Issue 07 – Freedom

Salient FREEDOM

Vol. 83

Issue 07

20 April 2020 1

Contents EDITORIAL.......................................................................................................................................................................................... 03 NEWS

VUWSA Elects New Academic Vice President and Education Officer....................................................................................... 06

Students Angry as Government Offers Support on Loan Basis................................................................................................. 07 Wellington Student Volunteer Army Recieves MSD Essential Funding Boost......................................................................... 08 Students Out Of Jobs as Restaurants Prepare to Close............................................................................................................. 09 Opinion................................................................................................................................................................................................. 10 In Other News...................................................................................................................................................................................... 11 FEATURES Homeward Bound................................................................................................................................................................................ 12 My Parents Got Divorced and Lindsay Lohan Lied To Me............................................................................................................ 16 CREATIVE WRITING An Autumnal Grey................................................................................................................................................................................ 18 Conversations with Normal People.................................................................................................................................................. 22 CENTREFOLD COLUMNS Going Nowhere...................................................................................................................................................................................

Liquid Knowledge..............................................................................................................................................................................

To Be Frank.........................................................................................................................................................................................

Ngāi Tauira..........................................................................................................................................................................................

PSC: One Ocean................................................................................................................................................................................

UniQ.....................................................................................................................................................................................................

VUWSA................................................................................................................................................................................................

The ‘F’ Word........................................................................................................................................................................................

POETRY REVIEWS I’m Salty I Can’t Go to the Vape Shop Freedom Reads

34 35

ARTS & CULTURE Music: Band-aid

33 ENTERTAINMENT Occupation Station Horoscopes

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24 26 27 28 29 30 31 31 32

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Editorial LAND OF THE FREE Some people are asking themselves what freedom means for the first times in their lives. Some people are concerned about the powers of the police. Some people are concerned about whether the government is accounting for them in their actions.

This is a privilege.

Who are we, two white-passing, educated, middle-class women to be talking about how freedom is a privilege, you ask? We asked ourselves the same question and haven’t come up with a good answer so we’re going to talk about the one remaining thing that makes sense in this world.

The United States of America.

You heard us.

Ok, so America as a concept makes no more sense than the government’s tertiary support package. But they do bang on about freedom quite a bit, so it only seems fair.

Freedom of speech is a pretty hot topic for the Yanks.

Freedom of speech is a particularly complicated issue for indigenous peoples too.

It’s a classic stitch up really: the ultimate sin against freedom of speech. Removing people from their language removes them from their histories, their knowledges. Knowledge is power, you see where this is going.

A lot of indigenous kids first learn about their difference through film, music, television—a lot of this content in Aotearoa being American. Because we tend to lack meaningful depictions of ourselves in New Zealand media, we cling to characters and musicians of colour in American spheres. That’s what happens when you’re removed from your own stories.

A lack of representation will not stop you from looking for yourself, and missing yourself, in the stories you consume.

filmscape was forever changed. Unlike a lot of reclamation narratives, the film wasn’t about whenua, reo, or tikanga. No, this film was about the Australian Aboriginal woman’s godgiven right to sing African American soul music.

Set in 1968, four Aboriginal women are liberated from the shackles of country music by Irish ex-pat Chris O’Dowd, the godfather of soul. No, the film is not perfect.

Representation is important.

Selected to sing soul music to American soldiers in Vietnam, the women navigate what it means to be indigenous and to be storytellers.

As African American soldiers question why they are fighting for another country’s ‘freedom’, the women confront their freedoms in ways they wouldn’t have been able to with the media that was available to them in white Australia. Through the means of black, American music, the sisters are able to start healing from their own stories lost.

Representation is important.

All of this stems from separation from land, from language, from stories, from whakapapa.

As grateful as we are to the Yanks for Otis Redding and Kendrick Lamar, a bit of Land Back would also go a long way to reclaiming our own stories—the ultimate freedom of speech.

Thanks for coming to our TED Talk.

Kirsty Frame (she/her) Rachel Trow (Kāi Tahu, Ngāti Tūwharetoa) The line “Representation is important” is lifted from Poūkahangatus by Tayi Tibble

Representation is important.

If you’re lucky though, these Americanised versions of representation can be an avenue to seeking a greater understanding of your own identity.

Take our whanaunga across the ditch in Te Whenua Moemoeā for example.

The Sapphires was released in 2012 and the indigenous

Last photo of K&R pre-lockdown.

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Protect COVID-19 yourself and others against

Cover your coughs or sneezes with tissues or your elbow Put your used tissue in the rubbish bin or in a plastic bag Wash and dry your hands often, especially after coughing or sneezing – use soap or hand sanitiser Stay away from others if you’re unwell health.govt.nz/COVID-19

COVID-19

HEALTH ADVICE 0800 358 5453

For international SIMs call +64 9 358 5453

Protect your family/wha-nau from COVID-19 (coronavirus) 04 February 2020 | HP7328

Are you stuck at home?

You should be.

Are you a sucker for punishment?

We’re not here to judge.

Salient stops for no pandemic and we need your help.

Here are our upcoming themes and prompts:

EAT THE RICH Get your pitch to us by: 21st April Lets get academic. This pandemic has resulted in a lot of bullshit ~discourse~. Let’s unpack them.

Ecofascism, banal nationalism, neoliberal colonial bullshit.

We know you BA Zoomers are already salivating. Go forth and pitch.

TŪPUNA Get your pitch to us by: 28th April We have a lot to thank our ancestors for. Of all the wholesome contentTM to come out of this lockdown, tales of reconnection with grandparents and whakapapa are arguably the sweetest.

This journey, however, is not without obstacles. A lot can happen in a generation. Tell us how you have(n’t) bridged the gap.

MUSIC Get your pitch to us by: 5th May SHIPS Music. It’s a pretty straightforward theme, right? Wrong. Music is political and personal. We want to hear all the weird and wonderful ways you experience music.

Features, creative writing, columns, quizzes, recipes, general fuckery— editor@salient.org.nz News—news@salient.org.nz Reviews– reviews@salient.org.nz Poems—poetry@salient.org.nz

Get your pitch to us by: 12th May Love is more taboo than sex.

You heard us. Touching on intimacy, love, romantic breakups, friendship breakups, and everything in between, Salient is getting sappy.

P.S. Missed out on column pitches at the start of the year? Now that the dust has settled, we have a few regular column spots up for grabs and we want to hear from you.

P.P.S. Please dear god can someone pitch us a good environmental column.

Tell us who you are, the kaupapa of your piece, and why it belongs in Salient.

SALIENT NEEDS YOU

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News

MONDAY 20 APRIL 2020

VUWSA Elects New Academic

Vice President and Education Officer ANNABEL MCCARTHY | TE WHAKATŌHEA | SHE/HER

AVP Rinaldo Strydom resigned earlier this year.

VUWSA’s Academic Vice President Rinaldo Strydom has resigned, triggering the appointment of two new executive members.

Salient, VUWSA agreed it would not be appropriate to hold a by-election at the current moment in time given the unique situation regarding COVID-19.

Former Education Officer Taylah Shuker has been promoted to Acting Academic Vice President and an interim Education Officer has been appointed by VUWSA’s Student Executive.

VUWSA President Geo Robrigado said it would be worth bringing on an interim Education Officer to lighten the Executive’s workload, however, instead of keeping the position open until an election could be held. He also explained there are no restrictions on how long an interim Officer needs to serve, making it a flexible option.

Two candidates, Max Salmon and Laura Jackson, put themselves forward to be elected interim Education Officer.

Max Salmon was eventually selected for the role after both candidates were interviewed by Executive members.

Strydom, who resigned for reasons unknown to Salient, was elected Academic Vice President in a landslide victory.

He beat two other candidates by more than 700 votes in VUWSA’s general election. In 2019, he served as VUWSA’s Education Officer.

According to VUWSA’s Constitution, when the positions of President or Vice President become vacant, the Executive can appoint from among its members an Acting President or Vice President. This person will have full voting rights and will remain in the position until a by-election can be held.

When Executive roles other than President or Vice President become vacant, the Executive can appoint an Acting Officer from outside its own members. The Acting Officer will have all responsibilities that come with the role, apart from the ability to vote at Executive meetings.

In an Executive meeting held on 27 March, attended by

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NEWS: ISSUE 07

This is not the first time members of VUWSA’s Student Executive have resigned. In 2019, Engagement Vice President Josephine Dawson and Wellbeing & Sustainability Officer Samantha Mythen both stepped down from their roles, prompting a by-election mid-way through Trimester 1.

Kimberly Mcintyre was appointed interim Wellbeing & Sustainability Officer up until the by-election, where she was narrowly beaten by Michael Turnbull. Te Puawai o te Atua Waller was elected Engagement Vice President.

Acting Academic Vice President Taylah Shuker told Salient she hopes to use her new role to push for accessible and equitable education. She said she wants to see an education system that is multicultural, inclusive, representative, and empowers young people.

“At a time where students are facing increased barriers, uncertainty and inequity in education, it is absolutely paramount that we integrate these values into the

Universities response,” she said.

Shuker has been involved in “numerous campaigns and leadership roles” in the past which she believes puts her in a good position to serve as Academic Vice President.

Interim Education Officer Max Salmon said he wants to provide the “utmost support” to students during the COVID-19 crisis during his time with VUWSA. He said this could range from resolving personal issues brought to him through to holding senior management to account.

“I want to see the University acknowledge and respond

to student issues around refunds, burnout, access to technology, and lack of engagement from university management,” he said.

“I also think that COVID-19 has also presented the opportunity for some much needed academic change in the area of examinations.”

Salmon said he has previously worked in the education space as a student rep on the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences academic board and committee. He has also worked with VUWSA in the past to advocate for academic reform.

Students Angry as Government Offers Support on Loan Basis RACHEL TROW

| KĀI TAHU, NGĀTI TŪWHARETOA

The government has released its initial COVID-19 support package for tertiary students. The package includes increasing the course-related costs cap from $1000 to $2000.

This increase in course-related costs is not a subsidy, rather it’s an increase in access to loans from the government.

The package applies only to full-time domestic students, according to the accompanying Beehive release.

For some students, the announcement highlighted existing issues with tertiary student financial support.

Reid Wicks, a VUW student told Salient that, “doubling course-related costs is both an acknowledgement that course-related costs are actually used to keep us alive, and an admission that student allowance & loan living costs aren't enough to survive on”.

