Issue 10

Kauae Raro

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My Relationship to NZSL A Ramadan Diary

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Why are sponges so important to marine ecosystems? P12

10.05.21

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Editorial Letters and Notices News

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Why are Sponges so important to marine ecosystems

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Kauae Raro

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Sitting with Eco-anxiety

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NZSL

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Centrefold

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A Ramadan Diary

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Columns

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Culture

To be Frank (26), VUWSA (28), Disabled Students Association (28), Student Wellbeing (29), Mauri Ora (29), Pasifika Student Council (30)

Questions and Answers with Phoebe Johnson (32), Circular Fashion Movement (34)

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Entertainment

About Us Salient is published by, but remains editorially independent from, the Victoria University of Wellington Students’ Association (VUWSA). Salient is funded in part by VUWSA through the Student Services Levy. Salient is a member of the Aotearoa Student Press Association (ASPA).

Complaints Complaints regarding the material published in Salient should first be brought to the Editors in writing (editor@salient.org.nz).

If not satisfied with the response, complaints should be directed to the Media Council (info@mediacouncil.org.nz).

The views expressed in Salient do not necessarily reflect those of the Editor, VUWSA, or the University.

Sink your teeth into it!

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Editorial Fuck convience, give us time.

The Capitalist Diet™ can be defined in more ways that you can slice a sandwich, but I’m here today to talk about convenience. Food is more convenient than it has ever been. Living in the city means our hunting gathering mostly consists of hunting and gathering deals at the supermarket, or collecting stamps on loyalty cards. Ultimately, convenience is an unsustainable practice for both the environment and our wellbeing.

Convenience looks like: shrink-wrapped corn, takeaways, UberEats, sliced bread, beef stock in a Tetra Pak, individually bagged chips/snacks/nuts for your lunchbox, the hundreds of things you can buy in a can (e.g. macaroni cheese), microwave meals… and so it goes.

Convenience saves you time but costs you money, which is funny because time is money. It’s that trade off between spending upwards of $20 for someone else to cook, or making four meals for $5. The missing ingredient in that equation is time—time to decide what to make, to go to the supermarket, to peel and chop, to cook and clean. When we’re busy rushing around handing in assignments on the way to a part- time job, time becomes a scarce commodity.

So say you work a minimum wage job for 15 hours a week to supplement StudyLink. After tax and Studylink repayments you’ve got $219 left. You might buy lunch twice a week (e.g. x2 subs) and a couple cups of coffee, a snack from the vending machine, and a drink one day after work—that’s about $43 in total. So, nearly 20% of every dollar you earn is going toward quick food, and we haven’t even talked about breakfast.

Our grandparents’ food was less processed. They had bulk flour and sugar, cuts of meat from the local butcher, veggies from the garden, and biscuits that came in a tin. The first all-in-one NZ supermarket was

apparently opened in 1958, and takeaways cropped up in the 1950s. We are now very used to pre-chopped, canned, and processed food. You can buy grated carrot ffs. You have to wonder what the environmental toll of all this extra processing, packaging, and food storing is—that goes for all the stuff in the supermarket, and takeaways.

Cooking and preparing food has historically been women’s work (a lot of people still think it’s women’s work). As more women have been *allowed* to work, the market for convenience has increased. There’s no one at home to make the stocks and the jams and the bread from scratch. Where abouts in the 40-hour work week that we’re ultimately training for are we supposed to let the dough rise?

I’m not looking for a reversion to that time when women had to stay home and do unpaid labour to feed the workforce, and weren’t offered a tertiary education.

Lockdown showed me how easy it was to reduce the plastic-wrapped food in my diet and increase my vegetable intake when I had the time. Also weird how everyone started making bread in lockdown like a religious calling.

Undo our reliance on convenience by giving us all the time. Allow taking care of ourselves and those around us to be a valid contribution to society. Cutting work and study expectations by 20% or whatever would help my equation. Cooking isn’t everybody’s game, but eating is.

We need to think about how the need for convenience forces us to eat. The rates and ways that we work and consume so we can keep working and consuming are unsustainable for the wellbeing of the planet, and us.

Happy VUWSA Sustainability Week.

Sally Ward (she/her), co-signed by Matthew Casey (he/him) Brought to you by Peoples Coffee

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NOTICES & LETTERS Shit Quiz Hey guys that NZ Music month pub quiz was so shit, I can see that you had the correct answers as options but somehow you got it wrong.

I did love the idea and wouldn’t mind if you republished the correct one or did a new one Quizmaster James

How Bizarre

Lonely Hi Sally/Matt, I just wanted to say that article on loneliness really touched a chord to my heart. The theme and vibe from reading, I found myself nodding through it, dare I say to myself. We live in times where there is more information available to us than ever before, yet the best answers are often in picking up the phone and calling someone, or going and walking with them or just hanging out. No matter what age we are , nothing beats the face to face smile, hug and voice.

Keep up the great work guys, you made this baby boomer reflect and thoroughly appreciate your words.

Cheers Phil

Kia ora I am writing to inform you that one of the questions in the NZ Music Month Pub Quiz was a blatant disregard for historical accuracy and spat upon the legacy of the late Pauly Fuemana.

I stuffed up, I’m sorry

OMC stands for “Otago Millionaires Club”.

In the quiz you said the answer was D) Old Mans Clothes.

I stuffed up the quiz answers last week.

3,4,8&9 were wrong.

I hope you listen to their discography, and look deep within yourself and ask, how bizarre that you got this wrong.

Sincerely Sweet Zina in the front

Hey,

I want to apologise for any confusion this caused and I am very sorry about this.

3- A 4- D 8- C 9- B The Salient Quiz Maker

Submit Letters and Notices for future issues

by Tuesdays 5pm to editor@salient.org.nz

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Letters and Notices

The Kevin Smith Memorial scholarship ($1,000) supports graduate students who undertake research relevant to Taputeranga Marine Reserve across a wide range of disciplines, including social, political and economic science.

In 2020 the scholarship supported a PhD project aimed at understanding the effects of Ocean Warming on the reproduction of Crella incrustans, a common NZ sponge species. Get in touch or visit https://taputeranga.org.nz/scholarship or https://www.wgtn.ac.nz/scholarships/current/kevinsmith-memorial-scholarship for more details. Applications close on 31 May 2021.

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News

Safety concerns at TPV / Consultation open on CSSF legislation VUW security manager job vacancy / Predator free 2050

Urgent hui held at Te Puni, but VUWSA refused entry by accommodation services Kirsty Frame, Ngāti Kahungunu (she/her)

CW: sexual assault, sexual harassment

Photo: Te Puni Village. Source: VUW An urgent hui was held last Wednesday at Te Puni with roughly 24 hours notice amid concerns of safety and sexual harm in the hall.

It’s purpose was to ensure residents at Te Puni understand how they can report incidences of sexual harassment in halls and on campus.

The Victoria University of Wellington’s Student Association student executive was refused entry, a move which VUWSA President Michael Turnball has called “inappropriate”.

VUWSA president Michael Turnbull said that it’s sadly taken a crisis for student accommodation management to realise “at least one of their halls have residents with a significant lack of understanding” of the Sexual Harassment Response Policy (SHRP) and its procedures.

The meeting comes after residents at the hall signed a letter to management, stating the hall had breached their contract by creating an unsafe environment and failing to act after serious allegations of sexual misconduct were presented.

The letter called for more transparency at Te Puni as well as a change in policy around how victims disclose sexual harm experiences.

The hui included police, residents, hall and university staff, and VUWSA’s advocacy service team—who operate outside of the elected student executive.

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VUWSA’s executive weren’t invited and were furtherly refused when they asked to attend.

“I understand the Uni’s concerns of not wanting to politicise this event, but at the end of the day we’re elected representatives and feel it’s important to be kept in the loop with how wider issues of the Sexual Harassment Response Policy are going” “[These are] the people we represent, talking about the impacts that poor policy has had on their lives”

The SHRP was enacted last year after severe ambiguities with the University’s previous policy, which were brought to light in 2018. VUWSA was one of many advocating for the reform.

In a comment to Stuff after the allegations surfaced, the University said they had launched an investigation into Te Puni’s handling of the complaints, but added early inquiries suggest correct processes had been followed.

The VUWSA exec engage with hall management surrounding issues of sexual harassment on campus and progression of the SHRP. VUWSA’s advocacy services engage with the Student Interest and Conflict Resolution team on incidents of sexual harassment.

Do you know more? Email news@salient.org.nz

Turnbull said these huis need to happen proactively and without the influence of external parties, like police.

“These need to be managed effectively by the hall, and if not, the hall should then actively realise they’re not living up to the level of pastoral care they should be providing.”

If you require support regarding sexual harm, you can contact: HELP: 04 801 6655 MOASIC: 022 419 3416 Safe To Talk: 0800 044 334 VUW Contacts: VUWSA advocacy services: advocate@vuwsa.org.nz VUW Student Interest and Conflict Resolution: 04 463 5023

Ministry of Education Consulting on CSSF Reforms Johnny O’Hagan Brebner (he/him) The Ministry of Education is currently undertaking consultation on legislative reform to the CSSF system.

CSSFs are Compulsory Student Services Fees, money like the student services levy that universities charge students to help fund services like Mauri Ora and clubs.

It is also an important source of funding for student associations like VUWSA. The system has been around since 2012, but is widely disliked by student associations who have been underfunded since its establishment.

