Issue 09 by Salient

Salient 09

Magazine

03/05/2021

Editorial

Letters and Notices

06 - 11

News

12 - 15

Mirco Influencer: Explained

16 - 18 A Tutor’s Current Reality at VUW 19 - 21

Artist Profile/Centrefold

22 - 27

Columns

Shit’s Fucked, Shit’s Good (22), Rice to Meet You (23), $10 Jugs (24), UniQ (25), Mauri Ora (25), Disabled Students Association (26)

Culture

28 - 35

Poetry (28), Harper Finn (29), Hera Lindsay Bird (30 ) UnderWelly (32), Music Pub Quiz (35)

36 - 38

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!

Editorial What is ‘New Zealand Music?’ We tried to define NZ Music last year and this what we came up with:

a shithouse flat to “Alcoholic.” It takes skill to turn hard truths into something that sounds good playing out of your garage speakers. It’s a trojan horse of a song. These are important messages which provide a critique on important societal issues. At this point I’d rather hear it from Tom Scott than some not-necessarily accurate government statistics.

No one sings about New Zealand like New Zealanders sing about New Zealand. Well, no one else sings about New Zealand (except U2’s “One Tree Hill”). We are a small island nation at the bottom of the Pacific like a little life raft. Most people think we’re part of Australia. It’s important that we listen to our own stories, and Then there’s the straight up familiarity you won’t get support those that are telling them, because no one else anywhere else. We’ve been to the fish n chip shop from will. the Wandering Eye music video. When David Dallas said “ain’t hexed my drive since my Honda civic got rusty,” we Defining ‘New Zealand music’ is not a task for the weak. felt that. When Brett McKenzie pipes up with “ooo you’re Although, Andrew Witty did a good job explaining the a legend Dave” for getting “The Most Beautiful Girl [In complexities to us. It could rest on where the influence The Room]” to his party, we all thought of a Dave. And is drawn, where the music was written, or even who of course, the Sky Tower in The Beths’ music video for performs it. Witty explained that “NZ music identity “Happy Unhappy” is iconography at its best. is still highly contested in an NZ setting”. Some music might be seen as NZ music overseas, but not perceived We’ve only had proper sound recording equipment that way locally, ”muddying an already tricky dialogue”. since the 1940s. ‘Blue Smoke’ (1949) was the first song Natasha Bedingfield went to school here but not many recorded here. It was written by Ruru Karaitiana with of us would consider “Unwritten” an NZ greatest hit. vocals by Pixie Williams. The song was picked up by that American dude Dean Martin (allegedly the ‘King The weird thing about living on a little life raft in a of Cool’) and did well overseas, too. Their legacy has globalised world is that we play a lot of international meant that other artists can do their work, for local and artists through our speakers, but they’re talking about international audiences, wherever they call home. It’s their own streets. In 1981 Blam Blam Blam released good music. It’s been there for you, as Kids of 88 was ‘“There Is No Depression in New Zealand”. This came there for Matt’s First Kiss. out against the backdrop of rising unemployment, growing resentment of the government, and the New Zealand music is whatever it wants to be. And Springbok Tour. The hook goes like “We have no dole just like everyday is Mother’s Day, every month is New queues/ We have no drug addicts/ We have no racism/ Zealand Music Month. Now is the time to reflect on what We have no sexism.” It’s an upbeat banger dripping in that means to you. There’s no substitute. irony, articulating the feelings living in the shadows. Happy 21st birthday NZ Music Month, Home Brew used the line “there is no depression in New Zealand” in their song “Listen to Us”. We’ve all missed the messages they’ve sent and gotten drunk in Sally Ward (she/her) and Matthew Casey (he/him) Co-editors Brought to you by Peoples Coffee

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NOTICES & LETTERS Here’s your opportunity to help fix the CSSF The Ministry of Education is currently running consultation on reforms to the law that controls CSSF funding. This reform could help make funding requirements more responsive to changing needs in tertiary education, including the needs of students. Information on the consultation can be found online via conversation.education.govt.nz, under the ‘conversations’ tab / Education and Training Amendment Bill (No. 2). https://conversation.education.govt.nz/conversations/education-and-training-amendmentbill/proposed-changes-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

Kia ora, This week’s issue was really good but I am pretty annoyed that you made the iconic steak and cheese an Irvines pie in your quiz. Big Ben pies are the best and I’m not happy that you didn’t choose that. Mighty Murph

Submit Letters and Notices for future issues by Tuesdays 5pm to editor@salient.org.nz 4

Letters and Notices

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Whakamoe Ceremony / Bus Drivers Strike Halls Committee / Te Akatoki Tumuaki

Te whakamoe i ngā whare o Te Herenga Waka Marae—Te Tumu Herenga Waka put to rest as Living Pā begins to be brought to life Kane Bassett, Ngāti Apa, Ngāti Kahungunu ki te Wairoa, (he/him)

On Monday, 26 April at dawn around 300 members of the Victoria University of Wellington community, iwi, alumni, and honoured guests gathered to hold a whakamoetanga to decommission the buildings from 42-50 Kelburn Parade and place temporary access restrictions on Te Tumu Herenga Waka (the wharenui). The wharenui will remain inaccessible until mid-late 2023 as the University enters the next phase of bringing the Living Pā to life. The tohunga who presided over the whakamoetanga were Kura Moeahu (Te Ātiawa), Kahu Ropata (Ngāti Toa), Pakake Winiata (Ngāti Raukawa) and Sir Pou Temara (Ngāi Tūhoe). The tohunga included their own people, who assisted them throughout the process from their respective iwi, and included the Poi Manu wāhine from Taranaki Whānui. Attendees reflected on the past, the people and the legacies associated with the buildings from 42-50 Kelburn parade as karakia was placed and lights in each of the interior rooms were turned off. This was an emotional event; tears and smiles equally filled the atmosphere. Co-Tumuaki of Ngāi Tauira, the University’s Māori Student Association, Katelynne Pōtiki-Clune (Ngāti Porou, Waikato-Tainui, Tapuika, Ngāi Tahu) says the temporary closure of Te Tumu Herenga Waka is bittersweet.

Photo: Attendees of the whakamoetanga gather around burning woodchips from the decomissioned buildings on the Marae Aātea . Source: Image Services, Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington

The timing of the whakamoetanga was a pure reflection of Māori tradition. “There are certain parts of the night and the morning when we are closer to Te Ao Wairua. The spiritual world is more active in certain parts of the morning. When you’re doing things like placing a rāhui, or putting a marae to sleep, doing that in a space in time when you’re closer to your tūpuna and your atua just makes sense,” Pōtiki-Clune said.

Te Herenga Waka’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Māori), Professor Rawinia Higgins (Tūhoe) detailed the cultural “Having the whare closed is quite sad because we don’t significance of the whakamoe to Salient. “Culturally, the whakamoe signifies that villas at 42 to 50 Kelburn have that space anymore and I know that space has been a real safe haven for a lot of Māori, especially those Parade are decommissioned and will no longer be used by the University’s community. who move into the urban area from rural areas. It’s a place where they can ground themselves, so that space being inaccessible is quite sad and we’re all really going “This was symbolised by the breaking of the main thresholds of each door. The wood chips from this to miss it. process were eventually burnt on the marae ātea. “But it was also a really amazing kaupapa to be a part of. “The karakia placed on the wharenui and the marae It’s a once in a lifetime event [...] being able to witness complex placed restrictions on the space for the it was a privilege. Safari and I were inside one of the houses as student presidents and I feel super privileged duration of the construction of the Living Pā.” to have been inside that space while it was happening.”

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Living Pā ambassador, Poipoia Te Taonga Poa (Ngāti Maniapoto, Te Ātihaunui-a-Pāpārangi) was involved in a handful of consultation workshops in the project’s planning phase. She said a key issue identified by student representatives was around how tauira would cope during the development phase, “given the marae has been a safe space that many students have relied on.”

with stories that are relevant to Te-Whanganui-aTara, and hence, “us.” The Living Pā also “raises the bar of expectation for other education providers and radicalises what it means to be a New Zealand university student.” It “does more than encourage higher learning; it will demand it,” she said.

Project research and development for the Living Pā was initiated in late 2017. Project design and planning began in 2018. Engagement and consultation processes spanned 2018 through to 2020, and preliminary designs for the project were presented in December. With the whakamoe ceremony now complete, the University is entering its final phase of bringing the Living Pā to life.

The Te Herenga Waka community can expect to notice more external changes happening on Kelburn Parade from now until the project’s completion. Site clearing works will take place from May to October, earthworks and construction is scheduled to begin in early 2022 and continue through to 2023, and when the site is cleared, another tikanga Māori ceremony will be held to install the mauri of the Living Pā.

The Living Pā is to follow the Living Building Challenge, the highest standard of sustainable buildings in the In response, portrait photography sessions were held for world, and will provide students with an opportunity tauira to “preserve a memory of them standing in front to connect and engage with mātauranga Māori and of their whare.” A weekend noho was organised, and a sustainability practices. takahi ceremony took place during the student room relocation. Professor Higgins stated the Living Building Challenge “forces us to consider a better approach to “These steps were so important and I want to thank the sustainability, that looks at non-toxic materials, water Ngāi Tauira Tūmuaki and Rawinia’s team for ensuring use and care, energy creation, health and wellbeing, they were put in place.” equity and the importance of place.”

