and Nebula. The acting is excellent, and everyone sells the nature of the situation they’re in. Thanos in the movie feels shallow coming from how well Infinity War set him up but he is much less the focus in relation to the heroes. It delivers on the emotional moments expected from the movie brilliantly well. Completing character arcs set up ten years ago can make it hard to not feel at least a bit emotional, even with the context of just Infinity War and Endgame. While trying it’s best, the movie does have the issue of not having enough time to dwell on some of the bigger emotional moments. The humour is standard for any Marvel movie so almost all jokes land well, some a lot better than others. For the bleak setting of the movie, it keeps its tone surprisingly light. It offers heavy fan service to fans with knowledge of the entire series. This isn’t a bad thing and

even for people who have only seen some of the movies can enjoy these callbacks. Once it gets into the last third it ramps up into the expected final battle. The cinematography is impressive and has many memorable scenes that will stick with you after the movie ends. The final battle can be hard to follow in its chaos but becomes easier as it goes on. The music does a fantastic job of elevating emotional and important scenes. While heavy in its uses of CGI, it all looks fantastic and is a big draw to see it on the big screen. The ending creates a lot of questions and theories for the future of the MCU, creating more anticipation for Spider-man: Far from Home, which is confirmed to be the official end of Phase 3 Marvel. The movie is impressive in the feat of being able to deliver on ten years’ worth of anticipation and expectations surprisingly well. No matter your level of investment in the series, it is worth experiencing Endgame in the cinema as the satisfying end to this story and this period in cinema.

5/5 Hulk Dabs

Photo by Jeremy Thomas (Unsplash)

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Hidden Gems and Surrealist Nightmares: Reflections on the ‘Melbourne Women in Film’ Festival

n the latter half of February this year, the third annual Melbourne Women in Film Festival (MWFF) ran their opening night, ‘Freaky, Fantastic & Feminist’. They screened three short Australian films that embodied these themes. The first, ‘Storytime (2006)’, a nine-minute Aboriginal horror film directed by Jub Clerc, was charming for its endearingly amateur child acting and extremely effective at evoking a sense of desolate terror. Its harrowing shots transformed the brown-grey mangrove brambles into a nightmare space both hostile and untameable, evoking a similar terror as the woods of Twin Peaks. The final film ‘On Guard (1984)’, written and directed by Susan Lambert, was a political thriller centred around four feminist activists sabotaging a biochemical corporation’s supercomputer, which I found to be the weakest of the three. The sets and production had a level of camp nostalgia reminiscent of BBC productions of the same era. However, it was hampered by a main character I found to be largely irritating and emotionally manipulative.

By William Chesterfield

However, as should be noted: I am not a woman and my perspective on these films will inevitably differ to how some women may interpret them (no doubt, others certainly would get something out of this 80’s budget thriller about a group of lesbian feminist ecoterrorists). The most effective and interesting of the three was the wonderful middle child of the opening night, Margaret Dodd’s ‘This Woman is Not a Car (1982)’. A wild discomforting romp of an arthouse experience, running just over 20 minutes, it tells a tale of suburban madness and the repressive, potentially-dehumanising, horrors of motherhood in late 20th century Australia. It highlights the ways that the domestic work of mothers has long gone unacknowledged, and the way that strict gender roles limited and trapped women in their circumstances. The film is centred around a middle-aged mother living in the suburbs of Adelaide with her husband and kids. He goes to work in a flash lime green sports car, while she is left to ferry their seemingly endless horde of children back and forth, between school and dancing and scouts and the pool, ad infinitum. So endless and monotonous is her life, that she has seemingly begun to lose her sense of reality; her existence so intertwined with that of her FX Holden station wagon, that she envisions its headlight clasped over her breast, beneath her silken gown. A sense of decaying reality lingers throughout the film,

truly making it feel like a “nightmare of a film” as Dodd described it when she introduced it at the festival. This mood is heightened by the grungy, derelict quality of the film; the film was strewn with blotches and marks of aging film. These blemishes were undoubtedly unintended, but enhanced the experience for me, giving the film a sense of realism, even as it descended further into a surreal ‘nightmare-scape’. It almost felt as though we were watching some cursed snuff film, found buried away on a VHS in some dusty garage. These gritty visuals are amplified by audio, which feels slightly disconnected from the film; characters talk without their mouths moving and bodily noises like the munching of children are amplified, giving it an eerie and uncomfortable texture. The audio helps turn scenes of suburbia into nightmares; the gaggle of children’s voices becoming a cackling horde of almost demonic creatures, as the mother drives with all six of them in the back of her car and the synthesised soundtrack wails with scream-like hums and industrial rhythms. The film comes to its head during an extended