VUWSA was similarly disappointed in the announcement,

According to the Studylink website, course-related costs are intended to assist full-time students under the age of 55 in paying for “study materials (eg, books, stationery, computer items)”.

stating, “students remain as the only group expected to borrow to live, and this package does not change this or alleviate current hardship. In our eyes, increasing student debt is not a solution”.

The loan is not intended to cover living costs, something many students are currently struggling to cover.

Greens at Vic Co-Convenor, Maddi Rowe, expressed the organisation’s official position to Salient last week stating,

Isabella Lenihan-Ikin, President of the New Zealand University Students’ Association (NZUSA) stated in a press release that, “not only does the increase in course-related costs force students to take on additional debt, students are unable to put course-related costs towards rent and food costs, despite these being the main areas of student hardship”.

“The tertiary packages just released by the [government] are not substantially supportive for students and provide only more room to accrue more debt. Proper student support for students would look like universalised student allowances and rent controls.”

According to reporting from Critic - Te Arohi, “NZUSA, claim to have been literally ignored in the development of the package”.

The majority of student and representative responses to the government’s announcement have been negative.

VUW student Helza said, “[the government’s] response

is bullshit. They can shell out billions to keep businesses and employees afloat but can’t spare 100m to support students?”.

As a part of the announcement, Education Minister Chris Hipkins stated that “The Government wants to give certainty to students as soon as possible that they can continue to be engaged in their education and will be supported adequately until such time that tertiary education providers can put in place alternative ways of delivering teaching and learning” Other aspects of the announcement include continuing “support payments for students unable to study on-line for up to 8 weeks” and ensuring that students whose courses have not been able to continue online due to the lockdown “will not have their entitlements to Fees Free tertiary study” impacted.

NEWS: ISSUE 07

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Wellington Student Volunteer Army

Receives MSD Essential Funding Boost TE AOREWA ROLLESTON | NGĀTI RANGINUI, NGĀI TE RANGI | SHE/HER

The Wellington Student Volunteer Army has received a valued top-up in funds from the Ministry for Social Development, adding up to almost $8000.

The Minister for Social Development Hon Carmel Sepuloni, released an essential grants top-up for community initiatives and NGO’s totalling almost 2 million so far, under the proposed ‘Community awareness and preparedness’ grants scheme.

The funding has been sent out across 11 regions over Aotearoa.

WSVA organiser, Marlon Drake said, “We whipped up an application looking purely at what we had already been spending money on and based on that what we would need to spend money on later on.”

“Between Joanna and Tam (Tamatha Paul), they did a fantastic application for MSD.” “What it shows is that the government is actually willing to trust local organisations to do the work that we know best how to do.”

“The government has been doing a fantastic job of managing the crisis but also recognises that there are people in communities already doing amazing work, I think [it] is a really powerful thing.”

Drake also mentioned: “VUWSA has been providing a lot of administrative support.”

“Joanna from VUWSA, Matt Tucker, and Michael Turnball have been really instrumental in doing this work.”

Victoria University responded to the news of the SVA and their progress by sharing a statement with the following: “The Wellington Student Volunteer Army is a student initiative and they seek support from a variety of sources.

The University does not directly fund the activities but we support the initiative and we work alongside them to provide advice and guidance if required. For example, they sought advice on how best to provide community support during the lockdown and how they might operate safely, keeping themselves safe as well as the community they wanted to serve...”

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NEWS: ISSUE 07

When asked what enhancements the funding would bring to WSVA, Drake responded: “Essentially what we’re looking at doing is maintaining what we’re doing now ie. upkeep for phones that volunteers can use, upgrading our community pantry, reimbursing for fuel costs.”

“The government has been doing a fantastic job of managing the crisis but also recognises that there are people in communities already doing amazing work, I think [it] is a really powerful thing.”

“We’ve had over a hundred requests now and connections formed between volunteers and families but also with partner organisations.”

“We have a lot of local organisations that are really looking to us to really take leadership on this and this money’s going to allow us to become a really powerful voice for community and volunteering in Wellington.”

“Every single day that we see these volunteers getting out there doing a fantastic job and every single time, we get a bit of feedback from the community, it just boosts morale so high and we cannot be more proud of all our volunteers and coordinators.”

In the announcement sent out on April 8th, the Minister explained how the grants would help to support and sustain the valued work being done by community groundworkers during the lockdown period and to assist those most vulnerable to the COVID-19 virus.

Minister Sepuloni said “Social services from large organisations to smaller community groups are critical to wellbeing and helping people cope through this unprecedented time.”

“It’s clear that our smaller community groups, and individuals in the community, are just as committed to easing the impact of COVID-19 on our vulnerable as our larger groups —and they are often well placed to help ensure support flows into the community quickly.”

Students Out of Jobs as

Restaurants Prepare to Close FINN BLACKWELL | HE/HIM

Almost 400 restaurants across Wellington may face closure as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, risking many student jobs in the process.

Maura Rigby, owner of Little Beer Quarter in Wellington City and Beach Babylon in Oriental bay, told Stuff "The restaurant association's recent survey estimates that a fifth of their members are considering closing their businesses for good, or believe the crisis will put them out of business."

Many students support themselves financially by working in Wellington bars, restaurants and cafes. The foreseeable mass-closures of these establishments will see many students out of work.

Salient spoke with two students who have both been affected by these closures.

“The whole period before closing felt quite surreal so I can’t quite pinpoint a moment where I knew we would close,” commented a Wellington student bartender.

Another student working in the hospitality industry remarked: “Our work is fortunate enough to qualify for the government package so everyone’s currently being paid a portion of our average weekly salary, enough to pay rent and groceries pretty much.”

VUW also has a hardship fund available for students affected

by COVID-19 that has recently been expanded to pay out

twice weekly via direct credit. However, there is some confusion as to whether or not international students are able to access this in its entirety.

“I am on a working holiday visa, so I do not have any family here to go and live with during quarantine, meaning I would still be expected to pay my full rent.”

“Family offered to help but with this pandemic being worldwide my parents business is also being hugely affected.” commented the student.

“At the same time we all knew it was coming and it came as no surprise to anyone in my team.”

“It’s difficult losing routine and only having contact with the people in your bubble, but I just remind myself that we’re all in the same position.”

The government’s wage subsidy allows businesses to pay employees that are unable to come into work because Ministry of Health guidelines recommend they stay at home, or who can't work from home.

With the widespread impact of this crisis, some students have opted to resign from their jobs in order to travel back to their families in various parts of the country, leaving some businesses (that remain open) lacking in staff.

Casual employees are eligible for this fund at a full-time rate if they work more than twenty hours on average annually, if not they are still eligible for the fund, only at a part-time rate.

However, as this is centred around the employee’s hours at the time of lockdown, those who have lost their jobs as a result of business closure won’t be eligible for this grant and will either need to find new employment or look into the governments, or University’s, hardship fund.

“I believe it to be devastating...the amount of businesses that have had to sadly close during this difficult time.” stated another student “This being said the only way to isolate sufficiently and quickly was to prevent large amounts of people socialising in the same space.”

“...those who have lost their jobs as a result of business closure won’t be eligible for this grant” “You can only be so prepared for something as unprecedented as this pandemic has come to be. So I’m super grateful for what I have and the position I am in now, being able to pay rent and thus, survive.”

While some students have found new jobs in essential services (such as supermarkets), others will turn to their student loans or the government/University in order to keep themselves afloat during these turbulent times.

NEWS: ISSUE 07

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Opinion Media, We Need You ETHAN GRIFFITHS

At a time when the opposition is more useless than a blind interior decorator, and seemingly focuses more on dog whistling than any substantive work, the media plays one of the most important roles in the country: making sure our politicians and state sector workers aren’t fucking around and exploiting their power. Right now the government is exercising more power than it ever has in our history, and the one industry that is supposed to hold them to account is collapsing at their feet.

For months now, the media industry in New Zealand has been in a state of constant concern.

In October last year, Mediaworks, the owners of Three and a radio empire consisting of stations like The Edge, The Rock and MagicTalk, scaled back a huge amount of its local TV content. They then announced they were putting Three up for sale, and selling its entire complex in central Auckland.

NZME, the owners of the New Zealand Herald and their own network of stations including ZM, Newstalk ZB and

Hauraki, began turning the volume up on their concerns too, reporting a $165 million dollar loss and worrying that there simply wasn’t enough money in the industry to stay afloat.

A few months prior they’d tried to merge with their largest competitor Stuff, which was overruled by the commerce commission.

With the situation already looking dire, COVID-19 turned up and smacked everything for six right out the front gates of the Basin. Almost two weeks ago, we saw the first major casualty of the crisis within the media, with the closure of Radio Sport. NZME came out at 10am one morning and said that in three hours, the station would stop broadcasting for good. Hosts didn’t even have the chance to sign off to their loyal listeners of over 20 years. It wasn’t just NZME dealing with the consequences of the lack of advertising revenue either. Over the road, Mediaworks asked all of their staff to take a 20% pay cut and advised them to use annual leave they hadn’t even earnt yet. Stuff responded similarly, asking all of their staff earning over 50k to take a 15% cut too.

But the closure of the country’s only dedicated sports platform and a few salary cuts had nothing on the fall of our largest magazine publisher. On April 2nd, Bauer Media completely shut up shop in NZ. The publishers of iconic titles like the Woman’s Weekly, North & South, and The Listener immediately made all their 230 staff redundant and ceased publication of all of their titles.

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Through all of this, the government’s lips have remained stiffer than the lifeless bodies of the companies their inaction resulted in the death of. Broadcasting Minister Kris Faafoi, a former journalist himself, and seen as one of the most competent figures in the government, has hinted at a package for struggling media companies, but has so far come up with nothing, and seemingly doesn’t seem to be too concerned about the crisis. Rumours even swirled that Bauer offered to keep NZ’s most historic magazines alive by selling the government their magazine catalogue for only a dollar, which was reportedly rejected.

“TVNZ boss Kevin Kenrick didn’t

say much except for a few (very decent) swipes at Simon Bridges.”

Last week we saw the leaders of every major media company in the country front the dedicated select committee being run on Zoom, which is running in place of normal Parliament sittings. Stuff CEO Sinead Boucher told MPs it was an “existential crisis” for the media, NZME revealed it had suffered a 50% loss in revenue in the last month alone, and state-owned TVNZ boss Kevin Kenrick didn’t say much except for a few (very decent) swipes at Simon Bridges. But the government? They might as well be lounging in the sun at a resort in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Their silence is deafening.

