October 2021| Issue 72
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring 20th Anniversary 2021 NZ Post Shubh Diwali Ross Dependency Megafauna ©NLP s(21)
Contents A new era for NZ Post........................................... 3 Ringing in 20 years of movie magic in the home of Middle-earth.....................................................4-5 Recent stamp issues.........................................6-8 Upcoming stamp issues........................................ 9 Shubh Diwali................................................... 10-11 Ross Dependency Megafauna..........................12-13 Celebrating 100 years of the New Zealand Olympic Team.................................................................. 14 Spirit of Gold....................................................... 15 Recent coin issues...........................................16-17 Staff profile: Ellie Stewart..................................... 18 Puzzle time......................................................... 19
Cover image: The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring 20th Anniversary ©NLP s(21) Focus is produced by the NZ Post Collectables team and brings you news and background information on stamps, coins and other products. To subscribe to Focus and join the NZ Post mailing list, please tick the appropriate box when you complete the order form in this issue, or contact NZ Post Collectables: FreePost No.1 NZ Post Collectables Private Bag 3001 Whanganui 4541 New Zealand Ph: +64 6 349 1234 You can find out more about our stamps, coins and other products and order online at: collectables.nzpost.co.nz nzpost.co.nz/personalisedstamps From here you can also subscribe to our email updates on the latest stamp, coin and other products on offer from NZ Post. You can also view a list of all philatelic clubs and societies and their contact details. This issue of Focus has been printed on Neo Satin paper from B&F Papers. B&F Papers is committed to being an environmentally responsible company with Forest Stewardship Council® and Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification. ISSN 1177-729X (Print) ISSN 2703-4569 (Online)
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The finished products may differ from those illustrated in this newsletter.
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Kia ora, welcome! Here we are heading towards the end of 2021 - a lot has happened in the world of stamps and collectables, as well as in the broader organisation at NZ Post. We hope you’re looking forward to winding down from the ups and downs of 2021 and taking a break in the new year period. Many cultural festivals around the world focus on looking ahead to the next year with a sense of optimism. Diwali is one such festival, and for the first time we have issued a set of stamps to celebrate this event with the Hindu community in New Zealand. Also known as the festival of lights, Diwali is New Zealand’s most widely celebrated Hindu festival. With delicious food and sweets, captivating Bollywood-style performances and a display of important cultural touchstones, Diwali festivals are enjoyed every year around the country by Hindus and nonHindus alike. This stamp issue was developed in partnership with the New Zealand Indian Association, and General Secretary Manisha Morar took some time to tell us what Diwali is like in New Zealand. In June NZ Post revealed its new visual identity, a change that reflects the evolution of NZ Post into a company that delivers not only letters, but just about anything. To celebrate this historic moment for the organisation, a special commemorative sheet of stamps was issued on 9 July. Using the bold colours and shapes featured in the new branding, the designs draw on its themes of movement and energy. On a personal note, I am more than delighted that we have been able to kick off a three-year commemorative programme starting with celebrating 20 years since the release of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. NZ Post issued its first The Lord of the Rings stamps back in 2001, and we have been fortunate to be able to work again with artist Sacha Lees. Lees began her commercial design career immersed in the production of the films more than 20 years ago. In the issue we have included six miniature sheets, each based on an original painting by Lees. The miniature sheets, stamps first day covers and presentation pack were made available from 1 September, and a range of products including a Limited Edition, limitededition art prints and coins will be issued in the months leading up to December, 20 years on from when The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of Ring was released. Throughout July, August and September, New Zealanders were enraptured by the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games. In October 2020 we issued a collection of stamps and coins that celebrated the 100th anniversary of the New Zealand Olympic Team, ahead of the postponed games set to take place in 2021. The team was eventually dispatched to Japan and returned home with their largest medal haul yet. The Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games followed, watched by 1.8 million Kiwis. Through the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games stamp issue, we are proud to showcase some of our amazing Para athletes and spread the message of inclusion that is championed by Paralympics New Zealand. The Paralympic Games help to increase visibility and break down barriers for disabled people around the world. The team of 29 took home an impressive 12 medals. I hope you enjoy this issue of Focus.
Antony Harris Head of Stamps and Collectables collectables.nzpost.co.nz
In 2021 NZ Post brought CourierPost, Pace and Rural Post under the single banner of NZ Post, with a new logo and refreshed visual identity. The new NZ Post logo is a symbol consisting of a circle, intersected by two parallel lines to form a unique stylised ‘P’, evocative of roads, tracks and networks. The new deep blue, partnered with the historical red, come together to create something familiar, yet distinctive. NZ Post Chief Executive David Walsh says the new look for NZ Post represents changes that have been happening inside the business for some time. “NZ Post has been connecting New Zealanders for over 180 years, but these days we are delivering more parcels than our friends in the Post Office of 1840 could ever have imagined.” You may not be aware quite how many parcels are delivered by NZ Post. At the end of 2020, NZ Post was delivering three parcels per second under the CourierPost brand. Walsh says that bringing all of NZ Post’s brands under one banner means Kiwis will know it’s us delivering for them and supporting businesses to grow. “We’re very excited about the new logo and visual identity. The new logo has several interpretations - roads, ribbons, connections, movement and energy - and of course, ‘P’ for Post, all things that represent us and what we do. The new logo represents the new NZ Post. The new colours include a nod to our history by retaining our famous red, while introducing blue so we stand out from our competitors. Our new look has been tested to ensure safety and visibility for our posties and delivery contractors while they are out and about delivering,” says Walsh. The new logo and visual changes will be rolled out over a period of years, as stores, vans, trucks, uniforms and signage are updated to the new colours and with the new logo.
