No.2 / 2015
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Contents
02: Editorial
28: Bodybuilding Compprep: Glitter, Sweat, and Tears
04: Letters 05: MASSIVE In Short
30: Estere: Vision and Integrity
07: Wellington Local News
32: Reviews
10: Auckland Local News
36: Travel
12: Manawatu Local News
39: Rep Chic
14: Kingseat: Present
40: Uni Mum
17: Living Costs Too High
42: Ask Guru
20: Orientation Across the Nation
44: Food Blog 45: Expressive Arts
23: Photo feature: Local: A Surburban Exploration
No. 2 / 2015
48: Puzzle Time
1
Hello my favourite readers, If this is the first time you’ve picked up MASSIVE Magazine, well done, you’ve made a fantastic decision. You are about to flick through a number of pages that will delight your eyes, open your mind, make you giggle, and possibly even enrich your life. We are your very own student media; we aim to represent the student voice, look at issues from your level, and from different perspectives, and keep you entertained. Although it may seem like light-years ago now, it sounds as though most of you had an enjoyable O-Week. I hope all you “freshers” out there got loose, made some new pals/ potential lovers, and got to know your university like a teenage boy knows his right hand. Almost a month in now, I hope you’ve all settled back in to the uni lifestyle with ease, and I hope you’re all feeling enthusiastic about being back on that study grind. If you are, that’s great; if not, Easter break is just around the corner – hang in there, tiger! It was very satisfying to have the first edition released last month. When I saw people picking up a copy of MASSIVE from around campus and exclaiming their excitement that it’s back in print, I felt so many feels. I have also really appreciated the feedback I have received regarding the first issue; whether it’s negative or positive, it all helps us grow, so keep it coming! As our office is in Wellington, historically we haven’t had as many contributors from the other two campuses. Earlier this month we travelled to Palmerston North to interview No. 2 / 2015
a bunch of local students who were keen to take over Liz Chandler’s role as the Manawatu campus reporter. We found a winner in Carwyn Walsh, and it’s a pleasure to welcome him to the team. Through the interview process we also met some more talented and passionate writers, who we now have on board as voluntary contributors, which I’m super stoked about. I encourage more of you Massey students from all around the country to get involved. Although I’ve spent far too much time in the past few weeks trying to figure out what colour that dress is, I do realise there are far more important issues in the world. I find it crazy that a dress caused so much discussion all around the globe. It would be awesome if people could create such discussion and debate surrounding other issues, especially those affecting students, such as the current low living costs in comparison to the rising rent costs, which we explore in this issue. By raising awareness of these issues through the media, I hope discussion will come about, and from that, change will occur. If you guys want an issue explored in more depth, flick me an email – I’d love to hear from you. This issue is jam-packed with engaging content, and yet again, beautiful illustrations. This month we explore part two of Taryn Dryfhout’s series about Kingseat Psychiatric Hospital, discuss O-Week antics around the country, bring up the ongoing issue of the government not dishing out enough dough, and much more. Enjoy the read! Until next time, Kim Parkinson 3
Editorial + Letters
Letters to the Editor Dear editor,
Hey,
Hello,
I picked up your latest issue, and read
I just wanted to write in and say that I am
When I read the latest issue of MASSIVE, I
the article about Massey changing the
really chuffed that the magazine is back in
noticed there was something missing. I made
designated smoking areas on campus. I
print. I was a student when the mag used to
sure I carefully analysed each page to make
noticed that Massey plans to phase out
be printed, and I did feel like it just wasn’t
sure I wasn’t tripping, but really it just wasn’t
smoking on campus completely. I think this
the same when MASSIVE went online. As
there. I was looking for the Dick Hardy
is unfair, and inconsiderate. What Massey
much as I wanted to keep up with MASSIVE,
section. I used to love hearing all about Dick
doesn’t seem to understand is that most of
it was very easy to forget about checking
Hardy’s antics, they made me laugh, and
us don’t smoke to “be cool” or to try and fit
the website, as it just got lost in the deep
they made me horny; the anticipation of
in, but we smoke because we are addicted.
black-hole that is the internet. It’s awesome
waiting a month between each issue made
I am a mature student in my forties and
that I can now pick up a physical copy when
me incredibly sexually frustrated. I have read
I have been smoking for about 25 years
I come in to uni, and read it when I like. Me
Fifty Shades of Grey, and plenty of other
now – that’s not an easy habit to break, and
and my uni friends enjoyed sitting around in
erotic fiction, but none of it could please me
trust me, I’ve tried. I want to feel comfortable
our break and all having a read. The physic
quite like Dick Hardy could. I used to grab
and accepted at my university. I shouldn’t
al item is special in the way it can be shared
the latest copy of the magazine and feel so
feel like I have to remove myself from the
and in the way that it causes discussion.
naughty sitting in the library, pretending
grounds and stand on the road nearby
Huge thumbs up guys, I look forward to the
to read my textbook, while I was actually
with my pipe. I feel like we should have the
upcoming editions this year.
getting hot and heavy with good ol’ Dick. I
freedom to do what we want, I mean it’s not
Sincerely,
need him to return. Bring him back, and fill
as though smoking is illegal. Massey should
Let’s get physical
this girl with pleasure.
be thinking about us smokers, and how we feel. I’m not trying to be rebellious, I just
Sincerely, Dear editor,
Keen for the D
want to be able to enjoy my study and not
I am a design student on the Wellington
feel judged and excluded from the university
campus, and I was really impressed with
because of an addiction I have to something
the illustrations in the magazine. They were
that isn’t against the law.
eye-catching, and relevant to the issues they
MASSIVE would love to hear from you. You
Sincerely,
were covering - kudos to the various artists
can drop your letters into any students’
Fuming
who created these pieces. As a visual person,
association office, or email them to editor@
I would love to see more artwork included
massivemagazine.org.nz . Alternatively, you
in the magazines in the future. Like many of
could play Harry Potter: pretend the nearest
I just wanna say, I really liked how you
my arty peers, I’m not hugely into reading or
bird you find is an owl, and ask it nicely to
included the events feed in your latest
writing, because of this I sometimes felt a bit
deliver your letter to us, down our imaginary
magazine. As a new student, I didn’t really
overwhelmed by the amount of text on some
chimney. Whatever method you choose, if
know where to go to get myself more
of the pages. I’m not trying to like, takeover
your letter reaches us, and is published, you
involved with the uni. I picked up your mag
the role of the designer, I just feel as though
will win a bag of People’s coffee. To claim
and saw there was a Toastmasters Breakfast
if big chunks of texts were eliminated, and
your prize, flick us an email.
Meeting on the 25th of Feb at the Albany
more white space and visual features were
campus, so I decided to head along. I made a
employed, the magazine would become a lot
joke about how it was funny that I was eating
more visually interesting and welcoming to
toast for breakfast (classic), a few people
read. I did read most of the mag, but there
laughed, and now I have some great new
definitely were a few pages which were a bit
friends. It’s an awesome way to spread the
too daunting for my wee peepers, so I left
word about upcoming events, so keep it up!
them out. Just something to consider for the
Hey guys,
Sincerely, Here’s a toast to you
Everyone’s a winner!
future, I suppose. Sincerely, I love picture books
Editorial + Letters
4
Massive Magazine
Massive In Short O-Week a Loophole for Excessive
on the Overheard@Vic Facebook page that
On the Myth of our “Independence”
Drinking and Partying
a group of students in togas had beaten up a
By Aidan Doyle
By Kehlsi Ramsay
fellow student, in town, after the Toga Party.
As a maritime, trade-dependent state
O-Week is supposed to provide a fun, easy
O-Week in Dunedin, as expected, drew
with very few geopolitical sources of
way to get to know your university, and meet
attention from the media again this year.
leverage and lacking critical economic
new people. The event, created to welcome
With headlines such as ‘ Dunedin O-Week
mass, New Zealand has never been able
students to university, has taken a turn. It
a Festival of Vomit’. Incidents also occurred
to project unfettered external sovereignty.
was once a week filled with orientation
such as the front of a student flat being
You might get that impression though,
activities, on campus, which broke the
seriously damaged after an armchair on the
due to the constant, hyperbolic claims
ice among new students. Around New
porch was deliberately set alight. Known
by elected officials about our foreign
Zealand it is now used as an excuse to drink
for their chaotic street parties, in O-Week
policy of “independence”. The fact is that,
excessively, and party beyond control.
particularly, this year saw a teenage girl
historically, we’ve struggled to maintain
in hospital after she suffered from a head
even a semblance of an independent foreign
annually, at the end of February. The event is
injury, and there were huge amounts of
policy.
said to be for all first-year students and the
broken glass and rubbish strewn across the
occasional second and third-year.
streets. Would’ve these events been as likely
United States’ disavowal of it, and the
to happen if the university replaced the big
significant rupture in diplomatic relations
parties with social alcohol-free events?
that it caused is often said to evidence our
O-Week occurs around the country
This year’s O-Week festivities on the Manawatu campus were made up of six events; only two of them were for all ages.
The culture of university and drinking
Our strident anti-nuclear stance, the
“independence”. That was in 1987. A decade
There was a Hypnotist Show (all ages) Clubs
has altered throughout the years; it has gone
earlier, we took an officially “non-critical”
Day (all ages), Toga Party, Glow Party, Jungle
from having a few beers in order to have a
stance towards Indonesia’s slaughter of one-
Party, and Beach Party. All of the parties
good time, to a box of beer, if not more, just
third of the population of East Timor, which
were held at the local bar, The Barrel, and
for the party to get started. O-Week has
was supported by the United States, and
were R18.
become a way for students to believe it is
enthusiastically cheered on the development
okay to be drinking excessive amounts in
of Suharto’s New Order. A decade earlier
year students would be 18 yet at the time
order to have a good night out, or just to fit
than that, we began our participation in a
of O-Week, therefore feeling left out, not
in with fellow students.
war which brought universal privation and
Aside from the fact, that not all first-
everyone is into the party scene, meaning
Massey in Manawatu has encouraged
misery to Indochina, and sponsored the
they miss out on not meeting as many
students to drink by holding more alcoholic
murderous repression in South Vietnam. We
people as they’d like to. The university is
events instead of non-alcoholic ones.
clearly condemned the downing of flight
encouraging the reputation that university
One way to reduce the level of drinking
MH17 by pro-Russian separatists, but
students already have – as binge drinkers,
at O-Week would be to have more non-
expressed no such outrage over the
and they are supporting the drinking culture
alcoholic events for students, such as
downing of Iran Air flight 655 by a U.S Navy
among young people.
outdoor-movie nights. This way, students
surface-to-air missile in 1988. From Michael
The week doesn’t just stop with the
can feel like they’ve involved themselves in
Joseph Savage’s “where Britain goes, we
events put on by the university. Palmerston
O-Week, without having to feel the pressure
go” sycophancy at the beginning of the
North has a reputation for out of control
to drink.
Second World War, to our anaemic response
partying. By providing four alcohol related
With the support of the university,
events that students can attend, Massey is
students might reconsider their drinking
we’re not independent and we never have
only encouraging this behaviour. When you
behaviour, and could even realise that you
been.
take a big group of nervous new students
don’t need to be under the influence to have
and add alcohol into the mix, there is much
a good night out.
to Israel’s most recent bloodletting in Gaza,
During our U.N Security Council election campaign, these facts were
higher of a possibility of things taking a turn
granted inadequate attention by the New
for the worse.
Zealand media. Our shocking foreign policy
This year saw couches set alight in
record went unscrutinised; our increasing
Manawatu. In Wellington there were reports
accommodation to U.S unilateralism and
No. 2 / 2015
5
Massive In Short
our contemptible cowardice over West Papua was left out of the conversation. With our reintegration into the Five Eyes spy network and the establishment of a de facto military alliance with the United States, we have never enjoyed a cosier relationship with supreme power, and our foreign policy compliance to the United States has been a striking feature of the Fifth National Government’s foreign policy orientation. How we vote on the issue of Palestinian statehood, which our Five Eyes partners, including the U.S, continue to hinder the process of, will be a good test of what independence we have left. New Zealand’s current foreign policy calculus, our increasing militarism, and our inaction on the existential threat of climate change, will see us vilified. Today, as a species, we face many seemingly difficult problems, and, as Albert Camus suggested, in such a world of conflict, a world of victims and executioners, it is the job of thinking people, not to be on the side of the executioners.
Wellington Campus Events Kokiri Ngatahi Kai and Korero: Wednesday, 18.03.2015, 12:00-13:00, Whanau Room * Massey Outdoor Recreation Club: Blackout glow-in- the-dark paintball18.03.2015. Contact MORC@ MAWSA.org.nz for more details. Massey Wellington Life Drawing Club: Every Thursday of the semester, 18:0020:00 Check out www.facebook.com/ groups/MasseyWellingtonLifeDrawing for the location. Anime and Manga Club: Meet Thursdays 17:00 in 5C12. Watch anime, discuss and play games, BAWSSFIT Games: Friday June 12Friday July 10. Register before April 1. Power lifting, bodybuilding and crossfit for anyone who’s keen from beginners to competitors. Contact Lydia@bpmfitness. co.nz for more information. Pasifika Services: Drop in sessions – 11:00-13:00 Location: Fale Pasifika (T33) Critical thinking – March 17, analysing essay question /essay planning – March 24, paragraph writing – March 31. Contact Jasper Luki for more info: jabbuaki@ hotmail.co.nz Free self-defence courses run by Protect
Self-defence: 17.30 – 19.30, March 16, 23, and 30, in the Flax and Fern room. ISOC: Tongarario crossing – Late March. For more information, contact: internationalsociety@MAWSA. org.nz University Rowing Champs: April 3 and 4 .masseyrowingclub@gmail.com Auckland Campus Events Badminton Club: Tuesday, 17.03.2015, 17:30 – 19:30 Recreation Centre Sports Hall Ultimate Frisbee Club: Tuesday, 17.03.2015, 17:00 – 19:00 Recreation Centre Sports Hall * Toastmasters Breakfast Meeting: Wednesday, 18.03.2015, 07:15 – 08:30 Student Lounge ASA Special General Meeting: Wednesday, 18.03.2015, 12:00 – 13:00 Student Lounge * Saudi Club: Thursday, 19.03.2015, 19:30 – 21:30 Recreation Centre Sports Hall * Massey Albany Football Federation: Saturday, 21.03.2015, 14:30 – 16:30 Recreation Centre Sports Hall To find out what’s happening on the manawatu campus, check out the what’s on section of the massey university app.
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Wellington Local News Triple Treat for Clubs This Year
competition, where each clubs’ executive
“community feel” on campus.
Massey Wellington’s Clubs Day went off with
had to convince the audience why they
First-year student, Jack Mayo, says his
a bang, and the club scene only looks set
should join their club. This competition
orientation week at Massey Wellington was
to strengthen, with the addition of two new
resulted in students getting super creative,
one of the most informing and interesting
faces in the MAWSA office, to help develop
making up chants, raps, and poems to get
weeks of his life.
clubs.
the crowd amping.
“I loved meeting heaps of new people
Clubs Development Officer, Anna
Campus Registrar, Deanna Riach,
Hobman, started working with new Club
judged the competition, awarding Massey
Everything was set up really nicely as well
Coordinators, Sarah Grant – a Development
Association of Communication Students
which was nice to see, and the constant free
studies student at Victoria University – and
(MACS) the top prize of $300 to go toward
BBQs were just the sugar on top.”
Roshan Patel – a Masters of Design student
their club.
at Massey – on March 16. Grant applied for the job as she had
and getting shown around campus.
An orientation highlight for Mayo was the
Grant and Roshan loved the vibe on Clubs Day, and took the opportunity to get
Introduction to the College of Creative Arts. “The speakers were very good, and that
worked in community development roles
to know a lot of people in the clubs, and
event is also where I met some of my new
in the past, and was eager to work with
build relationships.
best mates! Something about it was just
students, and experience the new and different audience.
To get involved with clubs, email clubs@ mawsa.org.nz. Or visit the clubs team in
beautiful I guess.” Schlup had also heard rave reviews about
the MAWSA office. Contact hours: Sarah –
the college welcomes, which she heard were
bigger demographic, but at a university you
12-4 Monday and Thursday, Roshan – 12 -4
much stronger this year.
have a captive student audience already
Wednesday and Friday, Anna - Tuesday and
here, “Grant says.
