Our Place Magazine Issue 35

Issue 35 August / September 21

Dining à la Plants in Tauranga

Take Me

Shannon Novak: Creating Safe Spaces with Art

Kia Kaha Te Reo Māori!

All you need is love and solar power All-new Grand California The Volkswagen Kombi has come a long way since it revolutionised our lives in the 60s, but this modern version still holds true to its ideals. With a little sun worship and some handy solar panels the Grand California will keep you running no matter how far you go off the grid.

Plus with the added luxury of a self-contained bathroom, 4MOTION AWD and adaptive cruise control you can truly go wherever the wind takes you.

Reserve yours now for summer.

Contact Farmer Volkswagen today.

farmerautovillage.co.nz

116 Hewletts Road, Mount Maunganui for sales information contact Chris Tabersham | 021 194 2870 | Christ@farmerautovillage.co.nz Keith Andrews | 021 195 3029 | keitha@farmerautovillage.co.nz

INTERESTED IN UBX TRAINING? GRAB A FREE TRIAL. UBX MOUNT MAUNGANUI Bayfair Shopping Centre 19 Girven Rd, Tauranga, 3116 + 64 27 839 9566 mountmaunganui@ubxtraining.com ubxtraining.com

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Founders Rachelle & Christopher Duffy Creative director Christopher Duffy Editor Sarah Nicholson sarah@ourplacemagazine.co.nz Social manager Aimee Short aimee@ourplacemagazine.co.nz Advertising enquiries Rachelle Duffy 021 032 7873 rachelle@ourplacemagazine.co.nz

PLANNING & MONITORING

Contributors Sam Cummins, Home Farm, Shannon Novak, Josie Steenhart Photographers ilk, Jane Keam, Brydie Thompson, Alice Veysey Pick up your copy from The Little Big Markets, plus at selected cafes, restaurants, shops and businesses.

BUSINESS A D M I N I S T R AT I O N

Want to receive monthly copies of Our Place for your business to distribute?

Email rachelle@ourplacemagazine.co.nz To tell us about anything happening in your area right now, email sarah@ourplacemagazine.co.nz

FINANCIAL ACCOUNTS & TA X AT I O N 37 MONMOUTH STREET, TAURANGA, 3110 PO BOX 305, TAURANGA P. 07 571 8081

W W W . R E A L C A . C O . N Z

Cover Fluid Flag by Shannon Novak.

For information on this artwork, see story on page 63 and visit: shannonnovak.com/ ongoing-projects#/fluid-flag Contents Photography by Alice Veysey Follow us @ourplacemagazine ourplacemagazine.co.nz

Kia ora e te whānau. We hope you’re having an awesome hōtoke (winter).

Kōanga (spring) is nearly upon us — bring on the warmer days!

The new season means your garden will begin to thrive again — well, it could, especially if you check out our new column, Grow Together (page 42). We’re working on a series with the ace gardeners at Home Farm to bring you all the basic info you need to start growing some of your own kai. Once you taste those fresh leaves and herbs straight from the garden (or even a pot!), rather than a plastic bag, you’ll never look back.

Te Wiki o te reo Māori is 13–19 Mahuru (September), so if you’ve been wanting to learn more te reo Māori, remember more kupu (words) or make sure your pronunciation is on point, use this week as the push you need! You can easily normalise te reo in everyday life, at work and home, using a simple kia ora on the phone, a ngā mihi (regards) as an email sign off, and generally using kupu you probably already know (eg whānau, mahi). There are loads of fantastic resources to help — see page 19.

While you’re planning your spring activities, check out the lineup for Vegan Vibes (70). The festival gets bigger and better every year and it’s now in both Mt Maunganui and Auckland. And the latest show from artist Shannon Novak is now showing at Tauranga Art Gallery (63), as well as satellite locations around the city. Shannon’s work is all about creating a safer world for the LGBTQI+ community and we were lucky enough to have him create an exclusive work for us this issue (68).

Mā te wā, The Our Place team

Contents

13

58

Our Community

17

Welcome

What’s Up

23

26

Our Place Tauranga

Mimi Hung

63

TLBM Shopping Guide

True Colours Artist Shannon Novak

70

33

It’s a Vibe

Kōrero Mai

Vegan Vibes Festival 2021

Maimoa Creative

42

78

Grow Together

Dress for Less

Preparing soil for planting

By Sam Cummins

82

49

Inner City Life

Delicious Alma Eatery

Tauranga CBD photo essay

92

Event Guide

15

86

Bubble Burger

What’s Up Room to Move If you’d like to teach yin yoga, or just deepen your knowledge and practice, House of Yoga is offering a 50-hour yin teacher training course, 24–29 August, with experienced teacher Daphne Luke.

Other highlights at the studio include the Men’s Stretching on Sundays at 10.15am, where the focus is on dealing with typically tight areas (shoulders, hips and hamstrings), plus abs to support back issues. For newbies, there’s the Beginners 10-week Course, where you can learn the basics before joining a public class, and there’s also hot yoga at 7am Saturdays, designed for people of all levels. Most classes are available live via Zoom, too. → houseofyoga.co.nz More info, email hello@houseofyoga.co.nz

On the Main Maunganui Rd has a couple of new sunny streetside spots for your morning coffee and other forms of sustenance. Soul Boul has moved into the front of Sisters & Co (number 208).

Head here for vibrant plant-based smoothie bowls and smoothies packed with superfoods, all free of gluten, dairy and refined sugar (the Snickers features Fix & Fogg Peanut Butter, banana, pink Himalayan salt, organic cacao and maca). Plus alternative lattes and regular coffees. Just along the way, Mount Surf Shop (98) has opened up its frontage for MSS Espresso, where Flight Coffee is the order of the day, along with goodness like Sandbank smoothies and Nut Baby slices. As they put it: “We’re a surfer’s one-stop shop — snacks and wax.” → @soulboul @mount.surfshop

It’s Showtime Tauranga Arts Festival has released tickets to two shows expected to be in high demand — the Auckland Theatre Company’s The Haka Party Incident (pictured) and an evening of music with Troy Kingi and Delaney Davidson.

An innovative piece of documentary theatre, The Haka Party Incident (29 October) retells the events of 1 May, 1979 when activist group He Taua confronted Auckland University engineering students as they rehearsed an annual mock haka, a long-held tradition of the department. The incident resulted in a reset of race relations in New Zealand. Award-winning musician Kingi is making 10 albums in 10 genres in 10 years and will perform his latest work, Black Sea Golden Ladder, a folk-inspired collaboration with Davidson, on 23 October.

Earlybird prices for both shows apply until 12 August. → Tickets, taurangafestival.co.nz and Baycourt box office. All other tickets for the festival, which runs 21 to 31 October, are on sale from 6 August.

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What’s Up Kia Kaha Te Reo Māori!

It’s Te Wiki o te reo Māori/Māori Language Week, 13-19 Mahuru (September). There are so many entertaining and easy ways to connect with te reo. Here’s a taste: kupu.maori.nz Get the kupu o te rā/word of the day email.

Kupu app uses your phone camera to translate objects.

Hēmi Kelly explains te reo just beautifully on Instagram @everydaymāori, a podcast of the same name, and in his books A Māori Word a Day and A Māori Phrase a Day. Scotty & Stacey Morrison His Māori Made Easy books are the go-to for learners, and the couple have a range of other excellent books about learning te reo. reomāori.co.nz Māori Language Week site with loads of great resources to use at home and work. maoridictionary.co.nz Look up words and phrases, plus listen to the correct pronunciation. Also an app.

learn

Moment in the Sun During Covid lockdown, time appeared to slow down and nature’s daily rhythms began to command our attention — sunrise, sunset, moonrise, moonset — and repeat. Inspired by these quiet moments, the joy and wonder that comes from a sunset is captured in a new artwork by New Zealand artist Sara Hughes. Known for her dynamic and colourful installations, she’s creating a special experience for the Willow St bus stop. Documented during the recent winter solstice, the artwork captures a Tauranga sunset, incorporating abstract photography and painterly washes of colour (artist concept is pictured, left). When in the city centre, take a breather from your busy day and spend time bathed in the golden light of an eternal sunset. The artwork has been developed for the Tauranga Arts Festival by Supercut Projects. It joins a series of visual arts experiences around the city centre that can be found from October on the free-to-download City Art Walk app. → Share your favourite Tauranga Moana sunset #mysunset #sunsettaurangamoana #sarahughes

Masters of Fun “Surely not everybody was kung fu fighting?” asks the glowing neon light — one of the many fun elements of Master Kong’s highly embellished room, along with textural lamps, a huge primate mural and Asian paper umbrellas. Sister restaurant to Wellington’s Master Kong, it’s great for groups and it has its Asian street food down pat with delish 12-spice salt and pepper squid, Peking duck pancakes and firecracker chicken, as well as the now ubiquitous bao and dumplings. Next door, Madame Sunset is more of a tiki bar vibe with frou-frou cocktails and snacks. In the weekend, they join forces for yum cha. → 3/217 Maunganui Rd, Mt Maunganui @masterkongthemount @madame_sunset 19

Tauranga Crossing solect.nz

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Our Place Tauranga

Most Important Meal of the Day MBC’s Breakfast of Champions Stout is packed with flavours that’ll remind you of a great breakfast.