At breakfast after the ceremony, Professor Higgins said the Living Pā is built “on the vision of distinguished leaders, such as Sir Hirini Moko Mead, Professor Whatarangi Winiata, Ruka Broughton, Dr Wiremu Parker and others.” She added “the Living Pā will expand on that vision to ensure that there is a distinctive and dedicated Māori space for all waka to connect to.” For Poipoia Te Taonga, the Living Pā represents revolutionary change. “The build is about actioning and accelerating cultural change instead of waiting for it to come to us.” “I walk through our hallways and there’s little that distinguishes ourselves from the rest of the world. It would be so much more powerful if we could step into a space and say without a doubt, ‘I am home. I am in Aotearoa.’” She added the design will be weaved

Bus Drivers Strike for Better Contract Niva Chittock (she/her)

Many of Wellington’s city bus routes ground to a halt on Friday 23rd April as NZ Bus drivers went on strike, causing wide-spread cancellations.

The University Council recently heard that a neighbours meeting held in March to discuss the project was “successful.” The University has stated they have worked closely with staff and students based in the decommissioned buildings to ensure they are safely moved to different spaces across the University. Their new locations are: Āwhina - 14 Kelburn Parade & Level 0 Von Zedlitz Ngāi Tauira - Student Union Building Science and Society - 22 Kelburn Parade Te Herenga Waka Marae team - 14 Kelburn Parade Te Kawa a Māui - Level 3 Robert Stout Te Tātai Hauora o Hine (Centre for Women’s Health Research) - 14 Kelburn Parade

A spokesperson from Greater Wellington Regional Council (GWRC)—who operate Metlink—stated 26 routes were affected, including those providing Victoria University of Wellington’s inter-campus bus service. “Strikes or lockouts do cause significant disruption, particularly in Wellington City.” A third year student Salient spoke to described the difficulty with arranging alternate modes of transport due to the heavy reliance students have on buses: “I live in Karori, so I was okay to walk the 40 mins to uni but I felt uncomfortable walking back in the dark as my lecture finished at 5pm. My lectures were pretty much empty too, which was a shame as we had guest speakers.” www.salient.org.nz

The strike, intended to put pressure on NZ Bus to create a better collective agreement for their workers, was announced with 24-hours notice and occured on Friday, 23 April. The current agreement between NZ Bus and workers expired in October 2020, and negotiations for a new one began in February. All 280 affected drivers are union members with the Tramways Union. Kevin O’Sullivan, Secretary of Tramways Union, explained that NZ Bus’ final agreement was presented to drivers on Friday April 16th. It was rejected by 99 percent of union members through a secret ballot, resulting in strike action. “[The new collective agreement] would see substantial cuts to our members’ incomes and terms and conditions of employment such as overtime after 10 hours a day (currently it’s 8), removal of weekend penal rates, a week less of annual leave, one day less sick leave and removal of controlled hours of work, resulting in 13 hour shifts,” he said. During the strike, NZ Bus served drivers with a lockout notice. This means drivers would have to sign the collective agreement presented to them before being able to go back to work. It also extended disruptions to services across the weekend as Tramways Union sought to challenge this action.

Photo: An image of Wellington bus drivers and supporters on strike. One person is holding a sign which says “support the drivers. Source: Stuff

“Metlink contracts out the routes to transport operators […] There are four bus operators in Wellington: NZ Bus, Tranzurban, Uzabus and Mana. Driver employment contracts are between the drivers and the operator (Tramways Union and NZ Bus in this instance). Greater Wellington and Metlink are not parties to these contracts.” VUWSA Media Spokesperson Hannah Fleming confirmed that VUW’s free bus service resumed as normal last week though was unable to comment on the certainty of buses beyond Friday 30th April.

“VUWSA definitely supports the Bus Drivers, they are integral to what makes this city function and they deserve The lockout was quashed by the Employment Court on Sunday 25th April. Mediation talks began between NZ Bus a fair deal.” and the affected drivers last week, facilitated by Dentons “While it can be inconvenient and disrupt your day, Kensington Swan law firm, with support from Wellington we want safe, liveable conditions for drivers and their City Council and GWRC. families.” A GWRC spokesperson clarified that Metlink has no direct The NZ Bus routes affected by the industrial strike action involvement in this matter. and lockout were: 2, 3, 21, 22, 12, 12e, 13, 14, 18e, 20, 28, 30x, 31x, 33, 34, 35, 36,37,81, 83, 84, 85x, N2, N3, N8, and N88.

VUWSA reestablishes Halls Committee with strong welfare focus But not without some election issues Kirsty Frame, Ngāti Kahungunu (she/her) 22 halls of residence students have officially been elected to from this year’s Halls Committee, but miscommunications resulted in election issues. The committee was originally established in 2017, but failed to re-form after 2018. VUWSA President Michael Turnbull said the 2021 committee has a stronger welfare focus. The committee aims to facilitate a space for residents to raise major welfare issues within their halls, strengthen

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relationships between students and accommodation services, and to help ensure pastoral care is upheld. Pastoral care concerns particularly accelerated last year amidst Covid, which resulted in the parliamentary Education and Workforce Committee opening a Student Accommodation Inquiry. Hall Committee member, Luke Wijohn, said the VUW rent strike movements last year was the biggest motivation for running in his hall’s election.

“[The strikes] really showed me that these halls, if they could, would fuck us over to get more money” Ralph Zambrano, VUWSA Welfare VP, said the committee will help VUWSA to be informed when it advocates for areas of pastoral care that need improving. He added that with the particular student accommodation issues which arose last year, there was no real structured response within the halls. He sees the committee as a way to fill that gap—”give it more teeth”.

Turnbull explained there were some communication issues between VUWSA, halls management, and central accommodation services. This resulted in one hall turning VUWSA away on election night. “We were basically told that they were their own independent hall, so they didn’t need to listen to what central accommodation services did.” Turnbull would not say which residential hall this was, but did confirm there are representatives from this hall now.

VUWSA and the Halls Committee will meet four times this year to bring forward their concerns. VUWSA will operate as a middle-man between the committee and their halls management. Concerns will be compiled in a report which VUWSA will take to hall management to discuss. A second report will then be compiled and taken back to the halls committee to circulate to their fellow residents.

“That was a really clear example of why we need something like a halls committee—to make sure we understand what issues are happening in terms of hall management as well.”

Both Turnbull and Zambrano made it clear that these committee members aren’t supposed to deal with critical incidents.

“Some halls were great, we had some staff there to assist us […] some others were neglectful in providing any support at all”, he said.

“Their job is not of an RA [...] we don’t want them being put into dangerous positions, and if any of that happens, they should immediately go talk to hall management or seek assistance from student support coordinators”, Turnbull said.

Wijohn said his election process was “atrocious.”

The 22 members include representatives from Whānau House, Pasifika Haos, and University Hall. Joans Stevens also has a representative from Marino, their Whānau House community. But there were key issues both Zambrano and Turnbull highlighted in the election process.

Zambrano said there were differing levels of support from hall management staff on election nights.

“Even though I thought ours was bad, hearing from the other halls, it sounds like ours was the best.” Turnbull said the committee has already been beneficial for VUWSA gaining better understanding of what’s going wrong and right in halls. Wijohn confirmed the committee has already had their first meeting. VUWSA is planning to conduct a “small, mid-year review” to account for election issues and the outcomes of the first two meetings. They will initiate a larger review at the end of the year to make sure “the committee is sustainable in future”.

‘Not one more minute will be undervalued:’ Tumuaki of Te Akatoki resigns from UCSA, citing nationwide lack of remuneration and institutionalised racism as grounds Salient Staff Tumuaki of Te Akatoki, the University of Canterbury’s Māori students’ association, Rosa Hibbert-Schooner (Te Arawa, Ngāti Whakaaue, Ngāti Hurungaterangi), has resigned from her ex-officio position on the University of Canterbury Students’ Association. The cause for her resignation is over the decreased remuneration Te Akatoki representatives receive compared to other executive members. As the Te Akatoki

representative, Hibbert-Schooner was to receive $1600 honorarium per annum, compared to the $5,200 that general exec members receive. No other Te Akatoki exec member will fill the empty space on the exec “until this role is remunerated and valued equally [to positions of the same nature],” according to Te Akatoki.

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Te Akatoki, and Hibbert-Schooner, both acknowledged that no one individual is to blame, and are focusing their kaupapa on deconstructing the “institutionalised racism [in student advocacy] that needs to be addressed and changed”. Speaking to ^Salient, UCSA President Kim Fowler said the executive stands with Te Akatoki and Hibbert-Schooner’s whakaaro that equitable remuneration for the Te Akatoki representative is an essential part of the UCSA’s obligations under Te Tiriti o Waitangi. “We agree they should be remunerated fairly for what they do as we are. The UCSA exec are paid through the student services levy and we have been in conversations with Te Akatoki about how we need to negotiate for payment for their exec through this. These negotiations for next year begin in July this year,” said Fowler. She added that the UCSA “immediately raised the pay last Friday as per Te Akatoki’s request acknowledging the role has evolved, and have contacted Kaiarahi for help in setting out a treaty honouring process to understand where the role should be going forward.” The UCSA was constitutionally required until last year to hold one ex-officio member seat with full voting rights on the UCSA executive for a Te Akatoki representative, according to a memorandum of understanding signed in 2017 between the two associations which has now expired. Fowler said the UCSA is currently in the process of checking their constitutional requirements with their lawyers, but noted the association still needs to have a partnership agreement with Te Akatoki regardless because the roopu “should be regarded as a partner.” She hopes the UCSA exec can work on this when they can “see a clear way forward amongst the discussions we will have.” In a separate statement, the UCSA confirmed that Hibbert-Schooner would be paid, ex gratia, the difference between her remuneration to date and that of a general exec member, “in acknowledgement of the work she has done.” “The UCSA is sad to see Rosa go, and we wish her well.” The UCSA exec has agreed to begin to discuss increasing remuneration packages for the Te Akatoki representative, “under the condition that the appropriate people (Te Akatoki and experienced Māori in bi-culturalism and partnerships) are included and leading this change”, according to a statement from Hibbert-Schooner. In the same statement, Hibbert-Schooner expressed that while her resignation and the Māori association’s campaign for systemic change was happening locally in Ōtautahi, it was also vital that student associations across the country re-evaluate the actual extent to which they value indigenous voices and mahi.