Friday morning.
“It’s harder to find an audience within a
lecturers were stronger. There was also a joint welcome for students in the Business,
Patel applied as he was interested in developing clubs and organisations to be the best they can be. Hobman says the benefit of having three
“The connections with students and
Orientation a Success According to Acting Student Life Coordinator, Hayley Schlup, this year’s
and Humanities Schools, which worked particularly well.” To improve O-Week, Mayo suggested
people on the clubs team is that each team
Orientation, which focused on community
bringing in a more recognised artist to
member has different skills, abilities, and
and connection, was “hugely successful”.
perform a show. With more funding this
The orientation activities included
could be done, as well as MAWSA being able
college welcomes, an outdoor movie night,
to provide free tickets to the gigs in town, as
marketing, Sarah has lots of energy for
BBQ’s, games, live music, educational
opposed to just discounted ones.
community development and events, and
workshops, and more. Massey @ Wellington
I’m supposed to be doing more of the staff
Students’ Association (MAWSA) also put
funding she received to run the first-years
assistance side of things.”
on the Freshers Party and Giveaway Day,
O-Week activities.
interests. “Roshan is a whiz on social media and
Schlup says she was satisfied with the
and supported gigs in town such as Lunice,
She says next year, she would think
to organise Clubs Day, which was held on
Awesome Tapes from Africa, Drax Project,
more carefully about when to hold certain
March 4. The event was buzzing, with the
and Twrk.
events, to ensure the highest level of student
The new clubs team worked together
live brass band setting up the carnival
As it was the first Orientation that Schlup
engagement as possible. For example,
was involved with, it was harder for her to
this year, the outdoor games were held in
judge, but the main feedback she received
the afternoon, the sun was blazing at this
heaps of sign-ups, and lots of freebies on
was that it was a really good vibe this year
point, meaning not as many people joined
offer, including candyfloss, icecream, and
compared to other years.
in, as they were simply too hot and wanted
atmosphere. There were plenty of enthusiastic clubs,
popcorn. A highlight of the event for the team was the newly introduced club speech
No. 1 / 2015
She thinks this is due to the increase in on-campus events, such as the Outdoor
shade. She would also give away more food, because “who doesn’t like free food?”
Movie Night, which created more of a
7
Local News
MON — THUR 8 — 4.30 FRI 8 — 4.00
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weekly
$15 to join 30 days notice to end Limited time only Valid for enrolled tertiary students Work out with your mates
5
We need you to enrol
Free training programme Start with a free week trial Building T32, 04 801 2545 Gate C, Massey Uni Wellington
Sign up to Massey Health and Counselling before you need it. We are open to all students.
Cheaper appointments with Counsellors, Doctors and Nurses. Call us on 04 801 2452.
Wellington Local News of the student voice, across all disciplines of
hipsters floating about, and doing things
In 2013, there were 12 Class Advocates
the university, and they provide feedback on
differently.
representing the Wellington campus, in 2014
behalf of their class.”
Class Advocate System Flourishes
there were 72, and now, at the beginning of 2015 there are 104 Class Advocates. Student Advocate, Sarah Miller, says that
The Class Advocates meet once a month,
the cat. Pocket visits the MAWSA office
and present Miller with a Monthly Report.
every day, to sleep on the couch, and meow
The Monthly Report discusses any issues
for food.
the Class Advocate system “really kicked off
that a class may have, and would like to be
last year” due to the help of Education Vice-
resolved.
President, Maia Visnovsky.
One of these alty young thangs is Pocket
Miller then discusses these issues in a
Most mainstream cats have a tail, ears, whiskers, and a collar. Pocket has all of the above, aside from a collar. Pocket won’t be
bi-monthly meeting with Campus Registrar,
seen as mainstream, and simply refuses to
vice-president in 2014, she realised there
Deanna Riach. From there, they work
wear a collar. She did it before it was cool –
was a big hole within Massey Wellington’s
together to provide solutions.
Local cats around the Mount Cook area have
When Visnovsky became the education
advocacy system.
Following the rape incident, near campus,
been seen shedding themselves of their
in 2014, student safety became a huge issue,
collars too; with a trend on the rise, Pocket
Advocate per year, per major, which meant
with the Class Advocates discussing ways
certainly led the way on the catwalk.
there were only a total of 12 advocates
in which students could feel safer. Based on
With no collar, Pocket’s origins are a
for the entire student population on the
this discussion, Miller has worked with Riach
mystery. No one in the MAWSA office knows
Wellington campus – and that’s just not
to organise self-defence workshops, which
where Pocket goes at night, or if she even
enough representation,” Visnovsky said.
will happen throughout this year, and will be
has a home.
“We had a system of having one Class
With the help of Miller, she made it her
open to all students.
A campaign was posted on the MAWSA
Miller says the benefits of being a Class
Facebook page, calling for someone to
Class Advocate system throughout the
Advocate include: the chance to gain great
donate a collar to Pocket. The idea was
campus.
job skills, the opportunity to make your class
that a MAWSA staff would attach a note to
and university the best that it can be, and
Pocket’s collar, so that if she went home,
the free pizza at the meetings.
the owner could write back and let MAWSA
project to build up a really comprehensive
Visnovsky talked to the education vice president at Victoria University to see what system they had, and then started working
If you are interested in becoming a Class
to see how Massey could create a similar
Advocate, email Sarah at advocate@mawsa.
system.
org.nz, or Maia at evp@mawsa.org.nz
That new system involved recruiting
Free self-defence courses run by Protect
know where she came from. The first campaign brought immediate success, and MAWSA attached the collar and let Pocket out to roam the streets.
more people, keeping up strong
Self-defence, 5.30 – 7.30, March 16, 23, and
Pocket soon dampened the celebration when
communication, and having consistent
30, in the Flax and Fern room.
she reported back to the office less than an hour later, with a bare neck and no care in
meeting times. Miller says Class Advocates add huge
Wellington’s Hipster Campussy
value to the university, and notes that the
Massey Vice-Chancellor, Steve Maharey,
lecturers and students have really started to
has described the Wellington campus as the
origins, and the missing collar, Pocket said
see the importance of having them.
“boutique campus” and Wellington certainly
“meow”, and strutted right out of the office.
“They [Class Advocates] represent a pull
the world. When asked about her identity, her
lives up to that name, with many ‘alty’
Local News
Albany Local News
Julia Braybrook
Student Accommodation
people do respect the rules and regulations
clubs they can create an amazing campus
Opens on Campus
because then everybody gets to enjoy the
atmosphere.
Student life on the Auckland campus has received a boost, thanks to the recently
environment.”
“University is the most care-free time
While there were about four or five beds
of our lives. While we don’t yet have the
opened on-campus student accommodation.
still available in the Halls of Residence, there
responsibility of life that awaits us, clubs
The new $26.2 million dollar development,
would be another 70 beds for short-term
enable us to have fun, enjoy life and build
which is located behind Student Central, was
accommodation once Weka was finished.
relationships with people who share a
blessed by Ngati Whatua on February 15, and
According to Davies, “we imagine that when
common interest.”
will be officially opened on March 27.
Semester Two comes, we’ll get at least part
Comber said that in terms of events for
of it full, and certainly as we go on to 2016,
this year, “the MACS Executive is working
Davies, said the difference that the
we have every expectation the village will be
behind the scenes to bring students a great
accommodation has made to the campus
chockablock.”
range of guest speakers throughout the year,
Auckland Campus Registrar, Andrea
and also fun social events.”
was already clear. “It doesn’t matter what time of the day it is now, there’s people around...Student Central’s social area upstairs is just abuzz all the time...and at the core of it is the accommodation students. “How many universities have you got where you can walk into the student heart and you walk through Student Central and you’re right into the heart of the Village... we’re just so lucky.” She added that feedback she had received “has been absolutely positive.... we’re very, very pleased.” While reaction from the general public was expected once the accommodation was officially opened, Davies said that “as far as parents go...they were blown away.” Davies said that while there were “teething problems” in the completion of the project, “as far as the students arriving and being settled into their rooms it just went like clockwork, it was a real credit to all the people involved.” When asked about concerns about drinking on campus, Davies said that there were strict rules in the accommodation handbook about alcohol, including alcoholfree days and alcohol consumption limited to social areas. While she acknowledged that “alcohol’s always an issue, especially with young people...so they’re always going to push the boundaries,” she said that “we’ll start out how we mean to go on, so we’re going to be quite strict and make sure
Local News
Clubs see Boost in Student Engagement
Guest speakers would be visiting the campus as part of the MACS Speaker Series.
2015 is shaping up to be a big year for clubs,
Comber said that the first speaker would
after a busy Clubs Day, which was held on
be Simone Bell, from PRINZ, who would be
February 25.
speaking to students about “best practice
Massey Association for Communication Students (MACS) 2015 President, Ellen Comber, said that student engagement in clubs makes “a huge difference”. “Students are clubs, and clubs rely
communication and the benefits of a PRINZ student membership.” Comber said that this year they aimed to “build a strong Executive Committee” and also hoped to “offer students a mix of
on a dialogue with members to create
educational and social events, and establish
opportunities that will benefit all those
a relationship with the Public Relations
involved....student engagement gives
Institute of New Zealand (PRINZ) that
students a voice, and in turn [gives] clubs
benefits both students and PRINZ”.
the ability to offer students the opportunities they deem valuable.”
According to Benefeld, the aim for this year was “for students to achieve a better
Albany Massey Engineering Students’ Society (AMESS) Secretary, Nastassja
understanding of AMESS as a club, whether they be engineering or not.”
Benefeld, said that student engagement was
Benefeld said that AMESS planned
something they “actively work to accomplish,
to “hold more frequent events such as
improve and never stop improving.” She
monthly BBQs which will be open to all
added that student engagement definitely
AMESS members.” She added that “having
makes a difference because it ensures that
successfully hosted the O-week traffic light
the club stays up to date with what the
party, we would like to host more AMESS
student members want.”
parties, such as the Onsie party last year.”
Comber encouraged students to get involved with clubs as they provided “great
Cultural Cranes Challenge
networking opportunities” for students with
The 1000 Paper Cranes Challenge came to
shared interests, and that “most importantly,
Massey’s Auckland campus this orientation.
[clubs] create a sense of community on the
The challenge, which was organised by the
Massey campuses.”
Albany Students’ Association (ASA) and
Benefeld said that “club involvement
ran from February 23 to February 25, aimed
promotes the student experience...through
to have a thousand paper cranes made by
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Massive Magazine
students. Although the challenge fell slightly
installation of the cranes meant that
short, with students making approximately
students would “be able to look at it
who is a second year Communications
900 cranes, the finished cranes will
and it would be beautiful, it would be
Management major, said that she “became
eventually be displayed as a semi-permanent
representative of something meaningful.”
a Massey Guide to have fun with the new
art installation at Student Central.
Lyall added that “it gets [students] engaged
students and make them feel at home so they
and involved and doing something, but also
don’t feel alienated.” Kendra Stone, who is a
ordinator, Penny Lyall, the challenge was not
the longstanding implications you know,
second year Public Relations major, said that
only to make a thousand cranes, but to have
I’m part of this university...I’m part of this
she became a guide, as she wanted “to show
each crane represent the student’s country
and I fly.”
other students how amazing Massey is and
According to ASA Advocacy Co-
of origin, with different colours for each
First time Massey Guide, Lana Joy Behr,
to help them with their journey in studying at
country, such as black for New Zealand and
Massey Guides “Appreciated”
red for China. While Lyall said the logistics of
at Orientation
this university.” In an email, Cecilia Cho, who returned as
sourcing the paper and allocating colours to
New students to the Auckland campus
a Massey Guide from last year, said that she
the different countries had been “massive,”
“really appreciated” the Massey Guides
wanted to return this year, as she “enjoyed
she said it was “an initiative to engage
at this year’s orientation, according to
[her] time as a Massey Guide last year
students and to show what a diverse cultural
Acting Student Life Co-ordinator Kristina
and wanted to continue being part of the
mix there is [on the Manawatu campus].”
Montgomerie.
community where people are passionate on
Having run “one of the best orientations
helping first year students being settled.”
available to help students, as well as
we’ve ever had,” Montgomerie said that new
A third year Accounting major, she added
instruction sheets. Lyall said that it was
students were “really happy with being able
that she became a guide because “on my
“a small individual challenge for students
to get to know somebody who’s been on
orientation day, I found Massey Guides
to learn how to make a crane...the bigger
the campus before and kind of earn some
extremely helpful. I wanted to help new
challenge is to get 1000 cranes and by
tips and tricks from them.” She added that
students who might feel lost or intimidated on
achieving small challenges, we are able
she had received “overwhelmingly positive
their first day.”
to achieve big challenges so that even
feedback” from staff and students, who said
symbolically this is the beginning of an
that orientation went “really well on the day.”
of Business Representative in last year’s
While the 45 new guides outnumbered
Albany Students’ Association elections,
Several trained “craneologists” were
achievement.”
Cho, who was also elected as the College
the nine returning from previous years,
said she would encourage other students
often it’s associated with peace, so I just
this year’s batch of guides included a
to become part of the Massey Guides team,
wanted a sense of a cohesive community
diverse range of students, from biology to
as she thought of “Massey Guides as a role
and students brought together....and for it to
dance majors. Montgomerie said that she
model in a way for new students.”
be a message not only about the university,
was “really happy” with the new Guides,
but because [the ASA is] doing it, that we’re
adding that numbers were up from the 48
and shows how students can be involved with
here for you.”
Massey Guides in 2014 and that there were
university events and embraces the culture of
“definitely more new students that last year.”
helping each other out at Massey.”
Lyall said that she chose cranes as “quite
She said that the planned yearlong
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“It sends out a good vibe at university
Manawatu Local News
Carwyn Walsh
Freshers Lap Up O-Week in Palmy
that his birthday was the following week,
Club. For all the equine-lovers (that’s horses
The time-honoured tradition of O-Week has
after O-week. Nonetheless, the two made
for the laymen), there’s a group for you too.
been and gone for another year at Massey’s
the most of week and enjoyed the student
Anyone keen on organised violence will be
Palmerston North campus. Twelve days
activities and freebies on offer.
glad to know that even you have a group of
of frivolity kicked off on Monday February
O-Week seems to have successfully
fellow pugilists awaiting you in the Mixed
introduced all first-years to their new city
Martial Arts Club. If you love yourself a bit
of study. New friends have been made and,
of Latin poetry, then, as per usual, I’m afraid
Massey in Palmerston North this year, the
perhaps, new flames discovered. With the
there isn’t a club for you.
week offered a chance for them to acquaint
clouds of alcohol lifting from many a weary
If you happened to miss the Club Day this
themselves with their new surroundings,
mind, the academic year now looms ahead.
semester, then don’t lose all hope. There is
16 and ran through to Saturday 28. For the many first-years who arrived at
a link available on the MUSA site that lists
prepare for their looming studies and, with or without the influence of a beverage or two, make some new friends. Orientation Week is also the ideal
Club Scene Buzzing in Palmy
all of the various groups on campus you can
Like many universities, Massey in Palmerston
join. You can also attend the next Clubs Day
North welcomes all sorts of students with all
on Wednesday of next semester.
environment for those out there who enjoy
kinds of interests. Catering to this diverse
freebies. All sorts of free tat were offered to
range of tastes is a wide array of student-run
students, with pens, condoms, and wall-
clubs and societies that offer students with
planners being particularly sought after
specific interests a place to mingle and make
Following many terrorist atrocities
items.
friends with their fellow-enthusiasts.
committed recently by Islamic State
All is Well with Massey’s Muslim Society
and their various affiliates, the Muslim
Of course, the serious business of party-
On February 25, Club Day was held on
going took precedence for many of the first-
the Concourse with clubs vying with each
Community could rightly feel a wee bit on
years who were keen to taste the unique
other for the attention of new and returning
edge. Not so for members of the Massey
delights that Palmerston North has to offer.
students. Leaflets and free lollies were
Muslim Society, based on the Manawatu
With many hostels operating under a booze-
doled out to those walking about and free
campus.
ban, the infamous Palmy drinking den known
demonstrations were also on display. Held in
as The Barrel offered a generous spread of
the midst of O-Week, if you’d had a big one
Muslim Community at the Islamic Centre,
exotic-themed soirees.
the night before, you may have missed the
located on campus, to see how they were
chance to see just what an impressive range
feeling following the rise of Islamic State
of clubs there are at Massey.
around the world.