It’s brewed with loads of bananas that are roasted at local restaurant Barrio Brothers, then topped up with blueberry puree, Tahitian vanilla and organic Canadian maple syrup. Plant-based eaters get the green light with this brew as MBC has used rolled oats instead of lactose to achieve a rich and silky body. Complexity of the beer is supported by chocolate and coffee notes from generous amounts of dark malts in the total grain bill. Available on tap 30 at High Tide. mountbrewingco.com @hightidetauranga

Circle of Life The Hello Rosie pop-up at Our Place Tauranga offers a lot of scrumptious vegan offerings, both sweet and savoury, but the doughnuts always make the decision making process extra taxing. The selection varies from day to day, but might include delights such as Salted Caramel, Apple Pie, Double Choc & Raspberry, Passion Custard, Jam & Cream, Cookies & Cream, and Notella.

Open Weds 11am–4pm, Thurs 11am–7pm, Fri 11am–4pm, Sun 11am–3pm @hellorosiecaravan

In Good Hands Y’all know how disappointing it is to buy a bad-tasting brew, right? That doesn’t happen at OPT’s Mt Zion Coffee. Owners Matt & Hannah Ross are coffee experts — Matt has even won barista awards. Aside from regular brews, they offer a range of single origin filter coffees and have guest roasters too. The early birds on weekdays get $3 coffees (6.30–8am, t&cs apply).

Pair it with a bagel and you’re set.

Open Mon–Fri 6.30am–3pm, Saturday 8.30am–1.30pm. @mtzioncoffee 23

thebuzzclub.co.nz @buzzclubmead

PREMIUM SESSION MEAD

Naturally brewed from native New Zealand honey After years of beekeeping, Buzz Club Co-founder Wilbur witnessed the beekeeping industry become increasingly unsustainable. Keepers like himself, producing native honey (other than mānuka) are being forced out of the industry as market prices settle at new lows. As a result, hives are being abandoned by keepers, and less of our native environments are being pollinated. This drove Wilbur to search for new ways to use these worldclass, yet under recognised native honeys.

The answer was mead. Alongside a lifelong mate, Edward they quickly realised the potential held in our native honeys, and saw the possibilities to help sustain the beekeeping industry, and ultimately the pollination of our native environments. Now, Buzz Club is determined to grow the recognition of our native honeys, and support the health of our most pristine environments.

Head to thebuzzclub.co.nz to find a stockist near you.

91 Willow St, Tauranga CBD

@ourplacetauranga

A Material World “Clothes aren’t going to change the world, the women who wear them will.” — Anne Klein.

In Prashika Poonam’s case, it’s also the women who make clothes that will change the world. Prashika is the founder of Recondition NZ, a sustainable clothing brand that’s due to launch in summer 2021. She takes pre- and post-production textile waste and uses it to create children’s clothing. In the process, she diverts textile waste from New Zealand landfill and transforms it into bespoke, high-value garments with a prolonged lifespan.

This mum of two is a medical radiation therapist at Tauranga’s Kathleen Kilgour Centre.

When she’s not treating cancer patients, you’ll find her at the ReMaker Space sewing stock for the first release of her clothing line, Reco Tamariki.

“Recondition was not an idea that came new to me, but rather a way of life that I had embraced since childhood, albeit for financial reasons,” Prashika says. “Growing up in Fiji, there was a local place that would sell fabric scraps from factory waste at cheap prices. I remember mum and I going and spending hours trying to match different pieces of fabric together, then coming home and sewing our clothes out of them. As a middle-class family, that was our best shot at wearing something ‘new’.”

Prashika wants her clothing line to be a brand with a movement: “Recondition NZ is my small contribution towards the growing predicament of textile waste, which is estimated to be a staggering 26 billion pounds per year globally.” By creating high-quality clothes from rejected textiles, she urges consumers to look past an old garment’s original purpose and instead see its potential for another creation.

Prashika is one of twelve emerging entrepreneurs developing their sustainable businesses at the ReMaker Space. She describes the space as a community of people who share her ethos and she says she’s never felt more at home.

The ReMaker Space aims to redesign our relationship with resources and supports ‘ReMakers’ to become established as viable social enterprises that address the community’s sustainability issues.

Next time you’re in the Tauranga CBD, stop by and check out the progress these brands are making.

Follow the progress of Recondition NZ @reco.nz

Prashika working on her designs for Recondition NZ at ReMaker Space.

OPT Events Wed ReMaker Shop – Fri 10am–4pm. Sustainable homewares and gifts.

August 16.

28.

29.

Mako Road: Stranger Days Album Release Tour 8pm. moshtix.co.nz ReMaker Community Garage Sale 9–11am. Book a $20 table, eventspronto.co.nz Crop Swap 9-10am

September 2.

16.

26.

Blabla Events presents: Women on Top 6–9pm. Inspirational speakers, eventbrite.co.nz Gladrags: The Great Big Spring Clothes Swap 5.30–7pm. eventbrite.co.nz Crop Swap 9-10am To register for ReMaker Space’s textiles and wood workshops, visit remakerspace.co.nz

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When you buy local, it has a positive impact on the whole community. Check out these fantastic products from The Little Big Markets and see all the market dates on page 92.

Mount Longboards

Found Treasure

Mount Longboards will take you back to the classic 80s with a collection of hand-printed surf t-shirts, crews, hats and now homewares. Look out for the new ‘Retro Mount’ logo! mountlongboards.com mountlongboards

Found Treasure is ocean-inspired jewellery for sea lovers and conscious gifters. Individually crafted using seaglass and shells found on our shorelines. Get in touch to discuss your own treasure. foundtreasurejewellery.com @found.treasure

The Cottage Gallery

Drawing the Way

Noxen

Brian and Meg Claxton have a boutique craft business specialising in pounamu (greenstone), which they carve to create beautiful taonga — much-loved pieces of jewellery.

329 Waihi Rd, Judea, Tauranga thecottagegallery.co.nz

Drawing the Way is a Mount-based illustration and graphic design studio. The couple travel spreading joy with their maps and paintings of places they visit, as well as custom paintings and quirky portraits. drawingtheway.com @wearedrawingtheway

Based in Mount Maunganui, Noxen is a lifestyle brand with a focus on functionality, and the owners love surfing, sports and the community. Check out its surf apparel, caps, hooded poncho towels and more. noxen.co.nz @noxensurf

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Captured by Caitlan

Be Naturopathy

Waxed Eyed Bees Honey

Captured by Caitlan offers travel photography prints that bring a touch of wanderlust into your home. Waikato local Caitlan Johnston shot them while travelling in Europe and New Zealand. @captured_bycaitlan @CapturedByCaitlan

Betania is a naturopath and medical herbalist. She’ll help you figure out the cause of your symptoms and create a specific wellness plan to improve your wellbeing in a holistic manner. benaturopathy.co.nz @be_naturopathy

For locals, from locals. Visit your neighbourhood honey hustlers, Wayne and Ariana, for pure manuka, kanuka, rewarewa, kamahi and wildflower honey.

Also stocked at Mount New World. waxeyedbees.co.nz @waxeyedbeeshoney

Raglan Botanicals

Ritual Masssage

Hello Happy Garden

Organic pure essential oils and blends, therapeutic custom products, organic skincare, eco skincare accessories — all made by a qualified aromatherapist. raglanbotanicals.co.nz @raglanbotanicals 021 043 0338

Ritual specialises in ‘Womb & Fertility Massage Therapy’.

This deep yet gentle abdominal and sacral therapy is designed to nuture, and bring balance to the reproductive, nervous and digestive systems. ritualmassage.co.nz

Locally grown in Ōmokoroa, delight in the satisfaction of growing your own spray-free organic veges, herbs and edible flowers from garden to table. No sprays, no chemicals, no nasties! @HelloHappyGarden @hellohappygarden_nz

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Deborah Hinde

El Jefe Meats

Mantah

Based in the Waikato, Deborah creates gorgeous illustrations for picture books that children love.

She offers prints from selected titles, and original watercolours are also a passion — the perfect gifts. deborahhinde.co.nz @debhinde_illustrator_author

Tired of all the nasty stuff you find in food nowadays? So is El Jefe! Its products are 100 per cent natural and mindfully crafted using locally sourced ingredients. Plus some smallgoods that are keto-friendly, and free of gluten, dairy and sugar. eljefemeats.co.nz

Mantah specialises in two jacket styles, each designed to get the most warmth and style out of our individually sourced, premium blankets, made from 100 per cent New Zealand vintage wool. mantah.shop @mantah_mantah

Kayu Studio

The Spirit Cove

Kiwi Blade Knives

Kayu Studio has a hand-sourced, curated collection of homewares, decor, furniture and art. You’ll find stunning feature pieces, classic styles and Kayu’s favourites. Add something special to your space. kayustudio.co.nz @kayustudio_ @Kayustudionz

The Spirit Cove is all about creating a high-vibe environment, with ritual mists, crystals and handmade candles. They all come from a place of love and positive intention that’s passed on to each customer. thespiritcove.co.nz @thespiritcove

Defying the plague of sameness, one knife at a time! Celebrate the unique joy of owning a handcrafted knife that’s designed to suit you and your lifestyle, and is definitely built to last. kiwiblade.co.nz @kiwibladeknives

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An appreciation of dance and photography Celebrating the creativity in our region is the driving force behind local organisations Tauranga Dance Inc. and Creative Bay of Plenty.

To encourage collaboration between dance and photography—and to promote a local appreciation of dance beyond the stage—they recently invited photographers to submit dance images to a new competition and be featured in Our Place Magazine.

Dreamtime by Lisa Taylor of Taranaki took out the Open category for her portrayal of the intense focus in a dancer's mind right before going on stage. It’s a look Lisa's seen many times and wanted to recreate in the spectacular surrounds of the Len Lye Gallery in Taranaki. Category judge Alan Gibson of Gibson Images described it as a lovely black and white image with a timeless quality: "The picture really tells a story as it captures that intensity of a dancer backstage before a performance. It demonstrates a great use of space, light and environment to tell that story."