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“This is a national issue. I would like to use our story, our protest as a wero to all student associations and unions and every space that has a Māori voice at it. “If you are not equally valuing a voice that sits at the same table as you do, consider where the issues truly lie. If you want Māori to ‘prove’ the mahi that they do, walk down the road from your state of the art building to our modest Whare, and see the support we provide on the daily.” “Te Tiriti o Waitangi, Ahurea, Hītori, Tikanga and Whakapapa of the land we all reside on, is what weaves us together. Investing, resourcing and putting value in us, our voices, our culture and our passion is what will sustain this.” In a statement of support, Ngāi Tauira, Victoria University of Wellington’s Māori student association, says it is “a common experience among tauira Māori that we have to study full-time and take on part time jobs to fuel our living passions of contributing to hapū and iwi kaupapa and kaupapa Māori that are heavily under resourced— like Māori Student Associations. “This is not acceptable, nor is it reflective of Te Tiriti o Waitangi. Māori have always been fed peppercorns and produced diamonds because we know if we don’t, no one else will and we risk losing our presence and place. These are dilemmas we should not have to face.” The executive is grateful to have good relationships across Te Herenga Waka, and is excited to work on addressing some of the inequities between Ngāi Tauira and the Victoria University of Wellington Students’ Association (VUWSA). Ngāi Tauira expressed tautoko to their Te Akatoki whānau for “taking a stand this week against their institution”, and added it has inspired their executive to “re-think our structural arrangements and how they can be improved to best reflect Te Tiriti o Waitangi.” VUWSA President, Michael Turnbull has signalled his support for the kaupapa, and his commitment to doing more for tauira Māori roopu. “Absolutely gutting it took a resignation for this conversation to begin”, said Turnbull in an Instagram story post. Co-leaders of Te Pāti Māori, Rawiri Waititi (Te Whānau a Apanui, Ngāi Tai, Te Whakatōhea, Ngāi Tūhoe, Ngāti Awa, Te Arawa, Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Ngāi Te Rangi, Ngāti Ranginui) and Debbie Ngarewa Packer (Ngāti Ruahine, Ngāruahine, and Ngā Rauru) have also expressed their support for Te Akatoki and their kaupapa.

Shit News.

Don’t mistake it for the real thing.

Jordan Luck announces that he will no longer perform “Why Does Love Do This To Me?” He has since found the answer, Eugene Pipefitter reports. Since 1991, New Zealand singer Jordan Luck (of The Exponents) has been asking the nation and anyone with ears “why does love do this to me?”, and before they could answer he would always respond stating: “I don’t know, I don’t know.” This has long caused frustration as Luck never offered anyone the opportunity to respond. 1992 Jordan Luck Fan Club president Mob Ruldoon on his deathbed stated “Jordan Luck has probably the most brilliant mind of any musician in my time but his reputation has been destroyed by not finding out the answer.” Mob died without ever knowing the answer. Head of GiveLuckTheAnswerNZ Brittany Harrison has commissioned extensive research which has reached the conclusion that the reason love does “this” to him is because as he states in the song “It seems I’m thinkin’ of you. But I’m still thinkin’ about myself”—Luck is why “love” does “this” to him. He has caused his own demise. Harrison says “ I don’t know why he’s blaming love, it seems that he is the problem”. After 3 separate protests on the lawn of Parliament, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has mandated that Luck has to allow the entire nation a rite of reply. GiveLuckTheAnswerNZ had prepared a statement, that Luck received via a letter—“You have been asking the wrong question Jordan, the question is why do you do this to yourself and our answer is because you haven’t addressed any of your personal insecurities which are holding you back from love”.

Salient has seeked out comment from people around Victoria University about the announcement; Salient Co-Editor Matthew Casey proclaims, “That’s a shame, I really liked that song”. 3rd year student Joel who is self titled ‘head of the cool kids association’ has commented “I’m actually so stoked that he finally found out the answer, I’ve been asking the same question for ages and I still can’t find out why love is doing this to me. It’s definitely 100% not because I’m romantically inept and can’t express my feelings, though this results in leading on girls but somehow blaming it on them. No chance at all.”

One disgruntled student, who has asked to remain anonymous said “why do we actually give a fuck about this? He’s old and The Exponents best song is Victoria so why aren’t you asking me questions about that? This Luck has since read the letter, started to address his personal problems and put out the following statement: is literally the problem with New Zealand media, all you guys care about are random old folk saying random “It wasn’t love doing this to me, I was doing it to myself. I shit. Salient is an absolute joke and you Mr Pipefitter, if regret today to announce I will no longer be performing that is even your real name, can fuck off.” Although it is not my place as a journalist to comment, this was very ‘Why Does Love Do This To Me’ because the song is hurtful, I do believe that people want to know about unfairly targeting ‘love’ for my problems and I do not Jordan Luck’s big question controversy. wish to give love a bad name”.

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We all have a love-hate relationship with influencers. Whether you love to hate them, or hate to love them, influencers have reconceptualised what fame is and who has access to it. My Instagram feed used to be inundated with international influencers whose lifestyles were as forgeign to me as they were. I didn’t always have a frame of reference for the products they used, the places they visited, the income bracket they operated within. I grew weary of content I didn’t resonate with. But my love for influencers was rekindled when I began seeing more local faces flood my Explore page.

Micro Inf luencer: Explained Janhavi Gosavi (she/her)

With @bruhrelia

But their following of 28,000 did make them different. It made them, for a lack of a better word, an influencer. A term they audibly cringe at. More specifically, it made Eli a micro-influencer. Microinfluencers can be defined as social media stars with a following between 1000 to 100,000. They are not noteworthy enough to be labelled ‘legitimate’ influencers, nor can you dismiss them as ordinary social media users. Treading this fine line makes micro-influencers uniquely beneficial to companies for two reasons.

Firstly, micro-influencers are relatively affordable.

Photo: Eli, sourced from @bruhrelia Instagram

One of my local favourite accounts is @bruhrelia, which is run by Eli. Eli is a non-binary 19-year-old from Auckland who has 28,000 followers on Instagram. They first blew up on the app for their bold makeup looks, but have since stayed popular for their unfiltered hot takes, hilarious oversharing, and undeniable thirst traps. I paid Eli a visit at the end of 2020, back when they used to live in Wellington, to discuss all things social media. Articulate and chaotic, glamorous yet disheveled, I was shocked at how true to form Eli is in person. Stuffing our faces with pizza while we yarned about Teen Wolf, they felt no different to any of my other friends.

Rising to fame on social media is a rat race, and microinfluencers understand that. Eli gave me the impression that in the early stages of a micro-influencer’s career, they are happy to collaborate with brands for little-tono compensation. They adopt a “good things take time” mindset; if I work for free now, I’ll get paid gigs in the future. Small businesses have the most to gain from these unpaid arrangements, as many do not have the means to pay influencers for advertising their products. Big companies even make it seem like they’re doing micro-influencers a favour by ^letting them advertise their products in exchange for the coveted exposure that comes with being associated with their brand.

Secondly, micro-influencers feel genuine. It can be anyone. Your little sister, your childhood best friend, that quiet guy in your tutorials. Micro-influencers dangle on the cusp of fame while retaining that casual, girl-next-door quality. Their audience inherently trusts them on the account of their ‘relatability’. This trust brings them amazing engagement rates. That’s why it’s more effective, not to mention cheaper, for a company to pay ten micro-influencers than to pay one macro-influencer. Besides, New Zealand sorely lacks macro-influencers. Shannon Harris, aka @shaaanxo, is our most famous influencer with 1.4 million followers on Instagram, and she is the only one to surpass the 1 million milestone. Our local companies therefore have to rely on micro-influencers to spread the good word.

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Some aspiring influencers are inorganically growing followers purely to monetize off of fame. Eli was increasingly frustrated with being asked for advice on how to blow up on IG. Gaining followers is sustainable when the process is a slow burn, not a cheap thrill. “People can tell when you don’t have an honest dialogue with your followers [...] when you’re getting into it just for the free stuff and a chance to move to L.A.”, said Eli. Being disingenuous would cause the trust between micro-influencers and their followers to crumble, which in turn would invalidate one of the two reasons why they are useful to companies. When an influencer can no longer manage their brand alone, many resort to signing with a management agency. Managers are the middle men who receive commission through connecting businesses to relevant influencers, and vice versa. Along with helping an influencer grow their business, managers also provide social media training and guidance. Eli does not have a manager, and admitted it was complicated to navigate social media without one. It was hard for them to use IG like a normal user because their large following wasn’t conducive to normality. They would receive copious DMs from followers who wanted product recommendations, or were simply trying to spark a conversation. While staying on top of messages is overwhelming, Eli did their best because their relationship with their followers is “really really really close”. They built their audience through vulnerability and transparency, cultivating a followership that’s “really understanding and accepting”. Eli often hops onto their IG story to candidly dissect mental health, eating disorders, sexuality, and politics. From documenting their recurring stints with scabies to sharing their experiences with polyamory, no taboo topic is off-limits. “If you want your IG to be a company, and for you to be the commodity you’re selling, then having management is useful”. But if they had to censor themselves on social media in order to make money, it’s a price Eli simply wouldn’t pay. The biggest misconception made about Eli is that their social media presence generates income. “Brands don’t care about paying me”, they scoffed.