By this time next year, we could be left with two state-owned media companies; RNZ and TVNZ, leaving thousands out of work, but also sparking newfound confidence for our people in power to do a shitload of things they otherwise wouldn’t.

Who was in power last time we had only state-owned media?

Robert Muldoon. We all know how that administration worked out.

The Fourth Estate is one of the most important concepts in our democracy. It’s fundamental to ensuring the legitimacy and integrity of our system, as well as demonstrating the frequent ignorance and ineptitude of those people running it, and the government’s silence speaks volumes about its valuation of the industry. The reality is, without our private media, we may as well stab the arteries of our lauded democracy right away. It’s fucked regardless.

In Other News ŌWHIRO BAY HIT BY 6M WAVES

ACTIVISM CAMP SHUT DOWN

PRAISE GIVEN TO NZ NURSE

The South Coast of Wellington was bombarded by waves last week resulting in evacuations and rescues.

The activist demonstration site at Ōwairaka in Auckland has been closed due to Level 4 COVID-19 rules.

An NZ nurse assists British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson in COVID-19 recovery.

ALL BLACKS TAKE PAY CUT DURING THE PANDEMIC

GERMAN ENGINEERS HELPING WELLINGTON WATER

Top All Blacks player are set to take pay cuts in an attempt to help those struggling due to the pandemic.

Germany sending over engineers to help with Wellington City Council water failures amidst repatriation flights to NZ.

CYCLONE SMASHES ISLAND NATIONS Cyclone Harold cause serious damage on the islands of Vanuatu, Fiji and Tonga.

WAGE REMOVAL FOR GOVT OFFICIALS Government ministers and Chief Executives will have a wage reduction of 20% for the next 6 months

NOSTALGIA AND A FRIENDLY FACE WELCOMES BACK SCHOOL ONLINE

Back to school Govt home learning broadcast sees TV personalities Suzi Cato, Karen O’Leary, and Adam Savage join kids at home.

‘STAY’- NEW WAIATA FOR NZ INDOORS

LOW ADVERTISING, FEWER JOBS FOR NZME

New Zealand artists including Stan Walker, Anna Coddington, Hollie Smith, and L.A.B unite to sing lockdown tune ‘Stay’.

NZME plans to sack 200 employees due to expected reduction in advertising revenue.

NEWS: ISSUE 07

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Homeward Bound WORDS BY STELLA PEG CARRUTHERS | SHE/HER

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I live in a bubble without hugs or high fives. Handshakes have been outlawed for a while but when you can’t meet other people point blank, the difference between being alone and loneliness feels personal.

I live in a bubble without hugs or high fives. Handshakes have been outlawed for a while but when you can’t meet other people point blank, the difference between being alone and loneliness feels personal. Those in solo bubbles have to keep their distance from everyone. The last weeks have made me realise this acutely. Jacinda tells us to be kind but how do you practice kindness when you only have yourself to be kind to?

I clearly remember the day before the world changed. We were all anxious. Circling our computers to get the latest news. We worried rather than worked. Working at the uni library, I was a frontline observer to the rising fears. Students strode past, fast, in a state of fearful procurement. We issued piles of books to post-grads so they could continue their research from home. Staff members requested mass resource digitisations. My team took turns in supplying candy to sweeten the blow of an increasingly mad world.

Work was weird and fearful. The world, even more so. People panic-bought loo rolls, coffee, chocolate, and booze. Public places emptied out. Folks fast walked down the streets trying not to meet each other’s eyes. I smiled at strangers.

Made eye contact when I could. I knew these interactions might be all I had if a lockdown happened as it had overseas.

A self-classified introvert, I wasn’t too worried about alone time. What I was worried about was the wider effects of lockdown on the world as we know it.

one room and a laundry/ bathroom. But I have a view out over Wellington city that makes my world feel more expansive than physical space alone can create.

Pre-COVID-19 I worked part-time in a capital ‘j’ ‘Job’, spending weekday mornings at the Rankine Brown library and a few hours a week at a community centre. My afternoons were spent pursuing my side hustle as a freelance writer. In some ways my life hasn’t changed much. I just work from home all the time instead of some of the time.

While I'm alone in my bubble, I wanted to get out of my own head. I talked to other isolators, most solo bubble lifers, to compare experiences.

Both solo-isolators, Helen, a writer, and Sarah*, a young professional, mentioned how the lockdown is giving people a better way to understand their everyday reality. Both women live with chronic illness which often encompasses long periods at home as part of their normal. They agreed that the greater accessibility of services was as Helen put it “both cool and weird.”

‘‘Fuck knows when this isolation will break, but I'm gonna do so much cuddling when it does.”

An ardent RNZ girl, I was up-to-play with the politics.

Increasingly, there were reports of border controls, both here and overseas. Quarantine situations were enforced for returnees to Aotearoa. There was the rising death toll in Italy.

I also heard whispers of an economic downturn, or even recession.

I found comfort in drawing common themes from my interviews that reflected my own reality. We all considered the time to be creative as a real benefit of the lockdown.

While I’ve been working on my writing and knitting, my interviewees were also getting their ‘make’ on with colouring in, crafts, and cooking.

This was before lock-down. If anxieties were running high prior to Jacinda’s announcement on Monday 23 March, after that, the nation seemed fucking terrified. Am I terrified? No. Am I more than a little scared? Yes. While I’m not full-onfreak-out neither am I totally okay. I’m surviving right now rather than thriving

Another common concept was the idea that despite a lack of face-to-face interaction, somehow connection feels more open. That is, the connections we are having feel more authentic. They go deeper than surface questions about the usual courses and coughs. Interviewees mentioned how they are talking more to their friends during lockdown than they had done before COVID-19. I, for instance, during the first weekend of lock-down had seven (yes, seven!) scheduled Zoom calls with friends.

My version of survival means living in a solo bubble. It is also characterised by living in a tiny space, my studio bedsit with *Name has been changed

FEATURE: HOMEWARD BOUND

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“Lockdown has reminded me of the difference between being alone and feeling lonely.”

Human connection is super important to a sense of wellbeing. Solo isolators find themselves missing human touch. Emma, isolating with flatmates she met the day before lockdown, said ‘‘Fuck knows when this isolation will break, but I'm gonna do so much cuddling when it does.”

Cuddling aside, a common theme was valuing community more. I found this surprising considering how we’re all shut up in our houses. Is it the value of what we no longer have? Or, is it a realisation of the various forms a sense of community can take? As a part-time community worker, I've been helping set up a range of virtual connection tools.

Drawing on this experience, I see the community as still being present, just in a different way. We work hard to forge connections through digital means. While folks may be alone there are ways out there to help them feel less lonely.

Are there advantages to lockdown? As the students of a city long associated with high living costs, we’re all saving a shitload of money. Spending on consumables such as coffee and clothes has evaporated. We might still be paying rent and bills and buying groceries, but the discretionary parts of our budgets have been blown open. Is a perk of the lockdown one of financial savings? Maybe. Is it good for the environment? Kinda. However, many students work selling consumables so their income sources dried up overnight.

They might now have less costs, but they also have less money coming in.

We are also saving physical energy and that much discussed commodity—time. Commuting between bed and the kitchen table is far less arduous than braving the streets. It’s also a hell of a lot quicker. The movement restriction rules of the lockdown seems to nicely symbolise our sudden lack of personal choice. We’ve lost the freedom to go about the daily patterns of our lives.

While we may be gaining dollars and time, I'm concerned with how we account for our days. My appetite and energy level fluctuations have had me setting weird hours. I’m

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WORDS BY STELLA PEG CARRUTHERS

starving one minute. Nauseous the next. Exhausted one hour. Then lacing up my sneakers for a run because I’m full of this weird frenetic energy that I need to release.

A bonus of living in a solo bubble is being able to manage these fluctuations your way. As Helen says, “If you can’t sleep you can watch TV at 3AM and not disturb anyone else.”

This ability to own a space, when so many of our freedoms have been restricted, is a freedom I cherish. It is the ability to attend to your emotional patterns as and when you see fit.

This is a storm of sickness. It is one of social restriction and limited freedoms. It is one of emotionally-charged weathers.

Self-care. It’s a ‘Thing’, according to Pinterest and pop psychology. Self-care is supposed to help weather these storms. Well, we’re in one hell of a storm right now. But not the climate change induced one we all thought would be our next biggest challenge.

The social climate right now is one of communal grief.

People miss people. I met a guy online recently. By now we’d normally be at the coffee date stage. In lock-down we’re instead telling each other deep and meaningfuls. We talk about what we miss. I miss the freedom of walking the city.

He misses going out to events. Our missing is mutual but I still feel lonely. We don’t know when we’ll be able to meet and walk and event-go again. Emma also misses being able to go out to places of wider social contact such as theatre shows. I too miss these communal places where we’re together, but not.

Emma mentioned missing casual connections, “Shoulders rubbed on The Quay. Smiles with passers-by”. Social distancing is never more obvious than when I’m on my daily walk. It is when I see the bubbled folks out walking together that I really start to miss pre-COVID life. I give these groups a wide berth, adhering to the 2 metre guide. This act of avoidance feels emotionally difficult because what I really want is to be with people I care about. And I can’t be. Sarah* said she even misses work for the small social interactions.

We still have casual greetings, but it’s different now.

“We all say ‘hi’, as we run across the street away from [each other]”, Helen told me. We may greet each other but there is often anxiety underlying our interactions.

Emma said she was concerned with the increased police presence and actions taken by the public regarding lockdown rules. Narking on strangers feels like a worry for our future society. These fear based actions build on having hostility towards people you don’t know. This mindset feels like something bigger and badder than we’d like to think is happening.

There are enough bad thoughts going around. We worry about ourselves, others, and the wider world. We regret saying no to past social invitations when now all we want, is to, as Emma put it, “go the fuck out”.

By being forced to stay in we are also worrying about how we do spend our time.

In the media we hear about how much time we have gained.

It’s true that we’ve gained time against the virus. But there is so much we feel we have to do. Keep up with the news.

Look after ourselves. Try to earn money from home. Deal with financial worry if we can’t. Adding to the worry is that we aren’t using our time well. We’re not learning how to speak Spanish or getting super ripped or mastering the art of sourdough. A bigger worry is that we are not supporting our loved ones enough. Because if we are feeling lonely then they must be too.

Lockdown has reminded me of the difference between being alone and feeling lonely. Alone tends to be associated with the physical space, whereas loneliness is more mental.