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sequence where the woman abandons her children at the beach. Their faces grubby with Cornish pasties, less eaten, more demolished against their faces. It is a truly gross spectacle, as we watch the demon things sitting in their filth; one of the boys drinks tomato sauce from the tacky tomato-shaped bottle. Their degenerate desolation is so consuming, that it almost seems they have devoured their mother along with the pasties, as the camera zooms away across the seaweed littered shore; the distorted cries of the soundtrack evoking both a woman’s scream and a mechanical saw cutting into steel. The rapid speed of the camera is reminiscent of the high octane car shots from something like ‘Mad Max’, or the opening credits of Lynch’s ‘Lost Highway’, which uses its shot of the road violently hurtling by to sicken the viewer and thus prime them for the nightmare to come. So too is the effect in this film as it quickly descends into delirium as the woman pulls into a service station and is greeted by an orgy of mechanics who ogle her and her vehicle, with little distinction between the two.

What follows is a wonderfully comic parade of visual innuendo and metaphor; a car service by way of a sex scene with a slow, moaning synthesised soundtrack and a deluge of sexual imagery that would make an advertisement blush. The service station attendant polishes her headlights with the slow cinematic tenderness of an actor fondling a breast; his work under her bonnet becoming an allegorical act of fingering, finishing with the money shot of him shaking off the dripping oil pump onto the bonnet. It is atrociously funny, yet quickly becomes horrifying, as we witness her psyche completely snapping; years of suburban repression have destroyed her sense of self beyond that of her vehicle. This is made worse when his fellows join in and the scene takes a turn towards sheer abuse, with them ganging up on her station wagon and even begin to tear out the lining of the seats inside. The audio track treats us to a littering of chauvinistic remarks all the way through. The woman is literally made an object by the patriarchal society she is trapped in; the classic Australian car is turned into a fetishistic idol of desire for the male figures.

Doddâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fascination with the role of cars in Australian society and how they intersected with the gender roles of the time creates a film that is nightmarishly evocative and surreal, a true hidden gem of Australia cinema. MWFF and their kin showcase excellent work. If you are a fan of cinema, attend these events and discover the strange and wonderful obscurities they screen.

Images: courtesy of Tynique Dimcevska. Pictured two pages before is Angie Black, Director of The Five Provocations (2018)

ell this was the one that brought home the bacon. For all it’s rushed pacing and shortening of plotlines, season eight overall brought a satisfying conclusion to the acclaimed series despite the uneven quality of some episodes and rushed pacing in parts. When the season began, we found ourselves facing down the Army of the Dead with an undead dragon and the King of Night himself. Two episodes of mostly standing around later and he was gone at the hands of no one, and then subsequently we concluded the battle for the Iron Throne the only way we could have, with the wheel broken and no throne in existence, but with a new system emerging in the place of broken feudalism. I’ll avoid recapping the story in detail here, except to talk a little bit about the ending. While GoT has always touched on themes of power, authority and the juxtaposition between honour/ruthlessness as a strategy in power games, the thing that was great about this ending is the victory for the Starks. For all the ruthlessness and cynicism of the series, it has always been too simplistic to view the story as endorsing cruelty and violence over being honest and just. But in general, it has seemed for many that evil would win. Despite that, we conclude the series with the long-suffering Starks triumphant, and thus the vindication of

Ned Stark. For all Tywin Lannister’s ruthless politicking and Mad-King Aerys’s obsession with pure-blooded Valyrian lineage, at the end of the day, it was Ned Stark’s lessons to his children that ultimately have won the day and emerged triumphant. Tywin sought a dynasty that would last a thousand years, yet now it is Ned Stark whose legacy and lineage has emerged victorious from the story, the ultimate vindication of Ned as the principal protagonist and chief hero of the series. In terms of final messages, what should we take from this? At the end, I think the point is this. We can all choose our destinies, irrespective of birth or blood, but at the end of the day, as seductive as the temptation of absolute power is, it’s still better to be the Ned Starks then the Tywin Lannisters or Daenerys Targaryens of the world. Also, to beware of the latter types, who do violence and claim it as for the greater good of all. It’s not hard to look around the world today and find plenty of examples of such people. The relevance of this cultural zeitgeist that GoT has become is greater than ever. This season had storyline issues and pacing problems in places, yet its visual spectacle remained unfailingly impressive, and where the story beats hit the right notes, they really hit it right. The first two episodes were good enough on

