Volume 80 | Issue 04

4 Four

SALIENT

27 MARCH 2017

Fā Paia well, [in thick black ink, siapo] you broke me open. so i seek you out again to heal (lou tupuga — what would they say now) try ssssever all links with the past but it keeps coming back to bite you, weil lo’u kuna.. (i can hear you snicker at the cliché) ‘ia nofo i lalo (stay close to the ground) where are we going? (some supermarket excursion) when are we going to see all this as-yet-unshown footage? ;) sound punches holes in silence, in watching low-frequency. tilted crosses with fingers, fa’afetu carving up space. eyes like aiku. tasi lua tolu(now echoes of something else) wake, tasting moans in the mouth (nah, but nah: would you fuck one tho?)

Live. Your. Life. (whose life?) begrawe. deep down low. [break] when cis-het-able indigenous people say, “we are still here” we think,

youdontknowyoudontknowyoudontknowyoudontknowyoudont knowyoudontknowyoudontknow you. aua — fa’alogo mai ‘you’ exist because of ‘us’ aua le va if you don’t know us how can you know yourselves? {breathe} gender is in body (or not) gender is in voice (or not) gender is in clothes (or not) gender is in moving (or not) and how (got love for that) female intersec[t]s male says: “I Am Fa’atama, Fa’afafine, Fa’aafa” (and expecting no mention? uce...) (we are the ffffirstbbbbirth) (hear us roar) (hear — ) (now watch us bloom). give, receive, carry — Life (now hold that-) the divas, the queens, the kings, the studs ‘auivi o tala tu’umumusu (and is this it? ‘ia sola, leave the church hanging.) later, later, later watch night dissolve into cigarettes outside and the familiar become strange draw stares in from outside and other we walk the streets see their heads bow, eyes hit the pavement make way for the niu akua now watch us as we go — Luka 林-Cowley

Editors — Tuioleloto Laura Toailoa and Tim Manktelow

Contact — editor@salient.org.nz 04 463 6766

Designers — Eun Sun Jeong and Ellyse Randrup

Level 2, Student Union Building Victoria University of Wellington PO Box 600, Wellington

News Editor — Brigid Quirke

Printing — Service Printers 258 Taranaki Street, Wellington

News Reporters — Billy Dancer, Mahdhi Osmond, Marc Daalder, Saeran Maniparathy, Siobhan O’Connor, Sofia Roberts, Thomas Croskery Feature Writers — Emma Shi, Mikee Sto Domingo, Dexter Stanley-Tauvao Chief Sub-Editor — Georgia Lockie Distributor — Josephine Jelicich Section Editors — Annelise Bos (Podcast), Cameron Gray (Games), Finn Holland and Mathew Watkins (Film), Hanahiva Rose (Visual Art), Katie Meadows (Television), Kimberley McIvor (Books), Olly Clifton and Lauren Spring (Music) Contributors — Ben Leonard, Tessa Cullen, Danica Soich, No Pride in Prisons, Rory Lenihan- Ikin, Lauren Daroux Greig, Ruben Toa KearneyParata, Hannah Wee, Salote Cama, Gus Mitchell, Alex Feinson, Henrietta Bollinger, Chrissy Brown, Tom Danby, @LauraLives, Livnè Ore, Benjamin Clow, Kii and Tom, Puck, Luka 林-Cowley, Angus Dunn, Claudia Silva Advertising — Grace Gollan grace.gollan@vuwsa.org.nz 04 463 6982

Paper — Sun 90gsm Salient is printed on environmentally sustainable paper, with vegetable ink, and is completely FSC approved.

Typefaces — Wedge by Bruce Rotherham, Adobe Caslon Pro by Carol Twombly, Diane Script

by Roger Excoffon About Us — Salient staff are employed by, but editorially independent from, the Victoria University of Wellington Students’ Association (VUWSA).

Salient is a member of, syndicated, and supported by the Aotearoa Student Press Association (ASPA).

Salient is partially funded by Victoria University students, through the student levy. Opinions expressed are not necessarily representative of those of VUWSA, ASPA, Service Printers, or the editorial staff.

Complaints — Please email editor@ salient.org.nz and if not satisfied with response contact VUWSA. Salient — 27 March, 2017 Volume 80, Issue 4

CONTRIBUTORS & COLOPHON

CONTENTS Editors’ Letter.......................................8 Letters...................................................6 Notices..................................................7

Tinder Surprise...................................29 Sport...................................................29

News General News......................................10

Features When In Rome...................................30 — Emma Shi

Karori Campus Battleground..............14 Tertiary Report Misses the Mark.............................................15 Politics Political Round-Up.............................16 The Trump Front.................................17 The Party Line....................................17 Interview Katie Bruce..........................................18 Opinion Water is Alive......................................21 — Danica Soich Queer Fear..........................................22 Down, but not out: the dishonesty and exploitation of prison labour

by VUW..............................................23 — NPIP Columns Presidential Address............................24 VUWSA.............................................24 Te Ara Tauira......................................25 Voice of V-ISA....................................25 Super Science Trends..........................26 One Ocean..........................................27 VIC UFO...........................................28 Token Cripple.....................................28

On Beauty...........................................34 — Mikee Sto Domingo When will Pasifika Success just be… success?.......................................38 — Dexter Stanley-Tauvao Arts Haiku..................................................45 Visual Art...........................................46 Books..................................................48 Games.................................................50 Theatre................................................51 Music.................................................52 Food....................................................54 Podcast & Music.................................56 Television...........................................58 Film....................................................59 Poem (back cover)..............................64 Puzzles................................................62 Comic.................................................63

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LETTERS

If you don’t want to write for us — write to us!

Salient welcomes, encourages, and thrives on public debate. Send us your honest feedback, be it praise or polemics.

SUBJECT: horoscopes are serious busine$$

Dearest my lovely horoscopers of Salient :)

I'm an astrologist by $$$ trade $$ #studentloans #studyinsomethinelse I rly wanna make sure the ancient observation of astrology is viewed with the best mindset because there is an unfortunate amount of stigma behind it (rip in peace).

Please make sure you specify for horoscopes that you should read your rising sign (e.g. idk, you might be a rising Aries but born in Cancer so you read the Aries horoscope not the Cancer).

Also Venus IS retrograde — it’s a movement. Either it IS or it ISN'T. It can't be IN retrograde because retrograde means backwards.

Love to Salient, please keep up the good work. xoxo, avid fan and actual astrologist (lmao i need more creative outlets).

SUBJECT: pls send art 4 the gordon harris spread m8s

Hello Salient! The articles in this year’s issues have been outstanding and you have out done yourself ! However, where are all the pretty pictures ?!?

How am I suppose to decorate my bedroom like a Massey student when there are no Insta worthy, Tumblr, Princess Constance style, cut-outs for me !!! My coolness levels are dropping drastically and I need you to help me out here.

Thanks, wannabe Massey kid.

SUBJECT: cult following

Dear Editors,

I have a new obsession. Every week I get excited for the release of the new Salient.

I am not even a uni student anymore. And I didn't even go to Vic when I was.

I am writing to say that the designers are doing such a great job! I have decided to start a collection of this year’s issues. They are beautiful artifacts. I laughed at the comment in your Editors’ letter of Issue 02 about the similarity to religious texts, which I believe is true. Due to me being a massive fan, I'll jump aboard the Salient cult train any day.

Keep up the good work all of ya.

Best, Sibby

Letters must be received before 5pm on Tuesday for publication the following week. They must be 200 words or less. Pseudonyms are fine but all letters must include your real name, address, and telephone number — these will not be printed. Letters will not be corrected for spelling or grammar. However the Editors reserve the right to edit, abridge, or decline any letter without explanation.

Email: editor@salient.org.nz with “Letter to the Editor” in the subject line.

Post: Salient c/- Victoria University of Wellington Hand-delivered: Salient office, Level 3, Student Union Building (behind the Hunter Lounge).

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NOTICES VICTORIA UNIVERSITY TAEKWONDO CLUB (WORLD TAEKWONDO FEDERATION)

Interested in Taekwondo? New to Taekwondo? Learned Taekwondo before? Come along and join us!

Great way to keep fit and have fun!

We are affiliated to the Taekwondo Union of NZ (TUNZ).

Training times: Wednesday, 6.30pm–8.00pm, Dance Room, Victoria University Recreation Centre Saturday, 3.30pm–5.00pm, Dance Room, Victoria University Recreation Centre What you need: Drink bottle, comfy trousers/shorts, t-shirt Contact us: vuwtkd@outlook.com

VICTORIA ABROAD — ATTEND AN EXCHANGE INFORMATION SESSION!

Why not study overseas as part of your degree?!

Study in English, earn VUW credit, get Studylink and grants, explore the world!

Weekly Information Sessions: Every Wednesday at 12.50pm, Level Two, Easterfield Building.

Drop-in times: Tuesday & Wednesday, 1.00–3.00pm; Thursday & Friday, 10.30–12.00pm Website: http://victoria.ac.nz/exchange

GREENS AT VIC

The Greens at Vic would like to invite all Victoria Students to attend our upcoming IGM. Green Party MP Marama Davidson and MP Catherine Delahunty will be present to talk to us about her work in Parliament, and we will be electing our Exec for the year. If people are interested in putting themselves forward to please contact Elliott or Liz at elliot.crossan@gmail.com or elizabeth.gaiduch@gmail.com.

Tuesday 4 April, 5:30pm, Location: KK203

VICUFO CALLING ALL BAKERS

VicUFO needs bakers to donate their homemade goodies to help raise money for the Annual Wellington Rape Crisis Appeal.

Baking will be available in exchange for koha donation at our stall in the Hub on Thursday 30 March.

All baking donations can be dropped off at 105a Salamanca Road in Kelburn by 9pm on March 29.

Any questions: vicufo2017@gmail.com

SHAKTI REFUGE WELLINGTON

Shakti Refuge Wellington provides culturally appropriate support and advocacy services for African, Middle Eastern, and Asian women. They are currently petitioning for adequate funding from the Ministry of Social Development — pledge your support at https://our.actionstation.org.nz/petitions/ save-shakti-wellington-refuge.

A listing in our notices section is free for all VUW students, VUWSA-affiliated clubs, and not-for-profit organisations. If you would like to post a notice please email editor@salient.org.nz and include NOTICE in the subject line. There is limited space in this section so notices will be prioritised at the discretion of the editors.

How could I not think I had a special relationship with Epeli? Well, my fantasy was brought into check very abruptly at his funeral: several hundred other people had obviously thought themselves similarly special to him.

Promiscuous bugger.

— Teresia Teaiwa wrote this of Epeli Hau’of a and I laugh (or whatever sound it is I’m making through my tears) at how similarly I feel about her.

Some highly intelligent people make others around them seem smaller, but Teresia had the anti-capitalist gift of making you feel, after conversation or exchange with her, cleverer yourself.

— Dougal McNeill She believed in people before they believed in themselves.

— Salī Salī, one of her students. hi dear, sorry, can chat on fb but not around for meetings… got bad news: am in advanced stages of a not nice cancer :/ — She made it sound so casual, as if it were the common cold.

I'm almost tempted to wear an 'ei katu [flower garlands worn on your head, from the Cook Islands] to work more often as a symbol of resistance… but then I'm afraid the bad vibes of the neoliberal university will completely coopt the joy in indigenous values the flowers represent. (sigh) — Her post-birthday blues.

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Editors’ letter

How do I write about you in the office without breaking down and making everyone in the room feel awkward? How useless are my philosophical ponderings on the concept of death, when this very regular and inevitable result of mortality happens and it just fucking hurts.

My grief feels private, special, my own.

Our moments were ours, and I selfishly want to keep them to myself. But I also know you wouldn’t want that, you wouldn’t want me to isolate myself from the many many who are grieving also.

We are Oceania.

We are grieving.

But we are strong, because of you, Fiery Canoe. So we will cry, we will sing, and we will share our stories about you. But then we will continue to fight, and love, and do our readings, because you showed us how.

— Tuioleloto Laura Toailoa

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News

NEWS VIC VALUES VIC GETS HEALTHY SHAKTI REFUGE REFUSED FUNDING HIT AND RUN TPP FORGES AHEAD APPLE TAX CUTS LAUNDRY UPDATE KARORI CAMPUS BATTLEGROUND TERTIARY REPORT MISSES THE MARK

POLITICS POLITICAL ROUND-UP THE TRUMP FRONT THE PARTY LINE

11 11 and important part of a tertiary institution such as Vic.” VIC VALUES Lenihan-Ikin confirmed that co-production between staff and Victoria University is set to institute students in the developmental stages a series of civic engagement pro- of the programme “is at the heart of this exploration.” grammes in 2018.

VUWSA Academic Vice-PresiCoined “Victoria Values”, the credit-based initiative would involve dent Isabella Lenihan-Ikin will meet “embedded experiential learning” with the Vice-Provost (Academic within undergraduate qualifications. and Equity), to “further VUWSA’s This could potentially take the contribution in the planning discusform of practical, out-of-class activi- sions.”

An upcoming conference in ties, such as internships or volunteering with community, government, or Canada will also provide opportunity to “look further into the design of private sector organisations.

A discussion paper on the pro- Victoria Values.”

Massey University provides sevgramme articulated a desire to upscale existing civic engagement eral core civics courses in its Bachactivities and “embed these more elor of Arts programme, including fully in the curriculum where appro- Turangawaewae: Identity & Belonging in Aotearoa NZ, Tu Rangaranga: priate.”

Most existing initiatives were Global Encounters, and Tu Tira fairly small-scale, and “not necessar- Mai: Practising Engagement.

Massey describes these “citizenily well-supported by the university.”

Wendy Larner, Victoria Univer- ship core courses” as important besity’s Provost, referred to the global cause it is “an area of strategic importrend of universities considering tance to the university, New Zealand, how to “develop that whole bundle and beyond.”

Unlike Massey’s programme, of skills that we all know employers say they value most about students.” Victoria Values will be embedded in Existing co-curricular pro- all qualifications across the board. grammes Victoria Plus and the — Thomas Croskery Victoria International Leadership Programme (VILP) are both badge systems. Larner described Victoria VIC GETS HEALTHY Plus and VILP as “terrific co-curricular programmes” and stressed that VUW has announced a new Faculty they would continue to exist.

Larner said there had been “huge of Health and intends to commence amounts” of consultation to date, courses in Trimester One of 2018.

The faculty will not offer mediand student voices would continue to be heard as part of “a broader cine, but plans to offer health policy, consultation” once the Learning and health promotion, and health service Teaching Committee finalises more delivery for undergraduate study.

Although courses are yet to be specifics.

VUWSA President Rory Leni- approved, staff have already been aphan-Ikin confirmed that the initia- pointed to the school.

Gregory Coster, who was previtive is in its early stages, and a lot has yet to be determined. However he ously a Professor of General Practice, stated that Victoria Values “is an ex- and Dean of Graduate Studies at the citing new exploration that the uni- University of Auckland, has been versity is making about rediscovering named Dean of the new faculty. His the civic focus that is such a valuable appointment comes three years after

News NEWS he was appointed as head of VUW’s Health Steering Committee.

Coster told Salient the new courses will “focus on training health sector professionals for the broader health system.”

“There is enormous potential to improve the health and wellbeing of individuals and wellbeing of society as a whole.”

Similar courses are currently offered at Massey University, University of Canterbury, and Auckland University of Technology. When asked what will differentiate VUW’s proposed courses, Coster said they are “looking at New Zealand’s health system as a whole” and will “draw on [the university’s] strengths as a capital city university with a global perspective.”

In response to whether or not there is intent to extend the faculty to include clinical and medical subjects, Coster told Salient it “will be undertaking the teaching of clinical subjects in the future,” however “does not intend to undertake the training of doctors.”

— Siobhan O’Connor

SHAKTI REFUGE REFUSED FUNDING Shakti Refuge Wellington is petitioning for adequate funding from the Ministry of Social Development (MSD) after three requests for funding have been declined since their formation in 2014.

The refuge provides culturally appropriate support and advocacy services for African, Middle Eastern, and Asian women who may feel alienated by Women’s Refuge.