The current round of consultation seeks to alter the legislation by bringing it in line with the legal frameworks used to determine tuition fees.

Photo: The Ministry of Education. Source: Stuff

The belief is that this will allow the Ministerial Direction to respond more flexibly to problems in the tertiary education sector.

He says this will improve consistency across tertiary providers and “places more specific requirements on universities for the services that they provide, so it allows the Government to be a bit more of a watchdog for the University so they’re not gutting us entirely.”

In particular, the reforms want to be able to make different rules for different types of students, and place specific requirements around student consultation and engagement.

A lack of proper student influence over the CSSF has been the subject of heavy criticism, and increased student involvement is cautiously welcomed by VUWSA President Michael Turnbull.

But he’s conscious of issues that may still remain. He says the proposed 21 day timeframe for consultation on changes isn’t enough for students to respond properly.

He’s also concerned about whether students will be provided joint decision-making with universities on the CSSF.

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However, the consultation document states that there will be no changes to the current Ministerial Direction, the document which controls what universities decide to do with the CSSF. Many of the complaints about the current CSSF system stem from the setup of the Direction.

Michael says this isn’t good enough. If “there’s no real significant changes, then there is still going to be those concerns and some of those issues felt by students.”

Some of those concerns include being able to fund things like free menstrual products and public transport subsidies.

Both VUWSA and NZUSA will be submitting on the proposals.

Both associations say that their processes are still being worked out, but that students will have an opportunity to share their experiences. NZUSA will have a website where students can submit their concerns. In the meantime, VUWSA says “Keep an eye on our socials.

Keep an eye on our website. If you are part of a student representative group you’ll likely get an email for us. If you don’t, please reach out.”

If you’d like to submit directly to the Ministry, details can be found below. If you do, your Student Association President recommends that you “Plan, plan, plan. Plan out the whole submission, do it really nice and [make it] easy to read.”

Photo: VUWSA President, Michael Turnbull, says the proposed 21 day timeframe for consultation on legislative changes to the CSSF isn’t enough for students to respond properly. Source: Monique Ford / Stuff Information on the consultation can be found here: https://conversation.education.govt.nz/conversations/ education-and-training-amendment-bill/proposedchanges-to-compulsory-student-services-fees/ Consultation runs until 16 June 2021.

Write to Education Consultation Ministry of Education PO Box 1666 Wellington 6140 New Zealand Or email legislation.consultation@education.govt.nz

Security Manager and Team Leader roles still vacant after resignations in February Kirsty Frame, Ngāti Kahungunu (she/her) The Security Manager and Security Infrastructure and Systems Team Leader roles have been vacant for over two months.

The Security Manager is responsible for the security at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington.

A spokesperson for the University told Salient that the Manager works closely on security related matters with two of the Associate Directors in Student and Campus Living, who are responsible for University halls.

Since the departure over two months ago, the University has been advertising for the Security Manager position. “[This] is an important role for the University and it is important to get the right person for the job”, a spokesperson said.

Further, the Security Infrastructure and Systems Team Leader role will begin recruitment only once the Manager position is filled. The University said this is “to ensure we can identify what complementary skills and attributes will Since February, these responsibilities have been absorbed work best with this team”. by an Associate Director in Student and Campus Living, with support from the Director of Student and Campus The University has also recently employed a permanent Living.

Roving Night Manager, who oversees the contracted guards at residential halls.

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Photo: A possum and rat eating thrush chicks near Waikanae Source: Ngā Manu

Opinion: Predator Free 2050: Conservation or public motivation?

Sophie Ruth (she/they)

Predator Free 2050 (PF2050) is an ambitious government scheme that aims to entirely rid New Zealand of stoats, weasels, ferrets, rats, and possums by 2050. Launched in 2015, this joint project between DoC and venture company Predator Free 2050 has recieved $76 million in the latest budget. DoC’s Towards Predator Freedom strategy waxes lyrical with a vision to “return the voices of the insects, bats, reptiles and birds back to the forests, farmland, towns, cities and coasts.”

impassioned messages are what get people going, a very important fact that some scientists are almost dogmatic in their refusal to engage with. It seems inappropriate to demand the government only announce goals in a scientific, unemotive matter.

DoC’s strategy places great importance on community involvement. It states that “Anyone and everyone can be a part of Predator Free 2050.” While I appreciate this sentiment, their strategy reads much more like a Most people who you mention PF2050 think it’s a nice press release than a serious legislative plan. But the idea, or casually observe that it seems very difficult. monumental task of PF2050 will require nationwide Amongst people involved in conservation, it’s much more collaboration, so perhaps placing an emphasis on contentious. Many biologists consider it to be ill-informed accessibility and public relations is actually the best and lacking in nuance, with one describing it as outright approach. With such a costly project, appealing to “bombastic”. The idealism certainly seems to rub them the potential investors may be another reason the strategy is wrong way. so flowery. The emphasis on working alongside Māori to support kaitiakitanga is pleasingly strong. Unfortunately, But it’s important not to overlook the age-old methods a solid ethos alone cannot provide concrete methods to of rallying the public and maintaining their attention. achieve PF2050.

Considering PF2050 as a social campaign rather than a solid conservation strategy makes more sense. Dramatic,

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NewsRecap: Snapper use to be available on some trains from October

Samoan general election void, reelection to be held

The Johnsonville Rail line will be the first to see the new pilot.

Samoa will vote again on May 21 after the Samoan head of state, Tuimalealiifano Vaaletoa Sualauvi II, announced last Tuesday he had revoked the deadlocked results of the general election held on April 9.

Manu Vatuvei facing charges of importing, possessing, and supplying methamphetamine The Rugby League legend outed himself 48 hours before the deadline for him to take his suppression fight to the Court of Appeal.

National Day of Action against sexual violence held

Public sector workers frustrated, disappointed, at three-year extension to wage freeze On Wednesday, 5 May, the Government announced a three-year extension of a 12-month freeze on pay increases for those earning more than $100,000. Workers on $60,000 and above need select circumstances to justify any pay rise.

Thursdays in Black Aotearoa held a national day of action last week, to align with Sexual Assault Awareness Week. This year’s theme was “looking after yourself, your community, and movement.”

NZ Rugby introducing new women’s competition in 2022

Billie Eilish absolutely smashes another Vogue cover

New Zealand Rugby’s Head of Women’s Rugby Development, Cate Sexton, has told ^Stuff “our timeline is that by July, we’ll be able to announce the competition and who will be playing in it.”

If you haven’t seen the pics, catch up.

Wellington hapū visit Kāpiti wetlands for first time in 80 years Kāpiti airport was closed for most of the day on Sunday, 2 May as mana whenua were united with their ancestral land.

Rāhui placed on Taranaki Maunga following fatalities The eight iwi of the Taranaki region have placed a rāhui on all access routes to the summit of Taranaki following the fatalities of two climbers.

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News

Bill and Melinda Gates divorcing After 27 years of marriage, the couple announced their divroce last Monday saying they “no longer believe we can grow together as a couple in this next phase of our lives”.

Hutt Valley School classroom on Parliament Lawn Last Thursday, Hutt Valley High School set up camp outside the Beehive. 13 classrooms were closed due to toxic mold.

Tweets of the Week

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Pic. 1 Written by Francesca Strano Pictures by Valerio Micaroni Sponge Ecology Group, SBS, Victoria University of Wellington

Why are sponges so important to marine ecosystems?

Sponges are the simplest animals on the planet and play vital functions in our oceans.

Sponges are the most ancient animals living on earth. They populate marine and freshwater ecosystems, and are widespread in tropical, temperate, and polar regions—from coastal areas to the deep sea.

Depending on the species and habitat, sponges can display all the possible colours and shapes you can imagine, and be from just a few millimetres to several square meters in size (pic.1). Some species are seasonal, whereas some deep-sea sponges may live up to 11,000 years. They have a great variety of textures (soft, crumbly, rubbery, or velvety, just to name a few) and they may have peculiar smells, with scents similar to mushroom, mango or garlic. Their bright colours (pic. 2) and incredible smells are the results of the production of chemical molecules that prevent them from being overgrown and predated by other organisms.

Interestingly, each sponge species is characterised by a specific set of associated microbes (also called symbionts) living inside their body, that often assist them in the production of chemical compounds and in nutrients absorption.

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Feature : Sea Sponges

Sponges love filtering water, and they can pump 72,000 times their body volume per day.

Sponges are not only the oldest, but are also the simplest animals on earth. They don’t have tissues and organs like all other animals; their bodies are simply made up of a few different cell types. Their bodies are supported by a network of flexible proteins (that you may already know if you think about natural sponge for cleaning), together with minuscule pointy structures called spicules. The sponge body is organised in a series of water canals that specialise in water pumping. Sponges respire, feed and reproduce through water pumping. Sponges can asexually reproduce by producing buds or fragmenting themselves, resulting in several clones of the original sponge (pic. 3). They can also reproduce sexually by releasing sperm and eggs, which develop into ciliated swimming larvae after fertilisation (pic. 4). Once they find the right spot to settle, each sponge larvae metamorphose into a new juvenile sponge.

Pic. 3

The three main ecological functions of sponges Sponges are fundamental in all marine ecosystems because they perform a great number of functions to support marine biodiversity and ecosystem functioning: Reef creation and substrate stabilisation: encrusting sponges stabilise the substrate (sea floor) by glueing coral rubble or pebbles. This allows for the creation of reefs, and assists the colonisation of corals and other habitat-forming species.