BY Lachlan Miles

RABELAIS MOVIE DATABASE: Game of thrones season Eight (2019)

their own, but given the fact there were only six episodes, I do wonder if they shouldn’t have sped up the pace here so as to slow down the latter episodes. Episode three was terrifying, but the dark visuals made it sometimes difficult to see the action. However thematically appropriate that might be, it was probably the wrong decision. Likewise, the way some characters jumped around the map was as ridiculous as last season. The show has fuzzed around travel times a lot more in the past two seasons then it used to. Not a major problem, but one worth mentioning. The decision of Daenerys Targaryen as the final villain of the series is perfectly fine and matches the book arc of the character in all likelihood. Yet the show’s rushed pacing meant it was somewhat problematic to justify her decisions turn to villainy, and the fact that earlier seasons had whitewashed the character so thoroughly meant so many viewers refused to accept it. This was really a problem that should’ve been resolved in earlier seasons by calling out her actions, but it was this season that bore the brunt of the problem. If we’d had ten episodes, it might not have been an issue at all. Yet despite that, I have no problem with the turn itself and the end of the character was fitting and thematically appropriate. It just could’ve been less sudden and blunt. Daenerys has always been a difficult character for the show to manage properly and their whitewashing of her in earlier seasons came back to hurt them here and left much of the audience feeling whiplashed as they went straight from hero to unambiguous villain. Still, that’s going to be the book ending in all likelihood, and the show had at least done some setup to indicate that this would be her fate. And the Iron Throne is no more! Fitting that the newest King comes with his own throne. Whole package deal that. All in all, a satisfying but bittersweet resolution as promised, despite the bumps in the road to getting there. 8

Image courtesy of HBO. Rabelais | Edition Three

Artwork by Maddy Cravis @nibson.mother

By Cody Mathieson-Lowe

What is V A P O R W A V E

usic scenes and styles generally start in areas. Grunge started in Washington, Dubstep originated in South London, and Techno formed in Detroit.But with the internet having become the controller of our lives (long live the internet), music has been able to spread to all different areas with the touch of a button.

Shoppe samples from artists such as Diana Ross and Pages to mix into the Japanese corporate aesthetic. The second song on Floral Shoppe by MacIntosh Plus is probably the most recognisable song of Vaporwave. Despite only being reuploaded to Youtube in May 2018, the song has already hit over 5 million views.

For one particular genre, the scene started from the deep depths of the internet.

Floral Shoppe’s album cover became a key concept for the style. The aesthetic and visuals are as important as the music. Every album became an art piece with visuals and music intertwining to form twisted and unique albums.

Yet, despite this style being developed over the world wide web, it distances itself distinctly from the advances of the world. It relies on having the listener feel like they are in an elevator with cheap music blaring on the speaker. The singer wails in a lower pitch than what was recorded decades ago. Accompanied with the song are visuals of old eighties flicks and designs that could only remind you of a milkshake cup from a mall that hasn’t been updated in 30 years.

Vaporwave became an internet sensation afterwards as it was memed quite heavily. Where most pop culture sensations die a quick death, Vaporwave experienced an influx of intrigued listeners. Subreddits and tumblrs were created to celebrate their new-found love of faux elevator music.

This is Vaporwave.

A majority of Vaporwave songs are samplings of pre-21st-century music ranging from American disco, Japanese city pop, and eighties ballads. It becomes a task for the artist to use the original sample and distort to the point that it is a completely new song. Dating back to 2010, a variety of artists experimented to figure out what the style would be. Albums such as Eccojams Vol. 1 and Far Side Virtual formed the basis of Vaporwave. It wasn’t until Ramona Xavier (F.K.A. MacIntosh Plus) released Floral Shoppe in 2011 that the style had a defining album. The most famous Vaporwave album, Floral

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Come 2013, it was time for expansion. Vaporwave had started to become multi-faceted and given the technology in the 21st century, experimentation was easier than previous generations of music. In 2012, Canadian artist Blank Banshee 0 released his self-titled debut album. This album was one of the first examples of expansion of the genre. Blank Banshee 0 popularized the Vaportrap genre within the music community. As the name suggests it is a blend of Vaporwave with trap elements. It was a hit with Esquire saying that it was “more approachable than a lot of music in other vaporwave subgenres”. The album used a combination of old computer sounds and nineties videogame music. It’s what the community needed, a new outlook on the genre. And with that, came Future Funk.