The service includes a 24/7 crisis line, accommodation and transport for those whose safety is compromised, and a range of support services including legal assistance, Housing NZ assistance, WINZ support,

12 counselling support, and immigration support.

While MSD has provided funding to the national organisation, Shakti Asian Women’s Safe House Inc., over the last four years, the Shakti Refuge Wellington was set up without funding from the ministry.

A needs-analysis survey in 2016, for which Shakti was contracted

by MSD to conduct, highlighted a need for specialist refuge services for migrant and refugee women requiring intervention and support from family violence.

However MSD conveyed to Salient that a 2015 Refuge Services Project report “concluded that mainstream refuge services are able to meet the needs of refugee and migrant women.”

Wendy Vyas, a spokesperson for Shakti, told Salient, “merely putting services in place through mainstream refuge providers does not translate to cultural competence. The Government’s one size fits all approach is highly discriminatory and disadvantages African, Middle Eastern, and Asian women.”

Shakti Wellington serviced more than 350 women in 2016, with over 200 referrals coming in from the police.

Without funding, Vyas said she felt Shakti’s hands were tied. “It would be morally and ethically inappropriate to close the refuge, but we are already stretched to the max and our backs are broken. This decision not to fund alludes to the notion that the government are indifferent to, and perhaps don’t care about, migrant and refugee women in Wellington.”

MSD told Salient that women in need “should contact the National Collective of Independent Women’s Refuges.”

“They have a range of refuges in the Wellington area and are an independent, bicultural community organisation.”

— Mahdhi Osmond

News

HIT AND RUN Last week, investigative journalists Nicky Hager and Jon Stephenson released Hit and Run. The book alleges that a 2010 raid organised and lead by the New Zealand SAS in Afghanistan resulted in the death of six civilians and the injury of 15 — despite no insurgents being killed or captured.

The raid took place after the death of New Zealand Lieutenant Tim O’Donnell, New Zealand’s first combat death in Afghanistan.

Interviews with SAS and military personnel included in Hit and Run suggest the raid was retaliation for the death of their colleague.

The operation was given the go ahead by then Prime Minister John Key, after the Defence Minister, Wayne Mapp, and the Chief of Defence, Lieutenant Jerry Mateparaea, were briefed on the operation but consulted Key for approval.

In the aftermath of the raid, the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) and the government repeatedly stated that no civilians were killed in the operation. The book alleges that these previous statements by the government were categorically false.

At the time of print, the NZDF continued to claim that no civilians were killed in the operation despite the allegations made in Hit and Run. However Mapp, who had previously denied civilians were killed in 2011, conceded to NewsHub on March 22 that civilians were killed.

“In 2014 I was informed that […] a three year old was killed. I’m sure everyone is remorseful about that.”

According to Hit and Run, Mapp told a friend the raid was New Zealand’s “biggest and most disastrous operation — a fiasco.” He stated to NewsHub, when asked if he stood by these comments, “we didn't achieve the objective we sought, which was the capture of a named group of people.”

The book alleges that even after the NZDF became aware that civilians were injured and killed, no efforts were made to care for the wounded.

An SAS operative said “they knew they had committed an atrocity.” Despite this, “there was no [official] acknowledgement that anything wrong had happened.”

The book also alleges that during another operation an insurgent was captured and beaten by a SAS solider, with other soldiers standing by and not taking any action.

The insurgent was then handed over to the National Directorate of Security (Afghanistan’s primary intelligence agency) which has a “grisly record of torture and abuse of prisoners.”

Not caring for wounded civilians is a violation of NZDF’s own Code of Conduct for soldiers. Torturing and mistreatment of prisoners is a violation of international law.

Hit and Run suggests the actions of the SAS may have worsened the safety of New Zealand troops in Afghanistan, as locals “ended up supporting the insurgency” after feeling “antagonised by government decisions or careless violence from foreign forces.”

Hager and Stephenson have called for an independent investigation to be carried out surrounding the allegations made in the book.

Hager suggested on Morning Report, on March 22, that there are strong grounds to suspect the actions could amount to war crimes.

Prime Minister Bill English said that the assertions made in the book are “politically motivated” and as such they will “not be rushed into any inquiry.”

He told Salient on March 22, “the book was released less than 24 hours ago and so far there doesn’t appear to be any new material that justifies an inquiry.”

— Saeran Maniparathy

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News

In an interview with RadioNZ, irrelevant web articles in a potential Trade Minister Todd McClay fo- decoy strategy.

— Billy Dancer cussed instead on a way forward for After seven years of negotiation be- those nations still involved in the tween 12 countries, the Trans-Pa- process. “There’s a very clear view cific Partnership (TPP) appeared to [among these countries] that there LAUNDRY UPDATE collapse after US President Donald are great advantages in the TPP that Trump withdrew from the agree- are worth considering further.”

Last week, Salient published a news ment in January 2017.

— Marc Daalde article about how VUW halls of The TPP sought to formalise residence, Joan Stevens and Weir trade and investment negotiations House, informally contracted the between member states and would laundry services of Arohata Prison have cut tariffs, increased access to APPLE TAX CUTS over summer in which prisoners are markets, and set common labour, enpaid between $0.00 and $1.00 per vironmental, and intellectual properApple Inc. is facing allegations that hour. ty standards.

The information had been unThe agreement was widely criti- it has not paid revenue tax in New covered after a series of Official cised throughout the discussions due Zealand for a decade.

Apple have sold $4.2 billion dol- Information Act requests to the unito a lack of engagement and consultation with Māori, for the greater lars’ worth of products in New Zea- versity.

The Director Student and Camrights it would afford corporations, land since 2007, but a New Zealand and for the potential it had to under- Herald investigation has uncovered pus Living, Rainsforth Dix, rean absence of tax paid to IRD over sponded to Salient, saying, “towards mine New Zealand sovereignty. the end of 2016 we identified that New Zealand signed on to the this period.

As Apple NZ is a subsidiary of some Halls of Residence were using TPP as it existed in 2016.

A meeting between the remain- Apple Inc., and is registered in Aus- ad hoc laundry services provided by ing eleven countries in Chile on tralia, $37 million in tax on New the Department of Corrections over March 16 indicated a desire to con- Zealand sales over the last decade the summer months when they are not occupied by students.” clude some form of deal before the have been paid overseas.

“That arrangement with the Winston Peters has berated the TPP’s February 2018 ratification government’s special relationship Department of Corrections has deadline.

Meredith Lewis, the Associate with Apple products for their lack stopped and Victoria’s Halls of Director of the New Zealand Cen- of contribution to the economy, al- Residence are now using the same tre of International Economic Law, leging “the way some Ministers talk supplier that services the rest of the said that she sees a possible future up Apple you’d think they were on university.”

— Brigid Quirke commission.” for the trade agreement.

The Labour Party have also been The key issue, however, will be how the eleven remaining TPP critical of the government’s policing members, including New Zealand, of how multinational corporations amend the deal in the aftermath of are taxed, referring to Apple’s situation as only the “tip of the iceberg.” the withdrawal of the US. The government released three “Many of the TPP provisions reflect concessions the non-US par- proposals for “evolving” NZ’s tax ticipants made at the behest of the system earlier this March, with the US. Without the US, there would be intent of dissuading multinationals’ interest in changing some of those “booking of profits offshore” to avoid taxation in New Zealand. provisions.”

“We welcome multinationals’ “On the other hand, the other eleven likely want to leave the door participation in our economy,” said open for the US to return to the Minister for Revenue Judith Collins, agreement — perhaps when a dif- “but we also expect them to pay tax ferent administration is in the White based on their actual levels of ecoHouse — and changing the terms in nomic activity in New Zealand.”

Salient approached Siri for comany significant way would make it ment, who referred to a selection of more difficult for the US to do so.”

TPP FORGES AHEAD

14

News

KARORI CAMPUS BATTLEGROUND The Wellington City Council (WCC) has released a long awaited decision on the fate of the VUW’s Karori Campus, after the university announced in 2016 that the campus was no longer required.

WCC declared an interest in buying the university's Karori campus and keeping it for community use, with some of the land to be transferred to the Ministry of Education.

Councillor Iona Pannett accused the university of “holding a gun to the council's head over the sale,” while Vice Chancellor Grant Guildford fired back, saying “if councillors had done their due diligence there might be more informed debate about the matter.”

Karori Campus was infamously “purchased” by the university for $10 in 2014 — the nominal payment a formality required for the transfer of title.

The transfer was in line with a widely used policy, announced in 2010, that allowed tertiary education institutions to apply to acquire title to Crown-owned land and buildings that the institution already used and managed.

Iwi criticised the lack of consultation on the transfer, with University of Waikato Te Kotahi Research Institute director Leonie Pihama, of Te Atiawa, saying that “dominant Pākehā institutions continue to benefit nearly 120 years later from the confiscation of iwi lands.”

Following negotiations with the WCC and community to divest the campus, the university initiated plans to refurbish the Kirk Building on the Kelburn campus for the new Faculty of Education.

The relocation has drawn criticism as education students have been left with inadequate facilities and limited resources until the Kirk Building is upgraded.

Salient spoke to a lecturer from the Faculty of Education who stressed that the university had taken steps to make the transition as easy as possible, repainting the Boyd Wilson Arena

and adding storage — “to be fair the university went to quite a lot of trouble to create a teaching space.”

However they conceded the space is “not ideal,” with the courses having to pack away practical resources at the end of every session, due to other classes and clubs using the space.

An education student was more critical of the move, saying: “It’s really destabilising. A lot of teaching students are only here for a year, and having no stable base makes it really hard to build a community in that time.”

“We’ve shown up to locked rooms, been relocated after a couple of classes, and had meetings in the Hub. We often hear how courses have been altered to accommodate a lack of resources.”

The university commented on the change of resources, saying that the loss of the specialist education space was “offset by the advantage of education students being an integral part of the student community at Kelburn, with access to VUWSA facilities, cafés, gym, the comprehensive library and study spaces, and other student facilities.”

— Sofia Roberts

15

News

TERTIARY REPORT MISSES THE MARK The Productivity Commission's report on New Models of Tertiary Education “has done a disservice to New Zealanders,” according to VUWSA President Rory Lenihan-Ikin.

Recommendations include introducing interest on student loans, abolishing University Entrance (UE), reducing subsidies for courses with high private returns, and deregulating funding.

The Minister for Tertiary Education, Paul Goldsmith, shut down the loan recommendation and stated “the government is committed to retaining interest-free student loans for borrowers residing in New Zealand.”

The recommendation to abolish UE suggests that tertiary providers should set their own entry standards. The report concludes that UE performs “no useful function.”

Chris Whelan, Executive Director for Universities New Zealand, labelled the recommendation “not sensible,” stating “the reason we have so few young people failing at university is because UE sends a good signal that they are academically ready for university-level study.”

He also expressed concern that students could receive less valuable qualifications. “Where this has been done elsewhere you get for-profit providers setting up shop offering low quality degree programmes that leave students with large debts and qualifications that employers don’t value.”

Fletcher Boswell, an Education Officer for VUWLSS, said removing UE could add pressure to an already saturated market — “there are currently around 1000 students enrolled in 100 level law, with only around 300 spots in [200 level law].

Removing UE would make it even more competitive at 100 level.”

The report recommends that the government reduce or remove subsidies for studies with high private returns, targeting subjects such as Law which tend to produce higher-paying private sector careers. Boswell described the recommendation as “ridiculous.”

“From a fiscal point of view, if you’re trying to

cut costs, why not target a progressive tax rate — only half of law graduates actually become lawyers [in private practice], so you’re playing a massive guessing game.”

Lenihan-Ikin said the recommendation “fails to acknowledge the overall benefit of having people participate in tertiary education.”

“It is not appropriate to consider some qualifications inherently mean a better salary once that person finds a job. That assumption could deter students from looking for community-focused jobs [...] because their degree has been identified as a having a high private benefit, and therefore has reduced subsidies and a greater pressure to have an income that can pay back their loan.”

Whelan pointed to this as a “major departure” from Government policy since 1990. “Regardless of how high the potential private benefit, these graduates will still pay taxes and contribute to society in a range of ways.”

The report also makes a number of suggestions to deregulate funding, stating that “fee regulation significantly constrains innovation, [because] it limits the ability of providers to create new products with different price/quality trade-offs and to signal these differences to students.”

Whelan argues, “the reality is that our funding levels are too low to attract high quality international providers or to produce the innovative new forms of teaching that are appearing in other parts of the world.”

“All of the universities identified by the Productivity Commission as demonstrating ‘international best practice,’ are funded at rates at least three times that of New Zealand providers.”

Lenihan-Ikin reflected that the report, as a whole, was unsatisfactory. “Access to education is a fundamental human right at all levels and tertiary study should not be set aside for those who can ‘afford it’ because of their privileged backgrounds.”

— Brigid Quirke

16 ment as the money was better spent elsewhere. Specifically, Little noted POLITICAL ROUND-UP that health and education were in desperate need of a funding boost.

Little also fell into a familiar political trope by suggesting that, despite the Prime Minister’s assurances, Taxing Inequality Unless you’ve been following the National’s tax cuts tended to “favour news especially closely this week, the wealthy.”

Whether that's what the policy you might have missed the first rumblings of one of the biggest debates actually entails remains to be seen, of any election year. During a series but the targeting of cuts and the of interviews, Bill English suggested language of addressing inequality that tax cuts were on the table for are significant moves for National.

These are the kinds of policies that this year’s budget.

The timing and motivations of have seen them successfully cut into the hint are obvious, but tax cuts traditional Labour territory and have been firmly off the table in sway low- and middle-income New New Zealand for some time. Their Zealand for three consecutive elecreintroduction and the political tions. responses to them are further intensifying the debate on inequality Te Awa Whanganui that was recently stoked with the Last week, the New Zealand govannouncement of changes to super- ernment enjoyed a rare moment in the international media spotlight. annuation.

This has been a very slow tease Rather than past appearances for for National. Just last year, tax cuts Key-related gaffes, however, this was were firmly rejected by John Key’s a genuine political and legal story of government with the argument that consequence.

The interest stemmed from the the $1 billion surplus would only give people an extra $6 to $7 a week. passing of the Whanganui River Key suggested it would be better to Claims Settlement Bill, a settlement wait until there was $3 billion in the of the historic claims of the iwi and bank to cover a more substantial $20 hapū of Whanganui. Under the new law the Whanganui River gains the a week tax break.

With the forecasts still looking same legal standing as a person, algood, English may finally get to de- beit with a few exceptions. It is a means of protection that New Zealiver on Key’s promise.

Tax cuts are pretty standard fare land companies have enjoyed for for National and the political right some time.

In practice, this means that the in general. What is different here, however, is that the cuts are being river can be looked after by a trust discussed in the wider context of set up with the wellbeing of its sole rising inequality. More important- trustee, Te Awa Whanganui, as its ly still, English isn’t rehashing the main objective. It is the same kind well-trodden conservative doctrine of legal provision that was used to that cuts for the wealthy will trickle grant Te Urewera protection under down to low- and middle-income the Ngai Tūhoe settlement in 2014.

While this has managed to outworkers. Instead, he is suggesting that the cuts should go straight to rage former National Party leader Don Brash, it received widespread these people in the first place.

Labour’s response was curt. An- support in Parliament.

Labour’s Adrian Rurawhe, MP drew Little said tax cuts were not an option under a Labour govern- for Te Tai Hauāuru, praised the move

Politics News POLITICS for finally recognising a concept that had been enshrined in mātauranga Māori for centuries.

Māori Party co-leader Marama Fox also welcomed the change. She said it recognised the 26-year claims process that iwi leaders battled through to have the river protected.

On the government side, Treaty Negotiations Minister Chris Finlayson said that while the concept of giving a river legal personhood might seem unusual to some, it was a protection already given to family trusts and incorporated societies.

However this rare cross-party support glosses over the generations of struggle Whanganui iwi and hapū have faced. The battle for protection of the Whanganui River is one of the longest running legal battles in New Zealand history.

As with Te Urewera, however, many of these unique legal innovations ratified in treaty settlements later become political capital to be wheeled out as needed. Yet, as Rurawhe noted, these are not new concepts in Te Ao Māori.