Two Tauranga photographers also took top awards. Taylah Barnett took out the Up & Coming first place with Breath. Competition judge Rowan Turner of Wild Spirit Photography commented on its raw emotion: "She captured a perfect moment in dance, and shooting in low light is not easy without a flash." Taylah completed her education at Mount Maunganui College last year, and has started her own dance photography business, TB Pixels.

Brylee Mills won the People's Choice award with Laconic, after an overwhelming number of votes poured in for the category. Brylee's passion for people and educating others has led to her love for working with young women (especially dancers)—exploring strength and beauty through photography and empowerment sessions. Learn more about her work at Brylee Mills Creative on Facebook.

Thank you to Kale Print for sponsoring the printed photographs displayed in the Baycourt Community and Arts Centre foyer for all to enjoy.

Tauranga Dance Inc. and Creative Bay of Plenty want to thank everyone who submitted a photograph for this fusion of dance and image-making. Through helping to promote, encourage, and foster the appreciation and application of dance, you’re putting the spotlight on creative people, cultural identity, and the arts.

Top: Lisa Taylor, Dreamtime Middle: Brylee Mills, Laconic Bottom: Taylah Barnett, Breath

You can now pay-it-forward at your favourite local.

Our local partners

Pop in and ask them how or find out more at www.gogenerosity.com/local

@gogenerosity

Together with your favourite local eateries and retailers you can pay-it-forward to help people in need in our local community.

Simply add an amount of your choice to your bill next time you shop with them.

Check out our spotlight on a few of our generous partners.

Cleaver & Co Since opening in 2019 the team at Cleaver & Co has established itself as the go to bar and restaurant for mouth-watering ribs, succulent brisket and lamb shoulder.

All cooked for up to 14 hours in their Southern Pride smoker all the way from Tennessee.

Go and see the team at Bayfair, sample everything on one of their famous platters, one of their burgers or sign up to their monthly all you can eat ribs night.

Elizabeth Cafe & Larder

Neighbourhood

Features Inc

Get along to 247 Cameron Rd and get the best food and coffee from the most dedicated staff on the planet.

All of this 7 days a week. Whether you are grabbing a quick coffee on the run, breakfast or lunch with friends, or celebrating a wedding or another special event, their award winning venue creates the perfect setting for you to eat, drink and enjoy. We love their space and we hope you will too.

If you love simple food done really well, then Neighbourhood is the spot for you. Spend an afternoon in their sunny Cherrywood courtyard enjoying a table full of share plates, or sit down for a beautiful slow roasted pork belly and your favourites from their dessert menu. They’re always updating their menu to cater for dietary requirements, so there are plenty of vegan, gluten and dairy free options.

Amelia and the Features Inc team offer expertise in a range of beauty treatments. Restore and enhance your natural brows with cosmetic tattooing, achieve youthful and vibrant skin with specialised treatments like skin needling, plasma skin tightening and advanced dermal skincare featuring the Nimue range. The team also deliver exceptional maintenance with spray tanning, waxing and tinting.

Find out more at www.gogenerosity.com/local

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T O O T H F A I R Y D E N TA L . C O . N Z

Kōrero Mai Story by Sarah Nicholson Photography by Jane Keam

When Aroha Tamihana launched Maimoa Creative, it merged her loves of te reo and design. But while sharing her journey to reclaim her language, the scope of her mahi has evolved beyond the page.

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From parodies about being a shellfish-averse Māori and dances that shrug off social media haters, to discussions on tīkanga (customs/protocols), pronunciation guidance, and reciting karakia to her children — if you follow Maimoa Creative on Instagram, you’ll know that Aroha Tamihana, 29, is a woman of many talents.

Aroha designs text-based artwork that celebrates te reo Māori. However, through her regular presence on Instagram, sharing (and often spoofing) the high points and challenges of the journey to reclaim her culture and language, she’s gone from selling products to establishing herself as an impactful exponent of te reo and Māoritanga, with more than 25k followers.

World View Aroha didn’t have a typical Kiwi upbringing, not by a long shot.

Her Māori father and New Zealand-born Dutch mother were missionaries: she was born in the Philippines, then brought up in Tajikistan from the age of 2 until 11.

“Tajikistan is a third world country

and my parents decided to go in the middle of a civil war with their four kids,” she laughs.

“But they were just so faith driven, they believed they were called to be there.

“We went to a missionary school, so I grew up with kids from all over the world. I have the best memories, everything was so simple, we weren’t materialistic at all — you can’t be over there.

That experience makes you very open minded and accepting of all cultures.”

Although there were regular visits back to Aotearoa, when she finally moved back, she experienced a type of “reverse culture shock” when faced with her new life. It was a few tough years for Aroha, recognising she was different and trying to fit in (the strong American accent didn’t help). “I guess from that came a lot of the doubt and the questions around my identity as a Kiwi, but also as a Māori who never grew up with her Māori culture.”

These thoughts grew as she grew up. “It became apparent that something was missing,” she says.

“I was never too fast to tell people 34

I was Māori, as there was a lot of shame — if I say that, there’s going to be expectations; if I say that, then people expect you to know how to be Māori and I didn’t. So there were a few years where I didn’t necessarily deny being Māori, but I wasn’t embracing that part of my identity.”

Turning Point Embracing her Māoritanga (Māori culture, practices, beliefs and way of life) was gradual, but Aroha does cite two key factors. Firstly, meeting her husband Hamuera, who is a te reo teacher at Bethlehem College and a fervent advocate for all things Māori. The second was her dad encouraging her to study alongside him at University of Waikato’s full-time immersion course, Te Tuho Paetahi in 2015. “That was probably the most life-changing year in terms of connecting with my Māoritanga — it was a very emotional, very powerful year.”

Two years after, Hamuera and Aroha completed the Diploma in Te Pīnakitanga ki te Reo Kairangi (level 7) at Te Wānanga.

↑ Aroha’s greeting card messages include ‘Kei runga noa atu koe!’ (you are awesome!). ↖ A completed whakataukī and a selection of gold-embossed greeting cards.

Opening page: Aroha in her home office. Our heading ‘kōrero mai’ means “let’s have a chat”.

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“It was really hard, really exhausting. It was at night, as we were working at the time, and most weeks I’d be: ‘I quit! This is my last week!’ And Hamuera would go, ‘Keep going!’ And we managed to get the year done.”

This education and commitment has allowed her whānau to embrace the language in everyday life — her father speaks to her children (Te Rauriki, 3, and Manahau, 18 months) in te reo, and many of her conversations with both him and Hamuera are also in te reo.

Maimoatia Te Reo (Cherish the Language) Maimoa Creative (maimoa means ‘to cherish’) was started during Aroha’s first maternity leave from a design role. “I was so passionate about te reo Māori at this point, it made sense to merge it with my other passion, design — in particular hand lettering. Also, I was frustrated by not being able to find everyday stuff with te reo Māori on it. Even just a simple thing like a greeting card!

I thought, this is ridiculous, I’ll just make my own.” She launched her online store with five greeting cards, and she now also offers gift tags, prints and custom prints.

Social media has been her only platform for marketing, and what started as product promotion, has broadened to more personal content geared to empower people to reclaim their Māoritanga. “People don’t connect with products, they connect with people and personality, your values and your vision. So the more I started sharing my experiences as a wahine Māori going on her reclamation journey, and providing more educational content, the more people really started to connect with me and appreciate my mahi.”

As with anyone that has a sizable presence on social media, Aroha has to deal with the detractors, ranging from

negative comments to flat out racist remarks. But the positive side of the Instagram community she’s fostered is that she’s able to educate and inspire people into action, and it’s often an outlet for people to share similar experiences to Aroha. “I constantly get messages from followers saying: ‘Thank you so much for the content you share, you’ve given me the push and I’ve just signed up to learn my reo’. This is exactly why I do what I do! It’s about empowering people to realise that they can do this... it’s never too late to learn. And making them realise there’s so much beauty in taking that step.”

She also notes the importance of non-Māori to help the language to thrive. “I want to empower Pākehā, tāngata tiriti — that translates as respectable treaty partners, to jump on the waka too. It’s going to take everyone, Māori and non-Māori, to allow our reo to thrive.”

Pene ki te Pepa (Pen to Paper) “Pretty much all my designs start with me at my desk hand lettering,” says Aroha. Her process simply involves a brush pen dipped in ink and her elegant script that she has down to a fine art. “I pride myself in creating unique designs; because they are all done by hand, none are the same,” she says. “Obviously the prints that I sell online are re-prints, but I do a lot of custom work for customers that request whakataukī [proverbs] from the iwi or waiata [songs] or karakia [prayers] — I love doing those as they are such a taonga [treasure].”

Close to her heart is the creation of custom pepeha (a way of introducing yourself in Māori).

“I think there’s something powerful about having it hung in your whare. When manuhiri [visitors] walk in, they know exactly where you’re from and that’s how Māori work — we like to know where you’re from, not what you do. It’s 36

all about whakawhanaungatanga [the process of establishing relationships] and making those connections, she explains. “I was really proud when I finally realised the pepeha as a product because it felt like it kind of encompassed everything Maimoa Creative stands for — acknowledging where you’re from and being proud of it.”

Aroha also takes on select design projects that work with her kaupapa (philosophy, ideas), such as designing the Kaupapa board game for Kura Rēhia (speak.maori. nz). It’s a beautifully designed

Aroha at work with her brush pen and ink, writing a well-known whakataukī for a customer.