Feature : Micro Influencer: Explained

They’re not wrong. Out of all of the times Eli has promoted companies on Instagram, they had only been paid for it twice. The first was a payment of $250 for promoting an app on their story, and the second was a total of $15 in commission from advertising a face mask. The first companies to get in touch with Eli were contact lens brands and Chinese clothing resellers, back when they had 3,000 followers. They noted that “hashtags can be a great way for anyone with a public profile to get free stuff from resellers […] it’ll just take a few months for your gifts to arrive”. At 10,000 followers, makeup brand ColourPop noticed Eli. More recently, they had been added onto the Morphe and Sigma PR list. I still didn’t fully understand how brand sponsorships worked, so Eli broke it down for me. An influencer will receive a DM that reads along the lines of

“Hey babe, we love your style! It’s blahblah here from blahblah marketing, we would love to work with you!”

Once they have expressed interest in working together, the company will send them their terms and conditions. Smaller businesses tend to do this through DM, while larger businesses do this through email. They might also get put on a weekly influencer newsletter, or even be granted access to a different portal on a company’s website exclusively made for influencers. What is required of an influencer is dependent on whether they are being offered a gift or a paid sponsorship. Paid sponsorships usually involve contracts. Companies may give influencers a timeline for when and how they want them to post about their products, along with key words and hashtags that must be used in captions. Think of IG as real estate; when a company pays you for posting one feed post and two stories about the same mascara, what they are actually buying is space on your page.

If an influencer gets gifted products, there is no onus on them to post about it. When influencers rave about a gift, their audience assumes they truly liked it as they were not contractually obligated to advertise it. Some companies may let them choose gifts off of their site, while others will send an influencer whatever they want. For example, Eli received one big box of makeup from Makeup Revolution, while Morphe sends them about four individual items a month. Influencers with bigger followings generally receive more of a say on what their gifts are. From an influencer’s perspective, posting about gifts helps them build rapport with companies who may offer them paid sponsorships in the future.

Eli now has no further interest in monetising their platform, and said they couldn’t care less if they start to drop off of PR lists. They feel insincere claiming to love a product they were gifted, or worse, got paid to talk about. They question whether their own taste in beauty and fashion is organic. “Even if I do like the product, I’m like, well, do I really?” Eli’s bottom line has become “if I wouldn’t spend my own money on it, I shouldn’t tell my followers about it”.

When considering brand collaborations, Eli investigates the company’s ethics. They won’t engage with fast fashion re-sellers who are not environmentally sustainable and purchase their stock wholesale off of sites like AliExpress. Eli also asks themselves if this brand deserves their support. “Dolls Kill reached out and I said no thank you”, they huffed, shooting me a big side eye. Eli was one of many people to boycott Dolls Kill when the company chose to support police instead of Black Lives Matter protesters. They also turned down TTDEye, I now realise micro-influencers have ordinary a contact lens company, for being racist to past lives that intersect with their extraordinary online customers. presence—a presence that pays with likes, but not But when it comes to small New Zealand businesses, always with money. When I asked Eli how they felt about being extraordinary, they laughed. “The only Eli is always game. “It’s usually some girl in her bedroom making jewellery, so I’m like of course I will things that make me different to others are that I’m very mentally ill and I have a lot of DMs.” It brings me promote your stuff!” Eli is more than happy to post to a not-so-earth-shattering conclusion: influencers about a small business on their story and tag them for free. “I’m not gonna say hey that’s 300 dollars [...] are people too. it’s about providing support.”

Influencing is a public vocation, yet the mechanics behind it have been shrouded in mystery.

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A Tutor’s Current Reality at VUW

Niva Chittock (she/her)

Over the past few months I’ve been sitting down with tutors to see what their current role looks like, following reports of job changes in the tertiary education sector. They have detailed their experiences along with descriptions of idealised working conditions. COVID-19 has put extra strain on an already struggling system, and it’s beginning to wear tutors thin. The tutors I spoke to revealed a slow deterioration in their working conditions, long before current reports (such as the article published by an anonymous group of VUW tutors in The Spinoff last July) were begun, let alone published. I sat down with a handful of tutors who teach across a variety of departments at Victoria University. Their accounts are by no means inclusive of every tutor’s experience, however, they did shed light on widespread issues frequently felt across the University. Generally speaking, tutors are a helping hand to course coordinators and lecturers, teaching some or all tutorials for a given course, and taking on marking loads. They deal with student queries and are a friendly face that can relate to the study experience, as many are still students themselves. Tutors are the face of the academic side of university, forming meaningful relationships with students. Having these interactions is a defining feature in wanting to do this role, with many tutors saying student contact is their main motivator to stay in their job. While it’s not uncommon to have pet peeves at work, current problems for tutors have outgrown personal grievances and become systemic issues. There is no singular, central problem. In 2017, the Senior Leadership Team at Victoria University were given a report into what the University’s tutoring system looked like, and what improvements could be made.

Feature : A Tutor’s Current Reality at VUW

Key observations included “there is little evidence of recognition of tutors as an integral part of the teaching community at Victoria” and “the casual short term nature of tutor contracts makes the retention of good tutors unsustainable and prevents continuity [in] tutoring.” It also mentioned a lack of professional development opportunities, insufficient training for the role performed, and inadequate pay for tutors’ work. One tutor, Sam*, notes it stems from little things. They used the example of an email chain. An issue came up with their contract, so they contacted University management. They did not receive any information on how to fix the issue, nor an invitation to meet with someone. “There was no discussion. No one was willing to even talk to me about my contract. It’s awful. You get confused and upset when you’re treated as if you have no personality.”

“

Another tutor, Alex*, didn’t receive their contract in time to start the Trimester. They had no access to buildings, their staff email, or Blackboard for over a week after courses started.

VUW. Many of those who Salient spoke to do not want training to deal with pastoral issues themselves, but instead to ensure they do not carry problems personally and can deal with students responsibly.

“It’s quite hard to plan tutoring lessons when I haven’t got access to Blackboard […] I was still just waiting and waiting and waiting to get my ID and systems access”.

Tom* is a senior tutor, and believes this sort of training should be incorporated into the compulsory training course for first-time tutors.

Patchy or non-existent communication amongst faculties, other tutors, and University management creates a tricky situation, leaving tutors unsure of where to turn to to get help with the issues they encounter. Jo* is a seasoned tutor at Victoria and believes creating a simple system is the solution.

“If a student is extremely upset or stressed and making a disclosure about something serious—which does happen to some tutors—what are we going to do? March them into the lecturer’s office and get them to tell the problem to the lecturer? That’s not what the tutor nor the student want. And this gets made even more difficult when the courses you are teaching have sensitive or triggering material as part of the curriculum.”

“So much of our time is spent doing things that aren’t really part of our job [...] There’s a lot of stress and work that comes from just having to engage with [University] management at this stage.”

Tutors would also like to see compulsory training expanded to include key aspects of the job, like working the staff intranet, and how to operate timesheet systems and Pastoral care is another pressure point. The University BlackBoard. Making some compulsory training available to is clear on tutors and pastoral care, with a spokesperson returning tutors too would improve the current situation stating: and equip tutors adequately for their role.

Dealing with pastoral issues is not part of the work duties of a tutor. If this happens, tutors are advised to refer these matters to the Student Interest and Conflict Resolution team

”

While tutors do not disagree with this statement, they would like the University to acknowledge that when working closely with students, it is inevitable that pastoral care issues will come up. Aside from these linear referral instructions, there is no designated pastoral care training available to tutors currently at

These improvements are needed now more than ever due to the compounding impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Contract hours have been cut, class sizes have grown, new systems have made pay irregular, and there is even less certainty surrounding the renewal of current contracts. Sam says it’s like being put on “fast-forward”. “Where in the past you had enough time to complete the work expected for your course, there is no longer this luxury. I am now rushed in my work and more stressed too [...] I used to be paid an hour per week for student correspondence (answering student emails, meetings, etc.) but now, I have just 15 minutes each week. How am I expected to give the same quality of tutoring?” Even email communications since the pandemic began have been difficult to understand for tutors who are both staff and students. Jo felt like staff members were left in a murky area, while students received clear-cut information. “I was learning things about what the course was going to look like from the student newsletter as [University management] were making decisions [...] that email then contradicted the emails we got later as staff.” Tutors have begun to form their own organisation to generate solidarity and get to know what the picture looks like across the University community. The VUW www.salient.org.nz

Tutors’ Network is in the process of being established, with their aim to have contacts in every faculty and school within the next few years. Spokespeople believe this is a valuable tool in allowing tutors to support one another, and can be used as a key platform to communicate with tutors. Current demands are easily outlined by all, though Alex articulated them best: “Clearer communication, support, certainty [...] I mean better pay would be nice but I’m not holding out hope for that. It just feels like we’re getting the short end of the stick.” Sam recognised the good bones of the role, and hopes that a more supported and sustainable model can be created in the future: “Tutoring has the potential to be quite a good form of employment. It could be a really rich, fulfilling relationship between the tutors, students, and the University. Right now, tutors are being treated like they are transactional and able to be ‘deployed’ where needed. There needs to be a culture change away from this ‘depersonalisation’.”