We’re just now catching up.

— Ben Leonard

THE TRUMP FRONT Well, well, well, it has certainly been an exciting week in the life and times of old President Trumpster.

In a well publicised, high profile, and extremely awkward meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Trump-o was back to his old fuckboi tricks when he blatantly refused to shake Ange’s hand in the Oval Office. When Ange audibly says to her boy Trump “shall we shake hands?” Trump pulls out the absolutely claaaassic move used by teenagers across the world when their parents ask them to wash the dishes — he acts like he hasn’t heard

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a word she’s said, and continues to grimace menacingly at the gang of photographers.

Following this meeting, and the 5870 videos surfacing online of Trump-o rejecting Ange’s conventional and just straight up polite gesture, Don-Don sat down in his favourite armchair, got himself a cup of cocoa, booted up his 2004 HP laptop and began his daily session in the Twitter-sphere: Despite what you have heard from the FAKE NEWS, I had a GREAT meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Nevertheless, Germany owes vast sums of money to NATO & the United States must be paid more for the powerful, and very expensive, defense it provides to Germany!

— DJT, March 18, 2017.

Hmmmm, okay, so. Someone obviously needs to sit down with Trumpy and explain to him how the NATO alliance actually works. First off, nowhere in the alliance does it stipulate that countries must pay money directly to the US. In actual fact, members of NATO pledged in 2014 that they would increase their military spending to 2% of their GDP by 2024, which, as Trump-o would know if he checked his calendar every once in a while, is SEVEN YEARS AWAY. The whole point of the fricken alliance is that the member states contribute (to the alliance, not to the big bully US) based on their own capabilities and capacity. Of course the US, whose military budget is bigger than every other countries’ budgets put together, contributes more $$$. The US also has a population of 300 million trigger happy, gun-slingin’ people, so Trumpster needs to check himself if he thinks that everyone around the world needs to be as obsessed with military spending and defence deployment as he and his Republican cronies are.

— Tessa Cullen

THE PARTY LINE The Lower Hutt City Council Mayor, Ray Wallace, recently pushed a motion that the council "agree in principle" to the living wage, moving the council a step closer to becoming a living wage employee. What are your thoughts on the living wage?

Greens at Vic The Green Party position on the minimum wage is that it should be 66% of the median wage, as has traditionally been the case. The Party’s position on the living wage is that we should support businesses to implement it if possible. While this would make the minimum wage approximately $18/hour and be significantly better for workers than the current minimum, Greens at Vic believe that the minimum wage should be the living wage — $20.20/hour. Anything less is a starvation wage. If the minimum wage had kept pace with what it was before neoliberalism began, it would be higher than $20.20.

The reason why the minimum wage has decreased in value over time is that wages have stagnated since neoliberalism began. Business cannot be trusted to implement the living wage as it cuts into profits, profit being the reason for business’ existence. The government must intervene to support workers to earn a minimum of $20.20/hour.

— Elliot Crossan VicLabour Ray Wallace speaking in favour of the living wage is a step in the right direction, however in principle is not the same as in action. VicLabour are strongly in favour of implementing a Living Wage given the amount of poverty among New Zealand families, and the increasing inequality happening under National. This year,

it’s calculated to be $20.20 per hour, which the Living Wage movement points out is $4.55 more than the Government has set the minimum wage at. A wage that allows people to live fulfilling lives and not be strained by financial uncertainty is key to reducing issues like widespread child poverty. Nationwide implementation of the Living Wage is an achievable goal which will do immense good for the working class in New Zealand, which is why Wellington Mayor Justin Lester has committed to a living wage for Council workers. We’re proud to support it.

Young Nats — Lower North Island The Young Nats do not support a legislated living wage.

Our reasoning behind this is that the higher the minimum wage, the lower the demand for labour is. This creates a serious concern for young people, such as students, who often fill those low wage jobs while they study or upskill. The risk is that we may find ourselves suddenly priced out of the market and unemployed with a minimum wage that is too expensive for employers to manage.

National has been very clear that natural wage growth is an important aspect of economic success and under the current government we have seen average annual wages rise by 25% since 2008 and the minimum wage increasing another $.50 to $15.75 next month. This represents growth that balances support for workers and financial stability needed by employers to drive our economy forward.

— Sam Stead If you are a representative of a youth political group and wish to participate in this section, please email editor@ salient.org.nz

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• INTERVIEW WITH KATIE BRUCE • JustSpeak is a group that aims to reorient conversations surrounding our criminal justice system and in the process empower young people to think independently and speak out about justice issues.

We spoke to Katie Bruce, the Director of JustSpeak’s Operational Board, in a free moment after she had spent a long day at the International Coalition for Children of Incarcerated Parents conference — an event which brought together people from around the world to talk about, and hear from, children with incarcerated parents.

One of the things we decided very early on, we’ve been going for five years, was that one of our priorities is to take 17-year olds out of the adult justice system. As young people, this is a big issue for us. It has devastating consequences when we put young people into the adult justice system. It was some random law that came in and hasn’t been updated. As well as transformative change, we need some incremental and short term changes, and this was one of things we could achieve.

*** Can you talk us through the practical work JustSpeak does to support young people and make change in the criminal justice system?

What is so concrete in the evidence around our adult justice system is the devastating consequences it has when you put young people through it. If you’re under 20, and you’re in prison in New Zealand, you have an over 90% chance of being reconvicted within in two years. The evidence that it is not working, in whatever sense working means, is absolutely beyond doubt.

JustSpeak is made up of a large network of mostly young people, and some not so young people, who [...] think that, due to there being so many issues in our criminal justice system, what we really need is systemic, structural transformation. We focus on legislative and policy changes that will have a large impact on lots of people in the future.

You recently made a submission in partial support of the Children, Young Persons, and their Families (Oranga Tamariki) Bill, focusing on the parts of the Bill that relate to criminal justice. This Bill proposes raising the age of youth justice to include some (not all) 17-year olds — an issue which has been an ongoing one for JustSpeak. You also recently launched a petition to raise the age to 21. Could you run us through some of the problems with handling more “serious” offences in the adult court system?

The whole process [of the youth system] is quite different, it’s not just the outcome. 80% of our young people would never end up in court anyway — in most cases it’s dealt with by police, and that’s great because keeping youth away from court is good, because as soon as they’re in the system they’re much more likely to stay in the system. Staying in the system obviously means harm to others. In the youth court system, those who’ve been harmed (e.g. families) have much more involvement than they do in the adult system.

They have much more opportunity to be involved.

The adult system is more about finding the punishment to fit the crime and about sentencing, the youth system is about

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looking at why — why did this young person end up here in the first place? How did they get here? Do we need some support in attending education? What’s actually going on for this young person?

So it offers more opportunity for rehabilitation, rather than just finding “adequate” punishment?

Yeah, but it’s not perfect. We have massive overrepresentation of Māori in the youth justice system — 71%, which is absolutely overwhelming. There are lots of issues, but the adult system basically writes off a young person.

In a media release in November last year, JustSpeak reflected on NZ prison numbers hitting the 10,000 mark. The release states: “Crime has fallen 15% in the past five years, but prison numbers are rising. Last year, 90% of this increase in prison numbers was due to a rise in the number of people being held on remand.” What, in your view, is causing this increase in people being held in remand, and what issues does this raise?

It’s really interesting that the rise in the prison population is seen as so inevitable that we need to build another prison. The truth is that almost all of this rise in the prison population is directly because we introduced the Bail Amendment Act in 2013. The Act put the onus on the individual to prove that they are not a risk to society, rather than the court proving that they were a risk. It changed that around and a few other things, including that you can not be bailed to an apartment because the GPS monitoring system does not know what apartment you are in. In practice, most of the time you cannot be bailed to a Housing New Zealand house either. There are lots of restrictions that mean there are so many people, 27% of our whole prison population, who are currently on remand — they haven’t been sentenced to prison.

They’re held in a prison while on remand?

Yeah, they’re in prison. And half of those will not be sentenced to prison. We have about the same number of people being held in prisons right now [on remand] who will not be sentenced to prison as the whole capacity of the new prison. There is no logic there.

There’s been quite a lot of coverage of the mismanagement of the prison system by the likes of Serco and, from that coverage,

Interview

prison appears a violent place to be held in. Holding people on remand in this environment seems counterintuitive to a goal of reducing prison numbers?

It’s a funny thing, because prison has become so normalised in our society.

This is what Professor Tracey McIntosh, from Auckland University, was saying this afternoon: imagine a world without prisons — why can’t we do that? It’s so ingrained in our minds.

We’ve got this framework that we see the world through, where prison is a part of that. We need to look beyond, when we know that being in prison has hugely traumatic effects for those incarcerated, for their families, for their children — and it makes them far more likely to reoffend and come back into the system.

Plus it’s hugely expensive.

We’re going to be spending $2.5 billion in the next five years on new prisons and new spaces as well as new operational costs for the new people. It’s going to create far more harm than it’s going to solve.

Last week, we published a story about Victoria University contracting out laundry services to the department of corrections in trimester three, which sees women in Arohata prison being paid between $0.00 and $1.00 per hour for

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their labour. A common response to these statistics is “well, at least they are doing something useful or productive, why should we be paying prisoners to do work?” What are the issues with this kind of discourse?

We have a minimum wage in this county and a living wage in this country for a reason, as this is how much you need to live a basic life on. The idea that we would require people, and I don’t know if that’s what’s happening here, to work for potentially $1.00 per hour goes against, even if we accept the idea we need prisons, what prison is about. They talk a lot in the US about how different is this — especially given the makeup of the people in prison — to slavery. That’s not what I’m saying is happening in a New Zealand context, but these are often people who have been let down by our systems — especially our women in prison. Something like over 90% of our women in prison have been abused as children and young people. What are we trying to gain from this? If we want people to learn skills, we can do that in communities. We don’t need people in prisons for that.

Thanks for talking to us. Just as a final question, what’s your favourite colour?

Turquoise.

— Brigid Quirke and Tim Manktelow

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of the river”), an office consisting of two representatives, one chosen by iwi with interests in the river, and one chosen by the Crown.

It is likely that this bill will be used as a mechanism to hold polluters accountable.

Legal action may be brought against those who choke her with agricultural sewage, suck her dry for irrigation, poison her with nitrates, and smother her with sediments. Furthermore, as the law views iwi and river as one, abuse against the river can be interpreted as a direct assault against the rights of iwi, opening another avenue of legal remedies.

If we are serious about solving environmental problems, we must align policy and law with a Māori perspective of the natural world. We must move away from a model of ownership and management of natural resources, to a recognition that these are sacred living entities. Perhaps we ought to scrap the term “natural resources” as it emphasises mere utility to us, rather than their essential value.

We must understand that the health of our communities is directly and intrinsically linked to the health of the world around us.

Let us possess the wisdom that if we protect and nurture the environment, she will do the same for us. It follows that we should consider environmental degradation as an abuse of our personal rights and insist that the cost of degradation is borne by those responsible.

It seems that we are drifting in the right direction. A valuable precedent is now at hand. Its reach extends not only to other iwi, but indigenous communities internationally. We are abiding by our commitments under Te Tiriti o Waitangi, particularly the principles of active protection and partnership. There is hope that effective solutions to our environmental problems are just around the bend.

— Danica Soich

OPINION

The morning of March 16; a new sun rises over New Zealand. City slickers begin their daily commutes. Farmers usher their herds to the milking shed. All seems business as usual.

But Te Awa Tupua (the Whanganui River) has woken up a new person — at least in the eyes of the law.

This is the dawn of the Te Awa Tupua (Whanganui River Claims Settlement) Bill. It marks the close of a 160-year long settlement dispute between Te Iwi Whanganui and the Crown, the longest running in our history.

What is extraordinary and even revolutionary about this bill is that it recognises Te Awa Tupua as a legal person.

With personhood comes the river’s own identity and the corresponding rights, duties, and liabilities of a legal person.

At first this concept seems puzzling.

But the law has long assigned personalities to companies, trusts, and sovereign states.

However, the designation of a natural resource as a legal person is a world first.

It is a Māori perspective, rather than a Western view, which is ubiquitous throughout the bill. The law now recognises that Te Awa Tupua is not just a river. She is a physical, spiritual life force and a living ancestor of Te Whanganui iwi.

The relationship between iwi and river is not one of use but one of existence. The iwi and the river share “an inalienable connection,” says the bill, for it is the water that sustains and supports the wellbeing of the community and vice versa. As the common iwi saying goes “I am the river and the river is me.”

Te Awa Tupua is further described as indivisible and whole. From her first inklings in Tongariro to her mouth into the Tasman Sea, rights of personhood now extend along 271km of flowing water.

As a legal person, Te Awa Tupua now has a legal voice. She will assert her rights through Te Pou Tupua (“the human face

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QUEER FEAR Sitting in Kirk 303 just before our Campus Coaches tour kicked off, a fellow first year sitting next to me asked if I was going to join one of the many clubs here at Vic: a simple question for most, but for me one that produced a lot of anxiety. What I wanted to say was “ Yes. I’ve made sure to keep my Friday afternoons free for UniQ. It’s the LGBTQIA+ group.” But something pulled me back and all I could offer was, “Maybe? I’m not quite sure yet….” A little lie that alerted me to a bigger problem.

I started high school thinking I was straight. The five years following was a rollercoaster of crushes on classmates that resulted in questions about my identity.

But now, I know a lot more about who I am and who I want to be. I’m gay. I’m full of pride but I don’t know how to share it.

Leaving high school meant leaving the safe liberal bubble I’d built for myself with teachers, peers, and friends. Until now my world has been full of social justice warriors, feminists, genuine allies, and people who just get it. I knew that if I disclosed my sexuality or talked about issues around it that I’d be greeted with open arms. Many of these people haven’t lived the experiences that come with being LGBTQIA+ but they know how to sympathise and connect, nonetheless.

I see Victoria as a new world with so many people with different thoughts and lives to mine. That includes people who don’t fully support my identity, don’t understand it, or don’t want anything to do with it. One of the things about living in the closet for so long is it can protect you from certain kinds of discrimination. It’s like armour you wear so people think you’re batting for their team rather than the “other” team.

But now that I know who I am, how do I let people into that? I don’t want or need to disclose my sexuality to every single student here but I’d like to be able to talk about going to the Pride Parade or about how much I’m looking forward to UniQ. But the queer

fear is larger than I am: the fear of rejection, misunderstanding, hate, and ignorance.

I’m now in a space where asking for someone’s pronouns isn’t the norm, where I don’t get to have an automatic bond with someone because we’re already in a queer supportive space. I’m stepping out of my bubble and into the world. I hate it because it makes me uncomfortable and vulnerable.

This unfamiliar environment and life is lonely, and makes me tired but mostly just scared. Scared about trying to find a place for myself where I can thrive, because if I’m not able to be honest about who I am, I can’t thrive and I can’t succeed, whether that be in lectures, tutorials, or social circles.

Some people like to say that sexuality isn’t everything, that you shouldn’t define yourself so strictly. But for me, it’s about more than who I’m attracted to and how I express myself. It’s a complex identity and shared experiences that I have with other queer people. It’s shaped me into who I am and how I see the world. I need to be able to talk about it, even just casually.

I walk around campus and lectures trying to spot the other queer kids — sometimes that’s rainbow badges on a backpack, a haircut like mine, but often it’s a smile that feels just a bit too kind, because maybe they know how it feels. I shared a smile like that with the girl standing next to me at the UniQ stand for clubs week, then we both took lollipops and went our separate ways.

At that stand, with all the flags, I felt safe for the first time in this new world, but I want to take that feeling with me everywhere I go.

I’m writing this piece for the other people who still feel this queer fear that I do.

I see you. Hopefully within the next three years here I can work out how to let myself be seen too..

— Anonymous

Opinion

DOWN, BUT NOT OUT: THE DISHONEST Y AND EXPLOITATION OF PRISON LABOUR BY VUW

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other exploitative employment practices.