Pic. 4

Water filtering: sponges trap bacteria, small particles, and dissolved nutrients from water, making them available to other non-filtrating organisms.

Habitat provisioning: with their highly diverse and three-dimensional structures they create shelter for other organisms of all sizes (from bacteria, to small crustaceans, to fish) enhancing biodiversity (pic. 5).

What’s the impact of climate change on sponges?

Marine ecosystems are under threat from the impacts of climate change at all latitudes, with dramatic consequences such as coral bleaching in tropical reefs, sponge mass mortality events in temperate seas, and habitat loss in polar waters. Despite that, the effects of higher temperatures on the physiology and reproduction of temperate sponges are still poorly understood.

See Letters and Notices on page 05 for information about the research scholarship open to graduates who want to undertake research relevant to Taputeranga Marine Reserve across a wide range of disciplines, including social, political and economic science.

Pic. 5

Pic. 2 www.salient.org.nz

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Kauae Raro Research Collective was established in 2019 by Sarah Hudson (Ngāti Awa, Ngāti Pūkeko, Ngāi Tūhoe), Lanae Cable (Ngāti Awa, Ngāti Pūkeko, Ngāi Tuhoe) and Jordan Davey-Emms (Ngāti Pākehā). The trio, self described as “backyard researchers,” together boast backgrounds in visual arts, pottery, research and rongoā Māori (traditional Māori healing), and are working to develop a bank of knowledge and spread awareness about traditional, sustainable art practices. Salient spoke to Sarah about the collective and their Wild Pigment Project, a kaupapa which aims to “relearn and recreate” the traditional art materials and techniques of our tūpuna Māori.

In December 2019, Sarah, Lanae and Jordan took a birthday week road trip to look at sites of Ngā Toi Ana (Māori rock art). The trip initially took them an hour inland to a petra glyphe (carved rock wall) located in Ngāti Manawa rohe. Here, they saw traditional artworks which had been residing there since before Ngāti Manawa occupied the land in the late 16th and early 17th centuries.

Inspiration piqued, the trio travelled down the road to Maunga Kakaramea (Rainbow Mountain) just out of Rotorua. “[The maunga has] beautiful, different coloured ochres, clays, and silts and soils,” says Sarah, “you can take a cute little walk from the carpark and see twenty different colours of dirt just on the path.”

The group then ventured further to Lake Tarawea to visit a painted rock wall. The depictions had been painted prior to the maunga’s eruption in 1886, and were submerged in the lake until it receded in 1904. But they were still there, donning beautiful, bright hues of kōkōwai (red ochre).

The trio arrived home later that day inspired. Struck by seeing the art of their ancestors, they wondered how it was possible to make paint that could last for hundreds and hundreds of years. They asked themselves: “Why don’t we know about it? Why don’t we use it now?”

Kauae Raro and the Wild Pigment Project was born out of this collective curiosity. “For the last year and a half, we’ve been dedicated to finding answers to these

Kauae Raro Research Collective: from birthday week road trips to making paint out of dirt Kane Bassett, Ngāti Apa, Ngāti Kahungunu ki te Wairoa, (he/him) Photos from Toroa Creative (2020)

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Feature : Micro Influencer: Explained

questions and exploring our local landscapes through the lens of art making and reconnecting with places, but also with knowledge,” says Sarah. This has looked like walking on the whenua, collecting and documenting different colours of whenua, working with weavers and people with carving backgrounds who are familiar with kōkōwai, and researching into native trees and plants that are used for dyes. “It’s been an indicator that with very little effort we could experience a lot.”

The Wild Pigment Project follows strict reciprocal foraging guidelines. These include honoring the taiao (Earth world) through respect; understanding the history and traditional cultural practices of the whenua the collective engages with; prioritising the needs of papatūānuku over the needs of the forager; giving thanks to the whenua; spending non-foraging, intimate time with the whenua; giving money, when the collective can, to land and cultural organisations, and the community; and freely sharing knowledge and experience with others. After foraging, paints are made by combining coloured earth with animal oils, with each combination resulting in paints with different properties.

questions about their practice. After tracking down a group of people who were using whenua in their work, both physically and conceptually, Sarah collated the information she gathered in a book titled Mana Whenua.

“I wanted to give back to our community because there isn’t a lot of stuff about contemporary use of these beautiful resources,” says Sarah. She wanted to make sure there was “something else [that popped up] when kōkōwai was Googled.” The collective also publishes their weekly field trips online on Instagram, which are “free and accessible for anyone to see how we engage with the whenua.”

Kauae Raro and the Wild Pigment Project is also intimately tied to whakapapa—it’s about reconnecting with lineages. “We go to a place, and we do a bit of a deep dive as to the original name for that place, who occupied those sites, who has lived there, and our relationship to it.” Sarah says the mahi operates on a spectrum of connection: “It could be that I came and played here as a kid, or it could be that eight generations ago someone I was related to lived here.” This, for Sarah, has been grounding, and has provided the collective with a special and intimate relationship with time: “It can make timelines Important to note is that the collective’s kaupapa isn’t feel really small, or it can spread the timeline right out.” just about producing research; it’s motivated by it.

Working in the collective has also given Sarah a deeper “There’s a bit written about kōkōwai,” Sarah says, “but sense of her place as a reciprocal part of the taiao. “I think it’s usually [presented] through a colonial lens [and it’s easy to feel really separated from nature, especially if focuses on] how things were used historically.” She says you live in a city, or you’re away from where you grew up, that when she tried to find out who uses kōkōwai in their or where your family is from. A little bit of commitment to cultural practices today, “it was easier to find how it was going outside has meant a whole lot.” used 250 years ago.”

Kauae Raro Research Collective emerges at a time when Determined to get answers, Sarah worked during it is common to have questions about Māori traditions, lockdown last year to find information about but few ways to answer them. Kauae Raro isn’t just contemporary uses of kōkōwai. She started a pen-pal changing the game with their sustainable art creation— project, writing to artists who use kōkōwai and asking they’re actively making history while doing so.

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Frankie Goodenough

Sitting with Eco-anxiety: Rest as Resistance Eco-anxiety (n): A chronic fear of environmental doom.

In a time of constant debate over what constitutes a meaningful response to the climate crisis, eco-anxiety has become more common than ever as chronic fear escalates into complete overwhelm. Not only do we face the terror of ‘environmental doom’, we find ourselves paralysed and petrified by a host of potential avenues for action, none of which feel even vaguely sufficient. Ecological collapse looms large; eco-anxiety is an entirely reasonable response.

ing, and marching, the sheer impenetrability of a political establishment bent on appeasement over action can be demoralising. This is no reason to give up. But in order to effectively engage in these spaces, we need better ways to deal with the overwhelm of eco-anxiety.

Anxiety traps us in the claustrophobic space inside our skulls. It’s this isolation that makes each of these tiny waves of terror feel positively tidal—relentless and all-consuming. There’s no avoiding the kicker: life for a small human in the Anthropocene is fraught. It should be. If you’re not worried, there’s a problem. But we can’t always be firing on all cylinders. This pursuit of productivity and progress can even enmesh us more deeply into the logic of endless growth that’s driving this escalating climate crisis. We too easily forget that caring for ourselves and caring for the landscapes we dwell in are not mutually exclusive acts. In a world where our attention, time, and emotional labour are constantly being bartered for by corporations and questionable political interests, nurturing our mental health can be an intentional act of resistance. Choosing where to place our attention, and insisting on noticing what we are constantly being distracted from, is one of the most fundamental avenues for response open to us—an avenue that can make that claustrophobic space inside our heads feel remarkably roomy.

Unfortunately, it’s more than a mere spot of worry.

Eco-anxiety can be debilitating. It makes us feel powerless, and it’s routinely deployed to keep the powerful secure in practices of exploitation, over-extraction, and oppression. While the idea that we have influence as consumers might occasionally feel empowering, it also promotes the idea that we should simply consume a little less destructively, rather than change our attitudes towards consumption in general. It keeps us shackled in a system of being valued according to our ability to perform competently as buyers and sellers in the marketplace, as algorithms for productivity and growth. The inequity here should be obvious: access to sustainably produced clothing and organic produce is unevenly distributed. We can’t all afford to buy eco-friendly detergents and shop exclusively at organic refilleries. And our other lifestyle choices are compromised, too: not everyone can swap car travel for walking or cycling to class. Is effective climate A lot of this is pretty abstract, a testament to the way response, then, only for the wealthy, the able-bodied, the discussions about the climate crisis too often dislocate mentally well? us from the terms and stakes of the struggle itself. The forces at work feel vast and unmanageable. Now, adrift And if we accept that those who tell us the power to save in this stream of paralysing frequencies, I find it difficult our planet lies in our wallets are profiting from an insidi- to conjure up a sense of what we’re seeking to recover. ous form of misdirection, then what avenues for action re- It might be helpful to zoom out a little—or, perhaps, to main open to us? Taking political action is absolutely es- zoom in. sential—please do it in any and every way you can—but it doesn’t always ward off the distressing feeling that each Watching a single tree transform through autumn, winter, immense effort we make is simply not enough, and never summer; noticing the first kōwhai blossom of the spring will be. Even after days and months spent reading, debat- on your way to class; or the way millions of mushrooms

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Feature : Sitting with Eco-anxiety

seem to emerge overnight sometime around the beginning of autumn, unfolding along the intersection of native and nonnative forest—all of these are legitimate and meaningful acts of resistance. To simply watch a tūī fluttering from branch to branch, to recognise that the birdsong outside your window this morning is a little different to yesterday, is to observe the intricacies of life unfolding, not in an abstract way, but in the actual spaces where we dwell. What does it feel like to experience a particular place? To spend time with a favourite tree, or animal, to be in your favourite park? I’m talking here not just about places reserved for nonhuman life, but especially about urban spaces—pockets of life on the town fringes, green spaces between city blocks.