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← Aroha and Hamuera with their children, Te Rauriki and Manahau.

“I’m definitely someone who follows my wairua, my instincts. If an opportunity opens and I think it feels right, I’ll say yes.”

wooden game for speakers and learners of te reo. Her latest project was a set of terrific kāri Māori (playing cards), which was a collaboration with another Māoriowned company, Konei (konei.nz).

On the Horizon From the interactions with her ever-growing audience, especially all the questions she receives around pronunciation, it’s clear that people are keen to learn more. Answering that need may well be her next project. “I’m really keen to start releasing online resources, maybe a series of videos, to teach the basics of the Māori alphabet and sounds, so that people can actually look at any word and confidently say it,” she says. “There are a lot of 38

people hungry for it — they can’t necessarily take time off to study or sacrifice a night, but they can follow something easy online.

“These are all just my whakaaro [ideas], but it feels like something I’m leaning towards and I’m definitely someone who follows my wairua, my instincts.

If an opportunity opens and I think it feels right, I’ll say yes.” Ⓟ maimoa.nz @maimoa.creative Local stockists include Paddington Store at Bayfair Shopping Centre and Okorore Ngā Toi Māori at The Historic Village.

Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori (Māori Language Week) runs 13-19 Mahuru (September). Check out our What’s Up section for ways to get involved.

Learn about Māori Culture Tikanga is about purpose, practices and protocols, and you’ll find it in every aspect of te ao Māori (the Māori world). This introductory programme gives you the foundations of understanding what tikanga is, why it exists, and how it manifests itself in practice.

Te Whāinga o te Ao Tikanga Level 3

No fees - apply now 0800 448 962 | twoa.ac.nz/whāinga Visit our webpage for detailed information about our programmes.

All programmes are subject to approval and class numbers. Te Wānanga o Aotearoa © 2021 | 194

Supporting local, capturing candids, and celebrating what it means to be human.

Available for portraits, events, commercial shoots and weddings.

Contact for bookings:

Kendra Eden Stone

kendraedenphotography@gmail.com www.kendraedenphotography.com 027—271—1248

Grow Together

Lay the Groundwork Story by Home Farm Photography by Ilk

Grow Together is a new column by the expert gardeners at Home Farm. A lush garden starts with the soil, so we kick things off with back-to-basics advice about getting the ground in tip-top condition.

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← Good soil is soft, fluffy and airy. Tools like the Forksta, by local company Crafty Gatherer, helps to loosen tightly packed soil.

Opposite page: This mulch of ramial woodchip is mixture of wood, bark and foliage and helps to retain moisture as well slowly releasing nutrients into the ground as it breaks down.

With the shortest day behind us, the lead up to another long, hot growing season has begun. Before we know it, everything will start to wake up from its winter slumber and we’ll be excitedly anticipating spring growth. Now is a perfect time to start thinking about our outdoor spaces. If you’re starting a garden from scratch, or just want to improve on soil health, then this column is for you.

When choosing the location of a growing space, we ideally want somewhere that’s sheltered from the wind and will receive at least six hours of sun, all year round. Sunlight is the most essential element that’s most out of our control — we can establish shelter, and manage water and fertility but controlling the sun proves slightly more difficult.

Once you’ve chosen the location of the growing space, remove whatever’s in the way to reach bare ground — this is our base layer. And this is a good time to establish what a ‘weed’ is.

Weeds are purely subjective. There is no set list of plants that are called weeds. A weed is just a plant that you personally don’t want growing in a particular space. If you’ve chosen a patch of lawn that you deem suitable to grow some vegetables, then in this case, the grass would be the weed.

If you have time on your side, then a great way of converting lawn or existing vegetation to bare ground is by removing its access to sunlight. We can achieve this by chopping and dropping (mowing without a catcher) the existing vegetation, then laying down something heavy and non-transparent on top (three months is ideal). Otherwise it’s a matter of getting stuck in and removing everything by hand.

The next step is to assess how compact the ground is. Soft and fluffy? Great. Hard and compact?

Try to loosen it as best you can. A Crafty Gatherer ‘Forksta’ does a brilliant job of easily creating space in the ground for the soil to breathe. Always remember that good soil structure contains 50 percent air. This fact is especially worth keeping in mind when moving through a growing space — walking on the area means that you’re squashing those pockets of air out of the soil, and making it harder for air, liquids, soil life and the roots of plants to move around underground.

So now you have the base layer of your growing space sorted, it’s time to add the good stuff. This is where you can really make a difference in the fertility and health of your soil. Have you ever opened a cheap bag of ‘compost’ only to be hit by a nasty stink and to find yourself looking at a bag of bark chips? That stuff has hardly any life in it at all. What you really want is a good, clean compost that’s pleasant on the nostrils and resembles sweet, dark, rich earth brimming with microbiological life! (See Home Farm Recommendations box at the end.)

Lightly fork in a 10cm layer of this good stuff with the base layer, then water. Once you’ve done that, spread another 10cm layer on top and you’re ready to plant. Note that when we disturb the ground by forking the soil like this, we unearth seeds that have been lying dormant under the surface — most of which will belong to plants you may not want growing in your edible space. This is why it’s key to top the area off with a layer of seed-free, quality compost that you can confidently plant into without unwanted weeds sprouting up. An added bonus is that this nutritious top layer also acts as a plant feed every time it gets watered!

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↑ Using ramial woodchip as mulch also encourages the presence of fungi in the growing space. → Brandon (left) and Jim from Home Farm.

Choose some seeds (see Recommends box at end) to plant into this top layer — these will sprout to create a ground cover of greens in your vegetable food forest. Sprinkle the seeds over the top layer and use your hands to gently massage the seeds into the soil, so they are only just covered. Be careful not to sprinkle too many seeds or bury them too deep — a pinch of salt’s worth over a frying pan area as a general rule.

After you have done this, you can plant out your seedlings. The final step is to cover your growing space in a layer of mulch, such as pea straw, then water it once more. Really soak it. Giving the space a good long water allows the seeds to soak up the moisture and germinate. The mulch layer helps regulate the moisture of the soil and also helps to stop it from drying out too quickly, especially in the hot summer months.

So there you have it, a weed-free and fertile start to what will soon become a space rife with life.

Monthly liquid feeds, such as organic seaweed or liquid vermicast (worm wees), will help keep all your plants growing hard. Next issue, we’ll talk spring planting.

Home Farm Recommends... → Ground cover seeds Good choices include leaf lettuce, rocket, spinach, coriander, parsley, carrots, beetroot. → Compost suppliers To buy in organic bulk, try Chaos Springs, Gardenscape Papamoa, and Bay Topsoil.

For bagged, there’s Tui Performance Naturals.

The Home Farm team transforms spaces of any size into edible landscapes. For more details, see the ‘Plant the Seeds’ feature on ourplacemagazine.co.nz @homefarm.nz nzhomefarm@gmail.com 44

THERE’S NO BETTER PLACE TO SPEND TIME TOGETHER If you’ve got friends and family coming to stay, check out noplacelikehome.co.nz or your local i-SITE for ideas on the best things to do and see in the Bay!

Ask a local expert! Book activities, theatre tickets and domestic travel at the Tauranga i-SITE. 103 The Strand, Tauranga 07 578 8103

Explore your backyard at noplacelikehome.co.nz

IDEAS FOR OUTDOOR ADVENTURERS

IDEAS FOR BEACH & OCEAN LOVERS

Katikati Bird Gardens: beautiful and tranquil gardens with birds running freely. Wheelchair friendly. birdgardens.co.nz

Dolphin Seafaris: learn about local marine life from the on-board Wildlife Guides while you look out for dolphins, whales, turtles, little blue penguins and seals. nzdolphin.com

Riverbug: experience local whitewater adventures on fun, inflatable riverbugs! riverbug.nz Scenic helicopter flight: what better way to see the Bay than from the air? Take a scenic flight with adventurehelicopters.co.nz Skydive Tauranga: there’s a reason people travel to the Bay for this tandem skydive – it’s one of the most beautiful in New Zealand. skydivetauranga.com V8 Trikes: enjoy a private tour and spectacular coastal views – from an exciting V8 Trike! v8triketours.co.nz

IDEAS FOR TEENS

Fishing charters: let the experts take you to the fishing hot spots and enjoy catching (and eating!) fresh Bay of Plenty fish! blueocean.co.nz or taurangamarinecharters.co.nz

Waimarino glow worm kayak tour: start the tour with wine and cheese next to Lake McLaren, then take an easy kayak adventure to the most densely populated glow worm canyon in New Zealand. glowwormkayaking.com

Surfing: everyone should try catching a wave in the Bay once! Check out one of these excellent surf schools: surfschool.co.nz, southpacificsurf.co.nz, surflessons.co.nz, nzsurfacademy.co.nz or hakanikisurf.co.nz

IDEAS FOR ART & CULTURE EXPLORERS

Bay Karts: outdoor kart racing fun with an all-weather track. There are family-friendly racing options, or more advanced options for the petrol head in your life! baykarts.co.nz

Arataki Trails App: hear the stories of Mauao (Mount Maunganui). Download the Aratakai Cultu ral Trails app for a guided tour as you walk around the base track of our sacred maunga. arataki.co

Baystation: the Bay of Plenty’s home of blokarts and drift trikes now also offers paintball and laser tag – four activities, one location. baystation.co.nz

Mauao Adventures: discover how Māor i lived on Mauao (Mount Maunganui) centuries ago as local guides share legends and history. mauaoadventures.co .nz

Escape Rooms: be a real-life detective in a themed room. escaperoomsnewzealand.com/Tauranga, flummox. co.nz

The Elms | Te Papa Tauranga: this histo ric house is one of the oldest heritage sites in New Zeala nd. Learn the history as you take a tour through the house, grounds and library. Tours run 7-days a week (excluding Christmas Day). theelms.org.nz

Tenpin Tauranga: send the teens off for bowling, arcade games and delicious pizza. tenpintauranga.co.nz The Aviator: an incredible VR motion experience with real New Zealand Airforce seats, a motion platform and replica F-18 Hornet cockpit. theaviator.co.nz The Cave: a virtual reality and e-sports wonderland.