Even legally recognised employees like the library and cleaning staffs continue to be paid well below the living wage. Meanwhile, Vice Chancellor Grant Guilford made $520,000, or $266 per hour, in 2016. The corporate greed at work here is palpable.

With this material inequality in mind, the university needs to examine why it has continued to use the single most exploitative employment practice legally available for its laundry services. It must then immediately cease using prison labour and look for alternatives. Furthermore, the entirety of the labour that prisoners have done for the university must be fully and fairly compensated.

No Pride in Prisons will continue to lay pressure upon this university and any organisation we find using severely underpaid prison labour, and render it unfeasible for them to continue to do so if fair wages continue to be withheld. We will campaign to have full employment rights granted to those on the inside, which we believe will strengthen the collective power of workers everywhere.

If you share No Pride in Prisons’ concerns about VUW’s continued use of prison labour, or share our commitment to prison abolition, our Wellington branch meets regularly and we invite you to come along and get involved. Formal membership is available to anybody who is committed to our kaupapa via our website, noprideinprisons.org.nz.

— No Pride in Prisons

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In 2015, it was revealed that Victoria University of Wellington (VUW) had been using female prison labour from Arohata Prison for its laundry services. Using a verbal contract, the university has been able to have its towels and sheets cleaned by people who do not have the option to be legally recognised as employees. Almost a year later, it claimed to have ceased this practice.

As revealed by last month’s OIA request, the university lied to the public. VUW is still using Arohata prison labour as of this last summer, paying its workers below a single dollar per hour.

The details of prison labour in New Zealand have always been tightly under wraps. Even when the National Government introduced its Working Prisons programme last decade, the specifics of its actual practices were not made public.

What is known now is that in order to participate, prisoners have to “volunteer” to work, which means that they are effectively denied their right to be legally recognised as employees. This allows the university to use a verbal contract, which is unambiguously illegal for legally recognised employees, and makes it much more difficult for it to be held accountable to legal employment standards.

Incarcerated workers are therefore not guaranteed sick leave, bathroom breaks, the right to unionise, or a minimum wage.

Furthermore, while many prisoners are keen to work, those that are not are coerced into doing so by threat of additional punishment. This deeply exploitative work is often reframed as “training,” or incentivised by promises of time off sentences instead of any wage at all. By pretending that they are helping prisoners improve as people, institutions using prison labour such as VUW are increasingly able to take advantage of a vulnerable group of people.

The result is an immensely cheap workforce that is powerless to bargain for its own rights, which is consistent with VUW’s

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PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS Cleaning up cups and discarded togas at 2am; reading stacks of papers for an academic committee meeting; spending a whole weekend building a website for a student campaign.

And the meetings, oh the meetings.

This column is dedicated to my incredible, tireless, executive. It’s about them being underrecognised and what I hope to do about it.

It’s often said of those who run for an executive position, most have no idea what they are getting themselves in for. This couldn’t be more true.

VUWSA executive members do a number of things. Firstly you are on the governance board of a multi-million dollar organisation which comes with significant legal responsibility and authority. Secondly you have a portfolio to look after (e.g. education or student wellbeing) and you need to be able to work with the team to see projects through from start to finish.

Thirdly you are a representative, and provide a voice to students in many different forums, within the university and beyond. Lastly, you are a volunteer doing everything that needs doing from cleaning dishes in the kitchen, to setting up for an event, to getting cups of water for the first year who had too many Cindy’s at O-Week.

Currently, six of the ten executive members at VUWSA get an annual honorarium of $2000 per year. This can work out to less than a dollar an hour for some weeks when there is a big event on. In short, it’s a joke. As an organisation that values fairness and inclusiveness, we should be providing remuneration that allows any student to run for a position regardless of their financial position.

The six who I mentioned above are required to work ten hours per week minimum. At the upcoming General Meeting I will be proposing an amendment to the constitution to allow them to be paid minimum wage for these ten hours.

Join me and support this change. Support fairness and equity for your student organisation.

— Rory Lenihan-Ikin

VUWSA Hello, I’m Lauren, a fifth year law and arts student, and I’m your education officer for 2017.

I’m going to be working with the university to make sure they’re actually giving you what you pay for with those fees that shackle you to student debt until you die a pauper’s death.

From experience, the key to university is your mindset. It’s hard, but sacrifices are necessary. You just can’t do it all and that’s fine.

Sit down with wine, a pen and paper, and have a think about where your life is headed and what you want to achieve during your time here.

I think everyone would agree that there are essentially three things you can have but you can only pick two: good grades, a social life, or money. If you want a social life and good grades, you’ll have no time for work and you’ll be broke because the living allowance doesn’t cover your rent. If you want good grades and money, you’ll save heaps because between work and the library you’ll never see a human you care about. If you want money and a social life your grades will suffer because you won’t have any time in the library and you certainly won’t have time to write a coherent 3000 word essay the night before it’s due.

High school lied: you can’t have it all.

I would recommend good grades and money.

You’ll always find a bit of time for someone if you want to. This way, at the end of university you’ll have good experience, good grades, and you’ll get a job that pays you too much so you can do the things you’ve always wanted to do.

Live now like most people won’t, so in three years you can live like most people can’t.

From someone who has almost made it to the end of this journey.

—— Lauren Daroux Greig (Education Officer)

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TE ARA TAUIRA

VOICES OF V-ISA

FROM MOUNTAINS TO SEA The other day, my kaumātua and I went for a hikoi along the Wharemauku stream on the Kapiti Coast. We walked from maunga to moana — and saw nature’s struggle with human intervention. This stream once flowed, clean and to its own accord. But now, it has quickly diminished into a murky, pond-like swamp.

On our journey we were lucky enough to witness its modest beginnings, a mere trickle in the Maungakotuktuku hills.

Before reaching the township, the stream eventuates into a mass of fast moving water, equipped with fish ladders, proper shelter and space for growth — all appropriate ecological conditions for life to thrive in the waters.

Unaware of the ruinous future that lay ahead — the Wharemauku is about to fall victim to the hands of civilisation.

Upon reaching the first drain, the second drain, the third, and so on — not only is it visible (by the copper coloured discharge) that this once clean stream has met its destiny, but it also exudes an uninspiring force of lifelessness.

Orange and rid of life, the stream settles into a stagnant body of water. Out to the moana it slowly pours its last shred of innocence.

A casualty to the concepts of progress and innovation, to the corrosive touch of industry and ignorance. A sad, and all too common conclusion for Paptūānuku today.

For the most part unfortunately, these polluted waters that fall on the shores of Raumati are the only part of the Wharemauku that people see. What I learnt from my kaumātua is how important it is to protect and preserve our waterways. In the same week that the Whanganui River was granted legal personhood, I urge Aotearoa to further take pride in maintaining the health and wellbeing of our whenua.

— Nā Ruben Toa Kearney-Parata

Konnichiwa! Halo! Bonjour! Salaam! Hi! By now I’m sure you’ve all gotten into the full swing of university life, having supposedly adjusted to unrealistic 8:30am lectures and navigated the minefield of myAllocator.

Maybe you’ve gone a step further in settling yourself here and made contact with the locals.

If you have, a few cultural differences probably stood out immediately to you.

One common question: why do Kiwis go barefoot? And no, the answer isn’t that they are a special breed of particularly tall hobbit.

People here just don’t see a need to follow the global status quo if it’s not comfortable.

Another baffler: “sweet as”. It doesn’t make any grammatical sense in English, Māori, or NZ Sign Language (the three national languages), yet it’s one of the most commonly used phrases. Many have fallen into this cultural trap. The more narcissistic of us think, “I know my ass is pretty sweet but did they really just say that out loud?” Humble people just smile and wait expectantly for the rest of the sentence — sweet as what? If you ever encounter this, ignore the “as” — it’s like the “h” in “chrome”, there but not really there.

Personal space (or the lack of ) is also something people find different about NZ, with locals being more on the “touchy-feely” side.

Handshakes are a rare occurrence; they do occur, but only after successful interviews. Hugs and back-slaps are the greeting of choice. So if you’re not into PDA be sure to perfect your high-fives.

Although some people will ignore your raised hand and go in for a hug anyway.

To sum it up, Kiwi culture is casual. So get out there, have fun, make mistakes, and collect funny stories to tell your friends and family back home! Most importantly, just be you!

— Hannah Wee ( V-ISA Executive)

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Columns

AN INCONVENIENT POST-TRUTH

When it comes to climate change, politicians and scientists get along like the Titanic and a (rapidly shrinking) iceberg. Climate scientists have historically been ignored or had their findings downplayed by legislators, and now politicians are facing the consequences of downplaying a threat that can’t be debated or easily scapegoated. In a time where every previous year has been the Hottest On Record, that deliberate ignorance could have grave consequences for the people they govern.

The day Trump took office saw the removal of the Climate Change page from the White House website, as well as any mention of renewable energy. His 2018 budget plan is also set to cut around US$7 billion from federal science research programs, including US$3 billion from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which is currently being run by climate skeptic Scott Pruitt. Trump has also committed to making the most of America’s oil and natural gas reserves, perhaps feeling some kindred association with major sources of hot air.

Some scientists have taken matters into their own hands to preserve their work. The day before Trump’s inauguration, a group of 60 hackers, scientists, and librarians got together at the University of Pennsylvania and gathered as many EPA and NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) web pages and data sets as they could find to be archived on the internet. This included important climate data like the yearly CO2 content of Antarctic ice core samples and the entire library of the EPA’s air monitoring history. The data was then all put into a digital “bag” to be archived at datarefuge.org and the Internet Archive, where it would be safe from Orwellian alterations by the incoming administration. Basically, a refuge for facts, should anyone want to believe in them.

Speaking of refuge, there is evidence to suggest that social instability, population movement, and climate change are linked. Manmade climate change was thought to be one of the major stressors behind the political unrest in

Syria, as record-long regional droughts forced rural farmers to abandon their livelihoods and move into the cities, bringing them into direct conflict with the Assad regime. In 2015, the governments of islands on low-lying atolls such as Samoa, Fiji, and Tokelau came together to petition larger countries to create an international body to coordinate mass population movement in the wake of rising sea levels. The term “climate refugee” has started to come into use, especially as climate change is as much the fault of humans as any war or civil strife.

But the advent of that term creates two problems. First, the governments being petitioned to accept these displaced people have to acknowledge that climate change is indeed a pressing issue that they will have to take steps and spend money to resolve. Second, the people fleeing their country for reasons beyond their control will have to live with the label of refugee, which is still seen by the international community as a negative term connoting victimhood and an inability to contribute to society. Presently the term “climate refugee” has no legal meaning, but Immigration New Zealand reports that in the past five years, 11 people from island nations such as Kiribati, Samoa, and Tuvalu have petitioned the government to let them stay in the country on climate change-related grounds.

While legally dubious, there is some sense in recognising the role climate change will play in global population movement going forward. Especially since 250 million people worldwide are expected to be displaced from their homes for climate change-related reasons by 2050. Not enough time to evolve gills, but perhaps enough to propose tax credits on an aqualung.

— Gus Mitchell

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Columns

ONE OCEAN For Teresia Shy admission: more than once I caught my breath, with how much there was to admire.

Diplomat: representing us overseas with your not-missing-a-beat articulate Truth teller: revealing and peeling off your skin in front of students unaccustomed to real, in school assemblies when in uniform.

Activist: in front of everyone that little bit braver, than the rest of us.

Karlo Mila, “For Teresia” — Each Poem A Prayer for our Fiery Canoe.

No matter how hard Wellington blew the light cotton of the tibuta and sulu, Teresia would wear it every year to welcome the new PASI101 cohort, climbing up from 6 Kelburn Parade with her water bottle and box of papers. The throngs of naïve freshies (in both senses of the slang) she has welcomed onto the metaphorical va’a that is Pacific Studies, all claim to have a special connection with her — the craziest thing is that we all do (how did she remember all our names?).

We, her students, sat in a circle fighting back those infamous salt tears, from that ocean within us, and shared memories of her: how she’d stuffed a whole packet of tamarind lollies from Fiji in her purse, how she had the best connections and a knack for knowing exactly who needed to be connected, how she’d text Jamie every morning so he’d get to class on time. How she’d push us to stop selling ourselves short, how she’d laugh at us and herself in equal measure. And in between the little drips of the much needed laughter there was silence. The type of silence that comes when the grief is still too raw to be made sense of.

“But when one is mourning, when one is mourning, when one is mourning... one welcomes silence.”

Teresia Teaiwa — “The Thing Is…” from Essays for Epeli Hau’ofa.

In her native language of Gilbertese a goodbye is roughly translated into “We will see you again” — ti a boo. And we will see her again. We’ll see her in every poem that could've only been written cause the poet was pushed by her, we’ll see her at every West Papua protest filled with people who were introduced to their struggle for independence because of her. We’ll see her when our ideas of Pasifika and Oceania are explored, expanded, and reframed, because that is what she taught us. And in typical Teresia form, we’ll see her again in her words, this is where the greatest comfort is. You can hear her laugh when you read her essay eulogising Epeli Hau’ofa, you can feel her warmth when you listen to the recording of Fear of Flying in Broken Gilbertese.

In my ideal Pacific things wouldn’t be perfect but everyone would learn deeply from their mistakes like the sharks that WWF has tracked diving to depths of 1000 metres or more on their journeys around the Pacific Teresia Teaiwa — “In My Ideal Pacific” Finally, on behalf of the 17 years of Pasifika — or rather in the spirit of Epeli, Oceanian — students here at Victoria, we’d like to send our loloma, alofa, aloha, aroha, tangirai, ofa, and love to her colleagues at Va’aomanū Pasifika and especially to her family Sean, Mānoa, and Vaitoa, and to the Teaiwa family. Thank you for the light that you have shared with us.

Moce Teresia.

Ni qai gole ena vakacegu.

We love you. Full speed, no brakes.

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Columns

VIC UFO Here are a few of the things said by my family when I told them I needed to write the Vic UFO column for Salient: • Let me volunteer! I want to say something!

• That’s lame.

• Oh man, this is going to cause arguments…

• All I have to say is that feminism is really important in today’s society.

• Oh god, I read this article on Stuff about this guy whining about how he took paternity leave when his child was born and complained that his career was ruined because of it. Like, welcome to the real world of being a woman!

• Can your column be about how horrible clothes from the mid-2000s are?

• I love Jelly-Tip ice cream!

• There’s another article I read about a woman who didn’t take her husband’s name when they got married.

• That’s not a big deal, lots of women do that now, especially if they have a career.

• I’d never hyphenate... there wasn’t enough room on a cheque book form when we got married.

• I’m really enjoying watching Downton Abbey on Netflix again.

• At least Hilary had experience at being a politician.

• Hilary and Trump are just as bad as each other, they’re both awful people.

• But Bernie, while I agree with about 99% of what he says, would not have been able to do anything. He would have been in a headlock against Congress on any reform.

• Justin Trudeau is just Donald Trump with better hair.

• Does anyone remember that weird gangster ‘S’ that everyone used to do in primary school?

Where did that even come from?

• Feminism is good as long as you’re not a jerk about it.

• Hey mum, when are you going to get your nails done?

• I love Meryl Streep.

— Alex Feinson

TOKEN CRIPPLE Thanks to a friend of mine I now have a business card. I keep a handful of them in the pocket of a green tweed jacket and it makes me feel a bit smug knowing they are there.

It also helps me take on the world.

They inform people that I am an ordinary human going about my day and details all the kinds of help people have offered me in the past that I could do without. For example: being told I am an inspiration, unsolicited prayers, propulsion, and life advice.

This was the tidiest of ideas collected from a Facebook thread where I surveyed (vented at) my friends about having been stopped in the rain so a stranger could tell me they were inspired by the simple fact I'd done my supermarket shopping. This is a mundane, day-to-day thing that happens so often I should be unsurprised. But every time I am torn between wanting to impress upon them that my life isn't as bad as they think, and wanting to tell them to leave me alone.

Difference and different bodies seem to make us public property. The lines of social etiquette are not quite as invisible if you prompt questions for the person looking at you.

Politeness makes it hard for me to know how to respond and I find myself often putting their curiosity before my right to just get on with life. It has taken a while to settle on something that strikes the balance between “thanks but no thanks” and “f*** off.” This solution makes me smile. Any other tactics out there?