Having a centralised system for tutor contract processing, bolstering their training, and creating an area of the University to provide tutor-specific advice and support would be a huge help. Better yet would be shifting away from casual or casualised, fixed-term contracts and providing tutors with decent, regular pay.

In the process of collating this story, I have sat down with many a tired tutor. Despite the obvious anguish, stress and frustration, they smile through it all. Some tell jokes, while others are sarcastic. All were cautious in the beginning, wanting to assure me they did love their job, and did not want to do anything that would jeopardise that.

What struck me was that no matter what, every single one was in it for the right reasons: their love of teaching and an intense passion for what they teach. Yes, some did mention money, but this is their job. They expect money for the work they do. The difficulty now is making something happen. As VUW Tertiary Education Union (TEU) President, Dougal McNeill, says: “there is no one who will say that tutors aren’t important.” Tutors sit in the precarious position between students and lecturers; general staff and qualified academic staff; full-time students and full-time workers. It’s a role which knits us all together and that most, if not all, of us are grateful for. Dougal knows that University management can offer something more to tutors that the rest of us can’t—the means to make these changes a reality:

“Show us the money. That’s the real issue.”

But it’s just so easy to say that.

Photo: VUW TEU’s President, Dougal McNeill

*Names changed Image: Time sheet instructions given to tutors

Feature : A Tutor’s Current Reality at VUW

Images: Right, Au Bord De La Mer Below, Luxe, Calme, et Volupte

ARTIST PROFILE

Alexcea Apostolakis My name is Alexcea Apostolakis, I am 22 years old and a user of pens, paints, and clay. I like to make fun things for my friends and family and whoever asks nicely! I was born and raised in Pōneke where my love for art began. At the moment I’m based in Tāmaki Makaurau. My work tends to be made up of an intersection of things that influence, inspire, and are important to me. The piece I have included as this week’s centrefold is titled “Buy Urself Flowers’’. For me, “Buy Urself Flowers” is just another way of saying look after yourself. A way to express love to oneself. I think as a woman, I have placed expectations on others to provide me with love and validation that I never really had for myself. I figured I was never really ever going to be fulfilled or satisfied with anyone’s love if I didn’t have love for myself—so, I started buying myself flowers as a small form of self love! Kinda sappy and cliche, but I really love flowers. They make me happy, and I was over waiting for people to buy them for me so it’s now something I do for myself! I wanted to share this piece as a way of reminding whoever sees this, to do that little something for yourself! Whether it be buying flowers, going for a walk, or having some alone time—check in with yourself and be kind.

Image: Den Thelo Psiftiki

if you would like to keep up with all things me, feel free look me up on instagram: @yung_parched for the odd art, meme, and way too many stories about nothing :)) Image: Trapped in a club www.salient.org.nz

“Buy Urself Flowers” 2021. 20 Alexcea Apostolakis,

SHIT'S GOOD I fucking love State Highway 1 - Matthew Casey (he/him) Since my family lives in Auckland it’s pretty awesome that there’s a direct route that I can access two blocks over from my partner’s place in Mt Vic which will take me all the way to them. That is the beautiful paved highway that I like to call, the old love, the big drive, my friend, State Highway 1. 2033km of road taking us from Cape Reinga to Bluff. A 28-hour journey which would include a cool boat ride. State Highway 1 is just pretty fucking cool. I’ve always been a fan of State Highway 1. First I want to celebrate the northern part. The Auckland Harbour ridge is on State Highway 1, it takes me to Cambridge so I can see my grandma, it takes me to Taupō where I get to see my uncle Paul, we get to drive past Huntly where my mum grew up and they have that awesome mural with local legends like Tawera Nikau and the Topp Twins. There is art all across the North Island stretch wether that’s the Taihape gumboot, views of the beauty that is Mt Ruapehu, the four W’s north of Auckland—Warkworth, Wellsford, Waipu to Whangārei, and lastly The Rat Hole bar in Bulls. My father talks highly about SH1, “if you stay on it, you won’t go wrong, if you stay on it you’ll have found your way home”. Next phase is “sailin’ to the other side” as The Warratahs sang. No, I will not get into the conspiracy that the song is about death and “the otherside” means heaven. You have the option of a water ferry (Interislander/blue bridge) or a sky ferry (Air New Zealand/Jetstar). Since I love driving my 2011 Suzuki Swift, I opt for the water ferry. On the other side you get to the South Island—“south island state highway one is better” is what 2020 Salient co-editor Kirsty Frame has told me. I would have to say that

OPENING HOURS: LUNCH 11:30AM - 3:00PM (MONDAY - SUNDAY) DINNER 5:00PM - 8:30PM (MONDAY - SATURDAY)

FRESH, FLAVORSOME DIXON ARO, Columns : Shit’s Fucked Shit’s62 Good / RiceST, to TE Meet You 22 VIETNAMESE CUISINE 6011, WELLINGTON

she is completely correct. You drive through the beautiful Marlborough region on your way out to the coast line which takes you to Kaikoura and me oh my that is a beautiful area. When you’re in the passenger seat you may even be lucky to see seals out the window. Kaikoura is home to New Zealand’s most beautiful race track which has a stunning backdrop, the ocean. When you travel further down then you reach the Christchurch area, it’s cool, I have friends who live there, it’s good to see them. Then you get to the next stop!!!! Today, Tomorrow, Timaru. Home of the Timaru herald whose slogan is “Miss a day, miss a lot”. When you travel beyond Timaru, you get to one of the best locations in the nation for people of the 18-21 year old age bracket. Dunedin. I’ve spent a bit of time there visiting my cousin Finn, he’s an absolute legend so S/o to SH1 for helping connect me to him. South of Dunedin is the Clutha Southland region. This is the political electorate that has seen the most embarrassment from the National Party in recent years. In 2014 they elected Todd Barclay who had a scandal around secret recordings and in 2017 they elected Hamish Walker who was the MP who conducted the “unauthorised disclosure of sensitive information.” This is the weirdest part of State Highway 1, we don’t really talk about it. Besides that, the beautiful east coast of the south Island is the scenic highlight of SH1. I don’t really know if this explained much but I just love that there is this state highway which links up all these awesome spots around our beautiful nation. Long live SH1, you’ve been a good friend to me. You are beyond fucking Good.

Hi! We’re Anoushka and Laurelei and it’s Rice To Meet You. From dating, to pronouncing ethnic names, to racial imposter syndrome, we’re Salient’s resident Asian aunties giving completely unsolicited (but somewhat sage) advice.

Diversify Your Media A Bollywood movie review: the following information I provide you with will prove completely useless in most aspects of your life unless you a) are ever in the mood to go on an emotional rollercoaster while simultaneously watching eight intricately choreographed dance numbers, or b) you want an accurate insight into what life in India is like. I’m kidding, 72.8% of Bollywood is absolute bullshit. The other 27.2% is dance numbers. Anyway, the movie I have in mind is a 2000s classic, Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham—which literally translates to “Sometimes Happy Sometimes Sad”. Me too. The movie starts with Rahul, a rich boi, descending from a helicopter onto his parents’ estate just in time to celebrate an ambiguous festival. Basically, Rahul falls in love with Anjali (poor girl), and wants to marry her, but his dad is like “ew she’s poor” and says no. At the same time, Anjali’s dad dies, and she and her sister, Pooja, are orphans now. Rahul marries Anjali anyway cos he is edgy like that, and proceeds to be disowned by his parents. They yeet off to London to start a new life. Fast forward eight years, and Rahul’s younger brother, Rohan, goes to London in an attempt to reunite his family. He turns up at Rahul’s mansion, but Rahul doesn’t recognise him because as a child Rohan was a lil chonky, and now he has abs and a rockin hot bod. And because he is smokin hot now, he and Pooja fall in love. The family makes amends, everyone is reunited and lives happily ever after. Overall 7/10, super dramatic, lots of song and dance, kinda cringe-worthy though, and also super confusing. 12/10 glow ups, 94/10 family drama, -174/10 fat shaming Rohan. A crowd pleaser, nonetheless, go give it a watch! Anoushka Divekar (she/her) It wasn’t until I was tasked with curating a playlist highlighting Asian artists that I realised the severe lack of them in my own Spotify library. Even if you already listen to the singers of 88rising or are currently in a never-ending K-pop phase, here are a few more Asian artists to add to your mix!