A.J. America (possibly not his actual name), a smooth-talking Californian Biology student and self-proclaimed ‘party-
The various representatives of the wide-
I went along for a chat with Massey’s
Charming and overwhelmingly friendly,
connoisseur’, found the whole week to be
range of clubs and societies packed in for a
the lads at the Mosque were happy to
an exhilarating experience. He particularly
meeting on March 3 in the Student Lounge
help me in my search for Rashad Syed, the
enjoyed witnessing a couch set alight down
to bounce ideas off of each other and
acting president of the society. Rashad,
Ada Street on Monday night and, along with
listen to various people keen to help them
an Indian gentleman studying towards a
Hunter from Gisborne, agreed that the Toga
out. In sweltering heat, Massey University
PhD. in Bio Technology, agreed to talk and
Party on the 28th, was the best of the many
Students’ Association (MUSA) President,
brought along another society member, Asif
parties. The toga seemed to be a fitting
Linsey Higgins, welcomed everybody along.
Zia, another PhD student, originally from
piece of attire for a party that, by the sound
Her welcome was followed by introductory
Pakistan.
of it, enjoyed all the debauchery and chaos
messages from the Palmerston North District
of the Fall of Rome.
Council, some lady from ASB, Campbell from
pointed out, is feeling very comfortable
Sport Manawatu and everyone’s favourite
with life on campus in Palmerston North.
disc-jockey, Dave from Radio Control.
The recent rise of Islamic State is of little
The partying aspect of the week was sadly missed by two other students, Josh and Ben, who both shared the unfortunate
With approximately forty different clubs,
The Massey Muslim Society, as Rashad
concern to the society’s members, as the
distinction of being only seventeen. Josh,
there truly is something for just about
university staff and fellow students have
a Resource and Environmental Planning
everyone. If Connect-Four or Battleship is a
been overwhelmingly supportive of them.
student, was particularly unlucky given
fancy of yours, then there is a Board Game
Following any atrocity committed by
Local News
12
Massive Magazine
Liz Chandler terrorists, it’s the Muslim Community who
in one hour, smashing the previous record of
said that the builder was given a deadline of
often feel the most outraged. Both Asif and
289 people.
February 1, 2015, to complete the houses and
Rashad have received emails from friends
Breaking world records is becoming the
they were all ready on time. These houses
and the university to check in on them,
norm for students at Massey’s Manawatu
have all been tenanted off, and have a wait-
which they appreciate greatly.
campus, during Orientation Week. 2013’s
list to get into them.
Rashad pointed out that those fighting
Orientation Week saw an attempt at another
In her opening address, Higgins stated
for Islamic State number less than a million
world record. More than 620 Massey
that “housing quality is an issue that MUSA
out of the one billion Muslims worldwide.
students, staff and passers-by gathered on
felt strongly about, which is why we have
This small group is a mere grain of sand in
the campus’ Concourse to break the apple-
invested so much time and energy into
the grand scheme of things. This point has
bobbing world record. The previous world
it.” She paid tribute to a range of people
obviously been noted by Massey’s staff and
record stood at 597 people bobbing at one
including the building contractor, whose
students who continue to support Muslim
time in Jackson, Ohio, USA.
team had been working on this project and
students and members of the faculty.
In 2012, Massey student, and rising
previous MUSA housing projects for several
javelin thrower, Ben Langton Burnell, tried
years. She also praised Pauline Karam, the
more than respond to pesky reporters
his hand at a world record for throwing a
MUSA Property Manager who had been
from MASSIVE enquiring after their thoughts
cellphone the furthest. Ben successfully
working closely with the building team
on a war in the Middle East. Last year they
threw a phone the length of an athletic field
throughout the whole project.
helped fundraise for Multiple Sclerosis and
for a new world record. The previous world
they often organise educational seminars
record was 102.68 metres; Ben threw ‘his’
student days and commented that it was “a
for the general public on a wide-range of
phone 18 metres further.
badge of pride to live in one of the [grotty]
The Massey Muslim Society do a lot
scholarly topics. On campus, in April or June (they haven’t
However, it is not just a matter of doing
Steve Maharey referred back to his
flats for one year.”
the event, whether it is watersliding, apple-
The section has six 4-5 bedroom houses
decided just yet), they’ll be holding an event
bobbing or throwing a cell phone. Justices
on the site, which previously contained four
to celebrate World Muslim Day. This is a
of Peace had to attend each event and
older style MUSA houses. These new houses
chance for the society to meet and mingle
complete paperwork to send to the Guinness
are the culmination of a project that MUSA
with students and staff and educate them on
World Record officials.
had to upgrade their property portfolio to
their beliefs, faith, and culture. Take it from
Next year’s intake of first year students
ensure healthy accommodation for students
me, they’re a lovely bunch and I’m sure you’ll
have a tradition to live up to of breaking
while they are studying in Palmerston
see this if you go along.
world records – no pressure!
North. These flats, and the other ones that MUSA have built recently, provide quality
Students Slide into Record Book
New Student Cribs
accommodation for students, which benefits
On Friday, February 20, students from the
Six new student houses were opened in
their health, their studies, the university, and
Manawatu campus made an attempt at
Morris Street on February 14, by Massey
the community as a whole.
breaking another world record. Students
University Students’ Association (MUSA)
gathered at the Lido Pool to try and break
President, Linsey Higgins, and Massey Vice-
commitment just made, the association
the world record for the most people down
Chancellor Steve Maharey.
had no immediate plans for another
a waterslide in one hour. 306 Massey students went down the 24-metre waterslide
The opening was the culmination of an eight-month project on the site. Higgins
Higgins said “with this financial
development.”
Kingseat: Present
Taryn Dryfhout
Even during daylight, the eerie grounds of Kingseat Psychiatric Hospital are silently unsettling. Entering this ghostly compound, it’s not hard to see why the grounds, of what once was Kingseat Hospital, have become a spectacle for tourists and locals alike. Welcoming me was the unnerving sound of a dog howling, the sinister sight of ominous birds perched on dead trees, and a sign that reads ‘we eat the locals’. I’m suddenly wishing I hadn’t chosen to stay up late last night watching the 2005 remake of Asylum. Since Kingseat’s former glory as a world-class mental treatment facility, the abandoned complex has been used in a number of ways including in films, TV shows, radio, public events, and as a great location for teenage driving lessons. A large amount of the buildings have also been occupied by businesses, as well as private dwelling. In a list of the ‘Top 10 Haunted Spots in Aotearoa’, an article on Stuff.co.nz declared Kingseat the number one haunted site in New Zealand – a title which has attracted the attention of businesses playing on its history, such as Spookers.
awareness of tikanga Māori in order to manage and oversee issues surrounding tapu. Spookers employs almost 200 staff and is currently recruiting new people for their horror characters. Though Spookers maintains that nobody has ever been hurt, both staff and visitors have had their share of experiences which range from the ghostly to the outright bizarre. Reports from actors who work at the attraction include people claiming to have their hands held by an invisible presence, sighting ghostly apparitions and hearing music being played in rooms that have no occupants, and sometimes no electricity. It’s hardly shocking to learn that Spookers has lost staff due to incidents such as these. One actor, a self-confessed ‘skeptic’, witnessed a mattress levitate off the bed and follow them out of what is known as ‘the nanny room’ and into the hall. Julia, who was called to the incident immediately, states that upon arrival she was physically unable to enter the room, due to a force that cannot be described. Another staff member, Gloria Tahana, describes herself as very ‘in tune’ with paranormal experiences and for this reason is often consulted on matters relating to paranormal episodes at Spookers. Having lived and worked onsite for the past decade, Gloria knows first-hand that Kingseat experiences more than its fair share of supernatural occurrences. Gloria, and her daughters who are also employed at Spookers, have encountered a range of eerie experiences including shadowy presences, head-crushing pressure and very tangible apparitions. These include sightings of a matron walking the halls, and a 10-year-old boy donned in a hospital gown and clutching a teddy bear – a disturbing account in view of the fact that a child of this description is known to have passed away at Kingseat under mysterious circumstances. Visitors regularly claim to have had paranormal experiences, so much so that it has become underwhelming for the staff at Spookers to hear, but one wonders what quantity of these experiences are bona fide, objective occurrences and how many were brought about by a deep desire to experience something. It has been a resounding rumour for months that Spookers have plans underway for a site in Australia, but the details surrounding that are being kept under wraps. Julia states that: “…an Australian location is in the works, but as for the rest….you will have to wait and see.”
Spookers The former nurses hostel, and arguably the most haunted building onsite, is home to Spookers; a haunted-house-type tourist venture that occupies a significant area of the grounds due to its add-on attractions including ‘CornEvil’ and ‘The Amazing Maze ‘n Maize’. The Spookers attraction itself is a live walk-through experience in which participants are considered ‘victims ‘and move through live action haunted houses and outdoor sets. Spookers claims to be the only haunted ‘Scream Park’ in Australasia, and has been named the number one haunted attraction in the Southern Hemisphere by Tourism NZ. Many of the special effects that can be seen at Spookers are the work of Weta Workshop, making Spookers a prominent stop for tourists who come to Auckland. Julia Watson, Managing Director and co-owner, describes Spookers as a family business, born out of a smaller venture. With their Bay of Plenty Maze and CornEvil earning peak time queues of over two hours, it was decided that a space was needed that could accommodate the current attractions, as well as an indoor attraction with the horror themes that were drawing in large audiences. With the outdoor attractions being subject to weather and season, the Watson family also decided that an attraction was needed that could cater to the public year round. A coincidental drive past Karaka and a timely ‘For Lease’ sign saw the Watson family moving their business to, unbeknownst to them at the time, the most haunted site in New Zealand. Much controversy and debate arose regarding this relocation and public outcry almost compelled Julia to change her mind about the move: “I didn’t want to upset people, so we decided that if we ultimately decided to relocate, a conscious effort would be made to avoid asylum themes - padded rooms etc. - within our attraction.” Local Māori possessed their own feelings about Kingseat’s transformation into a horror attraction. Julia asserts that kaumatua bless Spookers regularly, and that all staff have an
No. 2 / 2015
Asylum Paintball Park Inhabiting two prominent buildings within Kingseat is the Asylum Paintball Park, which opened in 2013. Asylum Paintball operates out of two of the smaller, but most horrific buildings within the complex, known as the maximum security buildings, which housed the criminally insane. The two red-brick buildings are connected by a cage tunnel and surrounded by an iron fence, which looks more robust than the one used in Jurassic Park. These buildings hold multiple paintball fields that run both indoors and outdoors, as well as facilities such as meeting rooms and barbecue areas, creating an all-weather arena and claiming the title of New Zealand’s only ‘haunted’ paintball
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Feature
field. While this venue is well on the way to becoming New Zealand’s capital of paintball, one cannot escape its chilling history. For Asylum co-owner, Michael Earley, the name ‘Asylum’ is a play on the history of Kingseat, as well as possessing a double meaning: “Asylum invokes ideas of our place as a sanctuary or a haven. A place for paint-ballers to come and seek asylum from their busy lives.” Michael is careful not to poke fun at Kingseat’s distressing past, and has empathy for the stigma that has come to surround the property, and the people who have come to resent the amusement that is being exploited through the history of this place. The outdoor arena, set inside a cage, has an eerie, postapocalyptic feel, playing on the nature of the abandoned buildings and on the people that once inhabited it. The buildings used to house the criminally insane, and were reserved only for those who were a threat to themselves or others. This meant that patients were restricted to a life inside cages and cells, with the entire layout resembling a prison rather than a mental institution. The corridors into the main paintball rooms are lined with solid metal doors containing a small window roughly the size of a greeting card near the top, and several locks to ensure it remains closed. Spending time at Asylum is very different from being at Spookers, as the horror is not being exaggerated here or embellished for entertainment- the unnatural, disconcerting feeling that washes over you when you move through these buildings are simply a side effect of the reality that was life at Kingseat. Before Asylum moved in, the villas occupied by the paintball business had been abandoned, and the scars of this forsaken building are still hauntingly present. Asylum employee, Anton, reveals that the villa was deserted so quickly that when they took over the premises they were left to clean up medicines and medical records that had been left when the buildings were vacated 20 years earlier. One of these documents is now immortalised on their foyer wall, as a tribute to what once was. While Asylum Paintball Park does not cite any personal paranormal experiences, co-owner, Michael, does state that he is apprehensive to roam the grounds at night. There is also an overwhelming number of accounts from employees, patrons and ‘ghost-hunters’ who all claim to be unable to use technical equipment inside the building, including digital cameras and mobile phones, as the batteries fail soon after entering.
With old features still intact such as a swimming pool, tennis courts and a beautiful white Art Deco bowls pavillion, it’s not hard to see the attraction of living at Kingseat. The Perfect Location Because of the unique structure of the complex, and its ever increasing collection of paranormal reports, Kingseat has attracted much attention as a filming location. It has featured in movies and TV shows including 2010 horror film Compound, a 2014 promotional video for Shortland Street and music video ‘Death of You’ for Kiwi band I am Giant. Events such as ‘Run for Your Freak’n Life’ have also become a regular occurrence, with this 5km running event attracting a sizeable crowd. Shows such as Sticky TV, The Crowd Goes Wild and radio stations such as The Edge have paid substantial attention to this haunted site. In 2013 Edge presenter, Mike Peru, stayed overnight in the Spookers ‘nanny room’ (you will remember the punchy anecdote about the floating mattress). Footage on YouTube shows a ghostly white apparition hovering over him before he is overwhelmed with fear. The Edge have also subjected Kiwi celebrities such as Jamie McDell and Massad to attractions at Kingseat and on February 20 they sent another one of their hosts for a night experience at Kingseat, accompanied by Haunted Auckland. It’s not hard to see why Kingseat continues to be a place of national and international curiosity given the amount of people who disappeared, passed away or claimed maltreatment took place there. The mysteries and frightening feel of Kingseat means it has attracted the attention of many media sources and still continues to fascinate, years after the government officially closed its doors. The Future of Kingseat Despite the fact that Kingseat has come to be perceived as a swell of paranormal activity, a group of local consultants are currently formulating a plan that will see Kingseat developed into a brand new, urban subdivision known as ‘Kingseat Village’. A report from Auckland Council endorses the changes to the area provided that modifications made to Kingseat enhance and protect the distinctive character of what Kingseat once was, which they describe as a ‘…pleasant park like environment for the patients’. However, a local source maintains that the proposal wording allows Kingseat developers to demolish almost all of the buildings and trees. Objections over this demolition mean that it is uncertain when or if the building of Kingseat Village will ever take place, although the developers have been quite clear with their intentions to commence work as soon as these disputes have been legally resolved. The proposal is currently being reviewed in the Environmental Court.
Life at Kingseat Despite accounts that leave Kingseat looking like the Amityville Horror house, people from all walks of life live on the grounds in privately leased homes, which are rented to low-income families. With accounts coming from all sides claiming of the horrors and hauntings associated with Kingseat, it may come as a surprise that the residents who dwell there all appear to be relaxed and content people. Ms Manatu Tafa, who lives onsite with her children, states that she has always felt “perfectly safe”. “I’ve never seen anything disturbing here. I even walk the grounds in the dark as a part of my nightly routine. “
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Look out for the next and final instalment ‘Kingseat:Paranormal’ to find out what paranormal experts have to say about New Zealand’s #1 haunted location!
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Massive Magazine
Living Costs Too High
Kehlsi Ramsay
Higher and higher costs of living are getting out of control, forcing students into gap working years – or simply to drop out. Kehlsi Ramsay investigates.