Focus issue 72 - October 2021
A new era for NZ Post
To celebrate this historic change, NZ Post Collectables issued a commemorative sheet of six stamps with an artful play on the design elements used in the new visual identity. Issued as a commemorative sheet of six, the designers reinterpreted the logo’s forms and colours to create a collection of stamps that represents connection, movement and energy.
2021 NZ Post was issued on 9 July 2021. This commemorative stamp sheet will be available until 8 July 2022, or while stocks last.
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Ringing in 20 years of movie magic in the home of Middle-earth Back in 2001, NZ Post set out to celebrate the upcoming release of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. Designed by Sacha Lees, the stamps combined images of scenes from the film with imagery evoking the mythology and magic of its setting. Lees had spent the previous few years working for Weta Workshop as an illustrator, airbrush artist, creature designer and concept artist for the trilogy. Two decades on, the award-winning artist embarked on a new journey with NZ Post to celebrate a masterpiece. You have spent many years of your life working on projects relating to The Lord of the Rings, including the films. What was it like to be behind the scenes? Intense, hard work, long hours, fun. The time during the creation of the Lord of the Rings trilogy was incredibly and intensely focused and both physically and mentally demanding. I loved that Weta was a very small company, which meant I was able to cross over artistic disciplines working on all aspects of the films, from storyboarding, designing and prop, set and prosthetic production to on-set filming. Somehow I even found myself puppeteering big rigs for hobbit-scale effects and hand acting in the Gollum torture scene. The variety and the need for creative problem-solving ticked all the boxes for me. New Zealand’s film industry was in its infancy, providing a wonderful opportunity for an artist like myself, new to it, to work alongside likeminded international artisans at the top of their fields. How did you decide on the scenes to include in the NZ Post stamps? I began by sketching what I felt were iconic scenes and notable characters from the first film. There were so many it was hard to stop. Once the NZ Post team had reviewed the drawings it was difficult to narrow them down to six, but ultimately we decided on a set that represented key points of the film’s narrative and that complemented each other and worked well in a stamp format. What was your method in creating the stamps? Why not just use photos? I felt that to be faithful to the aesthetics of the film it would be best to illustrate these iconic scenes through a hand-painted medium. This also allowed the capture of a large part of the narrative. The medium of film gives your imagination the ability to fill in the detail, but it does not translate well into a stand-alone image. For example, a screengrab of the epic Gandalf vs. Balrog battle scene, due to its motion in the footage, is mostly a 4
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I am grateful to the NZ Post team for allowing me to explore this approach and being so open to different ideas. Do you have a favourite stamp? What do you like about it?
Focus issue 72 - October 2021
blur. Extrapolating out sequences and composing them together allowed for a more pleasing representation to be achieved.
That’s a tricky one. I think the colouring and shape of the Balrog (The Bridge of Khazad-dûm) would look striking on an envelope. The hobbits hiding under the tree (Hiding from the Black Rider) is such a memorable part of the film for me. I probably most enjoyed capturing the faces in the stamp The Prancing Pony. In what ways has working on The Lord of the Rings films affected your life? Has it influenced the type of art you create now? It was a wonderful way to start my commercial art career. You are working as a conduit for someone else’s vision. It also taught me about creative burnout and the importance of keeping up my own practices to allow myself creative freedom. In my personal life I met my now-husband while working on the films. I broke my arm while falling from a puppet big-rig he had built. It wasn’t actually his fault and needless to say, I obviously forgave him. What attracts you to the ‘fantastic art’ genre? What messages do you hope to convey through your art? I have a passion for the techniques of the great masters and early on was inspired by the surrealist art movement. The fantastic art genre allows me to bring those two loves together. I see fantastic art as encompassing all types of realistic but imaginative illustration, sculpture and fine art, but perhaps it doesn’t have the dated connotations of the scantily clad woman riding a beast and gripping a sword that fantasy art was known for in the 1970s. Painting for the fine art industry is very different from painting for the film or commercial art industries. Each work I create evolves in its own merit and has its own narrative depending on what I wish to convey. Ultimately the artwork needs to speak to someone who will find it pleasing to hang on their wall. I try to evoke a sense of wonder in my work. Do you have any upcoming exhibitions? I am currently working towards a body of oil paintings to be exhibited in Wellington next year. Updates and information can be found on my website sachalees.com.