The majority of these things are not about being alone but about a lack of connection. Andrea adds that “You can have thousands of people around but still feel lonely”.

Emotional isolation is the underlying danger of social isolation. We can deal with physical isolation for a few weeks.

However, as a social species, we need to connect with other people to feel ok.

The virtual world is full of jokey memes about the current COVID-19 situation. Most have been made to try and make people feel better about a bad situation. Some are funny. But some brush off other’s experiences for the sake of a laugh.

Others don’t seem to consider varying situations and points of view.

Tasteless memes aside, I applaud those using creativity to support themselves and help others during lock-down. To me, creativity characterises a spirit of generosity towards a wider humanity. It also fills in time. Writing this article is an act of creative generosity on my part. It has certainly filled in some empty hours and provided exercise for my imagination.

It has also felt like a way to reach out to others from my solo bubble and connect.

Connecting through writing has added value and meaning to my daily routines in solo lock-down. With no physical people to talk to, I find myself conversing reflectively with myself.

My words have served as a space for self-expression when I’ve been socially isolated. In a wider sense, I see creativity as giving us imaginative freedom even when our physical liberties have been restricted for the greater good. I urge you to take this idea of making things and put it into practice.

Make the decision to, as the FB frame says: “Stay the fuck at home”.

Both Helen and Andrea speak of how loneliness is about not feeling seen, heard and valued. Helen says that to her “Loneliness is a number of things smashed into one word”.

FEATURE: HOMEWARD BOUND

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My Parents Got Divorced and

Lindsay Lohan Lied To Me WORDS BY ROSA MAIN | SHE/HER

It was 2006. Donald Trump was a creep and a pandemic was looming. Oh, how times have changed. 2006 was also the year my parents told me they were separating. I didn’t care because I was seven and concerned only with ensuring my younger sister had less than half of whatever we were sharing. The only thing which sought to constrain my epic ascent into year two was my family’s burdensome fortnightly weekend custody arrangement.

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My dad emerged from my parent’s relationship a newly singled man in his mid-forties. He tried his best to entertain us over the years through many blended families and macaroni and cheese dinners, but every time his weekend with us rolled around I would feign illness and beg my Mum to let me stay home.

Our obligatory visits made me feel powerless. I was too young to throw in my two cents on this judge-mandated arrangement, in which my sister and I were bounced from the familiarity of Mum’s home to Dad’s interior-decorator girlfriend’s place. I felt like a child in the 60’s who was expected to be seen but not heard—quiet, well-behaved, and obliging.

Unsure if I was alone in these feelings I asked my friend Isabelle about her experiences as a child of divorced parents. “I used to hate going [to my Dad’s], but now I’m really glad I was forced to go because I got to do things I never would’ve with my Mum,” Isabelle explained. When she was at her Dad’s she spent time with her large Korean family who had recently emigrated to New Zealand and “weirdly loved the outdoors”.

“It gave me a taste of being part of a huge family. There were nine of us living together and we needed to take two vans for transportation”. Through their oftentimes reckless exploration of New Zealand’s wilderness, she said, “it was honestly a miracle that none of us ever had to be rescued by the New Zealand Land Search and Rescue department”.

While I shared Isabelle’s hostility towards these visits, I often took more dramatic measures to evade them. On one particularly cunning occasion, I even saw my dad in the carpark waiting to pick me up from school and thought to myself, “not today papa!”. I grabbed my sister and walked to my Mum’s work down the road instead. This plan backfired quickly as my Mum wasn’t even at work that day. Her coworkers looked confused at the two beady-eyed sprogs staring over the front desk. My Dad ended up walking in moments later, having exhausted all two options of where his progeny may have been (here, or at my Mum’s house), and I attempted to act puzzled as to how I may have confused his weekend with my Mum’s.

Nothing made me feel more helpless than the family trips he would take us on. Well, maybe the time I was accidentally flashed by one of his girlfriends coming out of the shower.

Taken aback by her prune-like labia and horribly augmented breasts, she then informed me that “this is what you have to look forward to when you turn 50, sweetie”; a direct quote I have never managed to banish from my thoughts.

Pressing forward, on one of these trips we went over to the Gold Coast. I had recently been dumped with a bag of Abercrombie and Fitch hand-me downs from a cousin and was excited to debut some truly criminal outfits on the Surfers Paradise boulevard.

One evening my dad had plans to meet up with another divorced single father who everyone inexplicably referred

to as ‘Perk’ and go out for the evening. Under ordinary circumstances, he would happily have left my sister and I to heat up our own cheese frankfurters in the microwave.

But this was 2007. Madeleine McCann was allegedly snatched from her hotel room, just a few weeks prior. So my Dad diligently sought out a nanny advertised on a flyer at the Turtle Bay Beach Resort bulletin board to look after us for the evening.

What arrived was a cranky woman in her 70’s who had about as much affinity for children as I do for COVID-19. Even though I was nine years old, she forced us into bed at about 6pm while we could still hear the Italian family outside splashing around, and proceeded to blast Law and Order on the hotel television. Thankfully, when I awoke the next day the old witch was gone, and my Mum was delivered two, mostly healthy, albeit scurvied children. I would never again take for granted my unfettered internet access at home.

Another compulsory family trip I often made was up to our family bach at Pakiri beach. My Dad would fill it with his friends over the New Year period, and often subject to the old proverb, ‘respect your elders’ us tweens would be relegated to the outside. One summer, Dad set up a canvas army tent in the backyard in which I was to sleep that looked like it was used in the Civil War. I have endured a paralyzing fear of the dark ever since. I had just turned nine and started reading urban myths on the internet. The idea of sleeping alone, outside, in a desolate rural backyard was almost enough to make me call child protective services on my Dad. I spoke to my friend Frankie about her obliging single dad experiences and was heartened to learn that they are to some extent universal. “Dad would tell us he was taking us out for lunch at Prego. Me and Gigi were so excited that we were getting carbonara, but when we arrived it wasn’t just a special father daughter lunch. One time he had seven of his friends roll through and pull out cigars, and hit on waitresses,” she explained.

Frankie reflects on her and Gigi looking so out of place with their cute gap teeth and Jay Jay’s Fedoras. “They would only acknowledge us by commenting on how much we had grown or teaching us how to shake hands like a real man”.

To be fair, Frankie does have one of the most respectable handshakes I’ve come across.

As I grew older, Dad began to respect my independence, and empower me with the freedom to dictate the terms of our relationship. I’m grateful that I even have a Dad, especially one who could stand to hang out with two tween-age girls.

They suck. I have learnt that family is a constant negotiation.

When you are young maybe you expect too much of your parents. Maybe watching Dennis Quaid in The Parent Trap has given me a warped perception of what the perfect Dad is supposed to be like. These childhood experiences have actually hardened me against the world and made me eternally grateful for the freedoms afforded to me at my Mum’s house like being able to say ‘shut up’ if I was singing it in a song and eating an entire packet of animal biscuits on Sunday after we hit the supermarket.

FEATURE: MY PARENTS GOT DIVORCED AND LINDSAY LOHAN LIED TO ME

17

An Autumnal Grey WORDS BY NIVA CHITTOCK | SHE/HER

The weekend that the pandemic storm broke on Aotearoa, I was sheltering in a small country town, in the heart of Southland, safe from the onslaught of public health updates.

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A few days earlier, I had woken to the news that my grandfather had passed away. This is how I came to be stood in the piercing cold, as the sheepskin was hauled to the side and Grandad was laid to rest in a grassy cemetery just out of town.

Layers of character building are personified in old yearbooks; teddy bears from another lifetime and a few coats left in the attic. I have the essentials with me. My values are intact, solidified by the few belongings I hold here. But I’ve become clouded.

By the time Sunday evening rolled round, my father began to gently slip back into his business exterior. Being a Civil Defence controller, he always knows more than most. He began to ask about where I would want to be if the alert levels were to rise. It was decided I’d go back to Wellington.

How do you explain to your family that you don’t have the same opinions, the same mannerisms, the same clothes anymore? How do you illustrate this when you don’t even have the freedom to choose your clothes in the morning?

My current self is roughed up under their microscope, doubt creeping to the forefront of today’s mind.

Monday dawned subdued. A pale sun gazed softly across layers of cloud and hill as we drove back to Dunedin Airport.

Due to the hastily booked flights, I had a six-hour stopover in Christchurch. Little did I know that this would turn out to be the end of the road.

While a lot of us seemed to watch or listen to the announcement live or receive rushed phone calls from frantic loved ones, I remained blissfully unaware of the rising stress. Soaring through the clouds, I was 29,000 feet above Central Otago’s thyme-filled ranges, admiring the sun’s patterns on the surface of the sea when the lockdown was declared.

Upon touch down, blue gloved air hostesses smiled placidly like normal. In contrast, the airport had this underlying tension resting in the terminal. It was a current running through the carpet, reminding you not to be too relaxed.

For the first time, I realised my freedoms were resting on a knife-edge.

An hour later, I’d cancelled the rest of the flight, headed instead to my parent’s house. And that’s how I showed up —standing on the Kia Ora doormat, with the clothes on my back and my former self staring at me from a high school fridge magnet.

I am now stuck self-isolating back here, in Ōtautahi. I have one pair of pants, a sibling's old room, and a borrowed backpack from my flatmate with a few essentials.

When I left Wellington, cases were still in the twenties, everyone was mourning the cancellation of Homegrown and life was pretty much functioning like normal. I feel like I missed the boat on the whole ‘panic period’.

Since then, I’ve been here, balancing respect with independence. Our traditional freedoms have been reduced. That everyone knows. But the freedom I’ve found most challenging to deal with is a personal one: the freedom to remain myself.

While this used to be home, it’s lost its touch now. My room is no longer mine. The spare room is no longer spare. Although I am an adult, classified both by law and societal norms, here I don’t feel that. I’m stuck in the teenage daughter mould, not quite fitting anymore, but still adhering to the ‘you’ll do’ attitude of this bubble.

I struggle with the subconscious assimilation of these people. These people who have known me since birth, these people who raised me. But I don’t want to regress back to a former version of myself. I cannot. That is no longer ‘me’.

These points of contention rattle inside, my face struggling to mask the strained harshness in my voice.

But this is not my space; I don’t set the rules. This is my parent’s domain. Respect is a big deal here. I have to change my ways, whether I like it or not. Because you have to remember not to wear just socks. And you have to remember to put the news on at six. And you have to remember to set the table and to walk the dogs and to say ‘yes Mother’.