Raveena is an Indian-American singer and songwriter. Raised in a Sikh household, Raveena draws from her heritage to produce contemporary R&B music that explores her bisexuality, identity, and culture. Her lyrics reflect the struggles of navigating traditional values and seemingly conflicting identities—something much of her audience can relate to. Recommended listening: “Headaches”, “If Only”, “Temptation” M1LDL1FE is an indie pop band hailing from Singapore. With an upcoming album in the works, their 2000s-inspired music blends electronic sounds, often telling stories of change and growth. The four met at their university hall, and have gone from recording indie covers inside their dorms to headlining tours across the world. Recommended listening: “Can’t Seem To Get Anything”, “Distraction”, “Small Lanes” Rey D’Asian, a 21-year-old singer based in Stockholm, creates a mix of R&B, pop, and psychedelic music. Known for his statements criticising the Western music industry for its lack of Asian representation, his songs explore reflections on culture, identity, and racial imposter syndrome. Recommended listening: “Say Yes”, “My White Friends”, “Elevate / Escalate” Phum Viphurit is an indie musician from Bangkok, Thailand. Rising to viral fame in 2018 for his single “Lover Boy”, his musical style is described as “mellow, up-beat yet intimate”. As a former film student, he also directed the MV for his 2020 release “Softly Spoken”. Also, he grew up in New Zealand, so automatic points for that. Recommended listening: “Lover Boy”, “Softly Spoken”, “Long Gone”

Laurelei Bautista (she/her) www.salient.org.nz

Blend 2.0 Size:

2 ½ pints

Availability:

everyday after 4pm

This week we are back at Blend which is on Wakefield would expect a $10 jug to taste like, it has less flavour. Street kind of down by Gubbs shoes, if you know where I personally believe that Macs Gold during their 5-7pm that is. happy hour is better but Jamie prefers “Blend’s own Strange Brew”. I had their happy hour $10 jug last week and it was one of my favourites in this city. I would put it up there with Let’s talk about music again, I need to reiterate that D4 on Allen as being the best $10 jug for the money George Ezra is awesome and he was played on this you spend on it. D4 has the most quantity (3 pints of trip to Blend. This time however the vibe was a lot Wild Buck) and Blend has the best quality (2 ½ pints of different; it was an “interesting mix, lots of 2000’s and Macs Gold). late 90’s nostalgic bangers but sad boy vibes” making Jamie question whether he came for a beer or to cry. This week we are taking on the house jug called “Blend’s own Strange Brew”. Well I’ll tell you there is $10 jugs endorses Blend as one of the best venues something strange about that brew. It tastes like beer, for $10 jugs in Wellington. They have loads of daily like NZ draught style beer. deals, awesome options for which beer you drink and it’s perfectly located just down the street from the To take on his huge task I had to bring along ^Salient Michael fowler Centre. Sub-editor and $10 Jug aficionado Jamie Clarke. First Next time I review a $10 jug it will be up the line, thing he had to say was “I like the glasses, it makes me ‘$10 jug’ is going on tour! I will make sure that the feel like we’re in a tavern.” The glasses referenced are location is within 83.1 km of the Victoria University of handles which is something I don’t think I’ve seen from Wellington Kelburn campus. The hint for it is that it other venues offering $10 jugs. has recently appeared on Guy Williams new season of New Zealand Today. The feeling of Blend is quite warm, it has exposed brick walls which feels kinda cool. The music is very loud and If you have any suggestions of local $10 jugs that the seats are comfortable. You have options of cushiony I should check out, please send through to Jugs@ seating which is splendid as well as raised bar stools. salient.org.nz as we need to continue spreading the good news of $10 jugs across this great city, region, Jamie adds that it “tastes more expensive than your and nation. average $10 jug—got a bit more beer flavour and a bit less piss flavour”. Which confirms my previous statement about the strange brew not being that strange. Macs Gold has less flavour which could be seen as a positive or negative depending on your preference. Jamie believes that Macs Gold is more so what he

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Columns : $10 Jugs / UniQ / Mauri Ora

Mauri Ora The State of our Buses Ethan Wellington (he/him) Frankly, I’ve had it. The way that NZ Bus childishly locked out its bus drivers in response to a one-day strike, without even an extra second spent thinking about the possible repercussions, is reprehensible. Drivers work long hours, and the latest move is a slap in the face. Even after being offered extra funding by the Regional Council to help fund the drivers’ wages, NZ Bus has refused to increase pay, and doubled down on reducing take-home pay. Fortunately, the courts ruled that the indefinite lockout by NZ Bus was unlawful, and drivers can get back to kEePinG WelliNgToN mOvInG! But I’m sure you all know that already. This (thankfully) one-day lockout was a sign of how malicious NZ Bus is. They don’t care about their drivers or the public they serve. They are willing to stoop to the lowest of the low and hold an entire city hostage, just so they can make a tiny bit more dosh. They are willing to increase transport poverty among more vulnerable communities just to satisfy their shareholders. For some, the only option they have is the bus. An indefinite lockout will have affected lower income families that have no other way to get around simply because they can’t afford any other options. It will have also disproportionately impacted people with disabilities, many of whom rely on the bus due to its accessibility and cost efficiency. And, it affected students from every level of education, who would have had to carpool or walk long distances to their education providers, sometimes fearing their own physical safety. What can we do? We can join the bus drivers and stand with them in the picket lines. We can petition NZ Bus, and tell them that such heavy-handed tactics will not be tolerated by their patrons and the community. We can help support the drivers financially when the time arises.

COVID-19 vaccination programme Here at Mauri Ora (Student Health and Counselling), we are beginning to receive queries about when we might be providing the COVID-19 vaccine to students. The simple answer is that for the majority of students, vaccinations won’t take place at the University, but will happen at community-based centres throughout the Wellington region in the second half of 2021. New Zealand’s vaccine rollout is being managed by the Ministry of Health. If advised by the Ministry of Health, Mauri Ora may vaccinate a small number of groups considered high risk if they contract COVID-19, and we will contact these individuals closer to the time. The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine must be stored at extremely low temperatures, and once out of the freezer it is only viable for five days. This makes storing large numbers of vaccines problematic, and the logistics of this are best managed by vaccination centres who can store and administer large volumes of the vaccine. The vaccine is given as an injection in your upper arm. Two doses are required to gain the best level of immunity, and are given three weeks apart. It will be important that people ensure they receive both doses. The vaccine is not mandatory, and it is important that people feel informed and confident about receiving it. The Ministry of Health has information on their website about the COVID-19 vaccine as well as New Zealand’s vaccine rollout plan, including when you might be likely to be offered a vaccine. If you remain unsure, contact your GP or Nurse for advice. The vaccine will be free for everyone living in New Zealand, including international students.

We deserve more from a company that is supposed to honour its responsibility to the people. If NZ Bus cannot fulfil their duty to us and their workers, then they’re not welcome in Wellington. Sign the petition at https://www.together.org.nz/ thankyou-driver to show your support for the drivers. www.salient.org.nz

Too drunk/tired for this shit Alice Mander (she/her)

It’s sad that we’re only three weeks from holiday and people are already talking about burnout. It is a common theme among university students, especially those also engaging in advocacy work for their community. For disabled people, activism is part of our everyday lives. As a result, so is burnout. We are either having to advocate for our own needs and basic rights to be met, or we advocate for those who don’t have the tools and words to do it themselves. Don’t get me wrong, I love what I do. My drive for change is what wakes me up every morning, and what motivates me to attend endless meetings and answer endless emails. However, being the only disabled person in any room is an exhausting task. Having the pressure of representing and advocating for the most diverse minority group on your shoulders is daunting and, at times, crushing. It’s particularly difficult because disability and accessibility is still not part of the mainstream conscience. In speaking about minority groups and inclusion, disability is too often ignored unless the disabled person brings it up. I’m tired of lending my expertise and experience to conversations around things people already should know. The exploitation of disabled people’s labour is exhausting and, quite frankly, unsustainable for any social justice movement. You’re probably thinking, “But I am supposed to ask disabled people their opinions, what is Alice talking about? Isn’t she all for representation and consultation?”

Columns : Disabled Students Association

Yes, of course I am. But I also think that to be a meaningful ally, you have to take some of the load off our already hurting backs. Here is some advice: Questions about text, physical, or spatial accessibility? Google it. Or, even better, pay me for my advice. PLEASE do not ask me to get coffee with you under the guise of friendship, only to ask me to explain simple disability theory to you to help you do your job better. Be upfront about it. Educate yourself on issues so that you can be the voice at the table who says, “Huh, this venue isn’t accessible” before I have to. Read the room. Do I have two glasses in my hands, and am I awkwardly dancing? Please, for the love of all things good, do not start talking to me about how you just learnt a new way of looking at disability, and now know that I’m not disabled by my impairment but by social barriers. I am drunk as shit, and I will vomit on your shoes if you keep talking to me.

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Happy 21st Music Month It’s your big day bro and I’d just like to say a few words to let everyone know how much you mean to me. Congratulations on reaching the big two one! I take this to say on behalf of everyone, thank you for all that you’ve done. We’re all very proud of you. We’ve known each other for ages You’ve been one of my best friends growing up. You’re an absolute You’ve always been there for me even when no one else is So I’ve got a few stories, remember when Whoops, can’t say that in front of the parents And remember that time with my cousin Ah shit, grandma won’t want to hear that one Well there’s a lot of stuff to say about you, but I think we’ll save that stuff for the memories Happy birthday you bloody legend

Matthew Casey (he/him)

Culture : Poetry / Q+A with Harper Finn

Q+A with Harper Finn It’s the last 3 minutes before the countdown, you’re at R&V and you hear an electronic cover of Golden Horses ‘Maybe Tomorrow’ and you’re happy to see the end of the year that was 2020. That remix ended up being a fair few New Zealnaders song of the summer. This week Salient was lucky enough to talk to the artist behind the song — Harper Finn. Next Friday (14 May) Harper Finn is headlining his first Wellington show with LA Women. Why did you decide to pursue music? It mainly came from all the friends I made through music and playing in bands. The feeling of traveling around with your mates in a van, playing shows in different cities everynight was hard to replicate anywhere else. I knew I wanted to do this for the rest of my life. How had being in LAKES & The Magic Band contributed to who you are as an artist now? It taught me how to work in a collective of musicians and discover what unique offering I could contribute to pieces of music. I was also able to watch over the shoulders of a lot of the older members in the band, as they used programs like Ableton which was where I learnt how to record and produce my own music.