22, or manage a job while studying a high-demand degree. There needs to be some sort of increase for those living in the cities.” This issue has been around for decades yet, with the growth of housing prices, especially in Auckland, there seems to be no major increase to help students in need. In Wellington quite a few students opt to live in the Halls of Residence for one year or more due to the high demand to find a cheap flat in a decent location, not completely out of the way of their chosen place of study. On average a student living in the halls is expected to pay just over $300 a week, including expenses. Although this figure may seem high compared to flatting, to find a reasonable priced flat within a fair radius of their institution is very hard and can be somewhat impossible. Because of this, students go for the easier option and live on campus or near so, in a hostel. Going off the average hostel fees within Wellington there is an additional $139.90 a week needed - just for the fees. As a result, an estimated cost of $5569 per year is needed to cover what StudyLink does not cover. So who pays this extra amount? The student, who in theory has just finished school, or the parents? Victoria Law student Grace Smith had to move out to the outer city suburb of Tawa just so she could support herself at university without needing to rely on her parents’ income. “I am now considering taking up distance papers where it is possible. The cost to get in to uni every day is terrible. “If I take my car I need to worry about the cost of petrol and parking yet, if I take the bus, I have to add around 40 minutes to an hour on to my day for travelling.” Freya Calipo, a psychology student from Waikato, says relative costs of living influenced her choice of university. “All my friends went to Waikato University but I chose to go to Massey in Palmerston North, simply because it was too expensive for me to live in Hamilton. “Palmy has the cheapest halls in the country so I had not much choice but to go there.” In comparison to the big cities in New Zealand, Palmerston North is said to be the cheapest student-based city. But what is cheap? Massey University has about 20 halls of residence for their students to choose from, varying between self-catered to partially-catered to fully-catered, to international student based, to homestay options. The best price for a fully catered option is $310, yet students have the option to go with the “only-dinner-catered” option, which works out to be $207 a week. The “only-dinner” option seems like a more realistic figure to work off with a student loan. But where does the extra money come in for the rest of the meals?
James Teller is a talented, passionate artist. In 2014, he moved from Christchurch to study fine arts at Massey’s Wellington campus. Unable to get into Massey’s one Hall of Residence, The Cube, he was forced to find a flat, close to the university. He found a place in the city for $170 per week. He received $172 per week from the government to cover his living costs. To afford to live Teller took a part-time job at a local café. But working 15 hours a week, while trying to fit in his degree became too much for him, and he made the decision to quit his study halfway through the year. With a rapid increase in housing prices across the country, with a knock on effect for rents, many students are struggling to live off the little amount of money given to them by the government that is classed as “living costs”. Some of them can no longer afford to study due to the high actual living costs, which do not match what the government regards as the ideal cost of living in New Zealand. The average living cost an everyday student is entitled to is $175.10 per week, an increase of only 90 cents over the past year. If students meet the criteria they can then apply for an accommodation supplement, though eligibility rules vary between cities, determined by the location of the student, and their circumstances. Data from the Ministry of Business, Innovation, and Employment shows the national rent average increased by about 9 per cent over the past year. These rising rent costs have made it increasingly hard for students to find a decent place to live, and study at the same time. According to the Worldwide Cost of Living survey, Auckland is the 19th most expensive city to live in the world. Auckland University released a summary of the average weekly costs needed for each student going into the big smoke to study. These costs included: accommodation, transport, food, entertainment, Internet, and power –the basic necessities for a person to survive comfortably. The study concluded that students needed an average of $380 to $480 per week. When the government is only providing $175.10 of this sum, students may need to find an extra $200-$300 to be able to study in Auckland. The question is, where are these funds to come from? Studying psychology at Auckland University, Steph Walker lives in the CBD, in a four-bedroom bungalow. She says her rent has increased by $40 over the past year, resulting in her needing to juggle her studies with a job in order to just pay the rent. “It’s hard to think that my rent is more than what the government considers as living costs,” she says. “Somehow I am expected to either rely on my parents at the age of
No. 2 / 2015
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In Palmerston North, the only way the student living cost system seems livable, is if the student were to flat. The average cost of rent for a four-bedroom home is around $110 each. For all costs including power, internet, and food, the cost of living works out to be just under the current living cost fund. Not everyone wants to live in Palmerston North, however, nor does it offer all possible courses. But for some students, in order to comfortably live off only what the government has to offer, it seems to be the only option. Within the six main places to study at a tertiary level - not including the polytechnics across the country - it is amazing to see that only one of them can fully support a flatting student, whose main source of income is the living costs provided by the government. Yet as the growth in New Zealand housing continues to rise there is currently no talk of increasing the living costs allocated for students. This country is in desperate need to help the next generation to pursue their dreams and live a comfortable life. The cost of living is beyond unrealistic – even for those working full-time. Young adults are limited to what their future holds simply due to the cost of studying being too high, all factors considered.
No. 2 / 2015
Some students opt to take a “gap year” simply to save to be able to afford what is needed to live, not including the cost of the course. Twenty-year-old University of Otago student, Ruby Brown, says she had no choice. “I’d wanted to study medicine since I was young, but going into year 13 at school I realised how expensive that was going to be. It’s [medicine] only offered at a handful of universities so I was stuck with places to go. “I was forced to take a gap year just so I could save the minimal amount to live off. Medicine is a high demanding degree that costs a lot of money. I would rather not be in more debt than I already knew I was in for.” The truth is, these days students need some form of a qualification to get even the simplest of jobs. Even working in a café often requires a baristas’ certificate to make coffees. There is a need for this country to be more supportive towards those who wish to study. The standard entitled living cost loan is not a realistic figure to live off each week – especially for those studying in big cities. With the ever-increasing costs of the housing market, the living costs need also to be increased. People should not be limited to what they can study because of financial constraints.
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Orientation Across the Nation
Julia Braybrook
“Toga! Toga! Toga!” If there were a way to sum up the expectations
“positive feedback from clubs and business stalls commenting
for O-Week in three words, John “Bluto” Blutarsky’s line in the 1978
on how vibrant it seemed.” Along with a hypnotist, where “those
film Animal House would be it. It’s probably the only time in semester
hypnotised put on a good show,” MUSA’s Beach Party meant that
where partying is prioritised over studying, and from Dunedin to
Higgins “had to push my way through the crowd of beachy people”
Auckland, it’s clear both students and universities go all in to make
when she left at 12.45am. Tickets were also sold out for the toga
the most of it.
party, which was “one of the most hyped student traditions.”
Apart from being the country’s capital, Wellington is also known
While ticket sales were up on last year, Higgins said they
for its hipsters, windy weather, and Victoria University. Home to
“definitely wish” they had more funding to spend on orientation. “Our
20,000 students, orientation is “a great time to have fun, make
spending is modest and we try to partner with groups to ensure
new friends and explore Wellington before serious study begins,”
good outcomes for students. However, it definitely does affect how
according to Victoria University of Wellington Students’ Association
awesome we could make our O-Week.”
(VUWSA) 2015 president, Rick Zwaan. He said that for this year, the
Student engagement also “matters hugely” to Higgins. “Many
university ran “a fantastic two-week O-Week festival to welcome
first year students are experiencing their first time out of their home
students to the city and uni with a range of events,” which included
and are being bombarded with a lot of different information. Good
locally sourced acts, such as Wellington singer songwriter A Girl
engagement helps the information we provide to students remain
Named Mo, for Jim Bean Homegrown - New Zealand’s biggest Kiwi
‘sticky,’ so when they need our services they know where to look.”
music festival. Victoria’s O-Week also included their traditional toga
Second year vet student, Abi Swan, said that her experience as
party: “While we had a sweet high-tech light and visual show with
a first year student in 2013 on the Manawatu campus was “great”
great DJs this year, the traditional toga attire lived on.”
in preparing her for her first day of university through running
While the university received some funding for orientation from
workshops including stress management and how to take notes in
the Student Services Levy, “it costs a lot to run so VUWSA has to
lectures. The social events, such as events for students in the Halls
put in a significant money in from our own reserves.” He added that
of Residence and sports day, “helped to build my confidence and I
they would be able to “do a lot more” with more funding. Zwaan also
met loads of great people,” including one of her best friends from
said that student engagement “absolutely” made a difference to how
America. “We were both doing pre-vet together and hit it off straight
successful O-Week was.
away.”
“Students understand students best, so to us organising O-Week
While she hadn’t been to a university O-Week since, she said that
as a students’ association, packing our events with awesome student
the orientation for vet students was “way more exciting.” While she
volunteers, and making all our events as student friendly and
missed out on some of the events, she said that “[students] were
welcoming as possible is huge. We’re stoked that most of our events
surprised during a lecture when third years came in masked and
are sold out so student engagement is high!”
herded us outside where we danced in front of everyone, had eggs
As for his own experiences of O-Week?
and rubbish thrown at us, and after running around the vet tower,
“Mostly I got lost a bunch and maybe sort of did that thing where
we were chucked in the vet pond. After that we were hosed off and
you make out with your flatmate a little bit.”
given a BBQ where we met other students in the years above us.” She
Linsey Higgins’ experiences of O-Week were equally as
added that it was “definitely a rite of passage I wouldn’t have wanted
memorable. Before she was the current president of the Massey
to miss!”
University Students’ Association, Higgins said that her most
At Massey’s Albany campus, 2015 Albany Students’ Association
memorable experience of O-Week was when she turned 18 while a
(ASA) president Byron Brooks said that his most memorable
student at Vic.
experience was playing human foosball “when there was water and
“I was 17 for the first few days and wasn’t able to head to town, so
dishwashing soap covering the [bottom of the inflatable field] making
it was pretty awesome once I turned 18 and the floor in my hall were
it extra slippery and fun.”
there to celebrate my entrance into clubs for the first time. It was
As for this year’s orientation, Brooks had “only received positive
pretty cheesy but it was a really fun experience - plus I got shouted a
reports.” The events, which included the Traffic Light Party run by the
lot of drinks that night.”
Albany Massey Engineering Students’ Society (AMESS), the Business
Higgins said that Manawatu’s orientation followed “a somewhat
Student Group’s (BSG) Amazing Race, and social lunchtimes, led
traditional structure”, including Clubs Day, which gained a lot of
No. 2 / 2015
to this year’s orientation being “the most successful and enjoyable
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one run for the past few years,” according to Brooks. He added that
start for her course meant that orientation this year “was mostly
“working alongside the university was excellent and we will continue
just the first week of uni”, said that her experiences of O-Week in
to do so for future events.”
Otago were memorable for all the wrong reasons. While she didn’t
However, he also acknowledged that “with more funding, O-Week
participate in many events, she did go to the toga party where she
would have been different. There probably would have been larger
“was so turned off by the weird orgy-party scene that I gave up on it.
attractions that ran longer and that is the stage I am hoping O-Week
I just remember lots of drunk people and getting eggs thrown at me
will get to in a few years.”
by older students carrying forward the cycle of abuse.”
With student engagement up from previous years, attributed to
In contrast, third year commerce student Emily Joshua said that
the newly opened on-campus accommodation, Brooks said that this
her orientation for this year, which is also her last, was the “best
engagement “is key to the success of O-Week.”
O-Week ever.”
“The more engaged the students are, the greater the vibe on
“We mainly had drinks at our flat and went to parties on
campus. This year there was an excellent vibe on campus which was
neighbouring streets as everyone is keen to mix and mingle, there
excellent to see.”
is music playing and it was just such a good vibe!” While she didn’t
Massey @ Wellington Students’ Association (MAWSA) president,
go to any of the events, she said living on a student street made
Tom Pringle, says his first experience of O-Week, in Wellington, was
a difference to how much she could “get involved, enjoy and fully
“overwhelming”. Like most students leaving home for the first time,
immerse myself in O-Week.”
and being in a big city, Pringle got “carried away”, and his week of
She said that in her first year, being only 17 meant that while
festivities ended up turning into a 21-day bender.
she was able to attend all the events, including the toga party and
Although this year’s O-Week was a lot more tame for Pringle, he
concerts, she wasn’t able to celebrate with other students afterwards.
still enjoyed the events, and as president, he was satisfied with the
“This made it very hard to meet friends at the beginning as going
level of student engagement.
out was a large part of being a first year student and meeting new
“It was really good, this year’s O-Week had a lot more student
people – not necessarily being wildly drunk but just being a part of
involvement in terms of the organising and running of events, making
the atmosphere. So my first year O-Week was fun but sad in the fact
it more engaging and friendly for all students.”
that I had to stay back after the events while everyone else went out
Pringle believes that with more funding, MAWSA could provide
and enjoyed themselves.”
bigger and better on-campus events, to draw in bigger crowds and
Joshua also said that the university put on a lot of events and
enhance the community feel on Massey’s Wellington campus.
promotions during O-Week, including Tent City and the International
Pringle acknowledges that an individuals’ location (which city
Food Festival. She added that her most memorable experience
they’re based in) does influence how they experience O-Week, but he
was “the hypnosis show in first year and this year when we had a
also thinks it’s dependant on the type of person they are.
barbecue with our neighbours and I got dared to go swimming in the
“At the end of the day, it’s what you make of it,” he said.
river...anything can happen in Dunedin!”
Down in Dunedin, the University of Otago has a reputation for
New Zealand Herald columnist, Matt Heath, agrees in a February
giving their approximately 19,000 students an orientation they’re
article, where he says that “barfing Scarfies is all part of the fun.” As
guaranteed to (hopefully) remember. With an unofficial motto of
a “massive supporter of poor student behaviour,” Heath says that “if
‘study hard, party even harder,’ their O-Week activities often grab
you’re lucky enough to get a tertiary education it’s your duty to enjoy
headlines, such as “Party students blamed for leaving Dunedin street
it in full.”
like the Third World” and “3000 say they will attend student party.”
Whether it’s toga parties or workshops, Wellington or Dunedin,
However, their headline-grabbing antics can go either way with
orientation is a time for students across the country to let loose and
students, as I found out when I talked to Caitlin Sharpe. Sharpe, who
enjoy themselves before hitting the books, and it seems that is what
is currently studying medicine at Victoria University where the early
they’ve done again this year.
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Massive Magazine
Surburban: A Local Exploration Welcome to our monthly showcase of Massey photographic talent. This month we explore Erin Walker’s work, ‘Four Square’. If you want to see your photography in this space, please contact the editor.
Erin Walker throughout New Zealand holds nostalgic, yet significant value. My initial investigation into this defined area was motivated by ideas of identity and origins of place. Having no choice but to accept Ashburton as a home, a changing perspective of place
Six years ago, my parents bought a Four Square Supermarket.
over time initiated somewhat of a fascination with small town life.
Forced to leave the city I grew up in, I never thought I would have a
This interest has grown into part of my photographic practice. The
connection to this new “home”.
vernacular intersects with the unconventional, to provide intriguing
Netherby Four Square is located on the corner of Bridge and
representations of everyday realities. Suburban lifestyle choices
Albert Streets, Ashburton. One hour away from Christchurch,
reveal personal values and priorities in regards to ways of living,
Ashburton serves neither as a large city nor a small township, but
which directly relate back to the Four Square and spending habits.
rather an in between where pastoral meets urban. With a population
Initial oddities of the town have become normalised over time
of approximately 31,000 people, Ashburton is home to farmers,
and through these photographs I aim to share a perspective of
factory workers, earthquake migrants, hereditary locals, and an ever
community that goes deeper than fleeting encounters. I am a local
changing and expanding demographic of nationalities.
who intends to document the suburb of Netherby – Ashburton as
Ninety years since the first Four Square began operating in New
a form of modern ethnography. The Four Square has acted as a link
Zealand, Four Square continues to be a household brand and identity
between the locals and myself where I have been able to establish
close to the heart of Kiwi culture. With the introduction of larger
relationships and create a sense of these urban realities.
supermarket chains, the representation of small Four Square stores
Welcome to Ashvegas!