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring 20th Anniversary was issued on 1 September 2021. The stamps will remain on sale until 31 August 2022, or while stocks last. Further products including commemorative coins will be issued later in 2021.
© 2021 New Line Productions, Inc. All rights reserved. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The Lord of the Rings: The TwoTowers, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King and the names of the characters, items, events and places therein are trademarks of The Saul Zaentz Company d/b/a Middle-earth Enterprises under license to New Line Productions, Inc.
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Recent stamp issues Sarah Featon - Botanical Artist The Art Album of New Zealand Flora was the first full-colour art book published in New Zealand. Firmly grounded in science, it also had popular appeal and shared mātauranga, Māori knowledge. Today, Sarah Featon’s vibrant watercolours are celebrated as works of art in their own right. Sarah and her husband Edward hoped the Art Album would inspire a love of New Zealand’s flora. Many of the plants illustrated and described by the Featons are now widely cultivated in botanic and home gardens around the world. Date of issue: 5 May 2021 Designer: Hannah Fortune, NZ Post, Wellington, New Zealand Printer: Southern Colour Print by offset lithography Withdrawal date: 4 May 2022
Whānau Mārama - Family of Light Tamanuiterā (the Sun) and Marama (the Moon), together with Ngā Whetū Matariki (the Pleiades star cluster) make up the family of heavenly bodies known as Te Whānau Mārama (The Family of Light). Knowledge of the relationship between these celestial bodies has been handed down over time through wānanga (schools of learning) and pūrakau (folk stories) of Māori. A reacceptance of Matariki by Aotearoa New Zealand as a time to celebrate the Māori New Year has seen a rekindled interest in this old Māori knowledge. This stamp issue illustrates the stories that have carried it through the generations. Date of issue: 2 June 2021 Designer: Dave Burke, Tauranga, New Zealand Printer: Southern Colour Print by offset lithography Withdrawal date: 1 June 2022
2021 Scenic Definitives .The 2021 Scenic Definitives feature two previously issued designs depicting Auckland - New Zealand’s largest city - and a bridge over the Waikato, New Zealand’s longest river. The new $4.10 stamp depicts Castle Hill, Canterbury. Also known as Kura Tāwhiti, this part of the Canterbury Plains is home to a striking collection of limestone tors. Date of issue: 2 June 2021 Designer: NZ Post, Wellington, New Zealand Printer: Collectables, Whanganui Withdrawal date: None
2021 KiwiStamps In 2020 Tourism New Zealand launched Do Something New New Zealand, a campaign designed to inspire Kiwis to step into the shoes of the international tourists who have been unable to visit due to COVID-19. A fresh set of KiwiStamps reflects this message with a focus on the joys of getting outdoors. Date of issue: 7 July 2021 Designer: NZ Post, Wellington, New Zealand Printer: Southern Colour Print by offset lithography Withdrawal date: None
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In 2021 NZ Post brought CourierPost, Pace and Rural Post under the single banner of NZ Post, with a new logo and refreshed visual identity. The new NZ Post logo is a symbol consisting of a circle, intersected by two parallel lines to form a unique stylised ‘P’, evocative of roads, tracks, and networks. In these six collectable stamps, the designers have reinterpreted the new NZ Post logo’s forms and colours to create a series that represents connection, movement and energy.
Focus issue 72 - October 2021
2021 NZ Post
Date of issue: 9 July 2021 Designer: Inhouse Design, Auckland, New Zealand Printer: NZ Post Collectables, Whanganui, New Zealand Withdrawal date: 8 July 2022
Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games Paralympics New Zealand (PNZ) is the National Paralympic Committee for New Zealand. Spirit of Gold is a term used to describe the dual purpose of PNZ: ‘gold’ to recognise its high-performance credentials and ‘spirit’ to represent caring for and inspiring communities. Paralympians once again took to one of the greatest stages in the world between 24 August and 5 September 2021 for the rescheduled Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. Through their amazing successes, Paralympians are incredible role models, challenging societal perceptions of disabled people worldwide. Date of issue: 4 August 2021 Designer: John Morris, NZ Post, Wellington, New Zealand Printer: Southern Colour Print by offset lithography Withdrawal date: 3 August 2022
HRH Prince Philip 1921 2021
When Prince Philip retired from public life in 2017 at the age of 96, it was reported that he had appeared at more than 22,000 official events and delivered some 5,500 speeches in the course of his career. He made ten visits to Aotearoa New Zealand with HRH Queen Elizabeth II and one solo tour in 1956. In the same year he co-founded the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award, a programme designed to instil in young people “a sense of responsibility to themselves and their communities”. Prince Philip died aged 99 on 9 April, 2021.