Based in Pāpāmoa. thecave.nz

The Historic Village: Tauranga’s thrivi ng centre for arts, retail, weekend markets and community well-being. Drop by and chat with the artists at The Incub ator or visit the Whipped Baker for the most incre dible doughnuts! historicvillage.co.nz

IDEAS FOR KIDS

IDEAS FOR FOODIES

Aqua Station at Baywave: a pirate-themed water playground that’s perfect for 3 to 12-year-olds. baywave.co.nz

Brewbus: if you or your guests love craft beer, the Brewbus tour will take you straight to the Bay’s most delicious pours including backyard brewers you won’t find on the beaten path. brewbus.co.nz

Classic Flyers: a fun and unique experience for kids. Make sure you check out the fantastic café too! classicflyersnz.com

Dine on a Lime: scoot your way to the Bay’s best eateries (as chosen by locals)! bayofplentynz.com/dine-on-a-lime Local markets: check out the Tauranga Farmer’s Market (every Saturday morning, Tauranga Primary School) or the Mount Farmer’s Market (every Sunday morning, Te Papa o Ngā Manu Porotakataka).

Visit littlebigevents.co.nz or gourmetevents.co.nz for more foodie event information.

Local wine-tasting: visit the Leveret & Mills Reef winery just out of Katikati and sample delicious wines crafted right here! wineportfolio.co.nz/about-us/cellar-door

The Tauranga Art Gallery: discover fascinating artwork from leading local, national and international artists. Visit the gallery’s retail space for unique gifts to take home. artgallery.org.nz

Marshall’s Animal Farm: the kids will love getting up close to all sorts of animals from emus to miniature horses. marshallsanimalpark.co.nz

Sample the foodie scene: there’s no shortage of amazing eateries in the Bay of Plenty.

Check out some of the options at bayofplentynz.com/dine Taste of Plenty: meet the makers on a scenic foodie tour around the Bay! tasteofplenty.co.nz

Miniature Railway: miniature train rides operate every Sunday when fine. Memorial Park, Tauranga. facebook.com/memorialparkrailway Mount Hot Pools: the perfect place for parents to relax, soak and unwind while the kids splash about for hours on end. mounthotpools.co.nz

Say hello to an actual human.

LIGHT SPEED E M PA T H Y

REAL-TIME INTUITION

REAL VOICE

WAV26360 OP

Our local insurance brokers are here to help. Talk to a real human about your insurance.

Tauranga 07 577 6017 Mount Maunganui 07 572 8268 or visit aon.co.nz

Proudly local. Proudly human.

Inner City Life Photography by Alice Veysey

The modern and the characterful. The thriving and the shuttered.

The people and the places. And the vibrant street art that never fails to lift spirits. Different perspectives of Tauranga CBD...

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Golden Homes® Promotion

Life’s Golden

Golden Homes® has long been known for its superior-quality family homes, but it can also deliver more individualised, architecturally inspired homes without blowing the budget.

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Golden Homes® Promotion

↑ With Golden Homes®, not only is the quality second to none, but you can make the interior your very own by choosing your own stylish flooring, finishes, fittings and more. ← Golden Homes® will ensure you get a dream family home that’s tailored to your taste, lifestyle and budget.

That stylish new designer build you’ve been admiring in the Bay? You might be surprised to learn there’s a good chance it’s a Golden Homes® home.

Golden Homes® was launched in Rotorua in 1990 and you’ll now find it throughout New Zealand. The company quickly established itself as the go-to for dependable, stylish family homes.

From the start, it was known for affordable, superior-quality builds suited to everyday Kiwis; smart, simple processes and second-to-none customer satisfaction. While all these things definitely still hold true, Golden Homes® is also building a reputation for helping locals into the completely customisable, architecturally inspired homes of their dreams — without the crazy price tags.

While times have changed, the Golden Homes® ‘Gold Standard’

building system hasn’t. It covers everything from foundations, framing, insulation and roofing to ventilation, energy efficiency and durability. That’s all still guaranteed, whether it’s a relatively simple build or whether it’s catering for those looking for more individualised homes that match their taste, budget, needs and lifestyle.

And if ‘architecturally inspired’ isn’t quite enough, Golden Homes® Tauranga is able to collaborate with Mount Maunganui-based Cube Architecture to deliver even more elevated, one-of-a-kind designs.

Once you have all that locked in (with Golden Homes® help), get ready for the fun part.

Choosing specifications for your home is the most exciting element of building for many families.

Selecting colours, finishes, flooring options, fittings, lighting and appliances — the decisions 57

that give your abode its style and character — will ensure your Golden Homes® home is truly unique. Its signature range of top-quality contemporary specs offers options to suit any taste.

And though building a home to that level from scratch might seem a little overwhelming, the Golden Homes® 20-step process, that draws on more than 30 years in the trade, breaks things down into bite-sized steps.

Combine that with its specialist consultants, all of whom have construction backgrounds and extensive industry knowledge, and you’ll be amazed how easy it can be to get the home that’s perfect for you — not to mention the envy of the neighbourhood.

Get in touch with Golden Homes® Tauranga office for more information: Ph: 07 577 9934 goldenhomes.co.nz

Our Community

Mimi Hung

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Mimi Hung was raised by grandparents in a remote Chinese village, then schooled in Hong Kong. She first came to live in Aotearoa for a stint in the 1970s, permanently returning to Auckland in 2000.

She moved to Tauranga this year, where both her children and her grandchildren live, and where she’s an active part of the Chinese community, especially helping immigrants.

As told to Sarah Nicholson Photography by ilk

Tell us about your upbringing in China.

I used to joke and say, ‘Only things over 3000 years old are history!’

It was so quiet. We lived in the suburb Meadowbank and when the kids went to school, my ears would ring because it was so quiet! It took me a while to get used to it, but I grew to love it.

I was born in Hong Kong in 1949 and when my parents had a second child, I was sent to stay with my grandparents in the south of China for a short while — this was very common. But a short while turned into six years, as the Communists cut off Hong Kong from China; it was called the Bamboo Curtain. So I didn’t know my parents until I was seven years old. My grandparents lived in a remote village that was only accessed by water. It was quite backwards, actually. When I first moved back to Hong Kong, I found it very strange. I was a country girl, I hated being in a big city! Hong Kong was such a contrast to the little village.

What did you love most about your move to Aotearoa?

It was untouched: the green, the mountains, the lakes; it was very, very impressive. And the freedom — you could do anything, you could walk in bare feet! In Hong Kong, everything is reasonably formal — when you go to work, you dress smart, you wear high heels. Here, people didn’t care if you dressed up or dressed down.

Most people were friendly and welcoming.

It was a little bit racist in those early days but I have never had a bad racist experience.

When I came, there were so few Chinese people. The Chinese in Auckland were especially friendly — when they saw someone in the street with a Chinese face, they would ask you to come home for tea! Now, the new generation are different.

They are younger and [the new immigrants] aren’t as close as they used to be.

When did you first come to New Zealand?

After school, I started nursing school in Hong Kong and I met my Kiwi husband, who was a sea captain.

We went to England for a couple of years, where I finished studying. In 1973, when we were having our second child, we decided to come back to New Zealand. I came by a cargo ship as my husband was working on the ship. It took three months.

When I first arrived, I thought I could speak English, but people could not understand me.

What were your first impressions?

How are you involved with Tauranga’s Chinese Community?

The newness of the country. Auckland was still very provincial — a small town for me. The Air New Zealand building was the only high rise on the waterfront! I love history and my husband showed me around all the historical places and the oldest building would be about 100 [years old].

I do a Chinese radio broadcast on Village Radio every month. I talk about news and play some old Chinese music. I do mentoring for Multicultural Tauranga for migrants with difficulties — problems 59

↑ On top of being involved in numerous community organisations, Mimi is currently taking a course in raranga (Māori weaving) at Tauranga’s Te Wānanga o Aotearoa.

how to call 111 when there’s an emergency. Really basic, practical things that would make life easier.

We also set up the Tauranga Chinese Cultural Arts Group. We do a lot of performance around the city: entertainment at retirement villages, Christmas parades, multicultural shows at The Historic Village... We have over 20 members singing and dancing. I don’t dance, but I go to help them do announcements and MC.

settling, domestic abuse and things like that.

I go to lawyers or counsellors with them, and encourage them when they can’t see the light at the end of the tunnel. There are some sad cases.

I have been teaching migrant English in Auckland with English Language Partners. It helps a lot of migrants so we’re hoping to start a new course here at the end of July. It’s free to residents and citizens. I love helping them to settle, otherwise they are so isolated, they can’t do anything and rely on their children for everything. Some are at home five days, then their children take them to supermarket or church, and those are the only highlights in life. This can be very boring, when they were so active and knew everything in China.

In this course, I’m hoping to do more practical things, like taking public transport. Some [new migrants] don’t dare venture onto a bus. If they have the confidence to take the bus, they could go to more places. We could also go on a tour of the supermarket — I could tell them what the food’s about, taste a bit of cheese or something they’ve never tasted. And at least learn basic greetings and

The latest thing I’m doing is Māori flax weaving [raranga] at Te Wānanga. We have a noho marae [marae stay] once a month. I love it. My daughter did it and I used to watch her, so now I’m doing it myself. I’m retired but I’m just as busy — there’s never enough time!