Bodybuilding Comp-prep: Glitter, Sweat, and Tears
Hannah Douglass
When I started going to the gym, I could run on a treadmill at a slow
upwards of three litres of water every day to aid with fat loss. It
jog for a grand total of four minutes before I had to stop. I struggled
woke me up at least once a night. I couldn’t get anything done
to do even one press-up and I could squat about 15kg. I’d never even
without pausing for a toilet break, which only exacerbated my rapidly
heard of a deadlift. Since then, I have been through an intense fitness
shortening attention span.
journey, which has tested my patience, discipline, and played with my
For the majority of the six months, I had to do at least an hour of
mind.
continuous cardio exercise most days. This was on top of a weight
I lost about a kilo a month when I started working out – very slow
training session, studying full time at uni, working 20 hours a week
progress, but my diet was out of control so it’s not entirely surprising.
and cooking my meals ahead of time so I could take them with me
I was eating more or less an all-carb diet – very few fruits and veges,
(that Tupperware life, yo).
and a small amount of protein. I learned what to do at the gym from
Six days out from competition day, I started the process of carb
watching other people, and then slyly trying it out when I thought
and water depletion. The less water your body holds, the more visible
no one was looking. With time, I discovered a great interest in lifting
your muscle is, so intense dehydration is fairly common practice.
weights, and felt my self-confidence grow stronger with each kilo
Diuretics (because apparently I wasn’t peeing enough already) were
that I lost.
combined with strict control over my water intake and near total
In March 2014 I was asked if I was interested in competing in a
reduction of carbohydrate intake. I got to eat about half a cup of
bodybuilding competition. I’d seen them on the internet, but always
pumpkin twice a day, and that was the only carbohydrate I got.
dismissed them as nothing to do with me. My initial response to that
The effect of this was acute and sudden; within two days I had
strange question was laughter and a resounding no. Competing was
cried over the fact that I couldn’t bear to eat any more goddamn
for pretty girls – girls that could be models if they wanted to, girls
pumpkin. Well, it wasn’t so much crying as it was a full-blown
that liked nail polish and glitter and wore lipstick– not me.
breakdown on the phone to my Mum because I didn’t know what
A week later I found myself back at the gym, asking about this
else to do; I couldn’t make myself eat the pumpkin, but I also couldn’t
competing business. Boy, was I clueless about what I was getting
not eat the pumpkin and that’s a tough nut to crack when you’re
myself into.
essentially a dehydrated, over-emotional zombie. After three days I
The aim of the game was to reduce my body fat to around 10-12%
had difficulty climbing the stairs between my front door and the road
of my total weight, which is very low for women (normal range is
– there were only fifteen of them, not particularly steep or strenuous
22-28%). You do this so that the muscles you have put hours of work
to the normal person, or even a relatively healthy 80-year-old. Within
into are visible in all their glory. I competed in bikini class, where the
four days, all I had the strength to do after my morning gym session
desired look is overall fitness, femininity, confidence and sex appeal.
was to lie in bed and stare at Pinterest food pages in between naps.
This class isn’t anything like the traditional images that come to mind
It sounds awful I know, but somehow when I was asked on the day
when you think of bodybuilding. Women compete entirely differently
of the competition if all the struggle was worth it, I answered yes, and
to men in the bodybuilding world, and bikini is a fairly recent addition
I meant it. Yes, it was probably the hardest thing I’ve ever done and
to the programme – an attempt to cater to a more mainstream and
yes, it will be just as tough the second time around. But the feeling
admittedly, mostly male, audience. You’re supposed to look like the
when you step on stage is amazing. You honestly feel like the world’s
pinnacle of fitness and health, but when you step on that stage you
hottest person, and that’s coming from a naturally very shy person.
don’t always feel fit and healthy. Comp prep is brutal.
It’s a stupid amount of fun feeling like this, if only for a day. It’s all
I spent six months of a year restricting my food intake to a very
over too soon, though, and you’re unceremoniously tossed back into
small number of things: oats, protein powder, chicken, broccoli,
reality like it never happened.
kumara, pumpkin, beans, fish, spinach and egg whites. Sauces and
Recovering from the ordeal of competing took a long time,
toppings were limited at first, and then taken away all together.
mentally as well as physically. Intentionally gaining weight is an
Preferred cooking methods were boiled, steamed, and dry-baked.
incredibly stressful thing to do after you’ve spent months hell-bent
Added salt was out of the question. It’s enough to drive anyone crazy,
on doing the exact opposite, even if it’s necessary for your health. I
and after a while you do feel genuinely crazy. Severe restriction of
liked getting my strength and brain function back, but I felt like a fat
carbohydrates reduces your brain’s ability to function and it tends
potato. My body held onto any extra calories it received because it
to work bit like trying to hold water in a sieve. I had a hard time
thought it was starving (and essentially it had been, for six very long
remembering really simple things, like what I’d done the day before.
months), and I gained weight quickly.
I needed to pee all the time. We were encouraged to drink
Fitness Feature
More stressful than this was the relationship I had with food
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Massive Magazine
at the time. I came to associate feeling full with feeling guilty, like
healthy sources but it’s not the end of the world if you decide to
I had failed at something. I can only assume this was because
treat yo’ self and eat a chocolate bar, as long as you count it in your
during prep feeling full meant I had cheated and eaten something I
macros.
shouldn’t have, so I would’ve felt guilty. It was well over a month after
For some people this style of eating doesn’t work because it
competition that I could feel full without hating myself. It was even
leads to an obsession with the numbers that isn’t healthy but for me,
longer that I could accept my body for the way it looked – no longer
it’s like a puzzle. I like puzzles. It’s a balancing act of what I want to
shredded and tiny but bigger, softer and more jiggly. I spent about
eat, what I need to eat and what fits in my macros. I’m always going
two months binging on any junk food I could find. When I talk about
to be a person that enjoys junk food, so there’s no sense in cutting
binging I don’t mean eating a small amount of junk food – I mean
it out completely, and while that seems so simple, it took me an
eating an entire block of chocolate in one sitting, directly after having
astoundingly long time to figure out.
eaten a big dinner, and doing the same thing the next day. I didn’t even enjoy eating it, but I couldn’t stop.
Until preparations for the next competition start in June, I’m enjoying a relaxed but healthy diet. After the last competition in
There was one thing that managed to pull me out of the cycle,
September, I really struggled to deal with intentionally gaining weight
and I wished I had discovered it earlier. Known as If It Fits Your
for the betterment of my health. I was plagued by feelings of guilt
Macros (IIFYM for short), it’s a style of eating that taught me to
brought on by feeling full, and I binged on junk food almost daily.
enjoy treats and not-so-healthy food in moderation. Total restriction
It took months of patience with myself to find a balanced mindset
had only led to a cycle of binging and further restriction, so this
where I could be okay with my body and my eating habits. While I
was a cycle-breaking discovery. The basic idea of how it works is
loved how my body looked on stage, I prefer it as it is now: strong,
that you’re given a certain amount of each macronutrient (protein,
fit, capable of deadlifting 80kg and doing 30-odd full press-ups
carbohydrates and fat namely) to consume a day, and so you count
nonstop, maintaining a steady internal body temperature and taking
these and make sure you get within 5g of those numbers. Obviously
on anyone in an eating competition.
to be healthy you need to get the majority of those macros from
Photo Credit: Defined Photography
Hannah, third from left on stage at the competition.
Estère: Vision and Integrity
Paul Berrington
Estère’s stripped back yet graceful take on contemporary R&B first
find some shelter, so we could ask about her inspirations, her
caught our attention with 2012’s self-released ‘Cruel Charlie’ single.
performance at WOMAD 2015, and just who this ‘Lola’ is?
Alongside ‘Lola’ she has since toured throughout Europe, Asia, and
Estère Dalton grew up playing a variety of instruments. Her
Australia, becoming a Red Bull Music Prodigy and collaborating
family were never musicians, just fans, and it was simply just a hobby
with underground hip-hop star, Oddissee, before recently signing to
encouraged by her parents, until one day an ongoing love for rhythm
French record label - Prospect.
took hold.
You’d probably forgive her for not being able to find the time in
“I started playing the drums when I was 11, and I just loved that,
her busy schedule to speak to MASSIVE. But true to her charismatic
and so I really got into playing, and entering competitions and
nature, Estère hopped off the bus on a windy Wellington day, to
playing in bands and stuff like that, and I think that gave me a lot of
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the framework for what I do now in terms of producing and making
performances at many festivals worldwide and an opening slot for an
beats,” she explains.
artist she’s often compared to - Erykah Badu, while also helping to
“I became quite confident with rhythm and stuff, but I never
secure a record deal with French label, Prospect, who re-released her
thought of music as a career or anything until I was at high school
self-titled album on March 6.
where I got that kind of encouragement, and there is always that
“I got signed to a label in France – Prospect – and they’re taking
point where a child is told that they’re good or they’re so not good, so
the album and distributing it throughout Europe, so the same kind
that’s pretty much my background.”
of thing is happening in New Zealand, as it [the album] wasn’t on
Estère writes and produces all of her songs, a singer-songwriter
iTunes and Spotify, this re-release is revamping it, kind of putting it
but not in the traditional sense, with guitar replaced by an Akai MPC
out a little bit more like a book, and also there are two more remixes
1000 - a sampler-sequencer that she calls ‘Lola’.
coming out on the New Zealand re-release, one by Grayson Gilmour
“Personifying Lola kind of makes being on stage by myself a little
and one by Paddy Fred.”
less solitary, because it’s quite difficult sometimes not working with
Despite her busy schedule, Estère is “constantly working on new
other people’s energy on stage, that’s a huge part of performing live,
material”, and has plenty of material she is yet to record or release,
bouncing off someone else’s energy,” she explains.
much of which will make it to a second album. Although look for a
“So now that I’ve got Lola with me it feels like I’m doing it with
remix compilation of her first album, due out soon.
somebody else, that’s partly the reason, but also she really does have
“I’ve got a whole bunch of new stuff that I will eventually record
a personality of her own, kind of like when you have a car and name
and release, so that’s all really exciting, but at the moment because
the car Lucy.”
my album’s being re-released and I’ve also got a remix album coming
‘Lola’ plays her part too - the briefcase-sized midi production unit
out, it’s probably too much for now. Soon I’ll start putting together
suits her musical philosophy perfectly, giving Estère the freedom of
the framework for my second album,” she explains, “Finding the time
expression she requires.
between touring to really zone in and focus can be challenging but
“The MPC is my instrument of choice because it does everything
it’s definitely something that you can master, and I’d like to get to
I need and I want it to do, it’s not a computer and I don’t ever want to
that point.”
play on stage with a computer, that doesn’t interest me personally,
As for her inspirations and influences, the Wellington music
but I can do all my production and instruments myself, and it pretty
community and its many bands and musicians are obvious choices,
much has the sound of a band on my own, which is what I wanted
yet Estère admits there are almost too many influences to name.
to do,” she says, “to have complete creative control, and that’s why I
“I really like Dirty Projectors, I love their production, and in terms
bought the MPC originally”.
of making beats and stuff there is a producer named Georgia Anne
The restrictions of performing live “just standing up there with
Muldrow who I love, stylistically I love people like David Bowie, Kate
a black box kind of thing” are not lost on Estère, and the energy she
Bush, Grace Jones, people who are quite vivid in their aesthetic as
brings to the stage is incredible. Whether dressed in PJs or sequins,
well as their music, and then there’s all sorts of New Zealand music, I
for Estere it is about delivering a show with vision and integrity.
love Connan Mockasin, Fat Freddys and Electric Wire Hustle - there
“As long as someone is expressing themselves, they’ll remain
is so much inspiring music out there.”
unique,” she says.
We spoke to Estère before WOMAD, where she said she was
“For me, I try and focus on delivering my songs like I’m in my
excited and honoured to be selected for the festival. She planned to
bedroom because that’s the way that I most enjoy it. I’m working at
play “a mixture of old and new, I’m just going to be giving my best”,
the moment to add more dynamic to my shows by adding electronic
while also enjoying one of the best events on the yearly calendar.
drums, and playing more live instruments, because I think that’s
“I love WOMAD, I love all the music that gets programmed, I’m just
something that audiences quite like, I’m not actually sure, but I can
so into it, and the different bands from all around the world that come
imagine people sometimes don’t understand what it is that I’m doing.”
to play there, it’s a huge honour for me to be part of that line up,” she
“What I’m doing is different than playing a lot of pre-programmed
explains. “It’s something that I’ve always wanted to be part of, so I’m
stuff, but there is still an equal amount of work going on behind the
really stoked to be involved.”
scenes, so in terms of translating that to a live performance, that’s
Look out for solo shows from Estère, throughout New Zealand in
something that I have to think about,” she laughs, “but it’s going well”.
April, and download her debut album, which was released on March 6
Estère notes how “Aston Road [her record label] has been a really
via Spotify and iTunes.
great facilitator of a lot of things that have happened”, including live
No. 2 / 2015
31
Entertainment Feature
Monthly Music Round up
Paul Berrington
Dan Deacon
Drake
Gliss Riffer Domino
If You’re Reading This it’s Too Late OVO Sound/Cash Money
Baltimore singer-songwriter, Dan Deacon, has always had the ability to surprise you
When you approach a contemporary rap
with moments of sheer experimental audacity
mogul/superstar, you’re often best to ignore
sitting next to some beautiful melodies. His previous long-player,
their tweets and listen to the music first, because more often than
America, provided a great example of his ambition to make indie-rock
not they actually make some great music. Perhaps the credible and
a fun and freaky venture. Gliss Riffer still embodies this philosophy,
adventurous of that current crop is Drake, who over the course of
but offers a slightly more mature work, something not unexpected
three studio albums has become a phenomenon, and whose new
from an artist whose debut was released over a decade ago. The
‘official mixtape’ If Your’e Reading This It’s Too Late has just been
sheer ‘who knows what might happen next’ vibe that filled America,
released from out of nowhere. Reportedly a contractual getaway from
has given way to a slightly more introspective collection of songs
Cash Money Records, the best thing about the album is how far it
that still manage to sound laidback yet boundary pushing at the
allows Drake to step away from his commercial releases. Standing
same time. The lead single, the disco-tinged ‘Feel the Lightning’
as more of a showcase of his OVO Sound roster, recent signings
suggested Deacon was moving into a more pop focused realm, but
Wondagurl and PartyNextDoor feature alongside Drake’s long-time
it’s a little bit of a red herring, and there are still plenty of moments
cohort Noah ‘40’ Shebib on production duties. Often touted as the
awash in reverb and innovation. ‘Meme Generator’ is a funk all to
original sad rapper, Drake is a little angrier here, yet the vibe is still
itself, while ‘Steely Blues’ is rich in glassy ambience. If anything, Gliss
essentially moody, and tracks like ‘Jungle’, ‘Energy’, ‘Madonna’ and
Riffer has the feel of an artist who has looked back on his career and
‘Wednesday Night Interlude’ really are among some of his best works.
found comfort in what that offers. It doesn’t really contain anything
While less pop orientated, If Your’e Reading This It’s Too Late is
he hasn’t tried before, but that doesn’t matter because of the self-
still a really listenable album, full of melancholy and creative music
confidence the record displays.
production, and often capturing the musings of a megastar better than most.
Romare
Groeni
Projections Ninja Tune
Hewn Project Mooncircle
Romare Beardon was an African-American
Wellington-based Groeni makes folk music
painter and distinctive collagist who was part
with electronic instrumentation and processed
of the Harlem Renaissance in 1920s New York.
vocals, somehow connecting the UK-based
Romare, the musician, is a London based electronic music producer
future garage sound with reflective singer-songwriter arrangements.
who channels Beardon’s intellectualism by layering musical samples
His sophomore EP Hewn has just come onto Berlin-based beats label
and synth based creations into collages of his own. Projections isn’t
Project Mooncircle. It sounds like a cross between Burial and James
simply a collection of samples with looped drum tracks; Romare
Blake, with rich layers of ambience, reverb and guitar washed over
clearly feels strongly for the original source material, and crafts
intricately programmed beats and live breaks, with the melancholic
what could be called interpretations more than covers, or indeed
vocals adding the final touch. It is highly impressive stuff, and far
projections, which is a fitting title. Musically, the album is deeply
worldlier than many recent New Zealand releases. The propulsive
rooted to the past but crafted in modern times, with an ear for
rhythm of ‘The Oak’ never overwhelms the aching atmosphere
the contemporary dancefloor and the original sketch simply a
beneath, creating a deeply emotive ambient house track, that skips
canvas for Romare to expand upon. ‘Motherless Child’ turns an
and surprises at each new turn. Elsewhere, ‘Pardons’ and ‘Fray’ pulse
American spiritual into a pulsing rhythm track, and ‘Roots’ returns
with clicks and hisses, before Groeni’s lush voice enters, the final
house music to its afro-centric origins, while ‘The Drifter’ brings
product is a true hybrid of folk philosophy and electronic elegance.
the swamp blues of New Orleans to a London nightclub. The fact
Overall Hewn is quite an outstanding release that will captivate you
that Projections never comes across as a pretentious mess is credit
from start to finish.
to the skills of Romare as a producer, and makes it an album that is
To check out more of the past month’s hottest new releases, visit
both deeply experimental and also surprisingly accessible.