What would it mean for us to relocate our attention away from the anxiety-inducing, overwhelming, fact-dumping world of sustainability chatter? Could it remind us of exactly what’s at stake when we talk about zero-waste living and carbon-neutral policies? And might that constitute something radical as an alternative to my default mode of response to eco-anxiety—the dreaded Twitter doomscroll? This kind of noticing might revolutionise not just what we think, but how we think—the very conditions for thought. It works to carve out a space for caring for the environment that doesn’t distract from, but reacquaints us with, the real, necessary, potent sites for debate around climate action.

Being present in these spaces offers an opportunity to explore the part we play in these ecosystems, and resist the urge to separate humanity from Nature in some precise act of intellectual dissection. For many of us it can be hard to reconcile an amorphous or abstract concept of capital-n Nature with our local parks and back gardens. But life doesn’t just happen. It is not “out there”, far from the reality of concreted suburban blocks or inner city high-rises; life is made up of individual interactions in particular spaces, in particular moments of time, and it’s everywhere.

Not all meaningful, earnest, or effective climate action has to come at the expense of our emotional wellbeing.

There are as many ways to care for the world, as there are to care for yourself; there are as many ways to look at a tree as there are moments in a day. Sustainability spaces can be jargony, exclusive, inaccessible, reductive. Everyone’s experiences and capacity to deal with this crisis are different, and so we shouldn’t expect a standardised response. It’s good to take a break. It’s good to take a breath. Stepping back from the emotional turmoil can be its own form of rebellion. The first, most basic, and most accessible antidote to eco-anxiety might just be stopping, looking around, and taking off your shoes.

I’d suggest that one of the most meaningful responses we can have towards the terrifying reality of present and future climatic breakdown is to turn these contaminated spaces from places of inattention to places of connection, fostering a mutual care between human and nonhuman life in our direct community. Tending to a garden without particularly knowing what you hope to get out of it—perhaps food or an attractive patch of sunflowers, but perhaps just a greater sense of how humans can contribute to the ongoing formation of a certain piece of earth—can be radical. The term radical, after all, comes from the Latin ^radix, which means ‘root’.

Anthropocene living is overrated, but there’s value to be uncovered in this soil. These contaminated spaces we find ourselves in provide fertile ground for an infinite number of possible expressions of life that have yet to germinate.

There is space for everyone to make new ways (or uncover old ones) to live well on this planet. If you’re reading this and you feel like whatever you do is not enough, I hope these words can give you a sense that every action that moves towards life, towards nurturing, compassion, connection, and generosity, is enough.

www.salient.org.nz

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A Handy Guide to NZSL

“NZSL”

Kate Morris (she/er) and Anthony Bichan (he/him)

Author’s note: we are hearing, and write as NZSL learners who have come to appreciate the language and Deaf culture, not on behalf of Deaf people

Photo: Jacind Ardern and sign language interpreter Alan Wendt

Last year, New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) was introduced into the daily lives of many New Zealanders thanks to the 1 p.m. COVID-19 briefings. Etched into the minds of the nation, alongside our Prime Minister and Director-General of Health are the rotating cast of NZSL interpreters who stood alongside them at the lecterns.

This was an excellent publicity boost, but many still hold misconceptions about the language and are unaware of its cultural importance.

One common myth is that there is just one sign language; one universal way of communicating with the hands. Like spoken languages, signed languages have developed naturally over time in different places. This has led to many distinct sign languages forming across the world, with estimates putting the number at around 300.

They also do not necessarily correspond to the spoken language of a country—for example, even though New Zealand and the US both speak English, each country has their own unique sign language. A universal sign language will never exist, for the same reasons that a universal spoken language will never exist. Language is linked to identity, and the patchwork of Deaf communities worldwide are far too diverse for a single language to catch on.

Another common misconception is that NZSL is just a version of English that is communicated with hand signs.

The truth is much more interesting: it is a language in its own right; a vibrant, living language, with a unique grammatical structure and way of communicating.

Although it has historical roots in British Sign Language, NZSL has developed locally among Deaf people in Deaf schools and community settings. It wasn’t built around

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Feature : NZSL

English, because it evolved among people who didn’t necessarily use or understand English. It was instead built on how they observed and experienced the world around them. Many English or Māori words do not have a single corresponding sign, and single signs can be used and modified to communicate a concept that would take a whole string of spoken words to express.

Lives are lived in NZSL: conversations at the dinner table, catch ups over coffee, sports games, and spirited debates. The full range of human expression is possible in NZSL, just as with any spoken language. And just like any language, NZSL is foundational to the culture of those who use it. Deaf people have their own culture and ways of being that have developed through connection, shared experiences, and the use of their language. To them, deafness is a cultural identity rather than a medical problem or a deficiency. Cha’nel, a Deaf university student, writes on the next page about her lived experience of the language and culture.

This NZSL week (May 10-16), we invite you to deepen your understanding of the language and the people who use it. Keep an eye on the VUW NZSL Club Instagram (@vuw.nzsl.club) and Facebook page for events happening throughout the week. Try your hand at some of the interactive lessons on the learnnzsl.nz site, which were made by our own lecturers here at Vic. Find ways to incorporate some signing into your daily life. Maybe even watch some late night reruns of the Ashley Bloomfield show, but this time, pay attention to the interpreters, and appreciate the flow of the language and the culture that lies behind it.

“relationship”

Kia Ora! My name is Cha’nel, and I’m a Deaf university student! Why is New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) important to me? Well, here’s three reasons: for people like me, it provides access to my university classes; it helped me build my identity, a sense of community, and who I am; and finally, it helps provide equal opportunities for Deaf people. With NZSL becoming an official language on 6 April 2006, it sits alongside Te Reo Māori as the two recognised languages in Aotearoa (English is the predominant language but not an official one!).

The Deaf Community has its own language, people, and culture. Although we have come a long way from NZSL becoming an official language, we still have a way to go regarding awareness, accessibility, breaking down stigma about Deaf and Hard of Hearing (HoH) people, and creating separate expressive signs for Māori and LGBTQIA+. With approximately 20,000 people who use NZSL daily, it is not just a language, it is a way of life that has created its own ecosystem in the community, where we can thrive among peers like us. The adaptability that we take on board outside of that takes immense energy and understanding, and a lot of the time that is not understood.

There is nothing that irks me more when someone is amazed by me—a Māori, Deaf person taking a science degree—yeah, it’s hard, but that goes for anyone else who might have obstacles, and I guarantee you there will be.

A piece of advice that I would give to people is to not assume that all Deaf people are the same. Whether they are capable of speech or lip reading, or if they know sign language or not, and don’t fault them for it. They may not have had the benefit of having others around them who do that, or the knowledge that there was such a thing. Like I said, we still have a ways to go, including in education. We come from all different walks of life to find our place in the world, and although I cannot speak on behalf of the whole community, NZSL is a part of the way I live. It is for anyone and everyone, so come and immerse yourself in our Deaf Clubs, sports, meetups and groups—throwing yourself in the deep end is the best way to practice.

I want to applaud (big hand waves!!!) Te Herenga Waka (Victoria University) for offering NZSL as a subject; it is a starting point for others to attend a tertiary institution where there is already an awareness of the language and how it works, hence why this was my first choice of uni! Alongside it being taught, you are slowly pulled into a universe where all it takes for a Deaf/HoH person to succeed is to be given the right tools to achieve at the same standard as their peers.

My Relationship to NZSL Cha’nel Kaa-Luke (she/they)

www.salient.org.nz

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Sunsets, Stomach Aches and Spiritual Glow Ups: A Ramadan Diary Ronia Ibrahim (she/her)

Day 1 It’s 4:45 a.m., and you’re awoken by the traumatic hollering of the iPhone radar alarm tone. It’s Suhur time—the pre-sunrise, premature ‘breakfast’, your first meal before you fast for the rest of the day.

Suhur isn’t compulsory, but it’s considered a highly blessed time to spend in reflection, prayer, and remembrance of God (and it at least gives you a bit of fuel for the rest of the day).

You remind yourself that there is blessing in the grogginess, the familiar disassociation, as you sit at the table, or watch your dad over the stove, staring blankly at an egg in a pan.

In about 45 minutes it’ll be Fajr (the dawn prayer), which signals the end of Suhur and the beginning of the fast. Today will feel ordinary for everyone else, but for you, it will be a day of the beginning of a journey of reflection, spiritual awareness, and stomach rumbles. As you take your last swig of water, you prepare yourself for all the challenges, blessings, questions, migraines, and moments of peace. This is your life now, for the next month.

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Feature ; A Ramadan Diary

Day 2 It should be made clear that: 1. we don’t fast the entire month—rather dawn to dusk every day for the month, and 2. Yes, even water.