— Henrietta Bollinger

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TINDER SURPRISE You meet up with a super cute guy. He’s exactly the perfect height for you and you spend the evening spinning great yarns and, later on... you happen to be naked in his bed lying on his chest after having some hot, kinda rough, sex.

However it’s been a few days and you haven’t heard from him and you would have way preferred to have gotten this kind of action again. Casual sex is the best and always kind of the worst.

Pro: You get to experience a range of people and explore what you like! (Obviously if you are in a committed polyamorous relationship you can do this too). Which is totally cool and I can happily say from personal experience I don’t have a solid preference but enjoy.

Con: Inconsistent sex. This may not be an issue for everyone. But if you are horny 24/7 like me, or have a high libido, finding reliable sex or sex at all can feel like going out into the bush in hopes of finding some non-poisonous berries. When you don’t have that ~certain someone/s~ in your life then knowing when your next root session can be a bit hard to estimate Pro: If the sex sucks you don’t have to see them again.

Sex can be awkward or just not great. You can just break the news that you’d rather be friends or something.

Con: Fears of being clingy/annoying to people you are casually seeing. You’re really keen to see that person from last week but they haven’t messaged you??? Do you bother messaging them or just leave it? This is one of the bigger cons I find with casual dating and sex.

Something to think about this week.

Much intimacy, Tinder Surprise xoxo

SPORTS FASHION ADVICE FROM A SPORTS FAN I grew up a fan of Newcastle United FC when everyone at school supported Manchester United. This was not by choice. Rather, it was an unfortunate inheritance of birth, like my receding hairline, as my dad and his dad were both from Newcastle. That’s how fandom worked; it was passed on through marriage or birth and based on location and the access this granted to the team. Since I’ve supported Newcastle they have been relegated twice, sold all their best players, and the billionaire owner exposed for horrific business practices.

Yet here I am, a fan still devoted to the black and white.

In NZ my dad lost pretty much all access to the team. Few games were broadcast even when SkyTV became a thing and coverage was dedicated almost solely to the major clubs.

Even finding results was difficult. Teletext was the saviour. For those too young to remember, Teletext was a channel on pre-digital TVs that contained program guides, news, sport results, horoscopes, etc. It was basically the internet but slower and filled with far fewer cats. It was a pain to use and difficult to read and this nightmare was what people lived before Google.

Now any live match is an illegal stream away and kids grow up watching highlights on YouTube. In this new world, fandom is becoming more nebulous, less about local allegiance and increasingly attached to individual athletes. And here’s my problem: I consistently see “fans” wearing competing team logos, say a Lakers singlet with a Celtic hat, and this is quite unconscionable. If you aren’t going to pick a team to throw all your support behind, at least act like a knowledgable fan and respect the importance of allegiance and rivals, otherwise you look like a hypocrite..

— Tom Danby

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Features

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’ ´

My mother used to say I never fell in love with the things that mattered. When I was fourteen, I brought home a little cat from the street, named him Julius Caesar. His fur was matted with dirt and blood and last night’s rain.

When I searched for a collar under the fur of his neck, all I found was hair. When I told my mother, all she said was, that’s ridiculous, it’s a kitten not a Roman dictator. I stuck my tongue out, said, you’re hurting his feelings.

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Julius Caesar had a small pink nose. Every morning, he nudged it against my skin and mewed softly into my hair. He left golden brown fur everywhere like dandelion wisps, and I found bits of it all over my clothing. I told him everything: how we went on a class trip to the ocean, how the water could never quite catch on my fingers, how if I squinted enough I could pretend to see a whole new city. At home, I spent hours sitting in the garden, gluing sticks and leaves together into a crown and putting them on his little head. I pretended it was the Olympics and that we won, every time. When I saw my mother glaring at me from the kitchen window, I quickly went back inside.

On my fifteenth birthday, my mother baked me a chocolate cake. I was halfway through my second slice when Julius Caesar coughed up a hairball on the dining room floor. My mother had been in the middle of telling me about a new bookstore that had opened up recently. She stopped and stared, her mouth slightly parted as Caesar padded away to the living room. I jumped up, dropping my spoon on my plate with a clatter.

When I went to put Julius Caesar’s rubbish in the trash, I saw the scrunched up plastic package of a cake from New World.

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Emma Shi

When In Rome

Stop spending so much time with that kitten, my mother said to me, and I said instead, watch this, look what we’ve been doing. Then I said something in Latin she didn’t understand and Julius Caesar raised his paw up to me, tilting his head slightly as he waited.

I shook his paw softly and said, nice to meet you, then looked up at my mother. Isn’t he smart? I said and my mother whispered, yes, smart just like you, and walked away.

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’ ´

Julius Caesar died in 44BC and Julius Caesar died in 2014AD. The first was cremated and the second was buried in the garden. When my mother asked where he was, I just said, gone, and brushed leftover cat hair from my shirt. I turned another page in my textbook and went back to repeating conjugations in my head. A week later, the scholarship offer came in the mail.

Julius Caesar had been dead for two thousand years and Julius Caesar had been dead for two months when I took the taxi alone to the airport. My mother stayed standing at the doorway of her home and I told myself not to turn around. When I finally gave in, it was far enough away that she’d turned blurry and I could pretend her eyes were red with tears. After the fourhour plane ride, I sent her pictures of the buildings and the ocean and the sky, said, isn’t this place beautiful? I’m in love. She didn’t reply.

WHEN IN ROME — EMMA SHI

Claudia Silva silva.claudia@outlook.com

Claudia Silva is a Wellington-based photographer who uses a 35mm Canon 500, and occasionally her iPhone. The photographs above have been run through a duo-filter. You can view and read her photo essay, “An Ode to a Short-Lasting Summer�, on salient.org.nz.

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Features Written by Mikee Sto Domingo

On Beauty Mama was the first thing I ever thought was beautiful. Her hair is smooth and black and her milky skin is always somehow glossy. In my childish wonder, her high, round cheekbones and remote expression seemed to give her a regal tranquillity, the aloof aura of a prinsesa. But she is provincial, an insignificant daughter of an Ilocano chicken farmer, and whenever she smiles with her grey teeth, or when she laughs like a duck quacking, you know that this is not a genuine mestiza. Nonetheless, she was beautiful to me.

A butterfly was interesting to look at, a poem only had a point if it rhymed, and a sunset was just the curtain falling on my afternoon at Gracefield Park.

But these were not beautiful. I knew after Papa had said she was — that was the first way I encountered the word. He has a wide mouth and bulging lower-cheeks, and when he barks things it’s as though he were speaking through a mouthful of food. Through the invisible morsel he hides in his jowls, he would say, “your Mama is bee-uuu-tea-pul.” The way it sounded coming from Papa proved that the signifier can bear little resemblance to the signified. But for me, Mama preceded beauty, she gave the word its definition; no one ever had to explain its meaning to me. I used to pray at night, dear God, please make me as beautiful as Mama (plus the addendum inspired by Westside Story: but more charming and witty).

Eventually I realised that my mother was not the most beautiful woman in the world. The prayers stopped. I abandoned my faith in God’s benevolence and in her beauty. What succeeded her was a greater awareness, subliminally communicated to me by those angelic Others.

The little seraphim with their unblemished white skin, haloed by the downy blonde hairs which caught the light against their plump cheeks, their hair streaked by gold because the sun, which deigned to always darken me, made them only brighter; that was where beauty resided. Each year, there was always a new (and yet somehow always the same) dainty lily who was heralded as the prettiest girl in class. I never suffered the rumours that someone might fancy me, and I would never be the source of a rivalry between Brendon Daly and Shaun Lomack who, one year, both aged nine, competed for the affections of the exquisitely Anglo-Saxon Amelia Richardson. I was a swift learner, and very quickly I knew that my mother was not beautiful and neither was I. Childhood is full of Wittgenstein’s ladders. Beauty is something I have learned and unlearned repeatedly, and now I will try to learn it again.

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Mikee Sto Domingo

On Beauty

Beauty is political. The white body is upheld as the apex of human beauty as well as the creator of beautiful things. Men are taught to want to possess it; women are inculcated to want to embody it. It’s extraordinary to think that beauty was once considered benign; the apotheosis of goodness and an end unto itself. Beauty now has no such throne; it has been overthrown and beaten into submission. It survived the ugliness of WWI and WWII and the ensuing existential crises and abjurations of old ideals. It bared its teeth through avant-garde assassination attempts, and it trailed bloody and high through the economic, political and social upheavals of the ’60s through to the ’90s. In the present it lays panting, tenuously leashed to the whims of markets, ethics, and politics. Of course, politics and power were always covert in beauty; movements such as Black is Beautiful in the 1960s merely worked to expose such structures.

This awareness now means that beauty can be actively weaponised and, more presciently (more exhaustingly), commercialised.

In 2004, Dove launched its mission to encourage “women” to “Love your Body” (for it is imperative that cisgendered women love, or at least want to love, their bodies), presenting its uplifting mantra in an advertising campaign that featured laughing women of all different shapes, sizes, and colours. Well, they must love their bodies; why else would they be laughing. One woman even bore a glancing resemblance to my mother.

The common response to the campaign can be summarised as now those are real women. “Real”, in this instance, equates to beautiful — “real” being yet another nebulous term that calls for unpacking. Exposure and elevation is the modus operandi of such campaigns. Love your Body was Dove venturing to reform our ideas about what constitutes a beautiful body and, while it may have had some unverifiable success in this regard, the clandestine aim was to sell soaps. That which is inane is usually morally permissible.

However beauty is not always so docile: exposure and elevation is constantly in action in media, in art, in life, even in acts of brutality.

In 2001, the composer Karl Heinz Stockhausen proclaimed the tragedy of September 9/11 to be “the greatest work of art ever.” He was met with outrage. That something terrible or violent could be raised to the status of beauty or the sublime insults our peaceable sensibilities; it’s not what we trained beauty to be.

Naturally, we insist on the goodness of beautiful things, so attached are we to our guilt-free pleasures. Consensus in some contemporary circles has it that Vladimir Nabokov’s Lolita expresses an antipaedophilia message. Perhaps due to its moral weight, this reading is often

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Features

espoused by its adherents as The Truth of Lolita. Notwithstanding the troubling content, Nabokov’s prose style is still considered beautiful by many. Here is a more disturbing proposition: perhaps the content of Lolita is what entices readers and the “beauty” of the prose is merely a justification for reading it. But the form and content of beauty is not so easily separated. In the novel Beloved, Toni Morrison describes Sethe recalling the site of her former enslavement: “There was Sweet Home rolling, rolling, rolling out before her eyes, and although there was not a leaf on that farm that did not make her want to scream, it rolled itself out before her in shameless beauty.”

Beauty does not become ugly by virtue of its indifference to human suffering. The desire to control what people find appealing is understandable, and perhaps in the future there exists a utopia where what is beautiful is always harmless. But the potentiality to bring about harm seems somehow indispensable to the concept of beauty. Without this, I think it is sad and pitiful, like those sedate tigers that sit around the temples in Thailand. Or like my mother’s aged body, absent of the envy it once induced.

There are philosophers (Schopenhauer, Weil, Scarry, Murdoch, among others) who, broadly speaking, suggest that beauty encourages us to think of the world beyond ourselves. It “decentres” or “unselfs” us.

Beauty, in this view, catalyses a quasi-spiritual unification of the self, the world, and the Other. With a little rhetorical gymnastics, we could easily synthesise this concept with the popularly held interrelationship between beauty, truth, harmony, and symmetry. Something like, “beauty decentres/unselfs us; we cease to place disproportionate focus on ourselves and therefore stand in symmetry/harmony with the Other/world/truth,” will do for now. There are straightforward problems in this. First is the mistaken proviso that we are good people who experience beauty in nontreacherous ways. Next is the conflation of the world and Other with the object of beauty. Against the point of unselfing, when I hear a song I like, I don’t become less solipsistic: I like it because it enhances my solitude.

The ethicist now moves to borrow from Habermas. We are the Other; our experience of beauty relies on there being an Other. You should want to safeguard the welfare of Amelia Richardson because she is part of the reason you can experience beauty in the first place, it doesn’t matter that she and every iteration of her is what made Mama deficient.

I tire of the shifting moods of politics and ethics, and I assign little authority to the beholder’s eye. I’m young enough to feel that I’m entitled to a little certainty — what is beautiful? We have canons that set

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Mikee Sto Domingo

On Beauty

the bar for books, music, film, and art, and though they are fraught with contentions, they give us something, however precarious, to hitch our tastes to. Did Brendon Daly and Shaun Lomack draw from a canon when they decided that Amelia Richardson was beautiful? Freud might say they learned it from their daddies. Harold Bloom would probably tell me that Shakespeare had something to do with it. The Ancient Greeks say that beauty is “being of one’s hour,” but the ontological questioning this provokes is tedious to contemplate. Umberto Eco says that beauty is a high level of order, but I’m a lover of discord. Keats tells me that beauty is truth and a joy forever, but that is decidedly bullshit. I’m more inclined to believe Tolstoy, who tells me that the delusion that beauty is goodness is a complete one. Complete delusion — that is a significant point of progress, for I’m very fond of delusion, it’s a habit of mine. I was deluded, for example, to think that my mother was the most beautiful thing in the world. I was deluded to believe that Amelia Richardson manifested some truth hitherto unbeknownst to me. Beauty can’t be trusted.

Surface, Patrick Bateman tells me, is all that offers any meaning. For obvious reasons, I don’t want to take his word for it. Plato, remind me of your ideal, tell me something useful in a way that is not just pontificating, rise from the dead and tell me; is my Mama beautiful?

The answer, like with all philosophical questions, is just another riddle.

I’ll have to fashion my own solution which, as always, is the concealment of my confusion through verbosity. I am indecisive, muddleheaded. Too often I forget what I saw in an object I thought was beautiful, and I will go on to urge a friend to listen to this song, look at this image, read these lines; do they hear it, see it? I try to resurrect beauty, to relive it through them. Is my Mama beautiful? Will you tell me? It is mercurial, unfaithful. To me, beauty is elusive because it is not tame. I recoil at sentimentality, but anything less will sound like despair, so forgive me this: that which has “beauty” bears the seedlings of love, and we love the things we believe might free us. Deliver us from banality. Liberate us from ourselves and our pain, from the incessant and furious state of living in the present. A beautiful thing renews our sense of possibility. I struggle to think of cogent examples to make this meaning concrete, but here are a few. The sea. The summer trees pregnant with fruit and heavy with birds. The tender memory of a mother’s beauty. Return.

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Features

When will Pasifika Success just be… success?

My name is Dexter Stanley-Tauvao. I am proud to be Samoan. I have Ton gan , G e r m a n , D utc h , a n d Ch in e s e her it age. However, I grew up mostly observing and taking part in Samoan culture and customs (although I am a fluent German speaker). My parents split when I was very young, and I grew up with my mother's family. I come from the villages Vailoa-Faleata (grandmother) and Taga i Savai’i (grandfather). I know that my father was born in Vaitogi, American Samoa, my paternal grandfather is from Ne’iafu, and my grandmother is of Tongan and Papua New Guinean descent. I was born in Lower Hutt, Wellington, so I am also a “Kiwi-born Samoan.”

?

uvao

ey-Ta r Stanl Written by Written

by Dexte Dexter Stanley-Tauvao

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Dexter Stanley-Tauvao

That last label comes with certain expectations and stereotypes.

I n Ne w Z e a l a n d , I'm e xpe c te d to do we l l a t r u g by or in mus ic, b u t n o t muc h e ls e. My parents are assumed to work in a factory or as cleaners. The thing is, I am a rugby loving music major, and yes my mum did work as a cleaner, and grandpa was a wharfie in the ’80s.

I acknowledge the privilege that I’ve grown up with though. My mother and her siblings were all educated here in New Zealand. I know many s t u d e n t s w h o a re a ls o the fi r st i n t h e i r fa m ilie s to be at u n i ve r si t y, t o g r adua te.

In the home we spoke both Samoan and English. For some families, one language is sacrificed for the other.