For information on English Language Partners courses, visit englishlanguage.org.nz Tauranga Chinese Cultural Arts Group practice 2.30–4.30pm every Saturday at the Rise Dancing Company studio at The Historic Village. Anyone is welcome to watch and try. @taurangaccag 60

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True Colours

Shannon Novak aims to create safe spaces for the LGBTQI+ community through his art and activism. We talk to him about his latest show.

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Aotearoa artist and activist Shannon Novak is focused on creating a world where the LGBTQI+* community can live without fear. Through his work, he actively seeks to help reduce anxiety, depression and suicide rates for the LGBTQI+ community worldwide.

Shannon founded the Safe Space Alliance, a global LGBTQI+ led non-profit organisation that aims to help people identify, navigate and create safe spaces for the LGBTQI+ community.

It started as a project in Nelson, spread to other New Zealand cities, then extended across the globe. Museums and galleries have joined from around the world, including the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum (New York City), Institute of Contemporary Art (Boston), and Museum of London.

Shannon has developed work for institutions, festivals and public spaces both in Aotearoa and around the world, including China and the USA. His talents span painting, photography, installation and sculpture, and the art is often found in non-traditional exhibition spaces. Therefore, it’s no surprise that his latest exhibition Mānawatia Takatāpui / Defending Plurality not only fills the atrium of the Tauranga Art Gallery, and spills out to the street, but also appears in a variety of locations around the city (including Our Place — see box at end of this story).

Here, Shannon tells us more about the background to the exhibition and what he hopes to achieve, plus talks about how our whole community can be involved and lend its support.

What’s the idea behind the current exhibition?

This exhibition Mānawatia Mānawatia Takatāpui / Defending Plurality makes space for the LGBTQI+ community and centres BIPOC (black, indigenous and people of colour) marginalised by sexual orientation, gender

identity, gender expression and/or sex characteristics such as Takatāpui*. It amplifies the voices of those who are marginalised and creates a safe space where the LGBTQI+ community will feel welcome. Studies show that LGBTQI+ people experience disproportionately higher rates of anxiety, depression and suicide often through violence, bullying and/or hate speech, so the exhibition seeks to reduce those rates by growing awareness and support for that community.

The show explores past and present stories from the LGBTQI+ community — challenges and triumphs, acknowledging that although Aotearoa is relatively progressive in relation to LGBTQI+ rights, there is still much work to be done. There is also a nod to a brighter future — a feeling of hope.

Tell us about some of the artworks in the exhibition.

The exhibition is split over two floors. The ground floor is covered in bright colour that moves up both stairways in the gallery and out the door onto the street. It is designed to assert a sense of safety, to celebrate and help bridge the divide in understanding between worlds. Upstairs is a selection of work from the LGBTQI+ 64

↑ Brent Harris, On becoming (Green no. 11), 1996 (foreground).

Courtesy of Robert Heald Gallery, Wellington.

Brent Harris, Apron of Abuse, 1992. Courtesy of Robert Heald Gallery, Wellington.

Mattress: Areez Katki, Dwelling, 2017. Courtesy of the artist and Tim Melville, Auckland.

Areez Katki, Drapery, 2019.

Courtesy of the artist and Tim Melville, Auckland. community in Tauranga and wider Aotearoa including paintings, photographs, poems, stories, film and sculpture [some are pictured in this story]. The elevator has been transformed with colour representing a newly developed version of the rainbow flag.

The skylights are covered with transparent vinyl, turning them into colourful, stained glass windows.

The show debuts Fluid Flag, which I created this year. I feel it best represents my own identity within the LGBTQI+ community.

Fluid refers to people with dimensions of self that continually change. These dimensions may include (but aren’t limited to) sexual orientation, romantic orientation, gender identity and/or gender expression. I experience fluidity in all these dimensions.

Photograph: Tauranga Art Gallery.

“... LGBTQI+ people experience disproportionately higher rates of anxiety, depression and suicide often through violence, bullying and/or hate speech, so the exhibition seeks to reduce those rates by growing awareness and support...”

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Shannon Novak photograph: Pati Solomona Tyrell

↑ Shannon Novak, Fluid Flag, 2021 (in foreground), Paul Darragh, Vogue, 2021. → Shannon Novak Opposite page: Telly Tuita, Autumn Famine, Winter Conquest, 2021. Photographic series.

Previous page: Kaan Hiini, He Takatāpui Ahau, 2021, inkjet print on vinyl. Mural on Wharf St, outside Tauranga Art Gallery.

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Photograph: Tauranga Art Gallery.

What about the associated artwork around the city?

I often develop exhibitions like solar systems. The gallery becomes the sun or hub of the show, with satellite artworks in spaces outside the gallery, circling the sun like planets.

They are all linked and all feed off the central hub. By extending the show out into the wider community, the greater the reach of the show’s message around supporting the LGBTQI+ community.

The Tauranga Art Gallery has a map of all the satellite spaces so you can visit them.

The artwork you’ll find at each venue will vary from quite small, subtle artworks, like a flag or the Our Place artwork on the following page, to larger community created projects, like murals. Spaces may be added over the duration of the show (and beyond), and I welcome any ideas and suggestions from readers big or small.

How do you see the exhibition helping the wider community to connect with the LGBTQI+ community?

Primarily through raising awareness and education of some key challenges and triumphs the LGBTQI+ community face

present day. The show provides an opportunity to learn about what it’s like being part of the LGBTQI+ community in Tauranga and beyond, and provides a safe space to ask questions you’ve always wanted to ask but been afraid to do so.

The show also links to the Safe Space Alliance nonprofit I direct and encourages spaces to apply to be a safe space for the LGBTQI+ community and be listed on the online searchable directory.

Anyone anywhere in the world with a genuine interest in creating safe spaces for the LGBTQI+ community can list a space at no cost. All spaces are welcome regardless of size, location, and category/industry. It could be a café, a dairy, a retail outlet, a hotel, a community space, a corporate office — anything! *LGBTQI+ stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning, intersex, and the plus sign represents other people marginalised by sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, and/or sex characteristics. *Takatāpui is a traditional Māori term meaning ‘intimate companion of the same sex’.

It has been reclaimed to embrace all Māori who identify with diverse sexes, genders and sexualities. Ⓟ 67

Mānawatia Takatāpui / Defending Plurality, 17 July–10 October.

To register your space on the safe space directory, visit safespacealliance.com If you or someone you know needs support, contact RainbowYOUTH (there’s a drop-in center in Tauranga), ry.org.nz or contact OUTLine: 0800 688 5463 outline.org.nz

Measure (following page) was created by Shannon Novak for Our Place as part of Mānawatia Takatāpui/ Defending Plurality.

Government statistics estimate the LGBTQI+ community make up 3.5 per cent of the New Zealand population. This is a dated estimate and it misses out many marginalised identities, however this means there are approximately 11,805 LGBTQI+ people (minimum) in Te Moana-a-Toi/Bay of Plenty. Each person is represented by a coloured circle in the image. The integrated triangle refers to the incredible and growing strength of this community.

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Visit our scoop shop – 143 Maunganui Road

It’s a Vibe

A local highlight on the festival calendar, Vegan Vibes is back in Mt Maunganui in October, plus its inaugural event in Auckland launches in early 2022. We check out the line up...

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↑ Come hungry! There’ll be a wide range of delish food stalls, including Langos Fried Bread Puffs. ← Vegan Vibes is a fantastic day out for young and old, so bring the whole whānau.

Looking for plant-based inspiration in the kitchen?

Want to sit in the sun, listen to live music and get people to cook you amazing vegan delights?

Interested in hearing a range of experts speak about plant-based eating? Vegan Vibes has it all on offer, whether you’re vegan, flexitarian or just a food lover.

This year’s festival is on 23 October in the Mount and will hit Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland in February.

The line-up is getting bigger as we write, but here are some of the superb things already confirmed...

Two locals will be there in force: Rice Rice Baby will serve its faves, plus Real Rad Food will bring superpopular Rad Ball Mixes, Rad Protein and Rad Slices.

Charlie Mia will have a range of allergy-friendly treats.

Its doughnut flavours will include a special of lemon meringue, along with classic versions, plus cakes such as carrot and salted maple cream, and tarts like banoffee or egg-free tofu ‘quiche’. Langos Fried Bread Puffs will have a new offering of cashew nut, fresh lime and beetroot with a tamari sprinkle to add salty to the sweet and sour; its usual favourites of watercress and walnut pesto, and something sweet, to boot.

Come and be inspired and educated by the people behind some great vegan food products.

Good Vibes Fungi will be sharing its passion for fungi and the amazing health and environmental benefits.

Hear more about the organically grown mushies, mini mushroom farms and grow kits. Angel Cheese will showcase its dairy-free cheese alternatives. Founder Alice Shoplan (also a speaker on the day) says many people want to reduce dairy consumption but find cheese is a tricky food to give up, and their products make that transition easier. You can also chat to the teams from Uncle Dunkle’s wood-fired chilli sauces, Plant Projects and Otis Oat Milk.

Aside from the delicious food offerings, there’ll be a range of like-minded brands there too, such as Ethically So with its homewares and body products.

Confirmed for Auckland-only right now is Little Bird Organics, with fresh food and its raw organic grocery range (founder Megan May will also be speaking), and Wise Boys Burgers who deliver the goods with creations such as the Crispy Fried Chick (‘chicken’ with slaw, pickles, aioli and sriracha mayo).