Reviews
our website and search ‘Weekly Music Round Up’.
32
Massive Magazine
Film Reviews
Paul Berrington achievements, with Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s fluid direction, and cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki’s continuous takes throughout the theatre, and even out into Times Square, quite astonishing. Edward Norton is the pick of the actors, his selfish yet vulnerable asshole vibe gives him a whole heap of range. Most performances are given enough to work with, including Keaton who embodies his role as a parallel to his own career. If anything, the frenetic pacing and character-based scenes do finally become a little overwhelming together, yet there is no faulting their success in portraying Riggan’s descent into madness and finally, a sort of salvation.
Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) (2014)
Birdman almost feels as though it would have made an amazing
Director: Alejandro G. Iñárritu
HBO or AMC series, where the characters could have been given
Starring: Michael Keaton, Edward Norton, Naomi Watts, Emma Stone,
more space, and the audience more chance to connect with them.
and Zach Galifianakis
Still, this is the sort of energetic and skillful film-making you often
Rating: 3.5/5
don’t associate with a mainstream American film, and has to be seen for the incredible camera work alone.
There is no faulting the technical accomplishments within Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance), a film that follows the attempts of an aging actor to shake his superhero image by bringing his own adaptation of a Raymond Carver short story to the Broadway stage. Although there is much to enjoy, there is also a slight feeling of hollowness, almost as if the bravura direction and dialogue rich script obscure anything meaningful at the heart of the story. Once the biggest show in town, actor, Riggan Thomson, (Michael Keaton) is known for his series of Hollywood blockbusters where he played ‘Birdman’, a character whose voice now haunts him at times of low self-esteem. Writing, directing and starring in What We Talk about
Big Hero 6 (2014)
When We Talk about Love is taking its toll on Riggan, and when
Director: Don Hall & Chris Williams
‘difficult’ method actor Mike Shiner (Edward Norton) is brought in
Starring; Ryan Potter, Daniel Henney, Scott Adsit
for a key role, he becomes increasingly paranoid and unpredictable.
Rating: 4/5
So when his daughter, Sam, (Emma Stone) tells him that his play is basically a futile exercise in vanity, and Mike starts getting all the press attention, Riggan starts hearing instructions from ‘Birdman’
While many will be disappointed that this rather lightweight
more and more. Volatile to be around, show producer and best friend
adventure film beat Hayao Miyazaki’s The Wind Rises, to the Oscar
Jake (Zach Galifianakis) thinks it’s just the artistic process in action
for Best Animated Feature, it’s undeniably a highly enjoyable and
and Riggan should appreciate the queue outside the theatre, while
tremendously detailed film that combines the best of Disney and
lead actress, Lesley, (Naomi Watts) is starting to wonder where the
Marvel. Hiro Hamada (Ryan Potter) is a 14-year-old high school
acting on stage begins and ends. As the preview shows open and
graduate who spends his time hustling at back alley robot-fights.
scathing reviews come in, Riggan takes to the city in his underwear,
His brother, Tadashi (Daniel Henney), is worried Hiro may not be
and pushes himself to the very limit of artistic integrity.
reaching his potential, so encourages him to apply to the university
There are so many ideas going on in Birdman that it’s often hard
he attends. The robotics department is overseen by Professor
to keep up. The experience is kind of like Woody Allen on crack, with
Callaghan (James Cromwell), a legendary engineer in his own right.
the self-referencing coming thick and fast. Depending on your taste
When Hiro delivers a spectacular showcase featuring swarms of tiny
in humour, some jokes will stick and some won’t.
microbots able to form into to any structure through mind control,
Certainly the most impressive aspect of the film is its technical
No. 2 / 2015
Callaghan offers him a place. Yet after a fire takes the lives of both
33
Reviews
Tadashi and the professor, the young genius is left devastated and
gathering on behalf of the National Security Agency (NSA) . Snowden
helpless in seclusion, until a robot designed by his brother to nurse
is a figure who since then has been revered as a hero or villain in the
humans, Baymax (Scott Adsit), tries anything to break him from his
public view.
slumber. That is until the duo discover that the fire was no accident,
Drawn to Hong Kong by a mysterious whistle-blower, documentarian,
and that a masked villain is using Hiro’s microbots for evil. The quest
Laura Poitras, and journalist, Glenn Greenwald, discover a man
begins as the Big Hero 6 are formed to find out who is behind the
who has inside knowledge of the surveillance strategies of the US
mask in order to save the world around them.
government and its partners and exposes a system which ignores
With surprisingly complex plotting and narrative to match, Big
premeditated doubt and gathers informative metadata about
Hero 6 is an adventure film full of charm and action, and of
everyone. That man is Edward Snowden, an ex-CIA analyst who has
course incredible animation. Successfully combining the warm
been gathering information while contracting for the NSA to prove
characterisation of the Disney universe with the thrilling action
that the War on Terror is being used as excuse to analyse millions
of Marvel, this marks the first true collaboration between the two
of innocent people worldwide. Holed up in a hotel room, Snowden
studios. While there are certainly moments of saccharine sweetness,
begins releasing classified documents detailing many governments
there are also intense battle scenes, and even some moments of
abuse of technology with telecommunications companies and secret
worthy human drama. Yet it is the incredible animation that really
networks are exposed for the corruption they’re regularly involved
makes an impact, from the Studio Ghibli influenced Baymax and
in. Greenwald in particular, a journalist for The Guardian, helps bring
his non-threatening presence, through to the quite remarkable
the story into the public eye, producing a range of stories that show
microbots, which can form any structure the mind allows for - they do
the incredible sophistication and elaborate lies of many US affiliated
so regularly, meaning you’re often mesmerised by the detail in some
governmental agencies. As the net closes around Snowden, his life
scenes. What Big Hero 6 lacks in subtlety it more than makes up for
comes under increasing danger and lawyers and diplomats battle to
in sheer ambition, and if you leave your pretensions at the door, this
ensure his safety as the US government uses archaic espionage laws
is an exciting original story to be swept up in.
to try and bring him to prosecution.
While it may have been more sentimental and perhaps more
Although we’ve all seen this story break on various media outlets
deserving to award The Wind Rises the Oscar, it is also hard to
in 2013, what stands out about this quite brilliant documentary is
fault the creativity and innovation that Big Hero 6 contains. It also
the way it hasn’t been filtered into the shock and awe of most news
promises much for further Disney and Marvel collaboration, and is a
outlets. Poitras knows we can easily source the facts and figures
warm-hearted thrill ride from start to finish.
about the Snowden leaks and chooses to focus on the man himself, delivering a character study of sorts, of a man haunted by his own professional life. It dispels the attitude you may have heard from some people about the metadata gathering – the ‘what does it matter as I have nothing to hide’ theory. Instead it is clear from this documentary that there is no such thing as democracy when every conversation and internet action we undertake can be recorded without our knowledge. The scary bit is that in general, few people seem to care or take action, and this makes Snowden’s character come across as anti-hero and saviour, a man willing to lose his own freedoms so we can continue our own. Many of the conversations between Greenwald and Snowden seem like they are from a grand
Citizenfour (2014)
conspiracy thriller, yet when you remind yourself that this is actually
Director: Laura Poitras
happening, the fear becomes all too real.
Rating: 5/5
Essential viewing, Citizenfour is a documentary that needs to exist. Snowden is a true patriot and a man who fears what the world might become if we sit back and let it happen. Hopefully the
Arguably something that everyone has to see, Laura Poitras’
devastating truth that the film contains becomes a lasting document
documentary, Citizenfour , follows Edward Snowden’s decision to
as to how press freedom and governmental transparency need to be
leak secret documents to the press in 2013, relating to intelligence
integral parts of any constitution.
Reviews
34
Massive Magazine
Book and Gaming Reviews
Lauren Hutchinson + Hannah Douglass
Life is Strange: Episode one (2015)
Dark Places
Platforms: Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, Playstation 4, Xbox
Author: Gillian Flynn
One, Xbox360
Rating: 3.5/5
Rating: 3.5/5 I picked up this book the day after I watched Gone Girl, thinking there Life is Strange tells the story of Maxine, a photography student who
couldn’t possibly be anything crazier than that movie, and Gillian
discovers she has the ability to alter time. Interwoven is the mystery
Flynn’s book, which the movie is based on.
that surrounds the disappearance of a local girl called Rachel.
Dark Places is a journey into the mind of Libby Day, the sullen
In spite of this seemingly generic summary, Life is
sole survivor of the ‘Day Massacre’, where the rest of her family was
Strange focuses more on the mystery that surrounds its characters
brutally murdered in their home. 24 years have passed and Libby
in a film like narrative, rather than Maxine’s time-travelling abilities.
is still minimally functional and determined to continue to live off
In saying this, Maxine’s ability to alter time is obviously necessary in
the pity fund, raised for her post-massacre. She is approached by a
terms of the game play and control.
member of the Kill Club, a group of people with far too much time
Being a game that alters based on the decisions I made, I found it
on their hands and an unhealthy interest in unsolved murders. They
freely satisfying to turn back time and tell the photography teacher
offer to pay her for her time, and possessions from her childhood. Her
what the right answer was or to know what would happen if I decided
world is turned upside down when she takes up the Kill Club’s offer
to comfort the ‘bully’ or make fun of them. I know we’d all like to have
and is forced to consider the possibility that her brother was not the
that kind of power sometimes.
Satanic-worshipping murderer of the rest of her family.
I was surprised at how passive the game play actually was, as I
The book moves between the present and the day of the
was expecting to have to control Maxine past flying bullets or in a
murders in 1985. We are guided into the thoughts of just about every
car chase. Such an approach had its perks and its disadvantages. On
character involved and through their eyes see that the murders are
one hand, the world was believable and realistic. For example, Maxine
perhaps not as straightforward as Libby Day remembers them to
forgets the flash drive so we have to make our way to her dormitory
be. The characters are all intensely flawed, which gives them a very
to go and find it. On the other hand, I got a bit bored walking all the
visceral and intense realness. As you read you become invested in
way across campus and navigating my way past obstacles just to
these character’s lives very quickly.
find a flash drive. I think I just wanted to see Maxine’s friend Warren, I
At 349 pages, Dark Places is a whirlwind of a story. Its length
mean, I had been texting him all afternoon.
means the plot twists are more or less nonstop, giving the plot pace
The game’s music was a highlight for me. It’s indie-like, song-
and incredible forward momentum. Reading it is a short-lived but
writer, ‘guitar’ style complemented the game perfectly. After only
intense affair like you wouldn’t at first believe. I frequently paused,
one episode, I was engrossed into this world and grew attached to
but only to wonder how the hell the characters and I had so quickly
Maxine, wanting to know more about her past and yet feeling as
become stuck waist-deep in a sinkhole of a disturbed small-town
though I already knew.
Kansas life.
Episode one left me wanting to play on and I can’t wait for the
The finale felt a bit “meh” after the drama of the plot that led
release of the next episode. As well as wanting to know how my
us to it, and when put under the microscope of literary criticism it
gaming decisions have altered my story, I’m also interested in how
is likely to crumble, but at the time of reading it, I didn’t mind. Yes, I
strong the butterfly effect really is.
was disappointed in the ending, but I fail to see another way Flynn could’ve possibly tidied up all the loose strings she created by severing every single tie the Day family had to the outside world, and to each other. Put simply, Dark Places is a messed up book about a messed up family who hurtle toward the brick wall of an ending at an alarming pace. The let-down is that it doesn’t break through the wall, but instead face-plants into it and crumples into a whimpering heap on the ground.
No. 2 / 2015
35
Reviews
Lovin’ Levin “Live it, Love it, Live-in-it, Levin” – what
Gisele Mulholland lower North Island walking destinations
with pride “Save-Mart Levin bitch.” (Okay, I
a slogan, what a town! Levin is a small town
- The Trig. It’s a 3km steady incline,
didn’t say bitch, but it suits the town’s ‘tude).
on the road to pretty much anywhere north
mountainous track. Its summit provides a
of Wellington. If you blink, you could miss
breathtaking view of the town and its lake.
it, but why not hold your eyes open a little
Levin’s gardeners source many of the big
longer and take a look around – you might
city supermarkets and they are regulars at
be surprised.
the Wellington markets with their produce. If
You may know Levin for its Adventure Park or its un-swimmable lake, which briefly housed the town’s sewerage – a bit of a
Levin is a slice in the middle of paradise. With about 10 minutes between a beach, river, and mountain you can double dip or even triple dip all in one day. The beaches are so badass that a
you fancy fresh fruit or fragrant wine, this is
snippet from the first Lord of the Rings
the place to go.
movie was filmed in the forest-laden sand
Speaking of food, do you get hangry?
dunes of Levin’s very own Whitarere beach.
stinker, but shit happens. (Sorry for the pun,
Long trips up north are comforted by Levin’s
I’m from a small town, what do ya expect?)
take-away chain obsession. If it’s fast and
– holla! Oh, and if you get peckish at the
The townspeople fought long and hard for
it’s food, they’ve got it. I’d also recommend
beach, there’s a fancy Four Square delivers
the lake’s revival, but the sludge remains.
the Roast Shop, which does roast potatoes
the most delicious, decadent scoop of love
Only those brave enough to take to the
better than your mum.
on a cone into your hot little hands. There’s
water are the dare-devil ducks.
Levin hosts a few festivals, and by a few
Yes, Aragorn rides his horse on our hill
basically food everywhere.
However, the lake is used for rowing and
I mean three: the AP&I show, the Car Show,
kayaking. Levin local, kayaker Jasper Bats is
and lastly the Organic River Festival, where
town also has a night-life. The local bar,
off to the 2016 Olympics.
you’ll experience ‘all natural’ hairy women
O’Malley’s, or ‘the O’ is where the locals
mud wrestling, campfires, Gypsy jewels, and
let loose. It’s a popular reunion refuge for
caravans.
returning uni students, and the place that
Levin is not only full of raw sewerage, but raw beauty. Truth be told, the lake is stunning, and feeding the ducks, then
If Gypsy fashion isn’t your thing, the local
Aside from having fun in the sun, the
takes many teenagers’ drinking and pubbing
watching the sun set behind the hills gives
Save-Mart has been dubbed a shopping
virginities. If you love to get down to some
you the warm fuzzies.
haven. ‘Alty’ people from the cultural capital
dirty beats, ‘the O’ will give you a show.
Levin is welcoming and family orientated.
have been known to source their latest
Levin will always be home for me, and I
It has all the amenities a thriving town needs:
vintage threads from none other than ‘The
a local cinema, pool with a hydro-slide, brand
Mart.’ I personally picked up a purple dime-
new library, theatre, and skate park.
piece – a long knitted jumper, which had
“Live it, love it, live-in-it, leave it.” Levin is the
everyone questioning its birthplace. I’d reply
perfect nest, but birdy’s gotta fly.