Unlike other genres, Vaporwave was formed mainly over the internet. A descendant of chillwave and hypnagogic pop, the style draws heavily from Japanese, Ancient Roman, and American culture.

If Vaporwave is your cousin that’s going through their weird re-invention phase, Future Funk is their much more approachable brother. Future Funk is a mix of Daft Punk inspired French House, current day Disco House, and high tempo Vaporwave. Generally using eighties disco tracks and Japanese city pop the genre has sampled the likes of Chic, The Whispers, and Tatsuro Yamashita. The mainstay album of the genre to many fans is Saint Pepsi’s (now Skylar Spence) 2013 album Hit Vibes. Saint Pepsi released his first album under his moniker on 27 December 2012 with Laser Tag Zero. By the time Hit Vibes released on May 31, 2013, Saint Pepsi had released seven albums. This is a common occurrence among Vaporwave/Future Funk artists as sampling can be a quick process that only requires mixing, not recording. The album became a smash hit. Songs such as ‘Better’ epitomised the high paced nostalgic feel of Future Funk with the song getting comparisons to Daft Punk’s first two albums. If you want a fun exercise: pull up both Better by Saint Pepsi and I Can Make It Better by The Whispers (the sample used in the song) to compare the original and modified version. ‘Cherry Pepsi’ by Saint Pepsi showcases the nineties aspect of the genre mixing in a Sister Sledge sample with Lo-Fi mixing techniques and filters. The song has gained over five million views on YouTube with the Hit Vibes album having over two million views on YouTube. This album became the basis for Skylar Spence’s career. Signed by Carpark Records (the record label top chillwave artist Toro Y Moi is signed to), Skylar Spence was emerging from the scene. Forced to change his name due to copyright issues with Pepsi (yes, it really happened), Skylar Spence experienced one problem. He couldn’t sample anymore. Why you ask? Because you can’t make money off samples without paying the original artist. It is the reason why The Avalanches and Daft Punk don’t release albums every year. It is incredibly hard to get artists to let their music

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be used. And it’s become the problem in the Vaporwave community. There’s no money to be made if you are an artist. Skylar Spence was able to create new songs being able to utilise his guitar playing and drum machines. His album, Prom King, was described by Pitchfork as “dance music that’s almost a late-‘00s throwback”. Other artists have used it as a way to build up their portfolio to work in the music industry. However, it’s leading to a growing problem. The Vaporwave community is dissipating. There is not enough interest anymore. The discovery phase is over and there’s nothing to replace it. Some sub-genres have risen in past years. The memeable Simpsonwave solely focuses on the aesthetics of old Simpsons episodes while mixing in Vaporwave tracks. There is also the politically focused Fashwave which draws heavily on using fascist propaganda as an aesthetic. These sub-genres, however, have not taken Vaporwave to any new heights. In fact, it’s detracted from the original aesthetics. It seems as though the Vaporwave boom is over. While there are great samplers out there such as Macross 82-99, Desired, Yung Bae, and Fibre, they have either moved towards EDM or haven’t been able to move past the community towards a bigger audience. The main problem with Vaporwave, Future Funk, Vaportrap, Mallsoft, Seapunk, and all the other sub-genres and offshoots isn’t the music or the samplers. They have very talented and dedicated artists and fans within the community. It’s the fact that it has to be explained to you to get it. When you listen to a rock song you can understand the core values through the lyrics. With Vaporwave if you aren’t pining for a nostalgic trip to an old outdated mall that hasn’t been updated since the nineties, it may lose you. And if it’s got you, it’s hard to talk to your friends about it. To them it’s weird. To you, it’s art.

EASTER IN ADELAIDE

Postgraduate Oficer, Eknath, details his journey through South Australia. BY EKNATH PRABHU

t was 5am when we left for Tullamarine Airport on the morning of Easter Sunday, fully excited to hop on to our flight to Adelaide, a city that I had heard so much about from my colleagues and mates.

We made our way to Victor Harb express how amazing the beer, that we had at the brewery, was. Every sip of it was refreshing and original. I can say that I’ve never had such beer in my entire life.

A bright and sunny sky bid us farewell at the Tulla only to be welcomed later by pouring rains and gloomy skies at the Adelaide Airport. We walked up to the Hertz car park and picked up our Suzuki Vitara and began driving on the streets of Adelaide. The calm and tranquil atmosphere of the city took us by surprise.

The next day, we began quite early as this was our day to explore the city of Adelaide. We first went to Rundle Mall, located on a section of Rundle street that was closed for vehicular traffic in 1976. Walking past the nice and pretty retail stores, eateries, lifestyle and other services stores was a fun experience. In a way, you could call this street the Bourke Street of Adelaide!!