Bring an appetite and a big shopping bag, and be ready for the best day!

Follow @veganvibesnz to hear when more speakers and vendors are announced.

Vegan Vibes Tauranga → When 10am–3pm, 23 October 2021 → Where Soper Reserve, Mt Maunganui → Tickets ticketfairy.com Vegan Vibes Auckland → When 10am–3pm, 12 February 2022 → Where Auckland showgrounds, Auckland → Tickets ticketfairy.com Prices → $20 Pre-purchased general admission → $30 Two event combo pass (TGA & AKL) → $25 Per person on the gate → Children under 12 FREE

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Dining à la Plants Our team has been gathering intel (ie eating out a lot) to figure out the best local restaurants for quality vegan food. Here are some of the must-order dishes we discovered.

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Photography: Brydie Thompson

↑ Vietnamese joint Rice Rice Baby offers satisfying options like these vege wontons and this creamy tofu curry, plus a tofu and nest spring roll noodle salad. ← We take our hat off to Italian star Sugo — it offers a separate vegan menu. Pictured here is the wild mushroom bolognese with vegan tagliatelle and cashew nut parmesan, and a dessert of lime leaf coconut mousse, rosemary poached feijoa, rum roasted pineapple coconut crumble.

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Photography: Brydie Thompson

↑ Master Kong (217 Maunganui Rd) is the new kid on the block in the Mount and we didn’t waste much time getting familiar with its Asian street food menu.

This watermelon ‘sashimi’ sees thinly sliced watermelon dressed in mandarin ponzu, with sago and crisp nori. The pad Thai is a great option but the burnt coconut tofu curry with curry leaf and charred pickled onion is next level. The flambé banana, pineapple and cinnamon boat with ice cream and coconut caramel is a theatrical finale.

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← Easy Go Thai (4/277 Maunganui Rd) is a popular takeaway option, and goes above and beyond with its commitment to plant-based food. All of its curries, soups, stir fries, noodles and fried rice can be vegan.

Good vegan curries can also be found over the other side of the bridge at Own Masala (175 Eleventh Ave). ↓ Longtime favourite Macau (59 The Strand) has a mod-Asian menu with plant-based highlights like this spinach and potato chickpea curry and these tofu shiitake dumplings. Also, the edamame beans here are probably the best in town.

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ALL NATURAL NZ KAWAKAWA HEALTH TONIC

WWW.NUTRAKAWA.COM

Dress for Less

By Sam Cummins

Today, the real way to dress for success is actually to dress for less... Less clothes, less impact on the planet, less pieces that won’t last... and maybe even less embarrassment for your partner.

Fashion. Just another thing on a very long list of things that I’m not qualified to talk about.

I’ve been variously described as dressing like a South African diesel mechanic who aspires to be a real estate agent, someone who enjoys home chemistry and glass barbecues, and a northern Californian skate dad. While none of the above are particularly flattering, the last one borders on bullying.

But nonetheless, the clothing industry has been on my mind of late. I recently said goodbye and goodnight to two favourite items of clothing (a hoodie and a pair of chinos), both of which started out black and lasted five and 11 years respectively. The Levi’s hurt the most, they’d seen me through the birth of three children, starting three jobs and moving from the west coast to the east coast. They didn’t just look lived in, they were lived in! They would have stayed in regular rotation, but they ended up with so many holes in them, my wife was embarrassed to be seen with me in public.

So after a brief grieving period, it was time to find replacements.

Sounds simple right? Nope. I might be doing it wrong, but I couldn’t find anything to buy, not a stitch. I was totally overcome with decision paralysis. Too many options is an understatement. Between online shopping and retail stores, a man could drown in cotton and denim — “water, water everywhere and not a drop to drink!”

Chlöe Swarbrick’s politics are about as predictable and interesting as the School Strike 4 Climate action group disbanding because they decided they were racists — but I can’t fault her dress sense, especially when she was running for the Auckland mayoralty. Three white t-shirts and a pair of pants. Genius! Didn’t have to think about what to wear in the morning, instantly recognisable, an understated nod to French fashionistas and cheap too. Plus, it was on-brand, as the rag trade — fast fashion in particular — is absolutely terrible for the environment.

In 2018, the global clothing industry was apparently responsible for more greenhouse-gas emissions than France, Germany and the United Kingdom combined.

I’m not suggesting that we need to all start wearing uniforms à la The Handmaid’s Tale — how boring would that be? Not to mention counter productive. Most of us are already shuffling around like barely conscious labour units, the last thing we need to do is to start dressing like it.

While a lot of the current on-trend fashion has me scratching my head, this is the natural order of things and totally correct.

A forty-year-old should be looking at the way teenagers dress and thinking, “What the hell! You look ridiculous, get a job and tighter pants, and pants that touch the top of your shoes!!” They say the feeling of nostalgia is like training wheels for grief and kids these days (particularly at the skate park) have me stuck in a nostalgic late 90s feedback loop.

Of course there is nothing inherently wrong with shopping for new clothes. A bit of conscious consumption is a good thing, keeps cash flowing through a community. Just like Barry Crump’s cheque, buying that t-shirt could end up paying for someone’s mortgage, garden hose or even medical costs. So maybe it’s just as simple as buying less, buying better and keeping it for longer. And in a world of eco-shaming and climate guilt, if wearing a pair of pants for an extra year means I don’t have to catch the bus, I’m all for it!

Illustration by Christopher Duffy 79

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9/07/21 11:38 AM

Delicious

New Beginnings Photography by ilk

Alma Eatery in Ōmokoroa is a fresh start for hospitality pros Ewelina Large and Marko Velickovic, who are about to launch their first tantalising Italian-inspired dinner menu.

Above, left to right: The smart Solera dining room; lamb ribs with XO sauce, cucumber and feijoa.

Opposite: Co-owner front of house manager Nick Potts (left) with head chef Neil Sapitula.

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Delicious

Alma Eatery is sitting pretty overlooking Ōmokoroa’s popular beach, where kids play in the little waves, boaties pull in for lunch and people stride it out on The Esplanade.

Alma’s owners are Polish-born Ewelina Large and her life and business partner Marko Velickovic.

They actually used to work just across the road from each other in Mt Maunganui — Ewelina was the general manager of the much-loved cafe, The General, and Marko was head chef at Italian gem, Alpino. The couple joined forces at the start of 2021 to open Alma Eatery with a daytime menu and locals have been flocking there ever since. Now they’re planning to step things up, opening for dinner.

The food will all be made from scratch and Italian inspired, which Marko of course knows all about. Pasta will be a staple and the opening winter menu will feature classics such as rabbit and wild

mushroom lasagne, and cannelloni with Taleggio and truffle, as well as other comfort food, such as marsala saltimbocca and ossobuco on creamy polenta.

There’ll be pizza, too — a brand spanking pizza oven is ready to go. “The pizza will be handstretched, Roman-style,” says Marko. Italian meats and cheeses, including Parma ham, pancetta, gorgonzola and Fontina Val D’Aosta will be used on pizzas and on delicious charcuterie and cheese boards, and the fresh cheese will all be from New Zealand — think stracciatella, burrata and ricotta.

Marko has been around cooking most his life, with a family restaurant in Serbia that’s more than 60 years old, and time spent cheffing in locations such as the Adriatic Coast in Croatia and the Greek island of Crete. Well versed in utilising the area’s freshest local ingredients, he’s working with many of the Bay of Plenty’s star food producers, including Attila 83

Delicious

Left: Marko at the nearby statue of Reverend Joseph Tice Gellibrand.

Below: The picturesque bay at Ōmokoroa.

Opposite page: Alma Eatery’s second-floor dining room affords a fantastic view of the beach.

Opening page: Marko on the deck at Alma Eatery.

glass of wine, such as the Gamberi — king prawns with ginger chilli and herb butter, cherry tomatoes and ciabatta.

And if you’re wondering, the name Alma is a nod to the history of the area. A nearby statue in the Gerald Crapp Historic Reserve commemorates Reverend Joseph Tice Gellibrand, who was the first European settler on this peninsula in 1877. He came from Tasmania to farm here, planting many of the exotic trees in the reserve. The sailing vessel he used for transportation was called Alma. “It represented new beginnings for the European settlers coming here, and now Alma is about new beginnings for us,” says Ewelina.

Kovacs from The Hungarian Artisan Co, who is making sausages, Mark Webster from Webster’s Tea and Chaad Lawrence from Roa Kombucha.

“Our specials will mainly be fish — and it will be line caught by me; I won’t be buying it,” says Marko. He’s hoping for snapper, kingfish and John Dory, perhaps pan-fried or grilled in winter, and seared in salads or crudo (raw) in warmer months.

“When you have something that fresh, you can’t go wrong, you don’t need anything else,” he says.

The couple are putting together a list of Italian and New Zealand wines, plus Peroni on tap. They’re also refitting the eatery, including new furniture for the deck with that fab view. All the while working around the buzzing daytime cafe, where they offer crowd-pleasers like the Mr Benedict with house-made hollandaise; creamy mushies; and Little Manchester burger, as well as ideal dishes to accompany a

4 The Esplanade, Ōmokoroa 07 548 0279 almaeatery.nz Find out when dinners begin at 84

@alma_eatery

Big Tips for Extra Flex!

1. Buns add a lot to the overall look of the burger. The cleaner they’re cut, the more evenly they’ll grill and the better they’ll look.

The sharper the blade, the better the result.

Don’t be a blunt knife loser.