For those who are unfamiliar with what fasting is, it is “willfully abstaining from food and drink”. In Islam, fasting is one of the five pillars of faith—the expected duty of every Muslim. Every year on the Islamic month of Ramadan, Muslims abstain from food, water, and sex, and increase their focus towards spiritual reflection and acts of worship, including prayer, reading the Qur’an, giving charity and abstaining from generally not-so-good things like gossip, swearing, and smoking. Fasting and its spiritual contexts aren’t limited to Islam of course, with many faiths practicing some form of it such as Christianinity, Judaism and Buddhism, among many others.

It’s a strange experience, as a Muslim living in the West, to go about daily life in a society that continues its business as normal. The world moves on, despite your migraines and parched tongue. While there’s the feeling of isolation, there’s also the feeling of secret comfort. It’s a private act of faith, and reminds me of my connection to something greater. In my creative writing course, I watch the entire class sip wine and eat crackers and fancy cheese. I sit and smile and say “oh no its ok”, and to be honest it is, not just because I’m dairy intolerant, but because that’s what Ramadan is anyway.

Day 3 Admittedly, I have tended to dread Ramadan every year. Because it’s a month of intense worship and reflection, there’s often an expectation that one should go through a ‘spiritual glow-up’, and by the end of the month, one should feel equipped with a peak level of faith to keep you going for the rest of the year.

For someone who already is a chronic overachiever, Ramadan presents itself with heightened anxiety, with the pressure to feel at the top of your religious game for a whole month.

Many of us set routines or goals of what we’d like to achieve by the end of the month, like completing the whole Qur’an, praying on time, or giving a certain amount of charity everyday. This year I feel lost on what my regiment will be.

“O you who have believed, decreed upon you is fasting as it was decreed upon those before you that you may become righteous” - Qur’an (2:183).

Fasting isn’t just about restraining ourselves from our desires, but also redirecting us to our sense of purpose. For the believer, it tests our connection with God. It reminds us of the existence of our wairua, and what we believe in. It’s a physical expression of faith and submission. Wholeheartedly believing in something.

This year, I tell myself to not fixate on righteousness per say, but the way towards it: the becoming.

www.salient.org.nz

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Day 4 Iftar is the breaking of the fast which happens at dusk, at the time of Maghrib prayer. FIANZ (The Federation of Islamic Associations of New Zealand) releases an official Ramadan timetable every year, which features all the start and end times of our fasts everyday. So, if for some reason you need to know when the sun sets on any day during this month, ask a Muslim—we know when it is, up to the last minute.

Today, I’ve invited the VicMuslims Exec to my flat to share iftar. My Dad and I have been cooking and prepping for a few days prior, because we’ve got a tiny kitchen but a big appetite for hospitality (and biryani). We meticulously plan a bengali banquet—ironically, or perhaps unironically, our day is filled with the thought of food, in all its potato, onion, and cardamom glory.

As dusk draws near, I lay out a blanket onto the carpet of our tiny living room. I hop about, laying out spoons, plates, and cups. This has only been our home for four months, so we are utilising our entire drawer of cutlery and mishmash of mugs. Nine people arrive, and we all squeeze into the living room of this two-bedroom apartment. When it’s time, we pass dates around (dates are recommended to break your fast) and taste that first sharp sweetness of nourishment, and for a while we are silent, grateful, hungry, satisfied.

The rest of the night is slightly chaotic, but wholesome.

We keep washing dishes because the ratio of people to plates is askew. Someone accidentally knocks over a cup of kombucha. My knees hurt, and the room is stuffy with voices. But it is warm and it is full. I am so grateful to be able to feel the spirit of Ramadan, and to share my faith and food with wonderful people.

Day 5 Note to self, after iftar, drink water constantly, (pee constantly). Load up with all the hydration for the next day, because arguably, thirst is worse than hunger. Also, put some effort into your suhur—you know you’re going to regret only nibbling a piece of toast when it’s 9 a.m. and you’re already feeling ravenous.

Google says think protein; slow energy releasing foods like oats and yoghurt, which are supposed to fill you up for longer. I try to make myself some porridge and an egg on the side. Despite this, it is 9.28 a.m. and my stomach is roaring. For those going through coffee withdrawals, I am sorry, I have no advice as I don’t drink it. I can only wish you luck for the chronic migraines and fatigue.

It’s getting a bit hard. If you are someone that menstruates, you don’t have to fast during your period, so I’m keeping a very close eye on my tracker app (Clue for the win!!) and counting down the days til my week of hunger is replaced by an alternative form of internal unrest.

Others exempt from fasting include pregnant/ breastfeeding women, as well as anyone where fasting could have adverse effects on you. This could be people who are sick, those who need to take regular medication, those with mental illnesses. You’re also exempted from fasting if you are travelling due to the exhausting nature of the act.

For those who can’t fast, it can feel like a lot of FOMO, as it seems like you’re missing out on the blessings the month provides. Even if you don’t achieve your Ramadan goals, or come out on Eid with your spiritual glow up, I hope you get to at least taste the sweetness of faith that is abundant in this month. May you remember what it feels like to submit to a faith that was never about taking away, but always giving, growth, and goodness.

Day 6 This Ramadan, my friend Khadro and I are doing a “Ramadan poetry challenge” where we both write a poem every night of Ramadan, shaped by our experience during the month. I’ve never really written much about my faith before, because I’ve always hesitated about appearing preachy or “delusional”. I’m afraid of making people uncomfortable, but also am aware of the challenge of talking about a religion that is still really unfamiliar to people, but so integral to who I am.

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Feature ; A Ramadan Diary

I’ve attached one of my poems from this project. There’s references in it, and this article, that a lot of people might not get. This diary only represents a vignette into a very particular person’s experience of Ramadan. It doesn’t begin to capture the endless beauty and richness of the month. And that’s ok. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to put it into words.

Day 7 I wake up and am immediately hungry So I loiter in the kitchen which is nothing but feijoa shells funkying up the compost bin with a sulk, I go for a cheeky new world run (where are the tote bags?) podcast on instead of Taylor Swift, while I search for the perfect eggplant then hauling home shuffling my dry lips and tired eyes reading leftover whatsapp messages last night’s mubarak still lingering except (it’s not raining today) instead it’s Sloshing in my mouth and dripping off my eyelashes it’s Prayer Thinking about that roti in the fridge was that ?

the third or fourth or Arabic or apologies tumbling off my tongue Trying to churn out prose Then reading an essay on the English language like questioning my intention Wondering if I’m done for George Orwell can shut up So I shut up

into the covers so only Mishary al Afasy Can play in my ear while I nap while I have half-dreams with stories of Moses in the background waking up to golden hour tickling my forehead which hurts with a dull, foodless ache one lonely bismillah sitting at the table 3 wrinkled dates in the cup of my hand The hum of a fridge.

5:58 p.m.

www.salient.org.nz

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Frankie Dale (she/her)

Sex and dating advice from Wellington’s rankest, pessimistic, anxious, and most dramatic woman.

How horny is too horny?

A while into what would become my longest dry spell ever, I woke up in a panic, realising I hadn’t had sex in four months. Everything I had told myself up until that point had affirmed that the amount of sex I’m having equates to how desired I am. I started to wonder whether my awkward chat or gap tooth had actually repelled the opposite sex that much? Or whether this arbitrary measure of my self worth was actually just something which had been drilled into me by society/ my insecure self.

During my developing years, I was told by one of my dad’s inappropriate friends that healthy couples have sex four times a week, and that hot single people have sex six times a week. This was further justified when his girlfriend (30 years younger) exclaimed “it’s true babes - cosmo says so!^” Although traumatised, this has stuck with me until the age of 22. Why have I spent my whole life thinking the amount of sex I’m having equates to how desired I am? And, to make things creepier, why have I thought it was normal to wonder how much sex everyone else is having?

In high school, whenever I had sex I would tally my escapades into this witchcraft-esque notebook; I would basically sprint home to feel the sweet serotonin release this fucked up ritual gave me. I was probably only having sex to experience that freaky ego boost surge through my body. Like, being absolutely jackhammered is nothing to be proud of, love. This book that lived under my bed held so much power over my self-esteem. As long as the numbers were going up I was still empowered, right? In the drier months when the tallies were idle, I would panic and basically pretend that I had been given a couple hours to live in the hope it would lure any of my past lovers to my room.