We rolled up on South Road at an Elly’s Café for some quick brekkie to gas ourselves up for our first task of the day – a 10km hike at the Newland Conservation Park, 100km south of Adelaide City. The drive up to the park was amazing as we manoeuvred through the freeway, that lead us out of the city, and the hairpin bends and steep roads (Adelaide is surrounded by hills, hills and hills!!!) that gave us the adrenalin rush. Then began the hike, under the scorching heat of the sun, that was accompanied by a light drizzle and moderate breeze – the typical Australian weather you know!!! A major part of the hike required us to walk along the cliff that overlooked the serene, blue waters of the Great Australian Bight. Awed by the beauty of these cliffs, we couldn’t resist ourselves from clicking pictures of every curve, narrow walks, the tall bushes and of the water splashes against the cliff rocks.

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From here, we went on to see the Parliament of South Australia. There are 2 parliament buildings over there- the old and new, with the new one being the majestic, grand structure and the one that is currently used for Assembly sessions. Being from India, where cricket is considered to be a religion, we were really excited and humbled to walk into the beautiful Adelaide Oval. The green grass, bright sun and clear skies made it all the more suitable for us to click pictures and selfies. An interesting point to note here is that there is a separate gallery dedicated to the life of Sir Donald Bradman, a legendary cricketer, consisting of portraits, paintings, pictures and paraphernalia used by him. Off we drove to Glenelg beach, one of the prettiest,

well maintained, beautiful beaches that I have seen across Australia. Drawing the condemnation and ire of the Melbournians, I could say that this beach is far more pretty than our St. Kilda. You need to visit it to experience its stunning beauty. There were families that had come down, children playing, good music, a magician performing and shops abuzz with activity, which made the atmosphere exceedingly lively. We ended the day with some good naan bread and curry at a popular Indian restaurant called as Drunken Monkey!! We were up at around 3am the next morning, as we had to drive up to Cape Jervis, a place 100km south of Adelaide City, to load our car onto a ferry at 6am that would take us to Kangaroo Island. This was the longest and most adventurous day of our entire trip. The 45min ferry ride brought us to the eastern tip of the island, from where we had to travel 150km to reach Flinders Chase National Park, which is on the western tip, to view the Remarkable Rocks. Kangaroo Island is pretty large than what we had expected. The entire drive was absolutely fantastic, with roads exactly like the ones that appear on the tourism board websites. The location of these rocks, their very shape, positioning and colour left us awestruck and in admiration. The Remarkable Rocks were indeed Remarkable.

Sanctuary, a desert and Sea all around you. The activities that can be done here are versatile and multiple. Some people come here and camp for 7-10 days. We were so exhausted and tired after this gruelling day that we just sat back at the Kingscote Pier towards sunset, enjoyed the cold breeze and later travelled back to our lodge, the British Sailor’s Society in Adelaide City. The fourth and final day of the trip took us to the picturesque, crystal clear waters of the Semaphore Beach in the morning. Bright and sunny as it were, this beach was the right place to be in after a good, satisfying breakfast. Having enjoyed the weather at the beach, we then drove to see the Pink Lake – Lake Bumbunga at Clare Valley. We were really thrilled and elevated for this but were left a tad bit upset when we saw that there was no water in the lake and it was all dry. Probably we visited the lake at the wrong time of the year. Undeterred, we then went to our final and last calling of the trip – the Barossa Valley, the beautiful valley of vineyards. The entire valley is adorned with miles and miles of vineyards, a sight that is pleasant for your eyes and taste buds!! We did a little bit of wine tasting here to experience the authentic and original South Australian wine.

Our next port of call was the Admiral Arch, which was a 5 min drive from the Rocks. We had to walk down a series of boardwalks, like the one at the Nobbies Centre in Phillip Island, to reach the Admiral Arch. Whilst walking, we could observe a variety of seals like fur, swimming, fighting, lounging and also a breed that had come up from New Zealand. It was such a pretty and funny sight to look at some of the seals deep in their slumber or some fighting with each other with their flaps.

We all wanted the trip to close on an adventurous note, so we decided to do a night drive of 750km from Adelaide to Melbourne. A night drive was something that I was yearning for ever since I learnt how to drive. Believe me, it was one of the most memorable drives of my life.

Our next task for the day brought us to the Little Sahara Desert, where we all had fun sandboarding in the dunes. I was so bad at it that I couldn’t even get it right once!!!