Because here, being the eldest still has a role model clause attached.

The younger one regards me with a strange mixture of eager fondness and vulnerability in their eyes and I don’t know where to look.

Because here, two winds are always blowing.

The nor’wester that spurred me on as I grew, blowing air into the sails of future endeavours. It flowed through the long hair caught in a bike helmet to school and home again. It pushed the clouds to make the arch of a warm summer evening, and it gave a listless adolescence the establishing spark of energy.

And now there’s the competing wind of a fuller life with direction, getting under my feathers and enticing me to fly.

There’s an intensity in the salty sea air that pummels into your back. It scatters overcast days across the hills and shakes you. It’s a challenge that whistles through, tearing at your sleeve to ask ‘who are you?’

Amidst these winds of change, I’ve found comfort in another grey area. Contentment, perhaps. It’s up in the everchanging skies that bring the first rush of winter and the last stretch of summer. It’s in the leaves that catch flame and those wispy evenings that make your cheeks flush.

Even in borrowed clothes, with a muddled sense of self and a smile stretched thin, an addled season wraps me tight in their arms. Autumn understands being stuck in the middle more than most of us ever will.

CREATIVE WRITING: AN AUTUMNAL GREY

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DEME (TE ATAWHAI) SCOTT-MCGREGOR, HOME SOMEWHERE FOR SOMEONE, PHOTOGRAPH, 2018 21

Conversations with Normal People A Short Story WORDS BY SALLY WARD | SHE/HER

The sunlight floated across the floor like yellow dishwashing liquid. Brittany had been sitting in the same chair for two hours. It was that kind of chair. She had been given it when her grandparents were downsizing. It was the fanciest bit of furniture in her room. A ‘mid-century’ piece with a wooden frame and olive green upholstery. She had sat down to let her nail polish dry. Recently she had been painting them black to get in touch with her edgy side.

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Sally appeared at the door.

Do you want tea?

Yes please, Brittany said.

Gumboot?

Brittany heard the kettle tick in the kitchen. She hadn’t realised how thirsty she was. And she liked the way Sally made tea. Not too much milk, although it was always too hot to drink.

Brittany’s perception of time had changed. Instead of the days being measured by bus timetables, days were measured in cups of tea. Memories of childhood kept playing in a supercut of youth. She remembered time stretched out like playdough, how long the hours had seemed between marmite toast and naptime. Older people who know things are always telling you what to do and what you’re supposed to eat. When she was 16, it had come out at the dinner table that her mum used to lie about the time to trick her into bed at 7pm. That was before she learned to read analogue clocks.

Yesterday they had all sat on the couch speculating that this was actually a drug trip because that would explain why Brittany could sit on the floor watching her basil plants grow and had started saying goodnight to them before bed. And why Niccola had dressed up as David Bowie on Tuesday.

Hannah had been drawing pictures of pineapples robbing banks of all the $5 notes.

Sally came back with the tea, splashing it on the carpet but pretending not to notice. It was only endearing because the carpet didn’t show stains. Brittany burned her tongue.

Sally had put shoes on. Should we go for a walk soon?

Brittany thought about it for a second. She wasn’t ready to leave the chair but Sally had put her shoes on so it wasn’t really a question. They went out of the house for the first and only time that day, turning left up Levy St. How are you?

I can’t believe I got tricked into going to bed at 7pm. Maybe it’s time to tell mum that I used to wet my toothbrush and put it back in the jar without brushing my teeth. I hated that toothpaste. Do you think she knew?

Sally looked relieved. It was comforting to talk about something other than the news. They were noticing the teddy bears in the window and the barely legible works of art on the concrete. Someone, presumably a small person, had drawn a hopscotch outline in multi-coloured chalk. They took turns hopping around until Sally lost her balance from giggling.

We need to put a teddy bear in our window.

They had both left their teddy bears in boxes at their parent’s houses. The ones that had survived the teddy bear exodus of their teens. Suddenly those teddy bears seemed more important than their wallets.

I mean I like having sex and you can’t do that as a child. And I didn’t like broccoli and I like broccoli now but only because I chose to.

We can’t have sex.

Dark, self-deprecating laughter fell onto the concrete.

They stopped talking altogether to listen to the birds. Sally couldn’t work out if the birds had always been there, or if there were usually too many cars to notice them.

They walked back inside and Brittany started making tea.

Sally was trying to fix the paper jam in the printer so they could stick up a picture of Paddington Bear. She was muttering about the stupidity of it; it had always been a piece of shit. Once she calmed down, she eased the crunched up mess out, but then the wifi didn’t connect so she gave up.

Sally remembered collecting a pile of ballerina costumes and attacking them with a plastic iron in the front room of her kindergarten. It had been sunny there, too. She wished she could shake her little self and tell her not to give into the patriarchy, even if it was make believe.

That’s how it starts, kid.

You play a make-believe woman until you can’t remember the game and you’ve become so good at ironing that your brother asks you to iron his shirt because you’re better at it anyway.

Sally went into the laundry and turned on the iron, checking the water and licking her finger to make sure it sizzled when she pressed it against the element. She started on a bunch of tea towels, they smelt of fresh air and sunlight and eucalyptus. Normally, she would not iron tea towels. She had read that ironed tea towels were more absorbent. They were starchy colours, with irremovable cocoa and coffee and red wine stains.

It did not matter how long she stood there, barefoot on the tiles, blowing loose bits of hair out of her face because time did not matter. The less she thought about it, the faster it went. She started folding the tea towels into clean rectangles and admiring their individuality. She moved too quickly and burned the outside of her hand on the iron, realising she should have turned it off before. That was the trouble with real irons.

Are you ok? Britt said.

Yeah, I’m ok.

Do you think we had more freedom as children?

Sally laughed.

CREATIVE WRITING: CONVERSATIONS WITH NORMAL PEOPLE

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Going Nowhere VIC BELL | KĀI TAHU | SHE/HER

RECIPES TO DEPRESS I have found a lot of freedom in my little kitchen during the lockdown. Cooking from different cultures allows me to travel the world, inherited recipes take me back to memories from my childhood, and comfort foods cheer me up when I feel a bit depressed from being inside all day. Food can even help

you travel through time. With the help of my Nan, let us visit the 1930s through food. These are recipes to impress and depress your dinner party guests (once you’re eventually allowed them).

FRIED LIVER

My father is a gentle soul. He has never raised a hand to me, and rarely raises his voice. But when I suggested we all have this recipe for dinner his reaction was what I can only describe as violent. Mum said she’d rather eat her own liver.

For dinner every night, my Nan’s father killed a sheep. It was back to back mutton—“roasted, boiled, cured, fried, cold”, Nan reminisces. And no part went to waste.

Heat oven to 200 degrees celsius. Chop potatoes into chunks, cover with fat. Bake for 20 minutes. Thinly slice the liver. Soak in milk (omfg why), then roll in flour. Fry chopped onions in a greasy pan. Add liver. Fry. In a separate pot, boil the ever-living shit out of your cabbage or silverbeet.

Serves 15.

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•

Liver

•

Potatoes

Review: 2/10

•

Milk

•

•

Flour

Cabbage or silverbeet

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Lard or butter

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Nutmeg (nah just kidding)

•

Onions

My cooking skills are excellent. I truly applied myself to this dish. I caramelised the onions and confited the potatoes. I ensured the flour was well seasoned when I lovingly rolled my milky liver in it. I steamed the silverbeet with the gentle hand of a nervous mother. A good workman never blames his tools. Unless the tool is liver. Then you can blame the liver.

It was inedible—strong, gamey, muscly, and the same solid texture the whole way through. I ate the vegetables and left the table ravenous.

ISSUE 07: COLUMNS

SOP

Nan fondly remembers ‘sop’. This seems to be something of her mother’s own invention as I couldn’t find anything vaguely resembling it on the internet. Growing up on a farm in Ngaruawahia, access to groceries was limited. So in a pinch, when her mother ran out of rolled oats for porridge, this was the Frankenstein’s monster that was served.

Serves 1.

Review: 1/10

•

2 slices of bread

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Nutmeg

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Hot milk to cover

•

Sprinkle of sugar

VERMICELLI PUDDING

I expected underdone French toast but in a good way. What I got instead was an inedible mass of swollen, brown bread, lukewarm milk, and overpowering nutmeg that smelt like a sweaty armpit. I’ve only given it a 1 as a concession that I made it wrong—should have used white bread and way less nutmeg. But I would not recommend this to my worst enemy.

Just have toast.

When my Nan listed off a variety of puddings her mother would prepare, one stood out. Vermicelli Pudding. Wondering what business a Pākehā family had eating rice noodles in King Country in the 1930s, I warily bought vermicelli at the supermarket. Only to get home and find out vermicelli back then referred to angel hair pasta. Returning from another slow COVID-19 supermarket shop, I was angry and hungry and the spaghetti in the cupboard had to do.

Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Break. The. Pasta. Up. (I am weeping too.) Cook as per packet instructions. In a separate bowl, whisk together milk, eggs, sugar and vanilla.

Pour drained pasta and custard mixture into a shallow baking dish and sprinkle with nutmeg. Bake until set (about 30-40 minutes).

•

250g angel hair pasta •

½ cup sugar

Serves 6.

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2 cups of milk

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1tsp vanilla

Review: 6/10

•

2 eggs

•

Fucking nutmeg

This was absolutely delicious. I couldn’t quite believe it. The custard enveloped the pasta, forming a velvety and sweet pud with an interesting texture. Old school rice pudding but made with spaghetti. Would be rated higher if it hadn’t wrecked havoc with my stomach later.

Final Thoughts Well, I have never consumed so much milk in one day in my 25 years. As most of us no longer have several cows on tap 24/7 and milk is actually kind of dear and none of you people seem to drink the damn stuff anymore, these recipes may not be super useful.

Most families today living paycheck to paycheck would kill to have unlimited access to milk, mutton, and fresh vegetables.

The refined carbohydrates once rationed are now the cheapest food on the shelves.

Food insecurity can’t be solved overnight, but at least now if you panic-bought all the pasta you know how to make dessert.