My most toxic ex and I hated each other for 99% of the relationship; what comes with this is usually an abnormal amount of sex. When we were at the most volitile point in our relationship, I convinced myself things couldn’t be going that badly because of the frequent wild sex we were having (by wild I mean a couple pumps and strictly no acknowledgment of my presence). Even though our relationship was Thanks to the help of the handful of incels in declining, and he’d make sure I was never in his house Wellington, I am now aware that when you’re single, longer than 25-30 minutes, I felt like having sex going more than five months without sex makes you a with him was the sign of emotional intimacy which disgusting lepracaun with no ambition. But, having sex reflected how close we were. Spoiler alert—it wasn’t. casually when single a couple times a month makes you an obsessed slut trying to rid yourself of satan’s Even when I didn’t feel like having sex, I just would—a spirt spirling out of your vagina. Can someone just bit toxic, but whatever. We are told that the super tell me, where’s the middle ground? More importantly, passionate love we all strive for involves steamy sex maybe who the fuck cares? which is constant and toxic, but also that super deep

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Columns : To be Frank

love lacks this passion, therefore we equate it to being So, the question still stands… how much should we bad? In my experience, sexual intimacy is so not the be fucking? The only answer I have is to fuck how only marker of the strength of your relationship. much you want to fuck—it’s really that simple and I’m unsure why I’m only learning this now. It’s almost My least toxic relationship involved a dry spell that impossible to not feel this external pressure; what went on for over a month; neither of us wanted to if all my friends are boning all the time and I’m not? address the fact that every night for a month we would Your time will come—I promise you, you are fucking watch reruns of My Kitchen Nightmares while eating hot. Lets stop fixating on numbers—to me, that takes custard and holding hands. When we finally addressed away from if the sex was actually good at all?? Which, our sexual drought, after the awkwardness of refusing let’s be honest, if we are tallying it down in our mental to believe my boyfriend was more into Gordon Ramsey notebooks as a notch on our belt, feeding our self than me, it was allgood. After over four weeks of esteem… it probably wasn’t great. I was with a guy obsessing over why he didn’t wanna bone, a simple on and off for three years who didn’t make me cum conversation blossomed into many more months of once, and he has over 100 tallies in my book—victory! a beautiful relationship. If you’re like me and assume Sex should be exciting, not merley just an act which the worst, keep in mind that when our imaginations gives you two minutes of validation before you have are given this freedom to find an answer, our worst to fight the uncontrollable urge to vomit because you insecurities typically come out—your partner isn’t not can’t believe you just railed a guy who’s known for fucking you because all your undies are period stained his “smegma-smell”. We should never feel pressured or you didn’t eat a single vegetable for three months; to have sex, obviously consent is the most important sometimes the reason isn’t so sinister. aspect to this whole thing. Bone who-fucking-ever, just don’t let it take over your self esteem. What does When we are in relationships we naturally get into sex being sexually successful even mean anyway? slumps, and there are also times when its the only thing we can do. In my experience, it’s not always to do with your partner being repelled by you— sometimes we are fucking exhausted, or maybe we aren’t horny because of birth control or simply just don’t feel like it. Sex shouldn’t be tied to feelings that a relationship is “successful” or “unsuccessful”.

www.salient.org.nz

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Sophie Dixon, Sustainability Officer (she/her) Are you worried about the impending climate crisis? Do you wake up in the morning with microplastics in your tears? Are you one of the hundreds of students who email me asking why we have no community garden at VUW? Keen to solve some of these issues? We are too.

But this year for Sustainability Week we wanted to do something different. We aren’t the people responsible for these issues, and it shouldn’t be our job to fix them—even if it feels like it is. In saying that, there’s always systems we can improve, and every little bit counts. It’s incredibly exciting to see cafes on campus go single use cup free for the entire week. Please remember to make time to stay, or bring your reusable cup to campus.

This year we worked to get students off-campus, into the city and nature and out of your eco-anxious minds.

We kick off on Monday, 10 May, with a session from Generation Zero discussing the Long-Term Plan of the Wellington City Council. May 10 is the last day to submit, so definitely come along to have your say. We will also be down at Te Aro for Market #1 .Market Days have a mix of community organisations and businesses selling sustainable and natural products.

On Tuesday, we are heading down to an isolated section of coast to pick up litter and protect our marine environment— so that your O’ Bay dips in summer are all seafoam and zero cellophane. Find us in Rutherford House Mezzanine for Market #2 between 11-2 for a break from your lectures.

On Wednesday we are taking over the Hub for our Sustainable Market Day—come along to support local small businesses, or sign up to be part of Wellington’s conservation and pest-free networks.

Thursday finds us learning from those on the ground, with a presentation from the Rubbish Trip duo at Kelburn, and Climate Clinic Chats in the OGB Common Room for sustainability tips and tricks.

Get your hands dirty at Kaicycle Urban Farm on Friday and then scrub up for the SustainaBall—our first ever zero-waste ball!

To close Sust Week and start your weekend off right, come to Zealandia for a stroll through the bush—keep your eyes peeled for native birds!

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Columns: Poetry : VUWSA / DSA StudentFinn Wellbeing / Mauri Ora Culture / Q+A with/ Harper

Baby I’m burning (out)!

Hannah Pym (she/her)

Burnout—a phenomenon any student is all too familiar with.

With assignment deadlines coming in left, right, and centre, it can be a gruelling task to keep on top of everything.

Being chronically ill, I often find myself teetering on the brink of utter exhaustion and multi-system flare-ups. Just one more reading I say, just 500 more words, just one more documentary, and then I will rest. Except that never happens. The perfectionist in me refuses to take breaks while my body is screaming out for help. I suppress my symptoms and push through mercilessly as I don’t want to be seen as the ‘token sick student’ who requires special treatment. I want to be seen as the high achiever who produces top-quality work I can be proud of.

Though sometimes I will push myself too far and become ill beyond recovery, eventually bowing my head and emailing my professor declaring my defeat. I will apologise profusely, stating I have worked myself until I am bedridden and cannot eat, or remain upright for long. Standard procedure for me. They will sing their condolences, preach self-care and offer extensions (all of which I do not accept easily). I reluctantly take the amount of support I feel is fair, and exhale heavily.

While an additional few days offers time to rest and complete an assignment, I see it as an extra few days to make this assignment PERFECT. Additional time means additional value is expected right? Unsurprisingly, I fall sicker and sicker, but hand in an A+ assignment. The next few days following I will sleep, faint, develop acute infections, and survive at the lowest operational level possible.

New assignments due this week: here we go again. Once again I fall into the same unhealthy habits, aware of the cost but blinded by the attractive grade on the other side.

That’s all that matters at uni right? It’s all good.

Student Wellbeing By the Bubble Leaders

The Student Wellbeing team were tasked with promoting safe sex through communication about STI prevention, contraception, and consent. We had a booth set up during VUWSA’s Sex in the Hub where we ran activities centered around these topics, and of course gave out free condoms, dental dams, and lube.

We know it’s awkward to ask your partner when they were last checked for an STI, so we wanted to try removing some of this stigma. Our most popular activity was asking students creative ways to ask their partner if they’ve been checked recently. We had over 50 responses, and here are some of our favourites: · Have you peed in a cup recently? · Don’t be shy, do you have an STI? · I can assure you I’m clean, can you assure me the same? · Do you know if you’re clean, boo? · Let’s go get tested together! Date night? · What’s happening down there? · Are you all good down there ;)? · You may know your blood type, but do you know what else is in there? · How are you going in terms of sexual health at the moment?

We felt like this was such a fun event where students could talk about a slightly awkward topic in a safe and informative way. Let’s all try to remove the stigma, have those awkward conversations, and get tested—you’ll thank us for it in the long run.

Domestic students who are enrolled with Mauri Ora Student Health can get free STI checks, and an IUD for $5. Most tests don’t need to see your genitals, they are just a self-test with a swab, or a cup to pee into. International students are charged a fee that they may be able claim, check the details with Wellington University International.

Check the Wellbeing Workshop webpage for the next Sex Health workshop. Bookings can be made through Careerhub.

You can also go to the Family Planning website to find your nearest clinic. Appointments are free for New Zealand residents under 22, $5 with a community services card, and a STI self-swab appointment is $25 for all other NZ residents. For international students, it is far cheaper to go to Student Health for sexual health matters.

Mauri Ora To provide better continuity of care and to reflect your feedback, we are changing how we manage prescription requests and appointment bookings.

Prescription requests

Appointments

Currently most requests are processed on the day of request, by the GP Liaison. From May 10, routine script requests will be sent to your assigned GP for completion within 3 working days. The GP who knows you best will process the request, reducing double handling and potential error.

When you register with us you are allocated a provider (GP). Although all GPs have access to your file, ideally, you’ll see the same GP each time. This way, you don’t need to repeat your story to someone new, and we make more progress together with you in the consultation.

For urgent issues, we may follow a different process and have same day appointments available. You reserve the right to change GP should you wish.

For urgent requests, the nurse will call you for information. If your GP is not available, a different GP will be asked to review your request. All urgent scripts incur a $10 fee, and often result in an interim (short) prescription.

Please help by checking the plan for your next prescription with your GP and requesting online when appropriate, well in advance. This way you’ll save time and money, and get best care. Be specific, quote exact names, dose, and frequency of medication. Let us know which GP you usually see.

Please remember your assigned GP, and book appointments with them, even if this might mean waiting a little longer. If you are running out of your medication, you can request an interim supply to keep you going until your appointment.

We’ve also made it easier to book directly with a named nurse. This way, you can see the same nurse each time.

www.salient.org.nz

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Pasifika Students' Council

Design for the Aching Pacific Danielle Endacott Originaly written for SIDN390: Agents for change, 2020 I am a design student, and may quite possibly be a “designer” one day soon. But, what do I stand for? What messages do I want my designs to proclaim? The best way that I can explain this is through the medium that my nana taught me: storytelling.

Capitalism has its other poisons, too—the continuation of our capitalist design model is seeing design processes and outputs that are funnelling poison into the belly of moana and being made not for purpose, but for novelty. Our designs are not made to give back to the earth, but to choke the skies in their creation I dream of the land that my nana speaks of. I see the and overcrowd the soil in its disposal. Consequently, sands that she ran with her siblings, and the fruits of the the Pacific is seeing the stark effects of climate soil and the ocean that nourished her. I imagine the way changes that are rising its sea levels and disrupting the the coasts of Rotuma cradle the clear moana, and smile temperatures and rainfalls. at the way my nana brags of her bare feet that were once immune to the craggy reef.