Levin houses one of the most popular
Local Travel
36
totally recommend that you check it out. In saying that, my version of the slogan is
Massive Magazine
Making Memories in Melbourne
Marty Vidal
So you’ve decided you’re bored of whatever
makes for great photos for your Tumblr or
the many roulette tables. Put half of it back
soul-destroying, black hole of a city or town
Facebook feed, so your family can see that
in your pocket, and the other half on red.
you’re from, and you want to get out before
you’ve been a good little boy or girl – but
This is one of those moments that means
you kill or brutally hurt someone. Your bestie
that’s not really you. You’re a young, reckless
everything right now, but won’t mean a thing
told you they had a friend who went to
but charming, polite with a filthy streak, live
in two weeks. Nevertheless, you’ll never
Melbourne once, and you saw one of their
for the moment, curious and crazy individual
forget it. If that little white ball finds itself
selfies on Facebook and thought ‘Yeah, that’s
and you want to experience the Melbourne
on red, congratulations you’ve just doubled
as good a place as any to visit’. Well, good
that mirrors you. Well, that’s the Melbourne
your money and can now afford some better
choice, that’s the first good decision you’ve
I’m going to give you, the Melbourne an
drugs and alcohol, and maybe try out one of
had for a while. If you’re going to have a good
insider like me is very intimate with. I went
those nice restaurants. If not, you’ve still got
time there, you’ll have to make several more
to school with this Melbourne, we made out
duty free, and Coles brand instant noodles
good decisions, and a few (very important)
together, and we broke hearts together.
are pretty cheap and don’t taste too bad. If
bad ones. Reading this story is the second
Your flight has just arrived at Tullamarine
you don’t think you can survive your stay
good decision you’ll make to create a
airport and your first thought is getting
without that cash then I suggest you call
memorable short stay in Melbourne.
to your hotel or backpackers. Wrong. Your
Mumma, turn on the water works, and milk
first thought should be ‘how much of this
those saggy moose-nose tits for every ounce
right way to do Melbourne, no set path that
duty-free alcohol can I fit in my bag?’
of love that you’re worth. Suckle baby, suckle
ensures you’re going to leave this stylish
Once you’ve settled into your room and
hard!
but moody city with all your expectations
opened your first bottle of vodka, your next
satisfied. That said, there sure as hell are
move is to get your lazy arse to the Crown
to do in Melbourne then you’re a fucking
plenty of wrong ways to do Melbourne. You
Casino on the South Bank of the Yarrah
asshole. This city never gives up battering
could see the Melbourne skyline from the
River. The Crown is known for its high-end
you with events and activities, constantly
Eureka tower, which looms confidently over
fashion stores and fine dining restaurants
turkey slapping you in the face with live
the city, see the postcard-worthy boatsheds
where you’re likely to spot a celebrity or
music, festivals, major sporting events, and
of Brighton Beach, or view the spectacular
two – but you’re not here for that just yet.
world-class performers. This self-confessed
Twelve Apostles floating along the rugged
You know that money you’ve been slaving
sporting capital of the world plays host to
coastline of The Great Ocean Road. But that
away all summer, flipping burgers, checking
The Australian Open at Rod Laver Arena,
crap is for the tourists, or even your parents
groceries, or serving customers, to make?
Formula One at Albert Park, loads of AFL
ticking items off their bucket lists. That all
After you’ve withdrawn it all, find one of
games, as well as upcoming events like
First of all, there is no cookie cutter
No. 2 / 2015
37
Bored? Well, if you can’t find anything
International Travel
the Cricket World Cup Final, Real Madrid,
as most bars or clubs are open every night
At $3 for a cup, this great value coffee beats
Roma and Manchester City playing at the
of the week. But don’t let that fool you, this
any other specialty places nearby. Try +39
MCG in July. If you’re lucky enough to get
place crams all you need into one youthful,
Espresso and Pizza Bar on the corner of
along to a major sporting event you won’t
upbeat, whiskey-soaked night, which is
King and Collins: their coffee is like crack
be disappointed; the atmosphere can whip
just long enough to find that girl with those
cocaine and the Italian guys behind the
into an orgiastic frenzy faster than you can
dangerous green eyes that you like, or that
counter are insanely fun. Their flirt factor is
prematurely blow your load.
boy with them princely dimples, then fall in
massive though, no woman is safe. Seriously,
love and get back to your hotel for some of
I’m a dude, and I fear pregnancy when I’m
you’re a party animal then I’ve got you
that kinky safe-word shit you’re into. If live
there. Although Dukes on Flinders Lane has
covered too. There are several bars and
music is your thing then check out Corner
arguably the best coffee in Melbourne, it’s
clubs that every party boy or girl needs to
Hotel, Hi-Fi bar, The Espy, Yah Yah’s, or Ding
easily the wankiest. Everyone who works
check out. First on the list has to be Revolver
Dong Lounge.
here is the reason people hate specialty
If sports aren’t your thing though and
Upstairs on Chapel St in Prahan, or as the
You’re probably getting hungry right
coffee and baristas. That said, the coffee is
locals call it “fucking Revs mate!” This place
about now, and Melbourne is known for good
too good not to try, so must be on the list.
is mental. The doors open Friday evening
food. If you’re sick of eating maccas and
The gem of all Melbourne coffee stores has
and don’t close until Sunday evening, and
need something with more flavour than a
to be Market Lane on Therry Street, it’s quite
it has become a rite of passage for any
soggy dishcloth then Fat Bob’s in Moorabbin,
simply the best coffee store Melbourne has
party-going youth within a 200 mile radius
and The Dude Food Man in Essendon
to offer. It has great coffee and extremely
to see how long they can last there. It’s a
are easily the two best burger joints in
nice people with absolutely no wank factor.
non-stop party for two days – props to you
Melbourne. If you’re looking for a late night
This is a small slice of Melbourne paradise.
if you’ve got the stamina to last the entire
eatery, Danny’s Burgers in Fitzroy is all you
If you don’t try this place out at least once,
time without withering into a dried husk.
need to know. They’re open until the wee
then your life will never be complete.
The floor here can get pretty sticky which
hours of the morning so it’s perfect for that
means it’s next to impossible to fall over, but
post-party hunger craving.
if you do, god help you. The music can be a
If you’re doing Melbourne right though,
It may seem as though I’ve only touched on Melbourne as a city. You know the important things though, like where to get
bit down-tempo at times, especially during
most of your meals will be liquid, whether
your caffeine fix, where to party, and where
the Saturday and Sunday morning recovery
they be made up of alcohol, liquid ecstasy,
to go to satisfy your greasy food cravings
periods. Pro tip: buy as much MDMA as you
or coffee. Melbourne is famous for its coffee.
when you’re hungover. If you do Melbourne
can before you head to Revs – you’re gonna
There’s two types of coffee stores you could
right though, you will never be hungover –
need it.
visit: the good honest coffee store with good
you’ll always be pingin’, and getting among
service and great people, or the wanky,
the buzz of a city that Melbourne is. So
way and you’re looking for something a bit
self-obsessed circle jerk store where the
throw away your tourist guides, blow your
more central, then Cloud Nine on King St
baristas love the smell of their own self-
cash, get loose as fuck, and experience the
in the CBD is your next stop. This bar is
roasted farts. T-Roy Browns in the Banana
Melbourne that mirrors the true you.
only open from 9pm Saturday night until
Alley Vaults has great coffee with none of
10am Sunday morning, which is quite rare
the wank, and also has killer jaffles (toasties).
If Revs seems a little too far out of the
International Travel
38
Massive Magazine
Representative Chic Holy Budgie Smugglers
out front in an attempt to ban the sporting
Spokesperson, Patrick Morgan.
There might be plenty to talk about from the
material, reportedly because “large men in
Off the back of this, there’s
past month - like Key going guns blazing for
very tiny shorts” were deterring customers.
the argument that “bicycle helmets are too
ISIS, or Winnie Peters running for Northland,
The sign read: “The bicycle is a beautiful
flimsy to prevent serious brain injuries and
but instead we think it far more gratuitous
thing but they never should have invented
that cyclists should be wary of depending on
to talk about what really matters. No, not
Lycra! No Lycra shorts please.”
them for protection.”
segways.
With 128 comments on the Stuff website, one can safely conclude there is a theme: people either love or hate cyclists. One troll by the name of Jimmy Conway wrote, “it’s funny, cycling was never vilified until the potbellied corporate types in the throes of a midlife crisis decided to take up our sport. “Now we have them riding three abreast, abusing drivers and taking over suburban cafes. Put the Pinarello on Trade
Cycling garb. What is it with politicians
But, the real concern for New Zealanders
Me and waddle back to the golf course, the
is the lack of bicycle lanes. Wellington
lot of you.”
Mayor, Celia Wade-Brown, is all about
wearing spandex? I mean, of course we
getting the Island Bay route into the capital,
were expecting budgie-smugglers on the
even despite lack of funding and/or public
likes of Tony Abbott, but seriously, Trevor
support. As for Auckland, well if Taylor
Mallard, what ARE you wearing and why on
Swift is in on it, then the Skypath is covered.
earth are you fraternising with the company
But, Julie Anne Genter says the real problem
of Cameron Slater? S’pose he is the “bad
is in the social construct, which dates back
boy” of the Labour Party, after all.
to a systemic engineering paradigm of the 1950s. In other news, thank you, Mr Key, for
“Traffic engineers traditionally took
giving us, via Google images, this goldmine
the principles of water engineering, which
of a photograph. Where’s ya bloody
primarily was about monitoring the peak
helmet, mate? Yes, we’re talking about the
flow of water and building big pipes to
helmet debate.
accommodate it,” she said.
AECOM Technology Corporation
Traffic engineers of the day applied
representative, Jack Jiang, a global provider
this exact same model to cars when car
of technical management and support
ownership was increasing: anything other
services said, “there is strong advocacy
than a car was thought to be an “add on” and
against helmet wearing because it acts as a
invading the space specifically reserved for
barrier against cycling”.
the flow of traffic.”
Campaigns that enforce helmet wearing Journalist, Ruby Harfield, documented the trials and tribulations of how road users view “spandex-clad cyclists” in a
are enforcing a construct that cycling is dangerous, he said. After they introduced helmets in
Fairfax article, where Heathcote’s Castle
Australia, cycling numbers fell a third,
Rock Cafe owners got their wheels in a spin
because there was a safety in numbers
over cyclists sporting Lycra in their cafe.
effect: anything that reduced the number
Claiming to be “unashamedly motorist friendly since 2008”, the cafe put a sign
No. 2 / 2015
of people on bikes made it kind of risky for
And she don’t need no spandex to say it how
everyone, said Cycling Advocate’s Network
it is, amIright?
39
Rep Chic
Uni Mum I am your new surrogate Uni Mum (“I’m not
local bar, and gain experience in your
Trust me, four excited and connected young
a regular mum, I’m a cool mum”) here to
chosen field of study? You work for free
adults make a much better impression on the
offer sound advice (and virtual hugs) about
apparently. Internships are essentially a
industry then one lonely designer walking
anything to do with university life. From
way for businesses to gain cheap labour,
door to door of boutiques with an armful of
the flatmate who steals your clothes, to the
and take out their frustrations on an eager
skirts, tops, and jackets.
test you will cheat on, to your cunning plans
and hardworking young adult. But they also
to bang that babe down the hallway, and
provide you with a hands-on, from-the-
actively gain experience and can be shifted
everything in between. If you have an issue
horses-mouth insight into exactly what you
across all fields of study. The most important
you would like me to cover, just flick me an
will be doing everyday for the rest of your
thing to remember however is that you have
email (editor@massivemagazine.org.nz) and
existence. They also provide these wonderful
to really want it. Being a half-arsed sad-sack
I will be sure to write about it next month.
things called references (providing you
that needs their hand held through any
don’t royally fuck off your boss), and can
collaboration will put you in the “too hard
Floating into the second month of uni for the
create a special compilation of work you
basket” and no one will ever work with you
year is always a bit ho-hum. The basics have
have actually already done to ‘wow’ future
again. First impressions stick, I can assure
been taught in classes, you have established
employers. And hey, if you’re not a totally
you of that.
exactly what you have to do to pass the
useless prick, they might even hire you on
In my experience, people are always
paper, and let’s be honest, you probably
a paid basis upon the completion of your
pretty keen to help, but sometimes you’ve
aren’t going to start any assignments until
degree. Another fabulous thing about
just gotta go it alone. If you are studying
the day they are due anyway. So what have
university students is that you are hungry.
journalism, start hitting up friends and family
I got to tell you this month? Well, not much
Be it hungry for money, fame, experience,
who know something interesting and write
to be honest, other than giving you some
friendship or actual food, you know exactly
about it. Start a blog (please just don’t take
mediocre advice about how to get the best
what you want, and you know how to create
photos of yourself in a House of G ensemble
out of your degree. It is normal in our society
the means to get it. Ever heard the saying
and call it fashion). Send your articles to
to attend university should you want to
fake it until you make it? This is what I’m
a local paper or website, such as
get an above average career and be able
talking about! Say you are a fashion student
MASSIVE Magazine.
to purchase a house anywhere that isn’t in
who wants to show off your designs but
Auckland in the next 10-15 years. But here’s
you have no budget and no platform – time
internship, Massey even offers a paper
something they didn’t tell you: gaining
to recruit! Snap up a photography student
through some degrees that helps you gain
employment upon graduating is fucking
with a camera, a make up artist from your
placement and get credits for it (find out
hard. Plot twist: Every job warrants both a
local beauty school and get a tall and skinny
more on Massey’s website). But in the
degree and somewhere between 1-3 years
friend to stand in some awkward poses for
meantime, get your name out there, put
experience. A paradox if I ever heard one.
you. Everyone gets some experience, and
what you are learning into practice and be
something to add to their portfolio. Agree to
proactive. Even if you’re first year, work your
year degree, earning next to nothing while
credit each other on social media, and use
butt off, learn the ins and outs and never
getting drinks thrown on you in your
your joint contacts to try and gain interest.
take no for an answer.
So, how do you suffer through a three
No. 2 / 2015
41
Collaborating is the best way to pro-
If you are interested in doing an
Uni Mum
th
’
his
els
u
x,
al y
e the
uld
lly .
Ask Guru Dear Guru, my period is irregular. I’ve just
you’re both not as risk of anything that bad
lubricant that the vagina creates! So
entered into a new relationship; luckily I’ve
(obviously, make sure he wears a condom
your fanny will be super slippery and fun!
hit the jackpot and haven’t had my period
– safe sex means a happy life). However,
Wooohooo! And, you’ll be saving on lube
while dating him. But it’s back, and it’s
some people get quite icky about it; they say
costs – so no need to dip into your course
been here for two weeks (this is normal …
things like, ‘ew… it’s gross! – it’s blood’ blah,
related costs to buy KY. Be safe – Guru xo
just the way my body works). I’m horny and
blah, blah. If your boyfriend falls into this
I just want to fuck him. How do I ask him to
category, you can either try and convert him
I think I have a small penis. My girlfriend
do it, and will he be grossed out?
to liking period sex, or just let him know your
never compliments me and doesn’t really
current situation, and state that he won’t
seem interested when we are having sex,
delve into how he can penetrate you in a
be getting to tap yo’ front bum until it’s all
and compared to what I see in porn I am
non-grotesque way – let your doctor know
finished.
sure my penis is small. How do I make it
Periods just ruin life. Firstly, before I
about your irregular period. It could be due
If your boyfriend is happy to have sex
grow?
to a number of factors that probably need to
with you while you’re on your period, or you
Mate, have no fear – pretty much the entire
be addressed by a doctor.
convert him (well done!), then follow this
world has a small willy compared to porn
simple advice to ensure it all goes well.
stars. They not only have above average
The honeymoon stage of your relationship is the best stage ever. Your
- Have sex in the shower. It’s efficient
sized penises, but also the camera work is
fanny will get pounded like there’s no
because you’re being pleasured and cleaned
astronomical. The amount of different angles
tomorrow, and his willy will be rubbed raw.
at the same time.
they use distorts your actual perception of
It’s great, fun times, and not having sex
- Don’t have sex on white sheets.
the size of the penis, and they shoot the
during this stage of your love is a bit shit. If
Actually, don’t have sex on anything unless
penetration scenes in ways that make it look
he’s OK with blood, then I see no problem
it can be washed. So throw down some old
a lot bigger than it really is. What would be a
with him putting his willy in it. It is just
towels and prepare to make some beautiful
7-inch penis looks like a 13-inch monster to
uterine lining, purely natural, and infection is
red art on them. #designstudent
the rest of us. So, don’t fret over porn – it’s
just as likely as normal penetrative sex – so
Ask Guru
Also – the blood acts as another natural
42
all fake.
Massive Magazine
My boyfriend really wants to stick it in my
A) Lube. Lots and lots of lube.
your little man, but all dudes feel this at
bum – and I want him to, too. I just need to
B) Towels.
some point in their life. We all wish that we
know how to make it happen!