I didn’t grow up having to support my family financially or otherwise; my brother did and still does. Many Pasifika students have to do this either alongside studying or instead of studying. I’ve been fortunate to have had this freedom compared to other Pasifika students — being allowed to move out and work for my own interests instead of for the interests of my family is definitely not a given in our culture, and is not often the case.

I'm entering my fifth year of study here at Victoria. I have finished a conjoint BMus/BA majoring in

When will Pasifika Success just be… success?

Jazz Performance and German respectively, as well as a Graduate Certificate in TESOL. This year I'm doing Honours in BMus. I've been living, studying, and working in the city for the past two years, and am planning on studying further into Master’s, and at some point travelling the world either studying or working. I think as a student I've been fairly “successful.”

In the context of Pasifika students in tertiary education, I might be perceived as a rarity. However, in the context of my family, my achievements are quite ordinary.

I'm not the first in my family to go to university and get a degree — my mum and aunty have done that already, and they both became English t eac hers in S outh Korea. My grandparents met as teachers back home in Samoa. I have cousins who, as musicians, have toured i n t e r n a t i o n a l l y , either with their own work or playing alongside major international artists. I have cousins and uncles who have played international rugby and NFL around the world. Other family members and are doing well for themselves as lawyers, or church ministers, building communities and influencing them for the better. At the risk of sounding like I’m bragging, these academic and professional achievements feel more

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or less normal to me. I do feel a little pressure to live up to the family legacy, but also I think that achieving at these levels shouldn't feel so unique and surprising.

Features

On one hand, I am proud to represent my people wherever I can.

I lo ve my her it age and know f or sure that I wouldn't be the person I am today were I raised in any other way. But I' ve also just H o w e v e r, m y “s u c c e s s ” be e n a n aver age st udent . I i s o f t e n f r a m e d a s n e w, we n t to universit y. I lear ned o r g r o u n d b r e a k i n g . Perhaps things. I did well at those things. it's because I'm the first in my There were necessary sacrifices along generation to study at university, or the way of time, energy, a social life, because I'm doing better than what etc. But I was just doing what was is typically expected of a brown required of me — nothing special. boy. B ut t h e re a re p le n t y of There aren't many of us doing what I Pas ifik a pe o pl e w h o h a ve do, granted, but sometimes I feel like c om p let e d d o c t o r a te s or a re being put on a pedestal hinders what wo rk in g a ro u n d t he wor ld — I think or at least hope our main making it big-time. I may be one of goal as a people is — to see Pasifika t he f e w c u r re n t stude n ts in success as a normality. m y specific situation right now, but it's not like we as a people haven't For so long there's been the mindset been a t t h i s a c a d e m i c l e v e l of “prove you can match it with b e f o r e . T h i s i s n’t n e w. the white man,” or “you can do as they do.” I think this has been Why is it that when people hear a drawn out and well-battered me speak English, they're surprised declaration from colonisation: “the at how well spoken I am? Why do white man thinks you’re dumb, you people look at me funny if I walk can’t make it.” by dressed in a suit, even when everyone else on the street is dressed Just this morning I was listening the same? The majority of people to a first year Māori-Samoan that hear about my “successes” are vent about a fellow anthropology genuinely happy for me but their student who said to her, get this, appreciation often makes it sound “are you on a hardship scholarship? like I'm breaking barriers and That’s the only way Samoans get should be made a special example of: in here is with those hardship L ook at this Pacific scholarships.” This reminds me of I s l a n d b o y, h e ' s d o i n g when I copped a bit of flack from my well! friends when, back in high school,

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Dexter Stanley-Tauvao

When will Pasifika Success just be… success?

I was awarded a Victoria Achiever Scholarship, a scholarship available for “ M āo r i st u d e n t s, Pac ific s tude n ts , s tud ent s w it h disabilit ies, s tuden t s f rom d e c ile 1–3 s c h ools , a n d st udent s who c an d e m on s t r a t e fi n a ncial hardship. ” While the Excellence Scholarship was in place for anyone that achieved NCEA Level Two with Excellence, the Achiever Scholarship only required a Merit Endorsement. It was a s tr an ge f e e l i n g, h a v in g be e n g ive n a n award w hile having p e r f or m e d a t a level lower than the other students who were receiving their scholarships.

?

“Aren’t those scholarships racist?”

“Maybe I should claim that 1/64th Māori in me and get a scholarship like that.”

O in f co eq u ua rse lit th y, er po e ve are rty s ,s o m oc a io ny ec f on ac om tor ic s th pr at eju m di ea ce n , a th nd is at is d tit efi ud n es ite . ly no tt he

ca se :

42 Features

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Dexter Stanley-Tauvao

On the one hand I think, how are we supposed to get past the stereotypes and snide thoughts if our standards are lower than theirs?

However, I also recognise that these programs and projects have been put in place to help increase our numbers here — which is fantastic. The scholarships and grants are an attempt for equity in an institution that has historically and systematically excluded Pacific people (and other minority groups).

So we have a lot of c a t c h i n g u p t o d o . This is a great step toward our goal of normality, but eventually we’re going to have to take these scaffolds away — we’ve got to have the same standards and goal posts as everyone else.

Of course there are so many factors that mean this is definitely not the case: inequality, poverty, socioeconomic prejudice, and attitudes. B u t I a l so f e e l th a t the be st w ay t o p romote th e no r ma l i t y o f Pa si fika s uc c e s s i s to tre a t i t a s su c h . I don’t mean to disrespect those who see my successes as an inspiration for our people — if I can i n s p i re anyon e to work hard for themselves, it is an honour — and for the time being, someone in my position may be a bit of a standout.

When will Pasifika Success just be… success?

Just getting to university is celebrated by our people. I remember the joy in my grandma’s face when she found out I was going to university. It would have been a reason to celebrate because that was the primary reason why she and my grandfather moved here in the late ’70s — a b e t t e r l i f e , education, and set of opportunities for their c h i l d r e n . I don’t want to take away from that at all. But I hope for the day when people in my situation aren’t celebrated as especially unique or incredible, where Pasifika success is commonplace and not something to be surprised about.

But when someone asks me what it means to be a successful Pasifika student here at Victoria University, it brings with it a raft of thoughts and feelings. I am blessed and very fortunate to be in the position I am in, but I don't want to be seen as an outlier or statistical anomaly.

I a ppreciat e t hat in t his poin t in t ime, I may be an e xc e pti on t o t he nor m.

B ut I want t o work t owards c h a n g i ng t he nor m.

O ur

n o r m.

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ARTS

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Haiku

HAiku!

what an idiot

W hat the actual fuc k Are you fuc king kidding me W hy would you do that?

I onl y lo ved you And you pul l this shit on me I c an't belie ve this.

It happened again W hat a fuc king idiot.

How dumb c an I be?

And yet I stil l bleed, Her face stil l lingers in thoughts, S o, what c an I do? — Angus D unn

And Lucy and George, you’re doing the first show at MEANWHILE’s new premises. Do you want to tell me a little bit about the show and your practice?

Lucy: George and I have been working on our project Undercovers for just under a year. The project is based on the ideas of masturbation, and the taboo around the topic — why it doesn’t get discussed. We wanted to make participatory art in an installation environment that opened up those conversations about masturbation and what it means to our bodies and our minds and our beings.

George: Yeah, we wanted to talk about how masturbation is a form of self-care and appreciation and comfort for ourselves.

Jesse, can you introduce MEANWHILE? Jesse: We opened on July 27 last year. We were kind of founded through Club Mirage [Auckland-based contemporary art space] and now are here, no longer involved with Club Mirage. When we first started, they gifted us the space and now we’ve moved past that point; we’ve come into our teenage years, I guess. We’ve gone from figuring out how to do it, to now knowing how to do it, but still trying to write the whole ethos of it.

Is there a potentially ephemeral nature to the shows here?

Do you document them? I think you’ve said before that the fickle nature of the artist-run space is reflected in your name and there’s a certain vulnerability that becomes quite apparent when you are put at the mercy of the real estate market, like you have been. If you hadn’t found this space you might have begun to exist exclusively through that documentation of what you had achieved.

You went to Massey, Callum and Jordana [co-founders of Meanwhile] went to Massey, and Lucy and George also went to Massey. And that’s kind of the nature of being in Wellington, isn’t it. Is that reflected in your programme?

Jesse: No. We don’t try and reflect Massey art culture. We’re trying to broaden the Wellington arts community from this kind of “mategroup” into something more active and involving for a broader audience.

How we went about choosing what we were going to do wasn’t biased towards whether you were in Wellington or not, it was more about how the work would engage the community. There are things that we don’t see a lot here because we only have dealer galleries and large institutions and a lot of those spaces aren’t very inclusive.

MEANWHILE is an artist-run initiative founded by Jesse Bowling, Jordana Bragg, and Callum Devlin. Previously located at 35 Victoria Street, they have just moved the gallery and artist studio spaces to 99 Willis Street. The first show at their new location is Undercovers — a collaboration between Lucy Wardle and George Banach-Salas. Hanahiva Rose sat down with Jesse, Lucy, and George to talk about the new space and exhibition.

INTERVIEW WITH MEANWHILE

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— Hanahiva Rose

I was walking here and went past the old location, which always seemed like a slightly funny spot — neighboured by the police station and Family Planning. It felt very CBD. And here feels different, but it’s only just up the road.

Jesse: About 150 metres up the road. I think that space was just on the fringes but this is in amongst it. We’ve never really been interested in Cuba Street and the “Cuba Quarter”, especially because the rent is soaring there. It’s similar to K Rd in Auckland where the rent is rising and rising and the artist-run initiatives, which have always been centred there, are beginning to be pushed out. Gentrification is the reason we had to leave our old space, and by buying into Cuba Street or K Rd you’re buying into the gentrification of those areas. We just don’t want to be a part of that centralisation of culture.

Jesse: We document them and they’ll be posted on our website, which will hopefully be live next week. Our website is going to act as the archive. Documentation kind of solidifies the act in history. That’s why we did WHAT HAVE WE DONE, our publication. If we had had to move out, and couldn’t find a new place, or something happened, at least we would have that record. I think documentation is important for other people to be able to look back at.

Undercovers runs until April 8. MEANWHILE is open Wednesday to Saturday, 12.00–5.30pm.

For you as artists, what attracts you to a space like MEANWHILE? Lucy: I think the experimentation. It can be quite hard if you come up with an idea that doesn’t particularly fit into a certain category of gallery. When we were planning this show we were trying to think of spaces in which it could fit and I was confident we could approach MEANWHILE. I feel like Wellington hasn’t really had an active artist-run space or a more experimental, young, fresh gallery, so it’s really exciting to be a part of something that’s still growing.

George: I’ve always wanted to be a part of an artist-run space.

I’ve always thought it seemed like a very natural way to operate as an artist. I’ve never really felt like my practice fitted into a kind of “white-box” gallery and, while there’s white walls here, I don’t feel like MEANWHILE is that at all. It doesn’t have that exclusionary element that the typical white-box gallery does and because I’m not personally interested in making work to sell, trying to make work for dealer galleries doesn’t really suit me. Working within an artist-run space where the show is for experience and exposure makes more sense for me.

These are very tactile works, but how exactly do these big, cushy objects come into play when we’re talking about masturbation? What are they?

Lucy: We wanted to be really ambiguous and kind of abstract.

We thought about the shapes and imagery and feelings that are intertwined with masturbation and the body and then erased some of the elements from those shapes to make them more abstract.

George: We’ve used a lot of pink and blue, which might come off as quite gendered, but really that was just more of a colour balance that we were interested in. We did want to take it away from being specifically gendered, although we’re more focused towards femmeidentified people because that’s what we are. The objects can interact with each other in a way that you would interact with yourself.

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A Tale of Love — Linda Lê (translated by Sian Robyns)

I am drawn to love stories easily, like a moth to a porch light — I’m a romantic at heart.

But I soon grow sick of them, because as well as being a romantic, I’m a pragmatist and a Kiwi. So first I think, aww... and then I think, yes, well, all right then, no need to go on about it.

A Tale of Love is a passionate, tumultuous narrative of transformative love. There is Ylane, a young woman wrestling with depression, and there is Ivan, running from his abusive father and unable to stop, and there is, in a likeable twist, the author herself, speaking as the obvious creator of both these lives. The author is haunted by the bird of ill omen, a personification of her drive to write conflicting with her own insecurities. But she persists, and is engulfed by her lovers in their mad world.

Ylane and Ivan first meet in a psychiatric hospital, where she is struggling with a depressive relapse, and he has just attempted suicide as a result of an extended manic episode.

Their first shared glance is immediately felt as a new beginning, as fate, as if this was what their lives had been building to.

As a romantic, I was caught up in it all. But, skeptically, I still wondered if this was possible, if love really was, or should be, this insane. The mental torment afflicting the two main characters was almost unbearable, so honest and frightening and black in the way that it was, that I felt I was drowning a little bit in this too.

I must add, Lê’s novel was translated from French into English by Victoria University’s own Sian Robyns, which is very cool, and she did a fantastic job recreating the feel of the French grammatical rhythm.

Quite lovely.

— Kimberley McIvor

Books

Lincoln in the Bardo — George Saunders On the February 20, 1862, William Wallace Lincoln died of typhoid fever at the age of 11. This was particularly tough for his father, President Abraham Lincoln, who was also trying to fight the American Civil War at the same time. This tragic event is used as the backdrop and playground for George Saunders’ historical fantasy novel, Lincoln in the Bardo.

From the first page, Saunders promises a fashionable and modern sense of cleverness.

Arranged marriages are frowned upon.

Numerous historical sources are knitted together to tell one coherent story. This is a 21st century novel, even though the book is set in 1862.

Yet the reader soon realises that this is used as a springboard. We are catapulted to the “Bardo”, the world where the dead go. All the ghosts who inhabit the Bardo come across as different narrators, who “take over the story” for a few paragraphs at a time and speak in their own unique prose. This constant code-switching tells one overlapping story but offers different perspectives. For example, Abraham Lincoln is described by one onlooker as sobbing, and by another as gasping. Yet in between all these literary techniques, which may make it hard to read, there is a beautiful simplicity.

James Joyce’s Ulysses, a modernist Bible, can be boiled down to a man coming to grips with his wife cheating on him. Much in the same way, Lincoln in the Bardo, underneath its arty-farty elitist exterior, offers something worth reading.

This is a story of loss and death. The use of the Bardo gives the dead a voice. People who would not have been present in the novel are able to speak from beyond the grave.

A book which may seem complex can seem very digestible once you’ve put it down.

— Benjamin Clow

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The Road to Oblivion

George Orwell’s 1937 non-fiction work, The Road to Wigan Pier, depicts the agonising daily existence of the working classes in the north of England where unemployment was rife. Orwell was commissioned to report on this plight by publisher and dedicated socialist Victor Gallancz, who sought to expose the harsh realities of life in the industrial towns in the hope that if the reality of poverty was made known then it would be eradicated and the economic system that created it might be reformed. Wishful thinking indeed.

Nevertheless, Orwell undertook this task with artistry and unflinching honesty, delivering a book that, in Part One, documents the grimy, oppressed, existence of those either unemployed or barely earning a living in the hellish coal mines of northern England. However, perhaps Orwell also anticipated Gollancz’s overly optimistic aims in simply publishing an exposé of society’s underbelly — after all, in a modern context, a clear view of those who suffer is available to everyone at the press of a button, but reform comes incrementally at best — and he goes beyond the documentary in Part Two of Wigan Pier, with an uncompromising essay fiercely criticising the barriers preventing Socialist ideals translating into effective form.

Orwell’s essay is as caustic as it is complex, so it is easy to understand why there was such distaste for it at the time, even from Gollancz himself. Orwell saw the world of 1937 as being in a “very serious mess” and therefore does not equivocate in his criticisms or admissions, which would have sat uncomfortably with the middle and upper class socialists who found themselves in the crosshairs.