So, from my fear of finally reaching the island of Rotuma to find it battered and bruised by Western rubble, or While her stories paint pictures of a thousand colours not there at all, I stand for kaitiakitanga within my own and sounds, it has never seemed quite enough to heal design theory and practice. Kaitiakitanga explores the disconnect that I have with my Pasifika whakapapa. I the protection and enrichment of the world around have this hope that one day when I finally visit the place us through the reciprocal kinship that we share with where she gained her mana, I will feel whole. it. I think design as an entire industry should seek to adopt this relationship of reciprocity with the earth. In a I have listened to Victoria University’s very own Emalani deteriorating world, I find the slightest inkling of hope in Case explain the way she connected to her nana by the idea that designers could learn to nurture the earth visiting the beach where Nana Case existed in her as their kin, just as kaupapa Māori advocates. It would simplest everyday activities; drying meats from the be nice to think that people would not abuse the planet coconut fronds and wading the waters. When I hear as brutally if they saw it as a part of their whakapapa. the word “roots” I understand it to be the entity that anchors people to a place, and it cultivates a sense of Quite simply, I design in the hope that nobody else will identity within a person. So, I think it is fair to say that lose their beach. I look to indigenous ways of thinking Emalani’s roots were uplifted and discarded at the hand because I think that they can guide us towards a of capitalism. sustainable future. I should disclaim that it is not my inherent right to use kaupapa Māori, and I would only One day she had access to an untouched haven that ever foster it within my design if and when Māori are a breathed memories of her nana, and the next day the part of the entire process. The only way to learn from sands were bleached and gated to all but the elite. indigenous wisdom, should be from indigenous people.

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Columns : Pasifika Students’ Council

Rotuman Language Week with Hatamara Shaw and Sholto Fanifau Name, age and where are you from?

Name, age and where are you from?

Noa’ia ‘e mauri gagaj ‘atakoa, ‘otuo asa le Hatamara, gou fåu saghul ma fål. Gou han e Malaha’a, Yasawa ma Ba ‘e Fiti. Gou rak ‘e Victoria University. Gasav te’ ‘e Aotearoa ‘amis a’sokoa a’pumua’akiag ne fäeag Rotuma. ‘Amnaki la fäeag Rotuam ta la se mao.

Sholto Fanifau, too old. I’m from Rotuma. My dad is from the Itu’tiu district and my mom is from Noat tau and Malha’a districts

Translation: Hello everyone, my name is Hatamara and I’m 18 years old. I’m from the district of Malaha’a, and Yasawa and Ba in Fiji. I am currently studying at Victoria University. This week we are celebrating the Rotuman language in Aotearoa to highlight its relevance and importance. It is in the hope that the Rotuman language is not forgotten or lost.

What can you tell us about the Rotuma?

Rotuma is a beautiful island, though small (only 14km in length) it’s beauty never ceases to amaze me. From the fine white sand beach to the lush vegetation.

What would you like students to know about the Rotuman language?

There is 6 ways of say the letter ‘a’

What can you tell us about the Rotuma?

In one word - Paradise. The waters are pristine, beaches so white and the food is as fresh as you can get them. If you don’t have money you can still have a feast.

What would you like students to know about the Rotuman language?

The Rotuman language in its own way is unique but there are definitely similarities to other Pacific languages. We have the same vowels as other pacific languages and some of the words are the same such as lagi, rotu (lotu), aitu/atua etc. As the island and its people are small in size and number, there is a high risk that the language will be lost if not enough people speak it.

Can you give us three words in Rotuman you would like students to incorporate into their vocabulary this week?

Can you give us three words in Rotuman you would like students to incorporate into their vocabulary this week?

Noa’ia (hello).

Rako meaning school.

figalelei (please)

Hanisi meaning love or kindness Komoneaga friends When you at uni please show love to your friends

Some simpler ones: i (pronounced as letter ‘e’ means yes), igke (no)

‘Äe taptapen ? (how are you?)

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Words by Oli Cheyne (he/him) Photos by Joe Roy Nicholson (@joe.roy.nicholson) and Oli Cheyne

Questions and Answers with Phoebe Johnson At two in the arvo on a chilly Wednesday, I met with the Sniffly Lady herself, Phoebe Johnson, hit by allergies brought on by her flat’s recent acquisition of a cat. Two antihistamines and a long black picks up the Revulva singer and bassist, who is probably one of the busiest musicians in Wellington at the moment. Being part of so many projects, it’s a wonder she is so calm on the outside.

At last count, Phoebe is part of twelve different music projects, not all going on at the same time, but still an

amazing feat considering the amount of work that goes into each project. Revulva, Ski Resort, Violet Hirst, The Wellington Shake-Em-On-Downers and Spacey are just a few among the many groups Phoebe is involved with, all as prolific and musically diverse as the last.

We sat down for a chat about the finer things in life like Talking Heads, an unhealthy relationship with her phone, and the upcoming release of Revulva’s newest single, Tuning Out, due to be set free into the world on Friday 14th of May.

Where did your entry in the music world start,and how did you come to be playing with so many bands?

I’ve been quite lucky to have such a great music education from my parents and school. Starting from the age of six I had piano lessons, though I think I cried each lesson so that wasn’t going to last. I remember going into the rockshop with my parents, and I picked up the bass and thought I could get into this, so it just went from there. After trying out law for a week, I went into the jazz school to play bass, which is where I met a lot of the people that I play with now. It gets a bit hard to keep track of it all, and I kind of manage my time by having a bit of a bad relationship with my phone meaning I don’t always check it so some messages are missed! But everything isn’t all going at once which makes it easier.

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Culture : Q+A with Pheobe Johnson

Revulva seems like a big travelling family band with so many members from so many different projects, what is it like playing with everyone?

It’s so amazing! With everyone coming in from so many different backgrounds it adds different dimensions to the way we write the songs and piece them together. I usually take lyrics and some music to the band, maybe with an idea for the horns, and we work it out from there. With everyone having gone to jazz school it makes things interesting and no one is afraid to take it to new places. We are all pretty comfortable just jamming and seeing where it takes us.

We are starting to get more and more collaborative and introducing different styles, like Toby who is bringing in more spoken word sections to the songs.

Finally, what is your dusty Sunday routine?

I always wake up really early after drinking, maybe it’s my body telling me to get up and hydrate otherwise you’ll die!

Last weekend I curled up and watched Grey’s Anatomy in the morning, rolled out of bed and got some Lord of the Fries, then went to band practice in my socks, sandals and sweatpants.

Mentioning it for the third time in this article, I can’t stress enough that Revulva’s latest single comes out on Friday 14th of May, and no one has a good enough excuse to not listen to it. You can listen to it on the places you usually listen to music, such as your cassette player, sony walkman, or on the ham radio your weird uncle has in his garage.

Remember to keep your taringas open for more from Revulva over the next few months!

What has been influencing or driving the band?

Lots of things really, we all have jazz influences, but also some indie stuff so there is a good attitude to finding new pathways within the music. I’ve always loved the theatrical side of bands like Talking Heads, and I think that is pretty important in our live set. The performance aspect of it is key I think, if we can make the crowd get up and dance, laugh, or even feel uncomfortable or awkward then that’s great!

And you’ve got the new single coming out soon, is there more to come after?

Yes! Tuning Out is coming out on the 14th of May, and the plan for the rest of the year is to record an EP and play a release show! After that I probably will pause to dig into writing more content.

What have you been listening to lately?

A bit of everything really, let me check my phone! The Nightfly by Donald Fagen, Horace Silver’s Doin The Thing, The Idler Wheel - Fiona Apple, and So Tonight I Might See by Mazzy Star are albums that I’ve been revisiting a lot over the past couple of weeks!

Revulva is Phoebe Johnson (Ski Resort), Lily Rose Shaw (Odessa), Hector McLachlan (Forest Music), Zane Hawkins (Sky Canvas), Toby Leman (Hummucide), Hugo Olsen-Smith (Hummucide), Hayden Richardson (Dr. Reknaw) and Olivia Campion (Yumi Zouma).

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New technologies and textiles leading a ‘circular’ fashion movement Words by Anna Atkinson (she/her) Photos by Koa San Luis for Anna Jean Kos Awareness of the environmental and humanitarian horrors occurring within the fashion industry has grown hugely over the past decade. We continue to learn of the industry’s astronomical water usage, water pollution, microplastics, carbon emissions, air pollution, labour exploitation, and unsafe working conditions; the list goes on. We are faced with extreme green-washing and ‘effective’ marketing, creating an industry that continues to churn out waste while calling it eco-friendly. However, we’re also seeing the rise of some incredible innovation and change. Hope for the fashion industry lies in these new technologies and textiles, as well increasing demand for a circular, closed-loop system.

A closed-loop system of fashion sees products designed and manufactured to circulate as long as possible, minimising waste and environmental impact. Producers need to consider what the end-life of their product looks like, and provide efficient ways to repurpose products post-consumption of the consumer. This starts with working with the right materials, and there has been a growth in using natural textiles that come from nature and are biodegradable, such as linen and hemp. Better yet, we’ve seen a rise in the fashion industry repurposing existing waste in order to create a more sustainable future of fashion.

Each year, innovative textiles and processes are becoming more common and more commercially viable. For example, we’ve seen the steady rise of ECONYL, nylon made from recycled land and ocean waste, such as fishing nets or old carpets. ECONYL fabrics post-consumption can also be recycled, re-dyed, and used over and over again without loss of quality. Through this process, they’re able to reduce the global warming impact of nylon by up to 90%, compared to the material produced from oil.