2. To remove a lettuce core, strike the core with your palm. Grab, push and twist to remove.

3. I find buttering buns can sometimes squash them too much, so I use mayonnaise. Lightly coat the cut sides and place on the hot surface.

Also, supermarket buns aren’t great, but you can ‘pretty’ a bun by spreading mayo or butter on top, then adding a little heat. This gives a dry-looking bun some colour and shine.

4. A flat, solid steel surface, like a pot bottom, makes a good replacement for a burger spatula. Push down with lots of pressure and smear off the edges. If using a spatula, the end of a rolling pin can help to get a solid ‘smash’.

5. You can use a paint scraper, or barbecue or burger spatula. The edge needs to be firm and sharp, and ideally straight. The beef has most likely stuck to the cooking surface and the goal is to remove it without leaving anything behind.

6. Cheese must be melted. You can throw a small amount of water into the pan to create some steam, cover the patty with an upside-down pot or a lid, and cheese will melt perfectly.

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Burger maestro Lex Mawson (aka Burgers By Lex) created this burger for Our Place during lockdown, creating a game-changing sauce using supermarket ingredients. We got such great feedback from our digital issue at that time, we reckon it deserves to be in print!

The Double Bubble Burger Recipe & photography by Lex Mawson (@burgersbylex)

Loosely form beef into 70g balls and set aside.

For the lockdown sauce, mix all ingredients in a bowl until smooth and consistent in colour.

Heat pan or barbecue (flat surface) until smoking hot — you shouldn’t be able to hover your hand over the heat for more than 5 seconds. Resist the urge to apply oil.

600g beef mince (not prime mince and definitely not premium mince) 4 burger buns, halved through the middle (tip 1) 8 cheese slices Iceberg lettuce, shredded (tip 2) Pickles, sliced

Toast buns to your liking (tip 3). Season beef and place seasoned-side down on pan/barbecue. Take your smashing device and squash (tip 4) the two balls down onto pan (or as many as there is room, as long as they’re in pairs). Leave the patty until nearly cooked through and season again. Scrape smashed patty off the surface with whatever you have (tip 5), flip patty and immediately top with a cheese slice. Repeat with the second patty — by the time you’ve done this, the other side is probably cooked enough, depending on how smashed your patty is. Stack the patties on top of each other and leave until cheese is melted (tip 6).

Lockdown Sauce ¾ cup mayonnaise ¼ cup tomato sauce ¼ cup American mustard 1 tbs paprika 1½ tbs gherkin relish

To assemble, smother both the heel (bottom) and top of the bun with lockdown sauce. On the heel, add shredded lettuce, then on with the double double beef and cheese, hit it with pickles, then the top of the bun. Take the first bite with your eyes, then Gram that thing and tag me in it!

SERVES 2

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18/07/21 9:45 PM

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Our Place Events Guide Sat

Tauranga Farmers' Market 7.45am–12pm, Tauranga Primary School, 5th Ave, Tauranga

Sun

Mount Farmers' Market 9am–1pm, 123–141 Maunganui Rd, Mt Maunganui.

19.

NZ String Quartet National Tour 2021 7.30–9.30pm, Baycourt Community & Arts Centre, ticketek.co.nz

August 2O21 6 & 7. ‘Allo ‘Allo — Le Dinner Show: ‘The Fallen Madonna’ 6–7pm, The Raft, 65 Chapel St, eventfinda.co.nz 7.

20.

Benee — Aotearoa Tour 7pm, Trustpower Baypark Arena, livenation.co.nz

21.

BOP Symphonia: Rising Stars 2021 7–9pm, Baycourt Community & Arts Centre, ticketek.co.nz

New Zealand Mountain Film Festival 2021 7–9.30pm, Tauranga Boys College, eventfinda.co.nz

Historic Village Wellbeing Market 10am–3pm, The Historic Village Mount Maunganui Half Marathon 8am, Main Beach, Mt Maunganui, mountmaunganuihalfmarathon.co.nz

Taste at Terrace Kitchen 6–9pm, Terrace Kitchen, 1029 Tutanekai St, Rotorua, eventbrite.co.nz

The Little Big Markets 9am–2pm, Coronation Park, Mt Maunganui

The Little Big Markets 9am–2pm, Coronation Park, Mt Maunganui 7–8.

10.

Women’s Street Smart Self–Defence Workshop 10.30am–4.30pm, The Gym Tauranga, 107 First Ave, eventfinda.co.nz

24– 29.

Yin Yoga Teacher Training (50 hours) 8am–5.30pm, House of Yoga, 3 Newton St, Mt Maunganui, eventfinda.co.nz

25.

Bites of the Bay Food & Winery Tour 10am–2.30pm, hinterlandtours.co.nz

Paintvine Watercolour Night — Kōtare 6.30–8pm, The Freeport Tavern, Dine at Bayfair, paintvine.co.nz

TJS Jazz Jam 6.30–9.30pm, Mount Social Club, 305 Maunganui Rd, jazz.org.nz. Free.

10 Two-week Hand-building Pottery Workshop & 17. 10am–12pm, Gallery Te Puna.

Also 12 & 19 August, gallerytepuna.com 11.

26.

The Big Bike Film Night ‘Feature Series’ South 7–8.30pm, Tauranga Boys’ College, Graeme Young Youth Theatre, 664 Cameron Rd, Tauranga, trybooking.com

14.

The After — Clear to Me Asia Pacific Tour 8pm–12am, Voodoo Lounge, 315 Maunganui Rd, eventfinda.co.nz

17.

Bitchin’ Bingo 7pm, Tauriko Pub Co, 2 Taurikura Dr, Tauriko

ACG Tauranga Open Day 2–6pm, ACG Tauranga, 6 Keenan Rd, Pyes Pa, tauranga.acgedu.com

Grawlixes Love You To Death Album Release Tour 6.30–9.30pm, The Jam Factory, The Historic Village, eventspronto.co.nz Tasters Winemaker’s Dinner 5.45–9pm, Te Puia: NZ Māori Arts & Crafts Institute, Rotorua, eventfinda.co.nz

27 Steel Magnolias & 28. Wright Rohde Theatre, 12 Seaway Tce, Tauranga, trybooking.com 28.

1

Ōmokoroa Market 9am–12pm, Ōmokoroa Settlers Hall, 334 Ōmokoroa Rd, Tauranga

@ourplacemagazine

28.

ReMaker Community Garage Sale 9–11am, Our Place Tauranga, 91 Willow St, Tauranga, eventspronto.co.nz

14 Two-week hand-building pottery workshop & 21. 10am–12pm, Gallery Te Puna. Also 16 & 23 September, gallerytepuna.com

The Little Big Markets 9am–2pm, Coronation Park, Mt Maunganui

16.

BayActive Corporate Games 6–8pm, Trustpower Baypark Arena, bayactive.co.nz

17.

Jon Stevens — Noiseworks + INXS collection with Special Guests The Narcs 8pm, Totara St, Mt Maunganui, totarastreet.co.nz

18.

Historic Village Wellbeing Market 10am–3pm, The Historic Village

Worm Composting Workshop 1–3pm, Ōmokoroa Settlers Hall, 334 Ōmokoroa Rd, eventfinda.co.nz

September 2O21 1.

1–4.

4.

BA5 — University of Waikato 5.15–7pm, University of Waikato, Tauranga, 1 Durham St, Tauranga, tauranga.org.nz Ice Skate Tour powered by Team Trueman Bayleys & MoreFM 5–8pm, Ōmokoroa Pavillion, 28 Western Ave, Ōmokoroa, trybooking.com The Little Big Markets 9am–2pm, Coronation Park, Mt Maunganui

4– 10.

Anchor Aims Games 2021 nzaimsgames.co.nz

5.

Sunday Cinema 5.30–7.30pm, Free outdoor cinema at Te Papa O Ngā Manu Porotakataka, 137 Maunganui Rd, Mt Maunganui, mountmaunganui.org.nz

7.

The Little Big Markets 9am–2pm, Coronation Park, Mt Maunganui 18– 19.

Tauranga Women’s Lifestyle Expo Trustpower Baypark Arena, womenslifestyleexpo.co.nz.

Pre-sales in August & door sales.

25.

Family Roller Discos 5–7pm, Mount Maunganui Sports Centre, eventfinda.co.nz Ōmokoroa Market 9am–12pm, Ōmokoroa Settlers Hall, 334 Ōmokoroa Rd, Tauranga The Little Big Markets 9am–2pm, Coronation Park, Mt Maunganui

Western Bay Crop Swap 10–11am, SuperGrans Western Bay of Plenty, 14 Jocelyn St, Katikati

26.

Gaymes Night 6–9pm, Gender Dynamix Building (building 40), The Historic Village, eventfinda.co.nz. Free.

Divas and Diamonds 7–9.15pm, Baycourt Community & Arts Centre, ticketek.co.nz

28.

Kevin Bloody Wilson F.U.P.C Tour 7.30–10pm, Baycourt Community & Arts Centre, ticketek.co.nz

29.

TJS Jazz Jam 6.30–9.30pm, Mount Social Club, 305 Maunganui Rd, jazz.org.nz.

Free monthly event.

Knit & Knatter Greerton 1–2pm, Greerton Library (also 14, 21 & 28). Free.

10.

Operatunity: You Make Me Feel Like Dancing 11am–1pm, Holy Trinity Church, 215 Devonport Rd, Tauranga, operatunity.co.nz

10– 25.

Les Misérables Baycourt Community & Arts Centre, ticketek.co.nz

30–1. Wonderland Glow Show 10am & 11.30am sessions, Baycourt Community & Arts Centre, ticketek.co.nz 2