Orwell saw class prejudice as a toxic saboteur derailing the pursuit of Socialist reform. He jarringly summarises the revulsion of the higher classes for the working class with words that were freely used in his upbringing: “the lower classes smell.” He might simply be pointing out an inevitable outcome of undertaking manual labour while living with no bathroom, as was the case for virtually all the working class, but it also signals a deep

Books prejudice that was not merely mental but physiological. Orwell saw that, until such prejudices were confronted and deconstructed, effective Socialism was impossible. He saw how declared Socialists could so easily turn to Fascism as they recoiled from those considered repulsive and sought to put them down. Orwell states: “To many people, calling themselves Socialists, revolution does not mean a movement of the masses with which they hope to associate themselves; it means a set of reforms which ‘we’, the clever ones, are going to impose upon ‘them’, the Lower Orders.” While such class-division exists, progress, or revolution, is simply an exercise in replacing old oppressors for new.

We can perhaps see here the dissenting train of thought that would evolve into Animal Farm — Orwell’s searing satire of Socialist ideals twisting into totalitarian tyranny. But beyond that I might draw further, contemporary, significance. Traditional concepts of class in modern New Zealand, or indeed the rest of the West, are not as distinct as they may have been in 1930’s Britain, but if we extrapolate Orwell’s conception of class to modern conceptions of race — not just the aesthetics of race that we tend to fixate on, but cultural, socio-historic race — then it seems that the “classes” that divide us now are more prevalent than ever.

There is much to unpack in The Road to Wigan Pier, but Orwell’s call to “give up something of ourselves” so that we can admit to and break down our prejudices remains as poignant today as it was in 1937. If we continue to fixate on what separates us we risk retreating into ever-multiplying fragmentary camps of identity, where only those who precisely mirror ourselves aesthetically and intellectually are permitted entry; we will inevitably build a divided world where numerous partisan factions shout and gesticulate their disgust of each other across an ever-increasing divide, never reaching out to cross it, and we will remain on the road to oblivion.

— Seyfon

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Games

NIER: AUTOMATA Developer: PlatinumGames Publisher: Square Enix Platforms: PS4 (reviewed), PC

Taro Yoko is a name you may not recognise, but should know. He’s basically Hideo Kojima if he was even crazier. Throughout his career, Yoko’s games have confounded expectations, blended genres and forced players to really think about why they enjoy video games.

Nier: Automata is no exception. An indirect sequel to the cult classic action role-playing game Nier taking place thousands of years after the original, you play as 2B — a female YoRHa android — tasked with clearing machine lifeforms from the earth’s surface to pave the way for humanity’s return from exile. Along with 9S — a rather too cheerful male android — 2B ends up discovering some troubling secrets about the machines, who seem to have started expressing emotions.

And that’s just the beginning, because this game gets really weird.

For the sake of spoilers, I won’t delve too deeply into the story, but trust me when I say there is more to it than meets the eye. Multiple playthroughs are not just recommended, but necessary, to get every aspect of the story, there being enough twists to make M. Night Shyamalan jealous. One of the key ideas Yoko has explored in the past is what drives us to kill; every revelation in Nier: Automata in this regard is a gut punch to the player, asking them if they really enjoy committing these somewhat terrible acts. I’m a sucker for postmodern elements such as these, which have made my time in the game world that much more enjoyable.

Having said that, the combat is fantastic, and I would expect no less from the masters of the spectacle fighter at PlatinumGames. It is incredibly satisfying to hack away at a horde of enemies, and it looks just as good if you can get a combo or two going. However, this being a Taro Yoko game there’s more to it; the

Pod system introduces shooting mechanics to the formula, making for much more varied combat experiences. The weapons are quite varied and have unique stories behind them, a nice little extra like that seen in the original Nier and the Drakengard series to enrich the game world.

At times the perspective will shift to an overhead view, turning the game into an arcade-style shoot ‘em up, or to a side scrolling view for platforming segments. The transitions are seamless, and while it can make the controls feel a little weird, these segments are a much welcome addition to some already excellent gameplay. With the game being an RPG there are character customisation options galore, although it can often feel a little cumbersome to get the character build you want.

Graphically, the game’s environments complement the often melancholy nature of the story, being desolate and bleak but still somehow beautiful. While the aim appears to be for the game to run at 60 frames per second, on my standard PS4 it often dips below that; you would benefit from running the game on a PS4 Pro or a decent PC rig to get better consistency. There’s some great music in there too, and I certainly would not mind buying this game’s soundtrack.

All the necessary elements have aligned to make Nier: Automata a rather special game.

There’s enough variety in the gameplay that you’ll find something to like, and the story may well make you misty-eyed. We recently seem to have been blessed with some excellent open world action games, and this game more than deserves to be among them and to be remembered, even if some other titles seem to have stolen a bit of its thunder.

— Cameron Gray

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Theatre

YELLOW FACE

David Henry Hwang is an acclaimed US playwright who lives in New York and who wrote the play Yellow Face. Confusingly, he is also the lead character.

Semi-autobiographical, Yellow Face covers the middling period of Hwang’s (Alex Rabina) career when, fresh from the success of his play M. Butterfly, he criticises the 1991 Broadway rendition of Miss Saigon for casting Jonathan Pryce (a white actor — incidentally, now, the High Sparrow in Game of Thrones…) as the half Vietnamese, half French, hustler Tran Van Dinh.

Hwang’s critique of yellow face in Miss Saigon becomes the focal point for his new play, Face Value. The irony of Yellow Face comes as Hwang, in his search for the perfect Asian male actor — of which none seem to exist, perhaps due to the tendency of the theatre industry to typecast them into minor roles — accidentally hires actor Marcus G. Dahlman ( James Cain), who is white.

To draw back slightly, the version of the play I watched was performed at Whitireia.

It consisted of an all New Zealand cast, seven in total. The stage was assembled from white sheets of wood and was centred in a dark space, reminiscent of a school hall. A yellow rectangle, crooked, and broken by the left backstage entrance, offered the only colour on the minimalist set. The broken rectangle was a point of passage for the actors who passed through it and onto the stage, often, in the process, stepping into a new guise.

For this was a play where few identities were stable. The actors, aside from leads Rabina as Hwang and Cain as Dahlman, morphed through an array of supporting roles. To capture the bustling energy of the Miss Saigon controversy and the heavily publicised world of Broadway, the other five actors, in deft displays of voice acting, would slip seamlessly into the

roles of theatre critics, talk show hosts, commentators, senators, news reporters, etc.

They also played a range of supporting characters that buffered the main narrative of Hwang and Dahlman. A particular standout was Benjamin Teh, who played Hwang’s father Henry, a banker targeted by racist Republicans for allegedly influencing US politics, and the Taiwanese-American nuclear scientist, Wen Ho Lee, who was racially profiled by the US Department of Justice and wrongfully held in solitary confinement for nine months on the charge of having stolen nuclear secrets on behalf of the Chinese government.

And it was with Teh’s performance as Henry and Wen Ho Lee, two characters for which ethnicity is an axis of oppression, that the play encountered the troubling nature of identity — of the inability of shedding one’s face. For all it joked with the poststructuralist upending of rigid categorisations — white guy ( James Cain) playing a white guy (Marcus G. Dahlman) playing an Asian guy (Marcus G.) — the play never lets you forget that the categories of race exist and define existence. The actual border between being white and being asian, as Dahlman’s amorphous identity and heritage (Hwang attempts to pass him off as Eurasian by pointing to the fact his Father is a Siberian Jew) suggests, isn’t locatable but clearly it exists.

The yellow square on the back of the set stands out clearly from the white background.

Yet it is also broken, and in the movement of the play the rigid border between yellow and white is crossed by the actors — for the benefit of the audience, for this is theatre, and in theatre things can be thrown into the light of artifice and illuminated.

—TGM

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Music

CUTS FROM CUTS FROM THE DEEP THE DEEP ALL HAIL THE QUEEN Whenever the subject of childhood celebrity crushes and/or role models comes up, my choice tends to induce confusion, squinting, and the occasional outraged splutter. If all you know her for is ridiculous caricatures of black women in bland comedy films, a painfully insipid talk show, and a strange foray into jazz standards, then Queen Latifah seems like an ill-informed choice.

What, strangely, people tend not to know, is that Latifah became famous because of her truly flip-floppin’ incredible, but criminally slept on, rap career.

Latifah grew up as Dana Owens in a highly religious family in Newark, New Jersey. She found the name Latifah (meaning “kind”) in an Arabic book, and the Queen part was a reference to the fact that many African-Americans are descended from royalty, serving as a badge of pride for her heritage.

Latifah first gained industry notice for her single “Princess of the Posse” in 1989, and was signed to Tommy Boy Music who released her first album All Hail the Queen when she was only 19. This was an opus of literate and socially conscious lyricism over relaxed jazzy beats, similar to that of A Tribe Called Quest and De La Soul. She also had an incredible sense of timing and ability to spit complex and erudite rhymes at breakneck speed, and could deftly cross over into reggae, house, and party tracks.

The song “Ladies First” from this first album championed the power of women at home, work, and as creators of social change. Woke before most of us had eyes to open — challenging the patriarchy and misogyny was a cornerstone of Latifah’s work, but she also wasn’t afraid to delve into other politicised subjects such as poverty and inequality, the cycles of abuse and violence within black communities, and the commodification of a certain brand of black womanhood.

As a rapper, she was brash, confident, and unapologetic. She refused to be cast in the submissive, sexualised, or victimised role that

society and the rap industry wanted her to inhabit. For instance, her song “U.N.I.T.Y.” from her third album, Black Reign, addressed catcalling, domestic violence, and the way the word “bitch” would just roll off rappers’ tongues as if it were a simple term of endearment.

So now that we have established that I possess neither the comedic film taste of an especially out of touch frat boy, nor a particular affinity for mediocre Billie Holiday covers, and that Queen Latifah is a highly gifted, badass MC, why in the gosh darn heck has she not been enshrined in the minds of hip-hop heads as a pioneer of the industry?

The most obvious answer would be her identity as a woman. Music as a commercial art form has a long history of overlooking highly talented women, because clearly womanhood means being intrinsically unable to so much as plug a cord into an amp (I wish this were an attempt at an absurd joke, but it does have an anecdotal basis). Hip-hop itself was also a particularly fraught industry for women.

It very importantly gave voice to a largely disenfranchised and unheard minority, but it also brought a highly chauvinistic way of regarding women with it.

These early rappers were reaching, understandably, towards something that had before seemed fundamentally unavailable to them — a much more affluent future. In this way, beautiful women were often regarded as trophies to be attained along the way — pieces of property reflective of success. This kind of insidious misogyny is still rampant in much of the hip-hop industry today. This early era of hip-hop would have been particularly troubling to work in as a woman; with the patriarchy working outside and exerting its influence on the rap industry, combined with the marked lack of respect for women within it, the work of women MCs was swept aside for the bangers of the likes of Nas and Biggie.

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However, to dismiss the bewildering under-appreciation of Latifah’s work as simply due to her being a woman would be reductive: what about the popularity of Lauryn Hill’s The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, or Eve, or Lil’ Kim? There is a whole range of factors that could be pointed to as the reason for this. Most obviously, these artists all came around a decade later, when rappers like Latifah and MC Lyte had already begun to pave the way for women in hip-hop.

Moreover, Lauryn, Eve, and Lil’ Kim, although occasionally prone to moments of political sagacity, generally tended to deal with material that was designated as women’s territory: jealousy, revenge, love, heartbreak, and sex (almost always in relation to men). Where the political was broached, it was wrapped up in a more easily digestible personalised package.

Latifah, however, dealt with political issues on a systemic and widespread level, and she was challenging norms that the already shaky hip-hop industry was trying to build itself on. A highly intelligent woman examining gendered and racial oppression, unafraid to discuss the dark and problematic side of hip-hop that many wanted to ignore, clothed in baggy jackets, dungarees, and traditional African attire, was not something that ’90s dudes fantasised about fucking, and therefore the industry deemed her not profitable.

There were plenty of hip-hop fans who did not need their music and their masturbation material to perfectly align. However, due to the misogyny and fickle nature of the industry at large, Latifah’s message never made it to the mainstream. Further to this, she was invalidated as a voice of the ’90s feminist movement occupied by groups and figures such as Riot Grrrl and Susan Faludi, due to the movement’s inherent racial biases and unwillingness to listen to and promote the voices of women of colour.

But make no mistake: an integral part of modern and inclusive feminism, and part of the

Music

reason Beyoncé was able to stand up on a global stage with the word “feminist” emblazoned into the screen behind her — a key pop culture moment, no matter how watered down you deem Beyoncé’s feminism to be — is none other than the Queen herself.

So your homework for this week, fair Salient readers, is to scurry off to your laptops and stream, or better yet buy, some or all of Queen Latifah’s albums. You’ll be helping to even out the very skewed gender playing field of hip-hop and its prevailing narratives, while also treating your ears to a veritable rap confection.

— Lauren Spring

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Food

MOUNT VIC CHIPPERY Decor/Atmosphere/Music The nautical nature of the shop is very well done, although it could be improved on by playing solely the Spongebob score and Lil Yachty’s mixtapes. We opted to take our food to its natural habitat — the beach.

Fish Burger The fish in the fish burger seemed to be truly at home. Unfortunately he could not return to the ocean as he had been dismembered and beer battered, but as we know, these things happen. I am a firm believer that fish burgers can save us from the darkness within. When I took several bites into this burger, my theory received the backing it needed. The fresh fish taste, with the guacamole, lettuce, red onion, and hormonal juices they clearly put in the batter, had me upside down on Oriental Bay asking for forgiveness from the sea for taking away one of their best. The fish in between those buns was the Chuck Berry of the sea.

The seasonings on this burger were clearly the ashes of Prince and the guacamole would make any white girl within five metres turn into a body of water. 4.5 out of 5.

Curly Fries We ordered curly fries in hopes that the curly nature would bring back the joy of our youth that university has its dark tendrils firmly grasped upon. They did a fine job. I thought back to when I wasn’t overcome with stress and when I knew what a smile was. They were crispy, well battered, and the option to add salt, pepper, and vinegar went a long way — it’s the small things in the world that count, ya know? An aioli was purchased to accompany them and also in an attempt to ward off any vampires that Kii is convinced may harm him since he watched Nosferatu in the dark.

Beef Burger The beef burger comes with beef, lettuce, cheese, gherkins, tomato, and onions. The gherkins were removed as I enjoy my life and want this to continue. The patty was cooked to a perfect medium rare, a thing you only tend to see in more upper-class burgers, so I was already peaking. The rest of the burger did not disappoint, with the caramelised onions giving it a nice sweetness to go with the mild cheese and meaty patty. While I’m trying my best to be a real food critic here, I’m just going to give up and say that it was a very “homely” burger. What stood out in this burger was the bread, a very underrated part I believe and the cornerstone of any functioning society.

This burger receives a 4 out of 5.

— Kii and Tom You can catch Kii and Tom on SalientFM (88.3) on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays 6.00– 8.00pm. Find them on Facebook: “Kii and Tom”.

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Food

FROM THE ARCHIVE — April 10, 1989 HOME x ON THE RANGE Fish can be quite expensive, and it is certainly not advisable to try catching it in our incredibly polluted harbour, but really, a little goes a long way and it is so good for you. They have lots of protein, minerals and vitamins, and are low in fat and kilojoules. Then there are the fabulous Omega-3 fatty acids which reduce the risk of heart disease.

KNOW YOUR FRESH FISH Whole fish should have very black pupils, (not opaque) bright red gills, and should smell nice, not fishy! Fish fillets should be firm and slightly shiny and also smell nice. Shellfish should be firmly closed (except green mussels).

FRIED FISH You can fry floured fillets in butter and serve with lashings of lemon juice or make a light butter batter of eggs and flour, dip floured fillets in it, and fry in butter - or Flour the fillets, dip in beaten egg then in a mixture of breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese before frying in butter. It should only take about five minutes to cook. Make sure your pan is quite hot.

- or Beer batter: Beat two to three egg whites until firm. In another bowl beat the yolks with about ½ cup beer (whichever you like) and enough flour to make a stiff batter. Gently fold in whites. This is a lovely light batter, only suitable for deep frying.