ISSUE 07: COLUMNS

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Liquid Knowledge CAITLIN HICKS | NGĀTI RANGINUI | SHE/HER

FREEDOM All I do these days is eat milo cereal dry, write to-do lists that never get done, and do the occasional squat. I’ve thought about finally reading A Little Life, or practising my french, or washing my hair, though I never do. I’ve never been freer in my life. No university, no work—no responsibility. Despite this, I also have zero energy, enthusiasm, or capacity for any activity that isn’t passively consuming an entire season of La Casa de Papel.

When I brainstormed this week’s column, I could not stop the phrase “it’s free real estate” echoing around my vacant skull. We’re a bit all over the gaff. In the spirit of freedom of choice and free will, this column is a choose-your-ownadventure.

Pick A if you shower every day, have eaten a vegetable since March 25, and watch the daily press conference out of a thirst for knowledge, not Dr Bloomfield.

Pick B if your screen time averages 16 hours a day, you watched Tiger King in one go, and you’re not sure what day it is.

A - Freedom and the ~Social Contract~ Thanks to our liberal, Westminster democracy, and the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990, we’re free to be, do and say almost anything we please, within legally-defined limits.

Nonetheless, the government has been able to shut down the country and keep us locked in our homes, our only reprieve being state-sanctioned daily exercise. The hand that giveth, can also taketh away. It’s social contract, baby.

In theory, human beings once had no government or laws, existing in what Thomas Hobbes characterised as a chaotic, “brutish” state of nature. They agreed to surrender some of their unfettered freedoms to a government, in exchange for laws which provide security and stability. Like, giving up the right to bash your enemy’s head in with a rock, in exchange

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ISSUE 07: COLUMNS

for laws that say he is also not allowed to bash you. Enter: the social contract.

By virtue of being born we agreed to live in a society with rules. But we got a pretty good deal in return: a cracking democracy, wide-ranging freedoms, safety, and security. For better or worse, you signed this contract, so stay the hell inside.

B - We’re Breaking Free Your endless consumption of #content is not useless. Pop culture, especially music, has a lot to say about freedom.

Breaking Free is a bop, but it lacks the political nuance I’m trying to get at here. Let’s trade Troybriella for hip hop, a genre where themes of freedom are rife.

The concept of freedom is frequently used by black artists with reference to their ancestry and their lived experiences.

Kendrick Lamar (the greatest lyricist of all time) alludes to freedom often, as he navigates his African American identity in contemporary America.

“Alright” became an anthem of the Black Lives Matter movement, with lyrics like “and we hate po-po/ wanna kill us dead in the streets for sure”. Lamar told NPR that while writing it, he was thinking about the history of slavery in America, and the need for healing music providing freedom from the pain of the past. Hence, “but we gon' be alright”.

In “The Blacker The Berry”, Lamar deals with racialised selfhatred and spits “reciprocation of freedom only live in your eyes” chastising white people who believe that institutional racism no longer exists. Kendrick joined forced with Beyonce for the 2016 track Freedom, which samples lyrics like “freedom, I can’t move/ freedom, cut me loose”. It’s a work about cultural violence towards black women, which “threatens to topple governments in its wake”.

Keep on keepin’ on everybody. We gon’ be alright.

To Be Frank FRANKIE DALE | SHE/HER

GOING OUT ON A RIM HERE—A CASE FOR ANAL TONGUE-PUNCHING. Rimming is something I hold dear to my heart. I am a heteronormative woman who just so happens to occasionally engage in the act of giving my sexual partner a rim job—does this make me a freak? Maybe.

The idea of a woman giving a man a ‘rimmy’ is not talked about or done enough. I am here today to help YOU understand the importance of a good rim job.

For years, I was at the receiving end—something I didn't particularly enjoy but my partner at the time seemed to hanker for. To be completely honest, the thought of my tongue having to go near a hairy butthole made me squeam. At the heart of our patriarchal, misogynist, homophobic society we have deemed rimming something no heteronormative man should be on the receiving end of. The notion that ass-play makes a heteronormative man gay is ridiculous. All men have a populous amount of nerve endings down there, so why not?

Many heterosexual boy friends of mine will deny that there is any feeling in their butt, exclaiming that they have the opposite of feeling down there. Lol okay, defensive? Maybe randomly asking boys if they like rimjobs is confronting, but then I realised—who fucking cares? The amount of times I’ve heard Dwayne or Chad talk about how much he ‘fucks’ with blowjobs is embarrassing—you don't have to enjoy rimjobs, that’s not what I’m saying at all but why can't we all enjoy the freedom of being sexually open?

I asked one of my sexiest and wokest male friends what he thought of your run of the mill rimmy. He clearly stated, “I thought you'd never ask”, which for a second had me picturing our new life together. I was quickly humbled when he said: “The new girl I’m seeing introduced them to me, I’m a big fan for sure”. Although disappointed, I was relieved that a heterosexual man could be so open about it. “Listen, boys are going to lie about this, its considered gay I suppose...but it’s really not, that’s bullshit.”

I thought to myself, if my coolest guy friend could hop on board to the freedom train, couldn’t we all?

Now, I need you to understand, I am on your side in this. I was like you for many years. It wasn't till me and my ex-boyfriend (god bless him) were at our wit’s end, trying to rekindle our seemingly ending relationship.

I remember the harsh morning sunlight, coming through the crack in the curtain, the musky smell that overwhelmed me as I moved further down. I remember thinking, how did I get here? I said to myself, this is it. This is your chance. I darted my tongue in fear. The taste was very minimal, not even noticeable. The smell was that of a very mild musk probably just due to sweating in the night. I will spare you with the details, just know it was a success. I felt unstoppable, almost like a hero. I had conquered uncharted territories and if I can do it anyone can.

I know what you're thinking—did this save our relationship?

No, it did not. The magic of the rim job did not quite save the already poisoned relationship. What it did do was open up my eyes, and hopefully his, to a whole new world of being sexually open and free and recognising that we are all human beings with nerve endings in our asses.

Whoever you are, please don't be scared of tossing the salad every now and then. Feeling comfortable with your partner is definitely the first step into this whole new world of anilingus so please be careful, and welcome to your new life of being sexually open and free.

ISSUE 07: COLUMNS

27

Ngai Tauira REN WAAKA | NGĀTI WHAKAUE, TŪHOURANGI | HE/HIM GEORGIA TARĀNI GIFFORD | NGĀI TŪHOE, NGĀTI KAHUNGUNU KI TE WAIROA, TONGAREVA HENUA | IA/IA

Freedom is a privilege Sometimes as much as it is to speak your language Sometimes it doesn’t exist where you wish it did Freedom is privilege behind a closed door The key is to be grounded There is trepidation in my words and fear in my spirit There is one thing that feels so Out of reach For a minute the world was still And there was nothing anyone could do The world was silent And there was a moment of complete uncertainty And extreme chaos I feel it Danger?

Freedom?

The answer is unknown Don't think too much about the days you spend over and over waiting for it Life is fragile Tread lightly This is what it looks like when history’s repeating Disease will come and go but there is blood on your hands We’ve been here before, but not like this Destruction in another form Still thriving generations later

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ISSUE 07: COLUMNS

Freedom was only a memory Is this the first time you’ve felt vulnerable?

How does it feel?

This is nothing new There’s something common Recurring A tradition in this nation A history without redemption A history unforgiven A war only we can see But where there is pain there is healing And where there is healing there is growth Let us grow

PSC: One Ocean ANONYMOUS

WHILE YOU ARE BEING PRODUCTIVE, I want Death More than thirst, scramble desperate search crave.

More than sapling, calf lost child flashlight (in the night) An empty stomach.

then you might as well let them cook

fine then. far out

aching, aching, aching Did you know you are a machine?

Did you know our country isn’t clean?

I want Life this is an addictive activity, being efficient it clogs up your air pipes now you can’t breathe. how will you give me freedom. clean, swift, rip, tear, open ? pierce is a better term Or maybe welcome Like a doormat yesssssss

Freedom is catching up with your friends and finding time to laugh.

But if you’re too loud, and it’s past 9pm, then you are being inconsiderate! Shut the fuck up!

Freedom is finding time to be alone in your thoughts.

But if you live in a Full House, then you might as well go to sleep and hide in your dreams.

Freedom is being on break for university.

But if your screen time has increased and your notifications won’t leave then are you really resting?

Freedom is having a confused bank account, why is this money still here?

Lemme spend up onsnacks or something.

Freedom is finding sense from nonsense.

But if it means listening to your own voice, “I’ve been on that loud shit. Too much talk.”

~ Freedom is like having your driver’s license.

But if you don’t have a car, then what’s the point?

Freedom is being able to experiment with your own meals.

But if they are hovering over your shoulder, telling you what to do,

ISSUE 07: COLUMNS

29

UniQ BROCK STOBBS | HE/HIM

GAYMER GIRL As online and digital spaces are becoming our new homes, places of work, and everything else during this lockdown, I am reminded of the fact that these spaces have often served as a haven for queer people. In a time when some families are still not accepting or supportive (see: Concerns for LGBTQI people in unsafe homes during COVID-19 lockdown by RNZ) and cases of verbal and physical homophobia still go unaddressed (see: homophobic attack in Wellington following Pride), it is no wonder why.

Heteronormative and cisnormative societal pressures, while still very much present, start to become defused. I mean, how can you enforce shame and taboo when identities online are anonymised? The answer is you can’t. Well, technically you can—and people have—but the limitations of online and digital spaces make it difficult. And thus you have somewhere where queer people can thrive. I think it’s safe to say I’m gayer online and if you’ve met me/heard my voice, that’s saying something.

Before the internet popped off and became a middle-class mainstay, we still had other ways of embracing the nonphysical. For me, it was playing video games where I didn’t have to present myself how I did normally or be confined by standards set by men before me.

Whether it was playing as Nina and Anna on Tekken Tag Tournament or creating my own custom female characters on literally any game that would let me (any of The Sims games but particularly The Sims Bustin' Out, and Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4 for some reason), I could embrace aesthetic elements of femininity that were otherwise prohibited for me. I realised how much I missed this as I started playing The Sims Bustin' Out again during this lockdown and have since been living vicariously through my Sim (as you do).

A quick Google search shows this isn’t uncommon, for cisgender gay men at least. But I imagine people of other diverse sexual and gender identities have similar

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ISSUE 07: COLUMNS

experiences. Maybe not in the exact same way, or even through the same format, but I reckon these shared experiences exist.

Similarly, online spaces follow the trend of being a means to free oneself from their physical limitations. Even prior to the lockdown, many queer communities utilised online spaces to connect. Not every online space is safe for queer people but subcultures and norms exist and expand every day. Simple things like someone putting their pronouns on their page is uncontroversial and even encouraged.