Date of issue: 4 August 2021 Designer: Helcia Knapp, Mopsy Creative, Kapiti, New Zealand Printer: Southern Colour Print by offset lithography Withdrawal date: 3 August 2022
Royalpex 2021 National Stamp Exhibition NZ Post is a proud sponsor of the Royalpex 2021 National Stamp Exhibition. A miniature sheet was issued ahead of the scheduled date of 10-12 September at the Palmerston North Conference & Function Centre. The miniature sheet includes two stamps from the 2021 Lord of the Rings stamp issue. The exhibition has now been postponed to 19-21 November. Royalpex 2021 is a New Zealand National Stamp Exhibition organised by the Royal Philatelic Society of New Zealand, under the patronage of the New Zealand Philatelic Federation. Date of issue: 10 September 2021 Designer: Sacha Lees, Wellington, New Zealand and NZ Post, Wellington, New Zealand Printer: Southern Colour Print by offset lithography Withdrawal date: 9 September 2022
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Recent stamp issues The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring 20th Anniversary 2021 marks the 20th anniversary of The Fellowship of the Ring, the first film release in the epic The Lord of the Rings trilogy. One of modern cinema’s greatest achievements, the film was nominated for 13 Academy Awards. Celebrating the anniversary, a set of six stamps and miniature sheets features key moments from the film, with original paintings by award-winning Wellington artist Sacha Lees. Lees worked as a designer and sculptor on the films and designed NZ Post’s The Fellowship of the Ring stamps in 2001. Date of issue: 1 September 2021 Designer: Sacha Lees, Wellington, New Zealand Printer: Southern Colour Print by offset lithography Withdrawal date: 31 August 2022
Ross Dependency Megafauna Established in 2017, the Ross Sea region Marine Protected Area (Ross MPA) protects more than 1.5 million square kilometres of the Southern Ocean. Supported by New Zealand government funding and with a wide range of research partnerships and international collaborators, the Ross Research and Monitoring Programme studies one of the most remote, inhospitable, and least understood environments on the planet. This stamp issue highlights some of the fascinating megafauna that thrive in this habitat, with photos by Luke Keehan. Keehan captured these images while assisting researchers conducting field work with emperor penguins and Weddell seals. Date of issue: 1 September 2021 Designer: Helcia Berryman, Mopsy Creative, Kapiti Coast Printer: Southern Colour Print by offset lithography Withdrawal date: 31 August 2022
Shubh Diwali Many New Zealand Indian households celebrate Diwali, attending regional festivals, organising community gatherings and participating in devotional worship. The first of the five days of Diwali is Dhanteras (Dun-te-rus), a day spent shopping for gold or silver, new clothing and gifts. The following day is spent decorating the home to welcome the Goddess Lakshmi (depicted here) who brings good fortune and prosperity. The third and main day of the festival usually includes a feast and fireworks, with prayers to Goddess Lakshmi and Lord Ganesha. Day four is dedicated to visiting friends and family, distributing trays of mithai (mee-tay) - sweets - and exchanging gifts. Bhai Dhooj, dedicated solely to the strong bond between a brother and a sister, marks the end of Diwali. Date of issue: 7 October 2021 Designer: John Morris, NZ Post, Wellington, New Zealand Printer: Southern Colour Print by offset lithography Withdrawal date: 6 October 2022
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Christmas 2021 - Issue date: 3 November 2021 The Christmas stamps for 2021 focus on the essence of each Nativity character, the aura they bring to the Christmas story and the feeling of their presence.
Focus issue 72 - October 2021
Upcoming stamp issues With a contemporary design, colour-blocked gradients nod to stained-glass windows. Alongside simple forms, shapes and profiles in both the characters and the landscapes they occupy, the feeling of each character and the warmth and connection of Christmas are brought to life. Date of issue: 3 November 2021 Designer: Cam Price, NZ Post, Wellington, New Zealand Printer: Southern Colour Print, Dunedin
2022 Year of the Tiger - Issue date: 1 December 2021 The design of the 2022 Year of the Tiger stamps is inspired by Chinese nianhau posters. They are traditionally used to celebrate the arrival of the New Year. Ying Chu, the designer of the stamps, loves how they evoke a sense of nostalgia for her Chinese heritage. The style of the posters can be dated back to the woodblock printing method made popular during the Ming Dynasty. Typical subjects included immortal gods, mythical stories and rotund babies. By establishing a connection to this tradition, the stamps aim to help connect Chinese New Zealanders with the cultural practices of mainland China. Date of issue: 1 December 2021 Designer: YMC Design, Wellington, New Zealand Printer: Southern Colour Print, Dunedin
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Shubh Diwali In one way or another, Manisha Morar has spent her whole life advocating for her community. Born in Wellington, Manisha grew up observing how the traditions of the New Zealand Indian community have become a fixture of a firmly multicultural society. We sat down with Manisha, the General Secretary of the New Zealand Indian Central Association Inc, to talk about what it’s like to celebrate Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, in Aotearoa.