C) Condoms. There is no excuse for not
It also sucks that you feel this way about
were born with a dick the size of our forearm,
Go you guys for trying out new things!
using one. They save lives, and keep you
but that just wouldn’t be practical. Imagine if
Relationships often go stale, and there is
you were the girl/boy who has the pleasure
nothing better to spice up a relationship
D) A winning attitude.
of having sex with you, and you whipped out
than sticking a willy where ya poo comes
4. Get in the mood and get comfortable.
that forearm sized willy with the intent to
out! But seriously, that’s exciting. Follow my
If you’re feeling relaxed inside, your bum-hole
ram it inside of them – no fun at all. What you
steps below to make it comfortable for both
should follow suit, and loosen up. There’s
need to learn is how to use your penis, rather
parties involved. I have also included some
nothing worse than a tense bum-hole when
than wanting to change it.
advice to ensure you’re both safe and clean
you want to try anal for the first time. Once
throughout this new experience.
you’re feeling super chill and particularly
If we are talking 1-3 inches in length and small girth, then go see your doctor and talk
1. Have a decent shit. Try your hardest to
both safe.
kinky, just let it happen, and enjoy the ride.
to them about what your options could be
get it all out, and don’t poo for at least two
If at any point it becomes uncomfortable, or
to increase the size of it. If it’s anything over
hours before you undertake operation anal.
you just don’t like it – you need to let your
four inches, then well done, you’re around
2. Have a bath. If you bathe together,
boyfriend know. It’s your bum, so you have
average. Average is five inches, anything
you can start your sexy times there. Nothing
above six inches is above average, and
screams anal more than a hot steamy
anything over eight inches is blessed by the
bathroom. Throw out the rubber ducks, fill
Remember, bums are fun. Just be safe,
lords. In regards to your girlfriend, you need
the tub with bubbles and get cleaning. You
and live, laugh, love throughout the entire
to tell her about your insecurity. Maybe she
need to clean everything. So make sure his
experience #bepreparedforhavingasorebum.
isn’t all that noisy externally, but internally
penis is squeaky-clean and sparkly, and your
she is screaming with pleasure. Regardless,
bum is free of everything.
let her know. I have no doubts that she’ll say that you have a big one. Love Guru.
No. 2 / 2015
3. Now you’re all clean and dry – set the
the choice of what happens with it. Good luck, and just have fun with it.
Submit your juicy questions to Guru by visiting massivemagazine.org.nz and searching ‘ Ask Guru’.
room up. You’ll need the following:
43
Ask Guru
Food Blog
Sasha Borissenko Almond Croissants
Lavender Polenta Cake
Okay, okay, okay, I know, I know. I’ve got to cool it with the almond
So, post Galentines and ValentinesDIEDIEDIE as my workmate calls it,
croissants. The thing is – they’re my Achilles heel, my elixir of life! I
I was feeling all whimsical and thought, hey, why not make something
had the hilarious idea to try a year without them and one week in, I
ethereal and delicious? And what better way to make an ethereal dish
failed miserably. Meh. Live, love, laugh, I say.
than to add flowers, particularly lavender. What’s more, I love a good “let’s do it right” challenge, in other words, getting on the #paleo
Ingredients
#glutenfree #thinspo boat. So, when I came across a recipe (thanks
500g defrosted sweet puff pastry (yes ready-made, a girl’s gotta
to my mother) that incorporated polenta, well, I lost it. But that was
work, man), 250g butter, ½ C sugar, 1 C almond meal/flour, pinch of
before I looked at the rest of the recipe, which incorporates every
salt ( the coarser, the better), 2 eggs
other sinful ingredient known to man #treatyoself. It must also be mentioned that because of the lavender in the recipe, I found myself
For the croissants, firstly divide the butter into about five or six
foraging around the ‘burbs of Wellington while hungover. Needless to
pieces. Lay out the defrosted sweet puff pastry. Using a rolling pin,
say, it would’ve been a treat for any onlookers.
you want to sandwich one of the butter pieces into the pastry, which Ingredients
you will fold in half. Roll out until the butter has combined with the pastry. Repeat this folding, sandwiching and rolling process six or so
200g softened butter, ⅔ c caster sugar, 200 g polenta, 100 g all,
times until you have used all of the required butter. If done correctly
purpose flour, 1 ½ tsp baking powder, 3 eggs, zest of two lemons,
(and ahoy, I have failed a number of times) this process creates the
plus, juice of one lemon, 1 tsp of dried lavender.
buttery/flaky pastry. Biff in the oven for 20-30 minutes (170 degrees Celsius). Leave out to dry. Now, if you’re like me, you will want an
Grab a cake tin from the cupboard or your next door neighbour. No
almond croissant in your person ASAP. However, if you leave those
meatloaf tin will do. You need it. Grease that thang. Grease it real
puppies for a couple of days, the stale bread makes for a better
good. Preheat your oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Now, either with
almond croissant. Now for the delicious filling! Combine the sugar,
your hulk-like arms or a mixer, beat the butter and sugar until you
almond meal, the salt and stir. Add the two eggs and whisk/electric
have a deliciously whipped mixture. We are talking 3-5 minutes
mix the heck out of it. Once fluffy, cut those croissants in half, scoop
worth of whipping, folks. Now, forage around your kitchen to find
about two dollops into each croissant, drizzle a bit of mixture on top
another bowl, in it, combine flour, polenta, and baking powder. Add
and further bake those puppies for about 15 - 20 minutes. Hot dayum!
the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and beat the heck out of,
Perfect with a piccolo (Italian coffee – how pretentious and probably
simultaneously. Hustle. Add those eggs while you beat, beat, beat.
culturally insensitive or inaccurate, but all is well with a croissant in
Finally beat in the lemon zest, juice and lavender. Pour the said
ya belly, amIright?). Photo sourced from essentialbaking.com.
mixture into the cake (not meatloaf) tin and bake for about 40-45 minutes. Now, while I’m VERY partial to icing, this cake really only needs a dusting of icing sugar. However, for all the icing fiends, like myself, might I suggest you make a syrup of sorts by boiling together a bit of lemon juice and sugar on a stove-top. For more frivolously fun recipes check out: doilydarlings.blogspot.co.nz
Food Blog
44
Massive Magazine
Magic Potion
Drawn to the Light
Lena Morelo
Help her as she swirls to the depths of the bottle, Spirally downwards with every sip that she takes, Warm wine soothing her parched throat, Along with her worries. Romantic – Her soft lips press a gentle print On the glass as they meet, Nerves disappear, Butterflies no longer flutter. A chill travels down her spine, Warmth inside-out as she downs her first shot – Premium Vodka for only $31.99, Though that’s not the only price she will pay. Intoxicated chatter flows, From her blood-stained lips, The same blood-red that fills her glass, The delicate glass that eventually shatters, It always does. As she floats through a dark tunnel of anxiety, Playing in puddles, Of her toxic emotions, She then drowns in her pool of despair. The spotlight shines on her now, Isn’t that all she wanted? Her silence cries out, The desperation no longer seems faint. As the lights brighten, Her thoughts darken. This temporary cure, Once thought to be a magical potion, Burns her throat, Tarnishes her thoughts, Blinds her from reality. No. 2 / 2015
Anon
When the sun is absent, as night emerges, the neon signs glow like fireflies. Bloated and mutated into square lettering, enticing and provoking, they shine in the gloom. It is then not an unrefuted certainty that moths of a certain breed would form a single, faceless crowd. The night-time crowd of the pre-inebriated materialise and shuffle through the urban sprawl, with minds empty, lost in a haze of artificial euphoria. All they emit are yells that mix and carry through the still night – excited to be young and alive. There are dens of these creatures. Small, dark places where repetitive patterns of sound force the crowd into a strange frenzied sequence of movements, while sharper neon lights flash from above. The night is all that there is; no concept of the inevitable regret of waking once more into an obtuse morning exists in the crowds’ collective consciousness. They are children of the present and the immediate. But alas, all illusions of the present remaining stagnant are doomed to fail as time progresses in its same inexorable pace. The crowd disperses, becoming individuals once more, if such a thing truly ever existed. In slumber they dream of nothing. When the moon is absent, as day emerges, the neon fireflies cease to glow once more.
45
Expressive Arts
Drowning Flowers
Tess Calogaras
The wind rumbled through the orange
into the dip just above the dimples on my
my face to the window so he couldn’t read
orchards, causing the fruit to bruise. The
back and made us sway. I could hear the
my expression.
sky looked exasperated as it twisted the
rain growling above us, tapping his fingers
trees in its hand like a wrung-out loin cloth.
against the aluminium; crackling softly upon
me. A man just trying to pinch a moment
The day felt sinister, maddening. It felt as
the metal as he held me.
before it evaporated. I lay hushed, gloomy;
though the sky was going to collapse on
In bed he cradled me in his arms using
I stared at the photos he had taken of
hostile. My heavy head tilted to the side. I
my head and atomise my soul. I welcomed
his warmth as my blanket, snuggling his
could feel his gentle, sullen eyes rest upon
these days with a great apprehension. The
head into my neck and stroking my stomach
me, waiting for me to screech. “I’d really
mist made the water-beads bleed against
with his fingertips, kissing my back softly.
appreciate it if you came” he had said, hurt
the drowning petals, causing them to droop;
I had felt him against me as he continued
in his voice; lump in his throat. Tossing the
melancholy. A body of grey draped over the
to kiss my ear lobe, cheek, nose, mouth. I
photos on the ground I pinched the bridge
air, and the path became dusted in street
sighed as I had turned to him and let his
of my nose. “Was I a bad person?” The
lights of golden dew that sparkled against
hands move over my midriff.
thought resonated in my head and had laid
the pavement. The water toppled into
He burrowed his head into my nape
the concrete and created puddles, which
and his mouth rumbled against it as his
footsteps broke and carried down the road.
body dreamt. I moved over and slept,
Saturated, I had waddled my boots through the slushed earth and had
its eggs. “I’ll try” I had whispered. We both knew the answer. I saw him again weeks later, sitting on a
awaking hours later in his arms again –
bus. He either didn’t see me, or refused to,
he had found me.
as I smiled to an empty canvas. My heart
staggered down the drive, before the sea
The next morning I watched the clock
could devour me entirely. The house had
like a vulture tracking a deer. He had to leave
hatched and flew around my head. He had
smelled of rosemary and ash, and he had
at nine and the minutes couldn’t move any
told me once about how his mother had
rushed to me like an infant to his mother,
slower. He kissed my face and told me he
died. They were tramping up a mountain
and he had covered me in kisses, as if his lips
wanted to stay in this bed forever, as I stared
when she passed out and never woke up
could drain the flood from my body. “I look
blankly at the ceiling. He had then jumped
again. He was twelve.
terrible”, I remember whining, my makeup
up and spoken excitedly about his end-of-
melting down my face like an over-brim of
year exhibition and had asked me to come.
doesn’t beat his fingers on your roof. He has
black and red. “You look beautiful” he had
“You’re in so many of the photos, and I want
a girlfriend and a job as a photographer at
said, his dark beard stretched up towards
you to meet everyone.” I remember my voice
a gallery. He lives where the flowers don’t
his ears. He grabbed my hand, rubbing his
quivering when I had asked, “What day is
drown and the people don’t let you down.
thumb against my skin before holding it
it? Tuesday? Oh I don’t know I have a lot of
to his arm. He had placed his other hand
reports due around then.” I sheepishly threw
Expressive Arts
46
burrowed into my chest. The bugs had
He lies in Australia now, where the rain
Massive Magazine
Puzzle Time How many words can you make out of these letters?
Think you’re a whiz? Take this quiz! All of these questions relate to the content in this month’s magazine. Once you’ve figured out the answers, send them through to editor@ massivemagazine.org.nz with the subject line ‘QUIZ’ to be in to win a bag of People’s Coffee.
W L O N D G E E K
Ocean 8. Pacific 7. A clock 6. Central Perk of Canterbury 5. University 4. Seven Mall, Whitehall Avenue, Pall berland 3. Northum– 2. Birdman 1. The sun Answers:
Pop quiz – just for fun! 1. Where do you get most of your Vitamin D from? 2. Which film recently won the Oscar for Best Picture? 3. Name the three purple properties on the Monopoly board. 4. How many books are in the Narnia series? 5. What university did John Key study at? 6. What is the name of the café in Friends? 7. Riddle: What has hands, but cannot clap? 8. What is the world’s largest ocean? 9. What year did New Zealand get rid of the five cent coin? 10. Was the dress blue and black, or white and gold?
9. 2006
1. What is the average living cost that an everyday student is entitled to per week? 2. Which town in New Zealand is known for its Adventure Park? 3. What is the name of the French record label that Estere is signed to? 4. What is Drake’s new album called? 5. What is the name of 2015’s VUWSA president? 6. Where in Melbourne is the Crown Casino? 7. What is the name of the man who Citizenfour is based on ? 8. Name two businesses that now operate on the grounds of the former Kingseat Psychiatric Hospital? 9.What date was Clubs Day on the Auckland campus? 10. Is there a Latin Poetry club on the Manawatu campus?
Quiz Answers from Last Month 1. Linsey Higgins 2. A what’s on tab 3. Manawatu 4. 12 5. Fleet Foxes 6. Little soaps that hotel’s stocked 7. Lazy Seals president and one of the three judges at the competition 8. Whiplash and American Sniper 9. Jane Clifton, and Trevor Mallard 10. 140 million rides
Fill the grid so that every row, every column and every 3x3 box contains the numbers 1 to 9.
No. 2 / 2015
47
Puzzle Time
Editor Kim Parkinson (04) 801 5799 ext. 63765 editor@massivemagazine.org.nz Design and Layout Harriet Simpson (04) 801 5799 ext. 63764 design@mawsa.org.nz Advertising, Marketing and Mawsa Association Manager James Collings (04) 801 5799 ext. 63763 manager@mawsa.org.nz Publisher massivemagazine.org.nz ISSN 2253-5918 (Print) ISSN 2253-5926 (Online) Please contact your local campus reporters if you want an issue to be covered that applies specifically to your campus. Albany Julia Braybrook juliabraybrook@gmail.com Manawatu Carwyn Walsh carwynwalsh@gmail.com Wellington Kim Parkinson editor@massivemagazine.org.nz
Contributors Julia Braybrook, Carwyn Walsh, Sasha Borissenko, Paul Berrington, Taryn Dryfhout, Kehlsi Ramsay, Liz Chandler, Hannah Douglass, Lauren Hutchinson, Gisele Mulholland, Marty Vidal, Tessa Calogaras, Aidan Doyle, Lena Morelo, Uni Mum, Guru, Rep Chic. Image Credits Front and back cover Ryan Scott, ryanscottart.tumblr.com, instagram.com/ ryhannis or email ryans1995@gmail. com. Editorial page 2,Jamie Bottomley, instagram.com/badbitchkitsch Kingseat: Present page 14, Anton Burian, email anton@0800phantom.co.nz Living Costs Too High page 18, Bridget Daulby, www. cargocollective.com/bridgetdaulby,email bridget.daulby@gmail.com Photographic Feature, page 23, Erin Walker, erinjeanwalker. tumblr.com Entertainment Feature page 30, Amber Varde Travel page 36 + 37 Marty Vidal Uni Mum page 42 , Te Hana Taila Goodyer, tehanatailagoodyer.com, email thtgoodyer@gmail.com Ask Guru, page 42, Brad Smit, brdsmt.tumblr.com, email bradley. smit@live.com Drowning Flowers page 46 , Tessa Calogaras. Disclaimer: The views, beliefs and opinions reflected in the pages of MASSIVE Magazine do not necessarily represent those of Massey University, its staff, Albany Students’ Association (ASA), Massey University Students’ Association (MUSA), Massey at Wellington Students’Association (MAWSA), Extramural Students’ Society, or the MASSIVE editor. Read online issuu.com/massivemagazine
The Man Behind the Cover Hey, my name is Ryan Scott. I’m currently a third-year Graphic Design student, based in Welly, but raised in Auckland. Doodles and sketches have always been a big part of my life. I was raised by creatives and my brother showed me the ropes from an early age. I’ve been engulfed by the music and art world as they interlink so much, and I’ve always been big on cover art. My influences come from anything and everything but a few of my favourite artists are Conor Harrington, El Decertor, Broken Fingaz Crew, and Keith Haring. MF DOOM was a big musical shift and brought me into street culture and art a bit more. My style has adapted over time, from an initial painting background shifting more to pens, purely as it allows more work to flow as it’s still fresh in my mind. My cover concept and style was adapted from an artist, Miguel Endara, as well as my brother Blake Scott, who both work in pointillism. The concept for the cover piece was loosely based around the idea of O-Week and the stupid antics we all get up to in our week of shame. For more of my work, check out: ryanscottart.tumblr.com, ryhannis/instagram. com or email me at ryans1995@gmail.com. This publication uses vegetable based inks and environmentally responsible papers. The document is printed throughout on SUMO Laser, which is FSC® certified and from responsible forests, manufactured under ISO14001 Environmental Management Systems. MASSIVE magazine is committed to reducing its environmental footprint.
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