But why is that? Why is there more freedom in the non-physical? Society, despite all its progress, is still a prudish society, I think. This is what fuels the hostile environment for queer people in physical spaces.

Whether it's our sexual or gender identities, society continues to view us through a sexual lens. When you’re queer, whether it be through sexual or gender identity, people make connections to sexual activity.

Who you are attracted to, who you have sex with and what genitals you have are the things that a cisgender and heterosexual society thinks about, sometimes obsessively.

And so our presumed sexual activity is put on display involuntarily. We, by simply existing, become coded as sexual beings and thus go against society’s prudish inclinations.

And so avoiding being identified as queer becomes a go-to for many people.

Online and digital spaces then become where we can separate ourselves from the physical. Not entirely, but in ways that give us more freedom to act and be how we want to. I don’t have to think twice about leaning into femininity because what’s going to stop me?

Online, shame and taboo fade away, even if only by a tad.

Existing becomes easier.

VUWSA

The ‘F’ Word

RALPH ZAMBRANO | HE/HIM

TARA Ó SÚILLEABHÁIN | SHE/HER

THE ‘I’ IN ISOLATION. This lockdown has turned out nothing like what I expected.

Despite being confined to the four walls of my bedroom, I've never felt freer. Free to finally look after my mental health and my own wellbeing. And this newfound self-care has allowed me to discover more about well, me.

Here’s what I've learnt: Being placed in a situation where you either make the effort to contact others or be contacted has led me to distinguish true friends from acquaintances, coworkers and frenemies.

I've found value in letting go of those who drag you down and spending more time with those who lift you up. We need to surround ourselves with good people because we deserve it.

Having the capacity to use one of my two hands (RIP to breaking your wrist two days before the lockdown) has made me realise how we all possess untapped potential. Having the time to learn to write and do other tasks with my right hand has demonstrated our potential to grow and develop if we take time and put our mind to it. Don’t deprive yourself of the opportunity. Learn a skill and build on your capabilities.

We’re talented.

A month off classes has also allowed me to catch up on needed sleep, books, and Netflix. It’s allowed me to eat properly and distance myself from the chaos of normal life.

Having time for myself has made me realise how secondary everything is to looking after oneself. Too often we get bogged down with the hustle and bustle of studying and working that we forget to pause and take a breath.

When it comes to isolation, the I comes first. Despite being in lockdown don’t forget the freedom you have to just be.

This is rare. Take this chance to care for yourself.

Let’s address the elephant in the room. Feminism is an incredibly divisive word, and simply put, it cannot be all things to all people. Feminism at its core is about women’s liberation and rights based on equality of the sexes. Intersectional feminism acknowledges the different identities and experiences of women, for example women of colour, queer women, women with disabilities, etc. But can we really say that feminism is about freedom, when we’re so focused on choice?

We talk a lot about the freedom to choose in feminism, but isn’t that really just a contradiction of itself? Whether it’s shaving your legs, having children, or pursuing a career, we want women to be able to make the choices that feel right to them, but do we ever really get to make an unbiased choice? Are the factors that led us to make that choice just a reflection of society? And are the consequences of our decisions already decided for us by the patriarchal society that we live in?

I want to pull apart this idea of ‘freedom of choice’, because when I look at it, all I see is another empty promise, and it reeks of neoliberalism. They’re telling us that we have a choice, to distract us from tearing down the patriarchy.

A woman should be able to wear a turtleneck and long skirt and not be called a prude. She should also be able to wear booty shorts and a crop top without being called a slut. It’s true! I agree! I tell these things to myself! And choices are important to us as individuals, for our self-worth and our identities, but they are not about freedom. I can’t tell you what freedom is, but I don’t think it’s this.

VUWSA is here to help you during this uncertain and strange time. Any concerns or questions feel free to flick us an email (kelburn@vuwsa.org.nz) or DM our socials.

ISSUE 07: COLUMNS

31

Ghost towns

We walk surrounded by force fields. All of us. Personal two-metre fortresses separating humanity.

Imaginary of course, some people’s weaker than others. By choice. An arrogance about them, these people own the middle of the footpath. It’s their red carpet.

They no longer hold prowess in their white-collared halls, interns snapping at their ankles like paparazzi. Once sharks, they are now goldfish staking claim to the heart of the path like it means something. They bounce my forcefield, and I with it, onto the road. It doesn’t matter of course. There are no cars coming.

It seems I may walk with no consequence.

A man leers at me from his blue Holden, drooling at me as if I am post-apocalyptic rations.

I am the last roll of toilet paper at Countdown,

a solitary bag of flour at the dairy,

a lone bottle of hand sanitiser at the chemist.

I move on quickly, my tumbleweed shadow brushing down the pathway. I am ever wary of the smiles and glares piercing me from every direction, constant reminders of circumstance.

It seems my walk has nothing but consequences.

I see seven police cars, yet I haven’t heard the sirens in days.

I thought I heard them yesterday.

It was a bird.

People come close enough that I smell their perfume. I see no purpose in wearing mine. I am not myself, so why should I smell like it. This stroll is supposedly my taste of liberty, but I am to touch nothing.

Today I saw a boy playing frisbee by himself. I saw a girl staring at an abandoned swing set. Her longing was so evident, even from a distance. My sole comfort is my father’s reminder that despite it all, the tūī’s will continue to sing.

Annabelle Webster

Send your poems to poetry@salient.org.nz

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POETRY

Band

aid

HANNAH POWELL | SHE/HER

What have you been doing with your music during lockdown? Whether you’ve been moping, hustling, slobbing, or keeping it hot (beats for the sheets anyone?), there’s never been a better time to chuck on some top tracks. I had a wee kōrero with a few musicians about the married-atfirst-sight matching of music and iso. It was not what music was expecting.

Due to COVID-19, many NZ artists have had to cancel their national and international tours. For the locals, it’s hitting hard. I chatted with musician Sam Cullen about how it’s shifted things for him. “Everything live has been put on ice for the minute,” he said. “But most artists will be relying on and looking forward to fans coming to shows with their purchased tickets.”

For Sam, a few gigs have been cancelled.“Nothing too major though,” he says. “I really feel for those who have had to cancel their entire tours.” He was looking at the upcoming uni break as a time to get some cover work done at home.

Wellington band DOONS are feeling the down buzz too.

“It’s frustrating,” says lead guitarist Ben. “It had gotten to a point where we were ready to all get into a room together and hammer it out—wind in our sails kind of thing.” For them, COVID has significantly shifted the momentum.

Not only has COVID-19 changed the pace, but it has also caused closures for the foreseeable future. When San Fran temporarily closed its doors, I myself knew shit had gotten real.

Wellington’s beloved Eyegum Collective—the host of Eyegum (free) Wednesdays at San Fran—have felt the weight of it. “Due to the virus, unfortunately, we’ve had to cancel all our shows for the foreseeable future and move our meeting to a virtual platform.”

Mia, a member of the collective team, said “I think the live music industry has taken a huge hit…[but] I think the community is pulling together—there are a lot of live stream performances popping up and more active support in promoting artists and musicians at this time which is great to see.”

When asked what we can do to support music in this current state, lead vocalist Elliott from DOONS replied with 1) stream music, 2) buy merch, and 3) support local.

Sam said it’s the exposure that’s important in a time when they can’t get out and play. “That’s where blogs/articles like this one come in,” he said (cheers Sam). Mia from Eyegum says “it’s the best time to be supporting, sharing, listening to, and buying merch and music from our New Zealand musicians... follow NZ music collectives, and watch those live streams or play their music throughout your day,” she says. “Show them your love and support!”

So follow your fave bands, hit up VMorg’s ‘Nature’s Best New Zealand Artists’ playlist on Spotify, and play a song to your mum, your flatmate, or your dog. Engage with music; there’s never a bad time for some DIY MTV. Become a conscious listener—not having to buy a box each week for the boys could buy a couple of songs instead.

Share local tracks alongside your daily iso pic on your story, or better yet, tune into IG Live sessions.

But most importantly? Support your local—both now, and in the future.

Here’s some online sessions happening: •

Local station Radioactive is still operating @radioactive.fm

•

Ben Morgan of VMORG has VM Radio going out to the people through Instagram @vmorg.ltd

•

Isol-Aid Festival over in Aussie! Frequent live streams over the weekend @isolaidfestival

•

Jam on Toast, brought to you from Dunedin Starter’s bar every Saturday night, juicy as with well-loved artists. @jamontoastmusic

ARTS & CULTURE: MUSIC

33

I’m Salty I Can’t Go to the Vape Shop and I’m Sure You Are Too: A Review KANE BASSETT | NGĀTI APA, NGĀTI KAHUNGUNU KI TE WAIORA | HE/HIM

Yes, it’s true. E-cigarette stores have not been granted ‘essential service’ status during lockdown. To those who purchase their vape supplies from peddy stations: congrats.

You lot are remarkably in luck.

That being said, you’re also massive fucking losers and I wouldn’t go writing home about it. This brings me swiftly to the group of people who foster their nicotine dependencies with at least some semblance of class. To these individuals, I extend the biggest fucking feelsbadman. Old mate Rona has stripped you of the ability to purchase flavoured e-liquids on the reg and that is, by definition, a hate crime.

Although, rather than wallow in the inevitability of running out of your favourite juice, I propose you use this time wisely.

Do a bit of research. Plan. Really hone in on your palate in preparation for that first trip back to the vape shop™. And yes, I’ll admit: gauging the quality of an e-liquid can be quite difficult from behind a screen. So, from one nicofiend to another, here’s a list of reckons that might make your time browsing for new flavours a little less tedious.

ANYTHING MENTHOL (AND YES, THAT DOES INCLUDE MENTHOL/FRUIT MIXES), ANY BRAND, LITERALLY ANY TYPE, RATING: 1/5 STARS Look. I’m a slut for menthol rollies, so I really have tried to get on board with their e-cigarette counterparts. However, in the two years that span what some might refer to as an unhealthy obsession with vaping (and what I would refer to as a hella fuckin good time), I’ve searched long and hard for a menthol juice that hits the spot better than the guy I fucked during my first O-Week. Sadly, I have not found the one. Karl*, if you’re reading this, I’m sure you’ll be pleased to know that your dicking abilities have become a unit of measurement for ranking e-liquids. Anyway, I digress. In my experience,

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REVIEWS: VAPE

menthol vapes either pack fuckall flavour or they’re too sweet. As a menthol ciggie stan, it brings me great sadness to admit that these flavours are pure shit. No cap. *I think that was his name lol FLAVOUR: MANDARIN HARVEST, BRAND: HUNTING CLOUD, TYPE: NIC SALTS, RATING: 5/5 STARS It might just be that I’m a chaotic piece of shit, but did anyone else’s school lunches consist of tipping Raro packets into the palm of your hand and licking the sweet goodness of flavoured powdered sugar until you were fully out the gate on a sugar-high? If not, I’m sure we can all agree that Raro has, at some stage, been an absolute staple in our upbringings.