For the places that we visited and the company that I had during the trip, I would fondly call this trip as ‘Easter in Adelaide’, which will be one of the most cherished, memorable and admired trips of my time in Australia.

It is interesting to note the diverse geography of the Island. You’ve got a National Park, Wildlife

The steep roads, curves and hills in South Australia were replaced by the straight, flat roads and farmlands in Victoria.

I will remember every bit of it.

THE HUMANITARIAN SOCIETY 9

BY CHELSEA TOKAKER

he Humanitarian society is much more than just a club. It is a banner by which a new member like myself found happiness and devotion by upholding its core aim of helping those who are less fortunate than us. Our team is made up of dedicated and virtuous youths who aspire to promote awareness about human welfare in a world of haves and have nots, through the provision of immediate aid to those affected by global disasters and crises. If you believe yourself to be a giving person, with an open heart and conscience for global social justice then this society is calling you! Join the Humanitarian society and help us through fundraisers, bake sales, and appeals, to empower the communities of these millenniums most vulnerable which have been inflicted by the relentless devastation of hunger, global warming, conflicts and disease. We thank all La Trobe students thus far for making our work a rewarding one as it is our commitment to provide emergency relief to those in immediate and urgent need. The generous donations contributed by YOU, makes a huge difference to the families in need. Such acts of kindness are valued and encouraged within and are hoped that it transcends the Humanitarian Society’s work!

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I had the privilege of supporting the executive team as a volunteer last year at our Sunday Sesh for Gaza. The funds raised at this particular event went towards the reconstruction of Gaza’s depleting public health system amidst is internal conflict and its spread of chronic diseases. The event was supported by local artists; Rya Park, Cosi Cosi Band and Minetta, to list some and delighted the audience in solidarity for once cause. We part our thanks to our remarkable Humanitarian team, guests and friends for a great Sunday Sesh. Does this sound like a club for you? Then come and introduce yourself to our friendly team in yellow during O’Week in Semester 2! Lastly, as recipients for the highly commended award for ‘Club of the Year’ we look forwards to 2019 and what it has in store for us, welcoming new ideas and comrades. We extend our thanks to our affiliates on campus, companies and of course, La Trobe University’s Student Union for helping us bring together such memorable events for all La Trobe students to share and enjoy. Chelsea Tokaker Treasurer & Council Delegate Humanitarian Society

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the arcaDEm Here are a few bits and pieces for your enjoyment. Or procrastination.

WORLD MAP MAZE

Find your way from S to E in this world map maze.

word of the edition Defenestrate /diːˈfɛnɪstreɪt/ (Verb)

“to throw (someone) out of a window”

nine letter boggle Find as many words as possible with a minimum of three letters. You must use the blue letter and can only use each tile once. See if you can find the nine-letter word.

• • •

Buy your 2019 membership: online at latrobesu.org.au

from the LTSU Offices – level 2, Agora West Building from any pop-up LTSU marquee at major events

MEMBERSHIP • A high quality, branded hooded sweater

• Black backpack with padded laptop section

• Aluminium water bottle

membership packages also available from $20. For details visit us at www.latrobesu.org.au

sodoku

Complete each row, column and and square by filling in numbers from one to nine.

• Golden ticket for LTSU events • Discounts –on campus + around town

• Membership to a union that is committed to serving its members and the LTU student community $55.00 NEW STUDENT member $65.00 NEW LTU *Community Member

$5 off

all RETURNING members * LTU Community Members include staff, Diploma and Navitas students

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CONTRIBUTORS Edition Three

EDITORS IN CHIEF

Sean Carroll Christopher Graham

CHIEF OF STAFF

Tynique Dimcevska

COMMITTEE

A A

CONTRIBUTORS

Abood Shehada John Dewar Kristen Settinelli Cody Mathieson-Lowe Leman Zehra Arslan Antonio Rullez Mindy Francis Natalie di Pasquale Chinmaya Lal Thakur Jamali Bowden Chinmaya Lal Mohsin Khawaja Silje Melsom Simon Ashby Eknath Prabhu Stephanie Arturi Andrew Drake Lachlan Miles William Chesterfield Chelsea Tokaker Alyssa Gornalle

ARTWORK

Xion Kelly (@xiximagicramen) Phoebe Moloney Kiara Allis (@kiaraallis) Maddy Cravis (@nibson.mother) Stephanie Muculj (@__saspa__)

COVER ART

Tynique Dimcevska

Natalie Williams Mikey Petrou

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