What is it like to be a leader in your community? My involvement in the Indian community has evolved over the years. When I first started, I was only involved in the cultural arts and social aspects of it. But, when I grew with the community, I learnt what community was about and what it deeply meant to me and to those around me. I learnt about the nuances, the challenges and ways to engage with people’s thoughts and behaviours. How has Diwali changed over the years for you, your family and the wider community? My upbringing follows the typical Indian dairy story. At Diwali my mum would wipe down the cash register and light a diya (lamp) in front of it. She’d then make a pile of Gughra (fried pastry with sweet semolina filling). I’m not sure what happened in other Indian households, but that’s what would happen in mine. When I was little, Diwali was quite simple. In fact, I always believed Diwali was about the community coming together and putting on a Indian cultural show. That was the most exciting part of Diwali. We would be looking forward to Diwali with weeks of practice and wear our hand-made costumes. The mothers would bring us girls together and do our hair and makeup before the show. Then we’d share food, and that would be it. When Indians from Fiji came to New Zealand after the Fiji coup in the 1980s, a lot more Indian shops started opening, and you could now find more costumes for Diwali. It became a lot more common for the wider community to experience Indian culture at fairs and other community events. There would then be 10
private groups such as companies asking for an Indian dance item. So it was becoming a lot more prominent. With the large Indian population in Auckland, a lot more of the culture was visible there, and it slowly filtered to the rest of New Zealand. It was exciting for the Wellington Indian community when the festival went public for the first time at the Wellington town hall. Everyone got behind it, creating some incredible craft stalls and food. My role as MC was initially intimidating because I really didn’t know if people were interested in listening to me talk about Diwali, but when hearing comments in passing and that gave me confidence knowing people were genuinely fascinated. Since then, Diwali celebrations starting moving into a new era. Businesses like banks were celebrating Diwali with their staff. The Government started celebrating Diwali at Parliament in the early 2000s, which also helped to elevate it. The nature of Diwali celebrations has really changed in my lifetime. For example, with Bollywood dance the new craze, traditional dance is now a dying art. When I was a child, my mum had to make do with whatever ingredients were available. Nowadays, most Indian commodities and food items are readily available. As a community we tend to celebrate Diwali closely with family and friends. Where do you see other traditions that originated in India appearing in mainstream culture? I see how things like yoga have been absorbed into the Western culture and lost their foundational meaning. Do you know why we do yoga? It’s more than exercise - it’s about mindfulness, balancing the chakra. Similarly with food, it is collectables.nzpost.co.nz
What might it mean to the Indian community to have a Diwali stamp issue? I think people will really appreciate it. I’ve really enjoyed working on this stamp issue! To see where it started and where it ended up. I’ve been asking people what they’d like to see in a Diwali stamp, and without me saying anything they’ve been reflecting what we ended up with - fireworks, rangoli, diya. How is Diwali celebrated in other parts of the world? The United Kingdom and Canada started public Diwali celebrations way ahead of other countries outside of India. One of the best-known celebrations is in Leicester, in the United Kingdom, where people visit to see Belgrave Road illuminated with thousands of lights. I remember the rangoli in India standing out during Diwali. An artist would come round to your house and do these quick,
elaborate designs outside. Rangoli has only recently become a tradition in New Zealand. It’s made of ground chalk coloured with plant dyes. It’s a bit tricky to do it here because of the weather – so sometimes it’s done indoors. What does Diwali mean to you? I think these days, most people celebrate how they want to over the days rather than following the traditions to a tee. My favourite part of Diwali is the social aspect. What you do at home is very personal.
Focus issue 72 - October 2021
great that people like to cook Indian food, but there is a reason behind certain spices being cooked with certain ingredients. Hinduism isn’t so much a religion, it’s a whole way of living.
For me the idea of Lakshmi bringing prosperity into your home is holistic - it doesn’t necessarily mean material wealth, but rather health and happiness. It’s about hoping the next year goes really well and that you’ll have more friendship and abundance in life. What’s next for you? The Wellington Indian Association will be celebrating its 100th anniversary in a few years. We’re looking forward to ordering some personalised stamps to celebrate!
Laddu
Sharing sweets is a staple of Diwali celebrations, but making your own can take a lot of skill! Traditional makers often use intuition when it comes to cooking these treats. Have a go at making a version of laddu, the vanilla and coconut sweets depicted on the $3.60 stamp, with this simplified recipe.
Ingredients
2 cups desiccated coconut 1 ½ cups milk 1 tsp vanilla extract ¾ cup caster sugar Handful of cashews, finely chopped ¼ tsp ground cardamom Extra desiccated coconut, for rolling
Method
In a large saucepan, combine the desiccated coconut, milk and vanilla over a low to medium heat. Stir well until the coconut has absorbed the milk. Add the caster sugar, and stir well to combine. Stir the mixture over a low heat for 20 minutes or until the sugar has melted and the mixture has become thick and crumbly. Once crumbly, stir the chopped cashews and ground cardamom through the mixture until well combined, then set aside to cool. Once cool, use your hands to press and shape the mixture into balls, then roll in desiccated coconut. Store in an airtight container for up to five days or serve and enjoy.