Having your song played during the RNV countdown is pretty massive, what did that mean to you? It meant a lot. A very emotional moment. I kept it a secret from my friends, so when it started playing with minutes left to go before the end of the year, many tears were shed. Who’s in the band? It’s Kyle Svensen on Bass and keys, Elijah Whyte on drums and Jake Skellern on guitar. How would you describe your live set? Something for everyone. What can we expect from your show at Meow Friday May 14th? Songs you know, songs you don’t know. Some of the best drumming you’ll see in NZ courtesy of my drummer Elijah…It all has to be seen to be believed!

What does NZ music mean to you? It’s my musical DNA. The music I always come back to. Who would be your dream 3 acts in an NZ festival line-up? UMO, Scribe and Dragon.

Excited to tour with LA Women? Absolutely! The tour has been a long time coming, and I’m most excited to play in cities I’ve never played in, under my own name with a big group of friends.

Should it be New Zealand Music Month every month? Well I feel like it has been with the lockdown of the past several months which has been a big silver lining to it all.

Captivated by t with Hera Lind Sally Ward (she/her)

I spoke to Hera Lindsay Bird on the phone as she was walking around quiet Auckland streets. She has a project that’s been released today as part of a series by Going West Writers Festival called Different Out Loud, which is themed around the word “coastal”.’ It features the work of 5 poets: Murray Edmond, Serie Barford, Allen Curnow, Ursula Grace, and Hera. Hera Lindsay Bird is a big-dog New Zealand poet, best known for her self-titled collection of poems first published by VUW Press in 2016. You might have seen her sitting artfully in a bright yellow rain jacket on the cover. She also has been Image: Hera Lindsay Bird’s self tiled book heralded by the UK Poet Laureate, Carol Ann “Luke came up with the idea of something that Duffy, as “the most arresting and original new would have a really slow pay off like a poem. The young poet”, which is pretty cool. music video was designed to suit the poem in that way.” Hera described the project for Different Out Loud as like a “music video for poetry”. She “really enjoyed working with Luke McPake”, who Hera cited her “favourite U.S. poet”, Mark directed the video. The two are friends. I got the Ladner, describing his work as “endurance poetry”. impression that coming up with a concept to visually represent poetry was a bit of a challenge. “I’m [...] into the boring in poetry as well, like, “The trouble with only having words was that we all of my favourite poems are 10 pages long and you get to a point in the poem where you’re like thought it would be really distracting to have a I’m so bored by this poem, and then it can rescue constant montage of unrelated pictures”, Hera itself by the last couple of pages.” explained. “When I was talking about the idea with Luke, [he said] ‘yeah I wanna make something that’s really visually boring’, and I was like ‘yeah make it boring!’ I mean, I hope it’s not boring. But there’s no point having a music video without the powerful violin chorus or whatever music does to take the edge off a visual product like that.” So it seems the solution was to not overdo the visual elements, and lean into the boring as an intentional part of the storytelling.

Culture : Hera Lindsay Bird

The end result is an animated video: “a long shot of the sun going down in a video game style.” This was influenced by animated films, especially the work of Miyazaki: “[...] you know like you can see the texture of the grass and the trees and the ocean and the wind is weirdly so mesmerizing and captivating, which is a little bit of what we were talking about. Like how something that’s ostensibly boring can have this hypnotic effect when you stare at it. I could look out a train window for 12 years straight and forget to blink.”

the Boring ndsay Bird She’s “rehabilitated” an old poem for the project, and is not writing much poetry at the moment, except for one-offs. “I’m using this time when nothing is really going on to do fiction. I think it’s hard to write fiction when you’re having a really hard time. Switch to Image: Going West Writers Festival logo poetry in crisis, move back to fiction in time of boredom.” She says books about dragons instantly sell a million copies, and a graphic adaptation of Yuval “I don’t really write new poems anymore because Noah Harari’s Sapiens is doing really well in when it is all autobiographical [...] like my life sales. She added that there’s a lot of cool science is so fucking boring at the moment [...] I want writing available for a younger audience. to write in different genres. I’m saving my next poetry collection for when I’m like 50 and going “In popular science you really don’t need to through a really gruelling divorce or something.” change it that much from and adults reading level to a childrens reading level becuase Hera was overseas but returned to NZ due to children are pretty fucking smart.” COVID. She’s working in the children’s section of a bookstore in Auckland. She has been a I asked if Hera was conscious of her audience children’s bookseller for 10 years, a job she when she writes, and if she imagines an “really enjoys”. You can hear the excitement in audience. her voice when talks about recommending books to kids, and helping them find something they “They are probably just people like me”, she said. might like. “You write for the kind of reader you are, so it’s hard to tell whether you’re writing for yourself or whether you’re writing for someone who has exactly the same tastes as you.” Image: “Kiki’s Delivery Service” (1989, dir. Hayao Miyazaki) While not focusing as much on poetry, Hera is writing a children’s book and thinks that she’s “maybe [...] more hyper-aware of reader than I have been before.” “I would hate to write a kids book with an idea of what children like or don’t like, and then underestimate what people are interested in or capable of understanding.” Hera’s poem for the Different Out Loud series is out today and available to view on the Going West Writers Festival website. www.salient.org.nz

UnderWelly is here to make a mark

Interviewed by Padraig Simpson (he/him)

A sit down with a couple of members of UnderWelly, the creative group of friends using each other’s creativity to get shit done. Rappers JustD (Donell Anae) and Shaebaby (Shae Simmonds). Q1.

What is UnderWelly?

Donell:

I think UnderWelly is a way to create a platform so that all the boys can thrive in an environment where they get to do the things that they are good at. Too many of the boys get caught up in things that they have to do, like a 9-5 and shit like that. For me, it’s a way that we can put each other in a position to do what we are good at. Because everyone is good at something and has some kind of creative expression, and UnderWelly is the vessel for people to do it. It’s not just about the rapping.

Culture : UnderWelly

Q2.

Why do you guys do what you do?

Shae:

Basically, why I do it is as a form of release, ya know, I try to treat the raps as a ‘dear diary’ kind of thing. It helps me keep a peace of mind.

Donell:

There are certain kinds of experiences that I think would be a waste if they stay in my mind. Growing up liking music in New Zealand, I was listening to stuff that I couldn’t relate to, like gangster rap and stuff. So maybe to be the [inspiration] for younger islanders and Māori growing up. Make it so that they can look up to a musician who comes from where they come from, or just someone to relate to.

Q3.

What were the influences for your most recent project?

Donell:

There weren’t really any influences in terms of people inspiring us to do it, it was more so wanting to make a mark on the scene; it was just us getting sick of people not knowing who we are. So it was like this is it, we are here now. The influence was that we wanted to make an influence. I was just inspired by us putting our best foot forward and knowing that this is just the tip of the iceberg.

Shae:

The influence is also in the name of the tape too, which is summer, so that’s the vibes we are trying to bring through. With “SUMMERTIMESHINE being summer loving; “MESSAGE is party vibes, ruckus and gross; and then “HOT 4 U” is a slow burner, chilling, having a couply beers with the boys and all that.

(You Can’t Beat UnderWelly On A Good Day: Summer Pack)

Donell:

And we are from Welly so it’s just a play on the corniest lie of all time.

Shae:

The corniest.

“You cant beat Welly on a good day”

Q4.

What have you enjoyed most about this creative process?

Shae:

I guess collaboration this time round with NOÉ, that was cool bringing an old mate back in to help get some RnB vibes going. I’d say that everything was kinda done on the fly in terms of how all the songs were made. “SUMMERTIMESHINE” was actually made like two years ago, the same as “HOT 4 U” and “MESSAGE” were made in 2019 the day before I left for America. I don’t know, it all kinda came together like that. Without realising it we created a certain energy that could fit the mould of summer. On the visual side it was fun learning how to use the green screen and all that. This was definitely the funnest video to date, it was basically a party. Big shout out to Oscar, Sleeping Village for that one.

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Donell:

I guess it’s simple as, just being in the studio with the boys. Shae and I especially, anytime we are in the studio it’s just 90% jokes and laughing and like the best music has always come. So like he said, heaps of this stuff we had done a while ago. Thinking back to those sessions, especially “SUMMERTIMESHINE”, because that was so early on for me when Shae told me to jump on board and start taking this shit seriously. At the time it was only the third or fourth verse that I had written and it hasn’t changed. I wrote it then played it back to the boys to get their reaction, then Shae and Ru are looking at me like “Yo! What the fuck! That shit is Crazy!” So that part of the process was really cool to be like, ‘yo maybe I can really do this’. Me and this guy, we have never been in an actual studio. Everything we have done has been in a spare room and for now that’s kinda how I like it, nothing too serious, just jokes and honesty. Because we have been mates for so long, if something is off we can be straight up.

Q5.

Why do you feel this platform is important?

Q6.

What do you have in the pipeline at the moment?

Donell:

Donell: In terms of importance, I kind of alluded to it earlier. Being someone who’s relatable for people in this country. I feel like we don’t try too hard to be something that we are not, we aren’t lying about shit. In that sense it’s quite a Kiwi thing to do, take the piss out of yourself and your mates, and not take it all too seriously. For young people coming up it’s important to see that we are just being ourselves. It’s quite important in that sense. Not even just for music but in general, to just be like, “yo this is me”. I want to be able to go from being confident and then on the next verse breaking down about some emotional grief, it’s all honest. Social media is quite transparent, people can just see through things, so it’s trying to be as open and vulnerable and show that it’s all good. I’ve got younger siblings and they have to grow up in the world that we live in today, which can be pretty judgemental.