In addition, For Days, a dedicated zero-waste company, has started a scheme where you’re able to return your old tees once you’re done with them, no matter what condition they’re in. These t-shirts are broken down and up-cycled into a new item of clothing.

These are just a couple of examples of the many ways both small and large-scale manufacturers are using innovation to positively shape the relationship between the fashion industry and its environmental footprint.

Companies like For Days are setting realistic standards, and it would be incredible to see more access to schemes like this in New Zealand. An increasing number of New Zealanders are looking to shop small, local, or second hand. It’s important to look for brands that have a conscience, and who are open to doing things differently.

Mindful Fashion NZ is a collective made up of members of New Zealand’s fashion industry who are working to create a clothing and textile industry in New Zealand that is inclusive, sustainable, and successful. Some of the members are brands you might recognise such as Nisa, Paris Georgia, and Yu Mei. At their recent Annual General Meeting, there was a lot of discussion around setting meaningful and measurable goals for sustainability, as well as coming together as an industry to have more of an impact. Mindful Fashion NZ is encouraging circular business models, and pushing for resources that would allow local manufacturing. This would hopefully result in future supply chains where clothing is designed, processed, made, and then later recycled or repurposed into the system, all within New Zealand.

So despite being overrun by green-washing, fast fashion empires, and disconnected corporations, the fashion industry also contains some of the most innovative and eco-conscious creatives around the globe, including here in New Zealand.

The challenge lies in making sustainable choices accessible. There is a desperate need for the good to outweigh the bad, and while we’re not there yet, our industry needs to continue fostering innovation, education, and stricter rules on how we participate as businesses and consumers in fashion. In order to become truly sustainable there needs to be more transparency, and an industry-wide requirement for brands to be held responsible for pre and post-consumption waste. www.salient.org.nz

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Word Find: Bikini Bottom

Awnsers

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Puzzles

Squidward

Sandy

Krusty Krab

Patrick

Mr. Krabs

Krabby Patty

Spongebob

Mrs. Puff

Pearl

Garry

Karen

Chum bucket

Plankton

Jellyfish

Skuxdoku

Word of the Week

“sponge” Te Reo Māori hutai New Zealand Sign language

Last Weeks Answers

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D Aries

Taurus

Gemini

This Sustainability Week, switch it up, and you’ll see the benefits. A few ideas could be starting an indoor composting system at your flat, buying a keep-cup (and actually remembering to use it), or trying out your local op-shop if you need an extra blanket—just wash it first. Trust your intuition, and stay away from cucumbers.

I’ve decided it’s your turn to make dinner for the flat. You’ve been buying too many pizzas, and you know how hard pizza boxes are to recycle—stop taking the easy route, and put your Tauran cooking skills to good use. Also, it will help you save your money, which you need to start thinking about.

You’re trying to live two lives—super Gemini of you—at least you’re not bored, I guess. Maybe it’s time to put some of that energy into completing some of your projects, or following through with the friend you keep cancelling on. You have universal power on your side this week. Also, buy a reusable straw for all of that iced coffee you keep ordering.

Cancer

Leo

Virgo

Oooh, someone’s feeling romantic, and extra psychic for that matter (don’t ask me why). Impress the person you’re interested in by learning their name in NZSL, or maybe pick them up a coffee on your way to see them— whatever feels right, it’s no big deal.

Just don’t try to hypnotise anyone.

Like a sea sponge, you’re absorbing too much. Looks like everyone’s asking you for advice; don’t worry if you can’t answer everyone.

Prioritise yourself first, but if you are supporting a friend, just listen, you might learn something. Let go of all doubt and keep moving, and remember to clean your oat milk carton before you recycle it.

I’m telling you now, your career is popping off right now. It’s time to ask for a letter of recommendation, apply for a new job, or start that sidehustle—just put yourself out there!

Keep going, you’re on the right track and you are supported. Beware of plastic on Wednesday, I see it tainting your energy (as well as just harming the environment, so…)

Libra

Scorpio

Sagittarius

Fill out that form or submit that assignment before it’s too late and you’ve got too much on your plate!

It looks like you’re learning this week, whether it’s NZSL, perfecting your playlist, or how to roll sushi (or something else), practice makes perfect. Also, invest your tax return— don’t spend it on another pair of pants, even if they’re second hand.

Don’t doubt yourself, you’re so sexy aha. No seriously though, someone is really into you this week. If you’re with someone, time to feel the love from your s/o this week. But, curveball, you’ll be hit with the hard truth—can’t say much else, just be ready! Bring your own lunch to Uni instead of getting sushi, it’ll save money and the planet.

Capricorn

Time to cut ties, something is holding you back from you back from your potential. Good news though, something new is entering your life— could be a new friend, relationship, or a life shift—whatever you desire, alongside change destiny will be on your side. Also stop buying paper bags at the supermarket; remember to take some shopping bags from home!

Aquarius

Pisces

I see you Capricorn, I see you—I heard you needed to hear that, so there you go! This week, take a walk and look for new music; it’s time to refocus, and find your inspiration. It’s a great time to appreciate what you have in your life, especially the love. Spend time with your partner—go to SaveMart this weekend and pick something out for each other.

It’s time for adventure, round up your favourite person and go out for a drive with no destination. Get creative—learn how to make an item of clothing out of something you already have, instead of buying something new. I see you camping somewhere soon; make sure you don’t forget anything.

This week, spend as much time at home as you need. Big things are coming, so take this week to prepare and to spend proper time with your thoughts. Call a family member or your best friend before you take that risk on Tuesday. If this risk is to do with love, think carefully and pace yourself. Also, save next Tri and buy your textbooks second hand.

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Horoscopes

The Team Editors

Sally Ward & Matthew Casey editor@salient.org.nz

Feature Writers

Padraig Simpson designer@salient.org.nz

Francesca Strano Frankie Goodenough Kate Morris Anthony Bichan Cha’nel Kaa-Luke Ronia Ibrahim

Sub Editor

Contributors

Design & Illustration

Jamie Clarke

Janhavi Gosavi Ronia Ibrahim Lachlan Ewing

Johnny O’Hagan Brebner Valerio Micaroni Frankie Dale Sophie Dixon Hannah Pym Bubble Leaders Mauri Ora Danielle Endacott Pasifika Students’ Council Oli Cheyne Joe Roy Nicholson Anna Atkinson Koa San Luis Francesca Georgia Pietkiewicz

Social Media & Web Manager

Cover Photography

News Editor

Kane Bassett news@salient.org.nz

Chief Reporter Niva Chittock

Staff Writers

Brittany Harrison

Valerio Micaroni

Podcast Manager

Francesa Georgia Pietkiewicz podcasts@salient.org

Centerfold SJE

Find Us

fb.com/salientmagazine IG @salientgram Twitter @salientmagazine www.salient.org.nz

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SUSTAINABILITY WEEK

SCHEDULE MONDAY 10

MONDAY 10

TUESDAY 11

TUESDAY 11

Market Day at Te Aro Campus 11am - 1:30pm The Atrium

Generation Zero Presents: A Wellington that’s not shit?

2pm The Hub

Coastline Clean-Up 10am - 12pm Departing VUWSA, Kelburn

Market Day at Pipitea Campus 11am - 1:30pm Rutherford House Mezzanine

A market full of wonderful local and sustainable companies to help make eco-friendly living a little easier.

WEDNESDAY 12 Kelburn Sustainable Market 10am - 2pm The Hub Does the world of sustainable living seem a bit overwhelming?

We’ve invited local & sustainable organisations & businesses on campus, to help you work towards a more climate-friendly future.

THURSDAY 13 Plastic Diet at Vic Bottle Drive 10am The Hub Bring down your clean plastic or glass bottles & aluminium cans/tins, & for every item Plastic Diet will give you 20 cents!

FRIDAY 14

FRIDAY 14 KaiCycle Tour 10am Meeting at KaiCycle Learn about the regenerative, organic urban farm that is right here in Newtown Wellington.

Register online

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Tired of pipes bursting, unaffordable housing & not enough climate action?

Come help us build a better future for our city.

Also free food!

Join Victoria Development Society and Society of Conservation Biology to help clean up the Kaiwharawhara Estuary (near the Ferry Terminal).

Bring your raincoat and shoes and meet at the VUWSA office for a ride down at 10am.

Register online

VUWSA SustainaBall 7pm Sustainability Trust Join us to celebrate the end of a week filled with sustainable goodness at our first low-waste ball.

Start the hunt for your second hand threads & don your dancing shoes.

It’s a night to mix and mingle with like-minded climate fighters, all while having a low impact on Papatūānuku.

Free tickets online

THURSDAY 13 A Presentation by The Rubbish Trip 12:30pm - 2pm AM LT105 Kelburn Campus Join Hannah & Liam of The Rubbish Trip, for an intro to the world of zero waste! In this 90-minute workshop, they’ll guide you through the hows & the whys of a less wasteful lifestyle.

A market full of wonderful local & sustainable companies to help make eco-friendly living a little easier.

THURSDAY 13 Climate Clinic Chats 2pm Common Room Law School Come to the common room to learn from presenters & Climate Clinic about sustainable flatting, sustainable fashion & more!

SATURDAY 15 Zealandia Visit w/ Forest & Bird 11am Zealandia Get free access to one of Aotearoa’s most precious cradles for nature & the birds that call it home.

Limited entry Register online

REGISTER AT : VUWSA.ORG.NZ/SUST-WEEK

10-15

MAY 2021