Shubh Diwali stamps and first day covers were issued on 7 October 2021. 11
Ross Dependency Megafauna Antarctica is unique as the only continent on Earth with no terrestrial mammals. It is instead home to several populations of marine mammals and birds, including five of the world’s 18 penguin species, which sit at the top of a thriving ecosystem. Penguins are flightless birds highly adapted for the marine environment. Emperor penguins can dive to over 500 metres below sea level, and their shape makes them extremely agile under water. These penguins are one of the most recognisable animals that stay at Ross Island for the long Antarctic winter. Ross Island’s emperor penguin colony is situated on the sea ice at Cape Crozier and is one of the southernmost colonies in the world. Cape Crozier is also home to one of the largest Adélie penguin breeding colonies in the world, as well as a large breeding colony of south polar skua, though the Adélies and skua only call Ross Island home for the summer. Emperor penguins breed on the sheltered sections of sea ice that push up against the Ross Ice Shelf. Huddled into groups for warmth against the cold winter storms the male penguins incubate the eggs by carrying them on the top of their feet covered by a flap of insulated skin. During the start of the summer, juvenile emperors can often be seen wandering the sea ice in small groups. Inquisitive animals, the juvenile penguins will often come to investigate anyone passing by or working. If a person sits or lies very still, these penguins may approach to within a few metres, where they will stand and stare. Like people, the penguins show a range of personalities,
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with the braver and more inquisitive leading the groups, and the shyer ones slightly behind. If you are quiet and slow, as you start to walk away you may find a line of penguins waddling in step behind you, quite happy to follow you in whatever direction you happen to be going. In contrast to the slower more laid-back personalities of emperor penguins, Adélies penguins seen alone out on the sea ice move with purpose. Waddling at pace, wings back and heads up, lone adelié penguins are on a mission. While they might stop briefly to check up on what you are doing, they’ll quickly turn and scurry off in seemingly random directions with goals in mind that only they knew. Lone Adélies also turn up at Scott Base, interested in the goings-on and looking for a quiet covered place to moult. During February and March, daily base meetings cover current penguin locations to ensure minimal disturbance. Checking under vehicles and sleds becomes part of the regular start-up procedure, and often vehicles go unused and jobs are delayed so as not to disturb the local visitors.
Ross Dependency Megafauna was issued on 1 September 2021.
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Focus issue 72 - October 2021
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Celebrating 100 years of the New Zealand Olympic Team In July 2021, New Zealand took a record 222 athletes to the postponed Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. The team came home celebrating its most successful Olympic Games ever, with a haul of seven gold, six silver and seven bronze medals - an all-time high of 20 in total. New Zealand finished up an impressive 13th on the table, in which a total of 86 teams won medals. Placing in 11 sports, a quarter of New Zealand’s athletes took home gold, silver or bronze. To celebrate the impending Games and the 100th anniversary of the first New Zealand Team, in October 2020 NZ Post issued a set of six stamps and a range of complementary collectables. With a backdrop of design elements from the New Zealand Olympic Committee’s brand campaign, these stamps featured Japanese-inspired ink-wash paintings of athletes in motion. While the figures were unnamed on the stamps, they were based on six Olympic hopefuls. Eddie Osei-Nketia Born across the Tasman, Eddie Osei-Nketia could have chosen to represent either New Zealand or Australia. Wanting to follow in the footsteps of his champion sprinter father Gus Nketia, he chose the black-and-white uniform.
Tyla Nathan-Wong One of the most talked-about events for New Zealand was the Black Ferns’ performance in the women’s Rugby Sevens. The team took gold after some nail-biting games and memorable post-match interviews from team members Ruby Tui and Michaela Blyde. Tyla Nathan-Wong scored a try and six points from the conversions during the final against France.
Disappointingly, OseiNketia was outside the automatic qualification standard of 10.05 seconds for the 100-metre event, and was not selected by the New Zealand Olympic Committee to compete.
Nathan Wong is now an Olympic gold and silver medallist, having competed for silver at Rio 2016. In 2019 she was named the New Zealand Rugby Sevens Player of the Year. Ella Williams Ella Williams made her Olympic debut at Tokyo 2020, placing ninth in her category. Tokyo aimed to capture a younger audience with six new sports: surfing, softball, baseball, sport climbing, skateboarding and karate. A surfer since age four, Williams remains the only New Zealand surfer to have won the women’s world junior championship title.
Kane Russell Kane Russell attended his second Olympic Games after making his Olympic debut at Rio 2016. He and his team won silver at the 2018 Commonwealth Games. The Black Sticks were put out of the running after a loss to Argentina in their last pool match, in which Russell scored New Zealand’s first and only goal. Eliza McCartney Pole vaulter Eliza McCartney was an ingenue on the international scene when she won the bronze medal at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. She went on to take silver at the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games. McCartney was sadly unable to make it to Tokyo 2020 as she continued to deal with challenging injuries.
Jacko Gill Jacko Gill has been competing on the international stage since 2009. In 2010 he made waves after winning gold in the shot put at the World Junior Championships. At the age of 15 years and 213 days, this made him the youngest-ever male gold medallist at the competition. Gill made his Summer Olympic Games debut at Rio 2016. At Tokyo 2020 Gill made it through to the shot put final in his category, finishing ninth. Team mate Tom Walsh took out the bronze medal for New Zealand.
Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games came off sale on 6 October 2021. collectables.nzpost.co.nz
Ignited by top Para athletes and fuelled by millions upon millions of spectators around the world, the Paralympic Games drive awareness and social inclusion, encouraging a world without barriers for disabled people and transforming society. Paralympians once again took to one of the greatest stages in the world between 24 August and 5 September 2021 for the 16th Summer Paralympic Games. Through their amazing successes, Paralympians are incredible role models, challenging societal perceptions of disabled people worldwide. This Games saw a new Universal Design Act introduced to improve accessibility across Japan. Legislation was passed to improve hotel accessibility and Japan aimed for all transport hubs to be 100 per cent accessible by 24 August. Barrier-free infrastructure and transport not only benefits disabled people, but also parents with strollers and an aging population. With the infrastructure remaining for all to access, the Paralympics helped to improve mobility for all.
Focus issue 72 - October 2021
Spirit of Gold
New Zealand sent 29 Paralympians to the Games in Tokyo including 11 returning athletes and 18 first-timers. Across the team six Para sports featured - Para swimming (four athletes), Para cycling (six athletes), shooting Para sport (one athlete), Para athletics (eight athletes), Para canoe (two athletes), wheelchair rugby (eight athletes). Kiwi Paralympians competed in 75 per cent of the finals out of the 49 events contested.
Para sport education is now also part of the Japanese school curriculum nationwide. Children are taught, through the I’mPOSSIBLE programme, that every person has the right to play sport and enjoy life. They are introduced to the Paralympic values and Para sport as a gateway to understanding an inclusive society. Through the changes observed in their children, older generations are being taught how to become more inclusive, making Japan a better place to live.
The team gave an admirable performance, taking home 12 medals - six gold, three silver and three bronze - and setting three Paralympic records. New Zealand finished third in the world for gold medals won per capita, fourth in the world for medals won per capita, and 21st in the world for overall medals won. Excitingly, Sophie Pascoe cemented her place as the most successful New Zealand Paralympian of all time, having won a total of 19 medals including 11 gold medals at four Paralympic Games. Paralympics New Zealand says that since the Games, the number of people registering to get started with Para sport has been five times the usual level, with new potential for athletes to pave their way to Paris 2024, Milan 2026 or Los Angeles 2028.
Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games was issued on 4 August 2021 and stamps will be available until 3 August 2022. 15
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Recent coin issues Discover New Zealand: Kōwhai - May 2021 The kōwhai is one of Aotearoa New Zealand’s most cherished trees, its vibrant yellow blooms and the birds that flock to them welcome signs of spring. Some species are semi-deciduous, and their bounteous golden flowers appear before rows of small, round leaves join them. The distinctive kōwhai flower is an icon that has featured on postage stamps and coins several times, including New Zealand’s former two-cent coin. Date of issue: May - June 2021 Designer: Stephen Fuller, Wellington, New Zealand. Kaitiaki designed by Dave Burke, Tauranga, New Zealand Mint: The Commonwealth Mint Worldwide mintage: 1,000
Tangaroa - Guardian of the Ocean Tangaroa is a deity described in Māori traditions as the kaitiaki (guardian) of all oceans and waters. He is one of the children of Ranginui (the sky father) and Papatūānuku (the earth mother), from whom life originates. Among various accounts throughout Aotearoa New Zealand and the Pacific, Tangaroa is identified as the father of sea creatures. In some traditions, the sea is thought to be where all life originated. In traditional carvings, Māori ancestors can resemble amphibians - animals that can live on both land and water - with snake-like bodies and large heads. The pūhoro (wave) motif that surrounds Tangaroa makes reference to his ability to control the tides and waves, as well as his strength and power as guardian of the seas and waterways. The pūhoro design traditionally refers to speed and agility, depicting the cutting or rippling effect of the water or waves when a waka (canoe) travels. The pūhoro design is often used to adorn the prows of waka. The sea creatures within the design represent the many stories, traditions and lineage of Tangaroa, including the tohora or whale. Whales are viewed as the guardians of navigators. According to Māori oral tradition, whales guided canoes to New Zealand, and the ancestor Paikea is said to have arrived riding a whale. Date of issue: May 2021 Designer: KE Design, Tolaga Bay, New Zealand Mint: BH Mayer’s Kunstprägeanstalt GmbH Worldwide mintage: Set of two 1oz silver proof coins: 400 Set of two ½oz gold proof coins: 150
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Kiwi are equally cherished by all cultures in New Zealand. They are a symbol of the uniqueness of New Zealand wildlife and the value of our natural heritage. The bird itself is a taonga (treasure) to Māori, who have strong cultural, spiritual and historical associations with kiwi. The 2021 Kiwi coin features the brown kiwi Apteryx mantelli in an underground burrow with two eggs. The brown kiwi nests in short burrows, rocky crevices or the hollow base of trees. The kiwi on this coin is likely male, as they do all the incubation in this species. One or two large eggs can be laid any time of year, but the peak time is between June and November.