My friends, I present to you Raro in the form of a nic salt. From the top to the bottom of the inhale, you’ll experience a subtle, quite equal hit of mandarin and orange zest. Moving onto the exhale, you’ll notice those same flavours intensifying while your mates sit and sniff in awe as you churn out pure clouds of nostalgia. This flavour comes in 20MG and 35MG, and can be found at the Vape Shop on Dixon St. FLAVOUR: APPLE, BRAND: SIMPLY, TYPE: SALTS, RATING: 3.5/5 STARS If ever there was a juice that could encapsulate the experience of deepthroating a green apple Jolly Rancher, this is it. Flavour-wise, hit-wise, and cloud-wise, this juice is horny as fuck. Seriously. I can consistently blow Os with this one and it does wonders for my ego. That being said, I have noticed my coils burn out quickly when I use this flavour.

Usually, that’d be enough of a reason to not fuck with it, but alas, the taste of artificial apple candy really does it for me.

Pick this juice up in 20MG or 35MG varieties at Cosmic.

Freedom Reads

As we approach the 3 week mark, we’ve all considered the idea of our own freedom of movement during the lockdown.

While we are indoors, reading feels more important than ever, giving us a chance to mentally escape from our confinement. Books provide us with comfort, entertainment, and a getaway. Vic Books’ resident book buyer, Sarah Rennie has handpicked some of the best on the subject. From fictional great escapes to tips on freeing the mind, these books on freedom are sure to help transport us. Vic Books will be back selling and sending out books once Alert Level 4 lifts, but for now, here’s some recommended reads for the week: POLITICAL FREEDOM 1984 George Orwell What would the world be like without the freedom to think?

To not live in a free society, where Big Brother is always watching you? Published 70 years ago, 1984 is one of the greatest dystopian novels of the twentieth century. Written as a warning to humanity, 1984 eerily reflects some of today’s world.

Everyman Winston Smith resists oppression by The Party, the totalitarian rulers of Oceania who control everything about its citizens, from history down to their thoughts and minds. Winston struggles to put up a one-man fight for human rights, for individuality and for freedom of expression; the world around him is a nightmare of conformity.

Orwell’s depiction of mass media control and state surveillance and his conception of the ‘Thought Police’ and ‘Big Brother’ hit home today. His warnings depressingly somehow blur the lines between popular culture and reality.

PHYSICAL FREEDOM Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption Stephen King The movie gets heralded as one of the best of all time, but Stephen King’s original novella often gets overlooked.

Published in Different Seasons in 1982, it’s a tale from the horror-king that won’t give you nightmares. Unless you don’t like small spaces. Then this escape-tunnel-adventure story ain’t for you.

This is a quest for physical freedom; from incarceration. The story places it’s hero, Andy Dufresne, in a locked cell, day after day, for 28 years. Forcing him into scenarios of mental and physical entrapment, confinement, and isolation. Andy’s dirt-busting escape to liberation is a nod to the great Count of Monte Cristo and he pulls it off with style, leaving us the reader, rooting for him with every page.

SEXUAL & SOCIETAL FREEDOM The Awakening Kate Chopin This is a classic story of female self-discovery set in America’s Gilded Age. Edna Pontellier, depressed and stuck in a marriage with a work-obsessed husband, has a summer fling. Deeply unhappy with her place in society, Edna is shackled by tradition and stilted emotionally by the social standards of the day. This new man awakens in her a new independence, confidence, and sexual discovery that gives her a new lease of life outside of her husband and children.

REVIEWS: BOOK

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Occupation Station Salient’s Pub (but not a pub bc we can’t go rn) Quiz

1.

Who plays Young Bill in Mamma Mia 2: Here We Go Again?

12.

How many spiders do you eat in your sleep?

2

What is the length threshold below which a penis is considered a micropenis?

13.

What year did the movie Finding Nemo come out?

14.

3.

Does 5G cause COVID19?

How many grooves are there on a vinyl record?

4.

VUW has a hardship fund, in which most students experiencing financial hardship can apply for aid. True or False?

15.

What is the world’s largest organism?

16.

What VUW department was controversially disbanded in 2010?

17.

Who is the world’s biggest maker of toys?

18.

Who is the world’s biggest distributor of toys?

19.

Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin have both walked on what planet?

20.

What position does VUW currently rank in the QS World University rankings?

5.

How much does an average cumulus cloud weigh?

6.

The woolly mammoth was around when the pyramids were being built. True or False?

7.

How many assholes do paua have?

8.

What year was VUWSA established?

9.

What is the process of getting sucked into a black hole commonly referred to?

10.

What was the name of the first animal in space?

11.

In what year did DJ Earworm release the mashup single, “Blame it on the Pop”, as part of the wider “United States of Pop” mashup series?

Bonus: This isn’t a question but due to the shape of the North American Elk’s oesophagus, even if it could speak, it could not pronounce the word lasagna.

Answers: 1. Josh Dylan, 2. 7cm, 3. Fuck no, 4. True, but good luck getting an email back, 5. 1.1 million pounds/500000kg, 6.

True, 7. 5 assholes, 8. 1899, 9. Spaghettification, 10. Laika (rest in peace beautiful), 11. 2009, we feel old too, 12. Zero the whole 8 spiders thing circulated via chain email in 1993 from columnist Lisa Holst, to demonstrate her point about the ubiquitous lists of “facts” that were circulating via e-mail and how readily they were accepted as truthful by gullible recipients, 13. 2003, 14. Two, one on each side, 15. A Fungus. The Humongous Fungus covers 2,385 acres, 16. Gender Studies. A Minor in Gender Studies was then offered in 2017, 17. Lego, 18. McDonald’s, 19. Earth, 20. 215th 36

OCCUPATION STATION

Word of the Week: ‘Free’

Te Reo Māori:

New Zealand Sign Language:

Wātea

4/17/2020

Web Sudoku - Billions of Free Sudoku Puzzles to Play Online

4/17/2020

Web Sudoku - Billions of Free Sudoku Puzzles to Play Online

NZSL: https://www.nzsl.nz/signs/1511

Sudoku Medium Puzzle 10,388,331,215

8 9 4 1 6

5 6

9

7

2 5

6 Back to puzzle

7

2

7

3

1

8

1

3

Evil Puzzle 6,805,124,808

5

3

2 8

4

8

9

3

5

1

3 2

6

Print another...

4

1 9

8

6

9

8

5

5

6

2

6

9

1

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Back to puzzle

© Web Sudoku 2020 - www.websudoku.com

9

3

5 6 4

Print another...

© Web Sudoku 2020 - www.websudoku.com

Yeah, go on

https://www.websudoku.com/?level=2

5

1

Ouch

Riddles

1/1

https://www.websudoku.com/?level=4

1/1

1. What has many keys but can't open a single lock?

4. What is so fragile that saying its name breaks it?

2. What belongs to you, but other people use it more than you?

5. A baseball bat and a ball cost $1.10 together, the bat costs $1.00 more than the ball. How much does the ball cost?

3. What’s at least 6 inches long, goes in your mouth, and is more fun if it vibrates?

Answers: 1. A piano, 2. Your name, 3. Toothbrush, 4. Silence, 5. 0.5 cents. The bat costs $1.05 OCCUPATION STATION

37

Horoscopes MADDI ROWE | THEY/SHE

Break free from the shackles of your mortal peril. xx

ARIES Mania is freedom for Aries. What if you took the time to breathe deeply?

Even Atlas took time to enjoy the Gardens of Hesperides.

Press your feet against the earth.

CANCER

LEO

Your own self-love supersedes everything. Freedom is unadulterated love.

Lose yourself in memories you cherish. Nostalgia is a powerful incentive to propel ahead.

LIBRA Find freedom outside of the collective conscious. There are others who can step in until you’re ready.

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TAURUS

We cannot save the world.

And it’s freeing when we accept this.

VIRGO See if you can pencil in a time for not pencilling things in.

You will become unburdened once you let go.

SCORPIO There is ample freedom in vulnerability. Your empathy will heal so many.

SAGITTARIUS Freedom has always been a part of your spirit. Share it with those who need it.

CAPRICORN

AQUARIUS

Your worth is not determined by your productivity, and that realisation will set you free.

Dust off your tarot deck or open your diary. There are stories you need to hear.

HOROSCOPES

GEMINI

PISCES Avoidance will not help you.

Communication is freedom.

The Team EDITORS Rachel Trow & Kirsty Frame DESIGN & ILLUSTRATION Rowena Chow NEWS EDITORS Te Aorewa Rolleston & Finn Blackwell

CHIEF REPORTER Annabel McCarthy

SUB EDITOR Alfred Dennis SOCIAL MEDIA & WEB MANAGER Kane Bassett PODCAST MANAGER Matthew Casey STAFF WRITERS Lofa Totua Sally Ward Shanti Mathias TV TEAM Charlie Myer & Julia Mattocks

FEATURE WRITERS Stella Carruthers Rosa Main Niva Chittock Sally Ward

COLUMNISTS Caitlin Hicks Vic Bell Frankie Dale Brock Stobbs Georgia Tarāni Gifford Ren Waaka Ralph Zambrano Tara Ó Súilleabháin

CONTRIBUTORS Maddi Rowe Hannah Powell Ethan Griffiths Kane Bassett Sarah Rennie Taylah Shukar Oscar Keys

POETRY EDITOR Janhavi Gosavi

POETRY Annabelle Webster

CENTREFOLD Deme (Te Atawhai) Scott-McGregor @deme.teatawhai.scottmcg

CONTACT US editor@salient.org.nz designer@salient.org.nz (centrefold artwork) news@salient.org.nz socialmedia@salient.org.nz

ADVERTISING MANAGER advertising@vuwsa.org.nz

FIND US fb.com/salientmagazine instagram.com/salientgram twitter.com/salientmagazine salient.org.nz

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