FISH SATAYS For four people. Cut 500g of white fish fillets into large chunks and thread on skewers with onion, capsicum, pineapple, celery, or whatever you like. Marinate in the sauce for up to 24 hours.

The Sauce Blend ¼ cup roasted salted peanuts and a chopped onion until finely chopped, then add: ¼ cup peanut butter; one clove garlic, crushed; two Tablespoons chutney; two Tablespoons oil; two Tablespoons lemon juice; two teaspoons soy sauce; one fresh red chilli; and blend until smooth.

While you grill or bbq the kebabs, heat the sauce through and pour over to serve.

PIPIS WITH ORANGE HERB BUTTER Heat ¼ cup water in a large pan, add one kilo of washed pipis and cover. Cook until they open, stir occasionally.

Orange Herb Butter Bring ⅔ cup orange juice to the boil in a medium saucepan, add 185g chopped butter and stir until melted. Add two Tablespoons of chopped parsley and two teaspoons each of fresh oregano and dill, chopped.

Place pipis on serving plates and cover with the sauce. I expect other herbs could be substituted, like chives or basil.

Podcast & Music

56

PODCAST

Interview with H2O Just Add Banter This week I interviewed Ella Steele and Alex Feinson, the hosts of “the most unnecessary podcast ever created,” H2O Just Add

Banter.

Tell me a bit more about the premise of your podcast.

Ella: We watch episodes of the mid-2000’s hit Australian fantasy drama H2O: Just Add Water and we talk about it.

searching and searching we found one site that connects to iTunes and also to Tumblr.

What hosting site do you use?

Alex: It is this weird site called Shout Engine — it’s a beta… I’m very scared one day it won’t exist anymore.

Alex: And we get off topic — constantly.

[The idea] came about when we were in our English tutorial last year and we got distracted, and became obsessed with trying to remember the show.

What podcasts are you listening to right now?

Alex: I’m a true crime fan, so I’m listening to My Favourite Murder, it’s so good. Ella and I also love No Such Thing as a Fish as well. I also like New Zealand podcasts like Boners of the Heart and The Male Gayz on the Little Empire network.

Ella: I think we were sort of joking, like “we should totally do a podcast,” and then we were like “actually we really should.” And then we told everyone, so we had to do it.

Ella: Guilty Feminist, and The Infinite Monkey Cage because it’s got Brian Cox and science, Made of Human with Sofie Hagen, and also Elis James and John Robins on

Why a podcast? What drew you to the medium of podcasting, as opposed to writing a blog or something similar?

Alex: I’m into podcasts big time; I have heaps of podcasts I listen to. I guess I thought it was a good medium, I’ve wanted to make one for a couple of years because I’ve been a fan of them, and I thought it would be a good format. I’m not a camera person, so a voice recording was good. It’s a medium that suits me personally.

Ella: Also I could never be bothered writing a blog post every week, so this is definitely easier.

In terms of making the podcast itself, are there any challenges that you’ve experienced with putting it together?

Alex: We are poor and we don’t want to pay to make a podcast. We don’t have sponsorship, so we didn’t want to pay for a hosting site. We did want to get it on to iTunes, but also be available for people who don’t have Apple products.

We were on Soundcloud for a while but we had uploading restrictions using it for free. After

Radio X is fun.

Finally, if you could choose one of the characters’ special mermaid powers (being able to heat, freeze, or manipulate water), which one would you choose?

Alex: I would probably have the boiling one so I can keep my coffee warm.

Ella: My instinct is to go with the ice powers, because I don’t like things too hot, and also the Arctic is melting so I can refreeze that.

H2O Just Add Banter is available on iTunes or h2ojustaddbanter.tumblr.com. If you host a podcast, get in touch! editor@ salient.org.nz — Annelise Bos

57

MUSIC

GIG GUIDE

The debut EP from Auckland group Pixels is a sweet and heartfelt mash of dreamy indie pop and bleeping cartoon-esque sounds. It opens with their 95bFM Top Ten minted early release single “Sleep Talk” — a soft but not overly saccharine love song combining the vocals of Cindy Tan and the man at the project’s helm, Lukas Hanson, to make what could almost be described as a more happy-golucky, arcade game-loving, version of The XX. It sets an innocent, boppy, and delightfully simple tone that runs right through the EP. None of the remaining four tracks even hit the three minute mark, and they seem to progress through from the combination of glitchy cartoon tones and keys, and sundrenched indie pop guitar chords and riffs, of “Toons”, to the darker, more organ and basslike sounds of “Low Batteries”. The latter is Pixels at their most Kraftwerk-like, and mostly consists of the repeated phrase “I’m running, low batteries.”

Both the project’s name, Pixels, and the EP title Toons, are fitting. There are 8-bit reminiscent keys, bleeps, and other sounds running right through it, which conjured carefree Sunday mornings spent obsessively playing Super Mario with my little brother.

There definitely appears to be an obsession here with these earlier forms of technological entertainment and ideas of futurism, as is clear on the track “Bots”, which imagines a future of aluminium-haired robots roaming the streets.

This EP is a wonderfully joyous and earnest romp through the nostalgic sounds of the games and cartoons of our youth, mixed seamlessly with today’s indie musical sensibilities. If you’re in need of a soundtrack to your sweet but short-lived romance with a well-intentioned android you met down at the arcade, then look no further than Toons.

Toons can be streamed and downloaded online at pixelsbandcamp.bandcamp.com.

— Lauren Spring

Tuesday Flux launch with Girlboss and Zero Cool — if you want to catch the opening of Wellington’s newest collectively operated community art space, supplemented with some angsty indie goodness and local works to feast your peepers on, then get on down to Wellington Museum between 6.00 and 9.00pm. Wednesday Eyegum Wednesdays with Shards and New Age Leper — wash away those mid-week blues and desperately flail to some stoner rock/emo tunes over at San Fran from 9.00pm. Friday Margins and Inky Waves End of Summer Tour — if you like your doof with a little more doof, then boy does Margins have the party for you! With huge local house and techno names like ya girl k2k, Norma, Leo G Clark, and the unbelievably beautifully named DJ Kush Boogie, this one should have you reeling right into next week. Even better, it’s only 10 smackers on the door at our favourite metal den, Valhalla. 9.00pm start Saturday French For Rabbits — French for Rabbits have been doing a lot of things lately. If you want to see them do some more things, then San Fran at 8.30pm is the place to be. +Saturday: Melting Faces, Mr Amish, Zero Cool — if dream pop is not your bag, then come along to Caroline to have your Amish face coolly melted off with some psychedelic indie sonic love, 9:30pm.

NOT ’TIL APRIL 21, BUT GET YA DAMN TICKETS Sad by Sad South Festival — a fresh new fest for all you sad little creatures to get your yearly fix of melancholy. Poetry from Wellington’s secret empress Hera Lindsay Bird, aptly named Freya Daly Sadgrove, + many more sad people ready to share their feelings. There is also music! Grayson Gilmour, Soda Boyz, Girlboss, and Long Distance Runner are all part of a much longer list of people who intend to touch instruments in just the right places to make you feel things. It ’s all going down on April 21–23 in Newtown, and tickets are only $35 from Under the Radar, so get your greasy, tear-stained mitts on them, stat.

Pixels — Toons EP

58

Television

TELEVISION Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, Season One

You should watch Crazy Ex-Girlfriend.

No really, you should, and don’t let that slightly bizarre title put you off — this is the gem you’ve been waiting to binge watch. Even better, it’s on Netflix right now.

Rebecca Bunch (played by Rachel Bloom, of slight YouTube notoriety, who also created and writes the show) is a New York lawyer who is working her way up in her field. However, when she bumps into the hot dude she dated at musical theatre camp ten years ago, she, literally, sees a ray of light. He’s from West Covina, California, and mentions how chill it is there, a direct contrast to the world she has found herself in. When she ups and moves there, she finds brand new pals and a new career. To be clear, she did not move there for Josh, Josh just happens to live there.

Seriously, this show is just so good. It is a comedy musical, but take it from someone who is not the greatest fan of musicals, this one knocks it out of the park. In the first episode Rebecca is hoisted above an outdoor mall on a giant pretzel, and complains about the blood that arse waxing entails, all in hilarious song. Stay tuned for, to quote a critic, “what white people think Indian music sounds like,” and a Nicki Minaj-inspired rap about “giving good parent.”

But more than the endless funnies, this show tackles some real issues about real things that other shows would go in the complete opposite direction of, let alone shy away from. When Rebecca gets to West Covina, she promptly dumps the meds she has been “surviving” on down the drain, refuses to talk to her mother, and swears she’s fine. To nobody’s real surprise, this might not be the case, and a significant part of the show becomes a close examination of how her mental health affects her and those around her.

As well, within the main cast alone, the romantic lead is an “Asian Bro”, a woman over 40 is a well-developed character with substance, and another male character comes out as bi as

the season progresses (in glorious song and dance). Of course, a single TV show can’t tick all of the representation boxes, but this one comes pretty damn close. Interviews with the show creators tell of how they deliberately built the world of the show to be as representative of inland southern California as possible, and the social diversity is directly apparent within the series.

You’d be crazy to miss it, if you’ll excuse the pun.

— @LauraLives

59

Film

FILM

R/G/B A Week In Colour Artists use colour to express a variety of emotions. In Van Gogh’s Starry Night, damp blues and greens in the night sky represent the artist's depression and isolation, while warm yellows and oranges in the light emitted from houses and the stars show as beacons of hope.

Before colourised film existed, directors such as Méliès, and even inventor Thomas Edison, hand-painted individual frames with dye to get the effect they desired by including colour. Nowadays with film artistry being so accessible, the way colour is used has changed even further, with particular palates being as memorable, if not more so, than the films they feature in.

Even artists themselves are associated with particular palates and styles, such as Wes Anderson’s pastel motif, Baz Luhrmann's theatrically surreal “painted” look, and the bright neon palate of Nicolas Winding Refn.

In his two most recent films, Refn uses excellent examples of colour to enhance plot and character association. These features prove even more impressive considering the director is colourblind: “I wanted to show having any kind of handicap can be a blessing, and anything that’s normal is so fucking uninteresting.”

Due to Refn’s inability to see mid-range colour, shots are either near black or completely bathed in a luminous neon glow. In Only God Forgives, sickening yellows and oranges to passionately sensual reds are used to imitate both the look of the Bangkok nightlife where the film is set and the growing sexual tension between Ryan Gosling's character and his Mother.

Comparatively, in The Neon Demon, colours are used specifically to represent individual characters and traits that they grow to possess. Red threatens danger but also represents the lustful nature of the film’s main characters; blues signify innocence but also narcissism and the enticement of beauty.

— Mathew Watkins

60

Film

Das Leben Der Anderen Stories are crafted by the choice of colour, its frequency in a film, and the scenes it is featured in — careful considerations a filmmaker will decide to enhance the narrative of the film.

Apart from the colour symbolism that springs to mind — dressing Gladiator’s Marcus Aurelius in purple to indicate royalty and opulence, for example — colour can also be used to visually depict time skips or separate various storylines from one another, as well as create balance or discordance in a scene.

Colours are intrinsically associative, evoking specific emotional responses which can be manipulated by changing the hue, value, and saturation of a film. By dressing a character in the same colour, audiences will think of them whenever that colour is on screen, generating the potential for thematic-subject interrelations. Furthermore, a character’s changing characteristics can be visualised as a set of colour transitions.

Director Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck’s feature film debut is the 2006 Oscar award-winning Das Leben der Anderen, or in English, The Lives of Others. Set in the state of the German Democratic Republic (GDR) during the Cold War, Das Leben der Anderen follows the transformation of Stasi officer Hauptmann Wiesler’s (played by Ulrich Muhe) loyalties and ideology as he conducts surveillance on an artistic East Berlin couple, and becomes increasingly absorbed into their lives. Five years in the making, Das Leben der Anderen’s every second has been carefully filmed in a way that heightens the anxiety and lack of privacy that Von Donnersmarck believed was “the essence of the GDR.” Colour is used in two main ways: to convey the feeling of living in the GDR, and also as a symbol for Wiesler’s morality. Von Donnersmarck opts to film entirely in a palette of beige, grey, and small amounts of sickly-coloured green and yellow — a totalitarian oppression on the eyes devoid of any brightness. Employing a desaturated palette, dim lighting, and dark shadows, the film is a constricting and monochromatic visualisation of the rigid control of the Stasi regime in the GDR from the 1950s until its dissolution.

An example of the film’s “anti-aesthetic,” the opening scene unfolds into an interrogation in Stasi HQ. The empty hall, with its grey walls, barred doors, and grey concrete floors, is enhanced by the exorbitant use of artificial light which highlights the prisoner's face in nauseating yellow and casts the rest of the room into shadow, creating a visual aura of Wiesler’s menacing power. Prisoner 227’s beige clothing only serves to demonstrate more clearly how the interrogation is physically draining away his life as he incriminates himself. Colour is used here both to set the institutional and ominous tone of the scene and to symbolise the characters’ power dynamics.

Wiesler’s attire — a confining grey jacket that demonstrates his dreary life and his initial desire to adhere to the Stasi ideology — becomes a metonym for the character. Grey has traditionally had negative connotations, and this is true for Das Leben Der Anderen, but grey is also associated with the spectrum between good and evil, stimulating ambivalent emotions within viewers as they are positioned in sympathy with him so as to enhance his emotional metamorphosis.

Das Leben Der Anderen is a cohesive film that is deeply troubling to watch, and very successfully evokes a feeling of discomfort, especially given contemporary standards of privacy in our digital world. The film’s colour restrictions, maintained throughout, successfully induce audiences to regard its visual spartanism as synonymous with the creative and physical oppression of the GDR. — Livnè Ore

61

Film

The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby Originally two films subtitled Her and Him, The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby (Them) tells the story of a separated couple gradually coming back into each other's lives and attempting to put past traumas to bed.

It's not uncommon in pieces like this for characters to be given set colour schemes — it is an easy task when the narratives of romantic comedies and romantic dramas often only feature two key characters — but this film uses its colour to the utmost.

At the most basic level, the scenes featuring Conor ( James McAvoy) are graded a dark blue, and scenes featuring Eleanor are graded orange. It's a simple technique; orange and blue oppose each other on the colour wheel, so the pattern is basically appealing (for more evidence watch any Michael Bay film).

But the resulting effect is that, despite the fact that the two characters are living in the same city, you get the feeling you are watching two totally different narratives. This is probably amplified by fact that Eleanor primarily operates during the day, while Conor takes long walks at night, but it gradually becomes clear that Eleanor's orange matches her proactivity in the way she is attempting to move on with her life, while Conor's blue denotes far more sadness and longing.

This comes to fruition further along when the two meet, and the colours used come to represent the view of the characters. If we see Eleanor but the film still appears blue, we know it is either Conor who is dominating the scene, or it is Conor's viewpoint of Eleanor we are seeing. Similarly, many of the memories shown throughout the film are strongly orange, indicating not objective moments but Eleanor's re-collection.

In the end, in one brief scene of reconnection, Conor and Eleanor's colours combine in a messy portrait of rain and car headlights; almost as messy as their respective attempts to find catharsis in each other. — Finn Holland

FILM

Fin.

62

CODECRACKER

Puzzles

Each number from 1-26 represents one of the letters of the alphabet. Solve the code to complete the puzzle.

Three letters have been provided for you.

SUDOKU

TARGET

Make as many words of three letters or more as you can. Each word must contain the letter in the central square.

Target goals: Good: 17 words Great: 21 words Impressive: 25 words

LAST WEEK'S SOLUTION

Sudoku difficulty: Easy

63

Comic

AmneSIA get real we were always just stepping stones erich von daniken saw the footprints of the gods chris connery saw the trademarks of capitalism who’s gonna give a damn if they don’t/can’t remember that the whole of the donut is filled with coconuts they’re after american pie in the east and some kind of zen in the west east and west are of course relative the rim of our basin is overflowing with kava but the basin of their rim is empty they take their kava in capsules so it’s easy to forget that there’s life and love and learning between asia and america between asia and america there’s an ocean and in this ocean the stepping stones are getting real — Teresia Teaiwa