Focus issue 72 - October 2021
2021 Kiwi
Kiwi have become a flagship or umbrella species for conservation and are often used as a measure of the state of our natural environment and the outcome and value of community conservation projects - where kiwi thrive, other native wildlife also thrives. Date of issue: May 2021 Designer: Helcia Berryman, Mopsy Creative, Raumati, New Zealand Illustrator: Stephen Fuller, Wellington, New Zealand Mint: BH Mayer’s Kunstprägeanstalt GmbH Worldwide mintage: 2oz silver coin with antique finish: 400 1kg silver proof coin: 100
Queen Elizabeth II Ninety-Fifth Birthday - May-June 2021 In some countries the British monarchy is associated with the rose and thistle, but in New Zealand it is associated with the silver fern and the mānuka flower, as can be seen in the insignia of the New Zealand Royal Honours system. Beyond these symbols, there are few other places in the world where members of the royal family can be as informal and as accessible to the public as they are here in New Zealand. The monarchy in New Zealand is a modern, multicultural institution woven into the fabric of this country. In 2021, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II celebrated her 95th birthday. Four coins were issued by NZ Post to commemorate this milestone. Date of issue: May - June 2021 Designer: Nicky Dyer, Wellington, New Zealand Mint: The Commonwealth Mint Worldwide mintage: 1oz silver proof coin: 950 ¼oz gold proof coin: 500 1oz gold proof coin: 95 2oz gold proof coin: 95
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Staff profile: Ellie Stewart Ellie has been the Communications Specialist for NZ Post Collectables for the past three and a half years. Ellie admits that when she joined the team in 2018, she hadn’t put much thought to stamps and coins since childhood. What was it like to join the Collectables team? I joined what was known then as the Stamps and Coins Team in February 2018. I had been working as a freelance web writer and publicist for professional theatre, and I was so excited to get back into a full-time role with a supportive team around me. I remember in my interview talking about how I’d been fascinated by old and international coins as a child. I was told I didn’t necessarily need to be interested in collecting to enjoy this job - but I think everyone collects something. How would you describe your day-to-day role? I look after the content for our printed materials, website, emails and social media, and I work with our design team to source images, retail posters and other visual elements of those communications. I work closely with my amazing colleagues in Whanganui to help manage our website and get them what they need to print and dispatch our mailers, letters and more. I occasionally communicate with the Reserve Bank and the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet to arrange approval of our coin designs and any collectables relating to the royal family. I also share some responsibilities with Programme Manager Lynette Townsend, who does the huge job of crafting our collectables programme, facilitating all stamp and coin designs and sourcing the supporting material. I do a bit of design layout as well. What’s the most rewarding part of your job? It’s so enriching to connect with subject-matter experts on things that I might otherwise never have been exposed to. I particularly loved learning about the history of New Zealand’s network of lighthouses from
Maritime New Zealand in 2019. I have to say as well, that playing a part in commemorating Aotearoa New Zealand’s culture and heritage through stamps is indescribably special. Apart from circulating and commemorative currency, I can’t think of any other single medium that both informs and reflects our collective sense of nationhood in this way. Tell us about your favorite stamp or coin issue. I really loved the 2018 Predator Free 2050 stamp issue. I love nature and New Zealand wildlife and I appreciate the optimistic vision of a predator-free future for our native flora and fauna. I also enjoyed working on the New Zealand Bear Hunt stamp issue last year. I got to engage directly with members of the public to curate a set of images for the stamps. It was really fun to put together a collection that reflected the amazing lockdown phenomenon of people displaying toys on their properties to create a sense of connection in their communities. If you could do another job for a day, what would it be and why? I love cooking and reading about food, so I would probably see what it’s like to be a food writer. Tell us something surprising about you. My great-grandfather Marmaduke Matthews designed a stamp in 1935. He also illustrated a Health Stamp poster that’s part of Te Papa’s collection. I have a print of the poster at home. My brother is a graphic designer, so I like to think Marmaduke’s knack for visual design lives on in my family.
Ellie’s great-grandfather Marmaduke Matthews designed the 1935 pictoral 1 1/2d ‘Māori Woman Cooking Food’ gummed stamp and the 1932 ‘Buy Health Stamps for Health Camps’ poster. 18
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Across
Down
1. The designer of the stamps for The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring 20th Anniversary. (5, 4)
3. The Hindu goddess encouraged to bring good luck into people’s homes during Diwali. (7)
2. The Lord of the Rings protagonist tasked with destroying the One Ring. (5) 6. The whale species featured in the Ross Dependency Megafauna stamp issue. (5) 8. One of the six new Olympic sports that featured at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. (7)
Focus issue 72 - October 2021
Puzzle time 4. The name of the lamps used to celebrate Diwali. (5) 5. There are five species of this animal in Antarctica. (8) 7. A Black Ferns player who gave several memorable interviews after matches at Tokyo 2020. (4, 3)
9. The number of bronze medals won by New Zealanders at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. 10. NZ Post Chief Executive. (5,5)
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