Donell:

Well the You Can’t Beat UnderWelly On A Good Day tape is part of a series that will be released to tie in with the seasons. Autumn is probably about a month away. We are currently in the process of finishing the recording and writing of that. Then Winter and Spring to round out the year. That’s the consistent releases for Donbizzy—Shae and I, then throwing out singles in-between. I have some stuff that I have been working on for over a year; an EP with Thatpaledude (Ben Gregory) who couldn’t be here today because he’s too dusty.

Shae:

Got a couple singles lined up, that’s probably how I will release them. Just scatter them here and there in between the UnderWelly tapes. That’s about it, just keep the music rolling out.

Q7.

Who is your dream kiwi colab?

Donell:

I’m gonna answer this both musically and visually. Musically, put me on a song with Lorde—if you [Lorde] somehow have a cousin that goes to Vic and they show you this, send me the stems for “Tennis Courts” me and you, game, set, match. Then visually, ridiculous but [...] imagine being a rapper that gets a video directed by Taika. If I could get a video by Taika then I think we would be on. No other artist in NZ steal that. Lorde, Taika, let me know.

Shae:

Seriously would be Flight of the Conchords, on that Taika note. I’d love to do some shit like a “Business Time” remix or something.

Donell:

“The Most Beautiful Girl (In The Room)”

Shae:

Yeah bro, Flight of the Conchords would be my dream colab because that was my favourite shit growing up. Visually, White Label. Shout out to Leo because he thinks I’m ducking him.

Culture : UnderWelly / Pub Quiz

NZ Music Month Pub Quiz 1) Which single has spent the most weeks on the NZ music charts? A) Six60 - “Don’t Forget Your Roots” B) Tiki Taane - “Always on My Mind” C) Fourmyula - “Nature” D) Fat Freddy’s Drop - “Wandering Eye” 2) Finish the line: A) “Hey, I got a lot of faith in you. I’ll stick with you kid, ________” B) “I’ve been catching feelings over you and ______” C) “How many dudes you know roll like this? How many ______” 3) New Zealand’s first US #1 hit was OMC’s “How Bizarre”, what does OMC stand for? A) Otara Millionaires Club B) Otago Music Collective C) One More Coin D) Old Mans Clothes 4 ) How many members have there ever been in the band Dragon? A) 6 B) 15 C) 32 D) 40

6) What town are the 2018 (Marlon Williams) & 2019 (Aldous Harding) APRA Silver Scroll winners from? A) Huntly B) Milton C) Whangamata D) Lyttleton 7) The band Fat Freddy’s Drop, is named after what? A) An awesome fishing spot B) The bass line in their music C) Taking LSD D) A rugby league tackle that caused concussion 8) The theme song for the famous TV show Outrageous Fortune was… A) Slice of Heaven - Dave Dobbyn & Herbs B) The Mockers - Forever Tuesday Morning C) Hello Sailor - Gutterblack D) The Beths - I’m Not Getting Excited 9) Herbs member Joe Walsh, who featured on their 1990 release Homegrown, was also a part of which famous band? A) The Smiths B) The Eagles C) The Chills D) The Beach Boys

5) Rapper JessB used to play for which sports team? 1)B-(55 weeks) , 2) A-“that’s the bottom line” (“Slice of Heaven” - Dave Dobbyn & Herbs), B-“I hope you catch them too” (“Catching Feelings” - Drax Project & Six60), C-“dudes you know flow like this?” (“Not Many” - Scribe), 3) D, 4) A, 5) A, 6) D, 7) C, 8) D, 9) A

A) Northern Mystics (Netball) B) Auckland Storm (Rugby) C) Wellington Blaze (Cricket) D) Stokes Valley Vipers (Lawn Bowls)

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Crossword: Cite Your Sauces

Sometimes you just to cram a whole bunch of theme entries into one grid.

ACROSS 1. Fashion house Vuitton (5) 4. Faced with a dilemma (2,1,6) * 9. Sharp-tongued or foul-mouthed (7) * 10. Front tooth (7) 11. 2002 Spanish-language hit with a chorus meant to sound like ‘Rapper’s Delight’ (3,7,4) * 14. Date that, surprisingly, isn’t a national holiday in Mexico (5,2,4) * 18. Master Splinter or Remy (3) 20. Palindromic hit by the palindromic band ABBA (3) 22. One performing to Cuban music, perhaps (5,6) 25. Yellow Cluedo figure (7,7) * 30. They’re opened by 12-Down (7) 31. Cross found in heraldry (7) * 32. Accompaniment to a meal found in the answers to the starred clues (9) 33. Units in introductory botany? (5)

DOWN 1. Cosmetics sometimes described as ‘ kissproof’ (9) 2. Number you haven’t bothered counting, but it’s a lot (7)

Puzzles

3. Crocodile Hunter Irwin (5) 4. Batman villain played by Uma (3) 5. French farewell (5) 6. People who worshipped the sun god Inti (5) 7. Former Presidential son-in-law Jared or playwright Tony (7) 8. Jane who is governess at Thornfield Hall (4) 12. Video game protagonist described by GLaDOS as majestic, “like an eagle, piloting a blimp” (5) 13. Settle a tab (3) 15. Word following ‘photo’ or ‘psy’ (3) 16. It gets you up in time (5) 17. ‘Let You Love Me’ singer Rita (3) 19. Lethargy (9) 21. Pouch at the front of a kilt (7) 23. ‘Atlas Shrugged’ author Rand (3) 24. Ceremonial cup (7) 26. Native of Muscat, for instance (5) 27. Follow afterwards; result from (5) 28. They’re always underfoot (5) 29. Story with a massive span, like that of Gilgamesh (4) 31. Gained a lap? (3)

Skuxdoku

Word of the Week

“Music” Te Reo Māori puoro New Zealand Sign language

Last Weeks Answers

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D Aries

Taurus

Gemini

“Player Of The Day” by SWIDT. Things have been a bit weird recently, something to do with the full moon probably. You’re in a period of realisation and I think you’re realising it’s time for change. Going for more walks will make you smile more.

“HEKAHORCY” by AP, Kamahumble. It’s Tauran season and it’s time to celebrate! Treat yourself, it’s been stressful recently but now it’s your time to shine. Not everyone will appreciate how bright you shine, but honestly go for gold regardless!

“Girl in Stilettos” by Annah Mac. Looks like you’ve been having some wack dreams recently, but don’t worry, positive dreams are coming your way. Better yet, they’re going to give you an extra boost of inspiration this week. You’re feeling lucky—maybe find a lucky cat to channel this energy, then try your luck at a scratchy.

Cancer

Leo

Virgo

“The Barrel” by Aldous Harding. You’ve overloaded yourself; think about delegating some of your tasks or asking for extra help this week. Try listening to a new podcast to refocus your energy.

“Hangi Tonight” by Dennis Marsh. Something’s telling me you’re feeling a bit of excitement in the world of love. Whether that’s platonic or romantic, fuzzy feelings are in the air. You’ve opened yourself up to receiving good energy this week, and it looks like you’re going to be your own biggest fan. Go you!

“All She Wrote” by SIX60. Last week that full moon in Scorpio made you realise your priorities, and this week is the time to put your plans into motion. Also, remember to be extra careful and conscious—it looks like you’ve been having a few too many long showers and your power bill is growing.

Libra

Scorpio

Sagittarius

“Broken Machine” by Zowie . This week for you I see dogs, a box of the purple Pals, and something to do with the plumbing in your flat. I also think it’s time to try new things. I know it’s easy to cook the same four things each week, but you gotta branch out every once and while. Try adding more spices!

“(Glad I’m) Not a Kennedy” by Shona Laing. Time to let go of anything that’s stressing you out too much. You can share your problems; you don’t have to battle all this alone. You’re strong by yourself, but even more powerful with your community beside you.

“For Today” by Netherworld Dancing Toys. You’re going good and it looks like recent changes have been positive, whether it’s a new degree or a new fragrance. It’s working. Keep diving into the new—downloading a dating app could do wonders, just take a chance.

Capricorn

Aquarius

Pisces

“Sway” by Bic Runga. Chill out! Listen to 90s soft rock and write a pros and cons list. With assignments happening all around you, there’s a need to relax; you don’t want to be burnt out before the exam period.

“Plain” by BENEE, ft Lily Allen & Flo Milli. You’re an Aquarius, and you are O-RIG-IN-AL. No one can do you better than you! Make sure you don’t forget that this week, because there may be challenges in needing to conform. Stay true to yourself, there’s no need to change.

“Life in Sunshine” by Jamie McDell. Jamie McDell huh? Hmmm, looks like you’ve been stuck on hold with Studylink; I’m here to tell you it’s time to hang up. Something is holding you back from having fun and spending time with your friends, and from what I can tell it’s not worth it. You’ve just finished that assignment—celebrate, chill, and don’t dive back in.

Horoscopes

The Team Editors

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

Design & Illustration Padraig Simpson designer@salient.org.nz

Sub Editor Jamie Clarke

News Editor

Kane Bassett news@salient.org.nz

Feature Writers Janhavi Gosavi Niva Chittock

Contributors

Kirsty Frame Anoushka Divekar Laurelei Bautista Ethan Wellington Alice Mander Mauri Ora Padraig Simpson

Chief Reporter Niva Chittock

Staff Writers Janhavi Gosavi Ronia Ibrahim Lachlan Ewing

Social Media & Web Manager Brittany Harrison

Podcast Manager

Francesa Georgia Pietkiewicz podcasts@salient.org

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Alexcea Apostolakis @yung_parched