Issue 04 ~ Peace by Salient

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EDITORIAL

NEWS News Party Line Tweets Of The Week

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LETTERS & NOTICES

FEATURES In NZ. Owhiro We are New Zealand Interview with Solomon Crook

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CENTREFOLD

COLUMNS Ngāi Tauira The F Word Mauri Ora SWAT Dream Diagnosis Token Cripple Lost in the Sauce Liquid Knowledge POEM

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REVIEWS Music Podcast Film Theatre Book Food

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ENTERTAINMENT Horoscopes

This week we’ve heard a lot of words, we’ve read a lot of words, and maybe we’ve said a lot of words, as well. Words of condemnation have stirred us. Words of hate have left us grinding our teeth. Words of aroha have given us room to breathe, room to recognise that it has taken us far too long to offer this love, to see and to listen. Sometimes we forget that our words have mana. The untangleable sounds that escape our lips carry into the space we occupy, they resonate in one way or another. We’ve scrambled to find the right words to say this week. Because no amount of condolence, opinion, nor rebuke will band-aid this wound, a wound that oozes generations of indifference and negligence. The terrorist attacks that happened at Al Noor Mosque and Linwood Islamic Centre are a part of a larger problem. This is reality for our Muslim whānau and people of colour. The constant fear of radicals, and the fear of the unexpected from people who, we've been taught, are supposed to be the "least expected". The casual racism we don’t call out and the stories we don’t take seriously are the direct causes of these events.

The university cancelled the prayer on Monday morning due to security concerns, but allowed the Hub and courtyard to be used for a moment of silence for all students. This is a good start, but it’s only a start. We must allow every person to grieve in their own way. In the meantime, we encourage you to read Mahdhi’s New Zealand experience on page 16. Read Saete’s poem on page 35. Read their stories. Do not minimise their voices and do not maximise any cynical narrative. Here are some other ways you can help: Examine your own privileges and prejudices (we all have them) Call out casual racism Support businesses owned by ethnic minorities Learn from other cultures in your city Learn about Friday prayers and Ramadan Go to mosque Get to know your neighbors—like, actually go knock on their door and introduce yourself Ask questions. Listen. Offer financial support to affected families Send letters of solidarity

The question will continue to echo through our communities: Where to from here? Through Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and all other social media platforms, there’s an abundance of information telling us how to help. How to support the Muslim community. How to give back, how to grieve with them, and how to financially support them.

Kii Small & Taylor Galmiche

You may feel like us—swimming in a sea of devastating updates, beautiful poems, strong kōrero. We would like to encourage you to ask Muslim students what they need. Have the conversations. It’s not wise to assume you know best for other communities without listening to their stories. The same conscience that speaks “I can say the n-word because I have black friends” evolves into “I can speak for my Muslim friends because I have them on Facebook”.

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ISSUE 4

SALIENT

News. BASIN RESERVE VIGIL: WELLINGTON STANDS WITH MOSQUE TERROR ATTACK VICTIMS POPPY MCGUIGAN Sunday, March 17 saw some 1100 Wellingtonians congregate at the Basin Reserve to mourn the loss of 50 lives in the recent Al Noor and Linwood Mosque Terror Attacks. The Basin Reserve vigil was held in parallel with similar assemblies around New Zealand, to reject terrorism and Islamophobia, and to stand in solidarity with the country’s Muslim communities. Orchestra Wellington and The New Zealand Symphony Orchestra welcomed the crowds, many of whom were clad in white, bearing signs and flowers. Many were clearly overwhelmed with bewilderment, grief, and anger. The crowd listened to speeches, prayer, and song, each carrying messages of loss, peace, and the need for change. Mayor Justin Lester welcomed the crowd, with “Bismillah, As-Salaam Alaikum”—‘In the name of God, may peace be with you.’

He went on, “I say to all of you tonight hate will not divide us, we will embrace our diversity and we will show love.” Gayaal Iddamalgoda, migrant and refugee rights campaigner, captivated and confronted attendees as he called for the tripling of the refugee quota. With applause, Gayaal closed by addressing the shooter directly. Raising his fist to the sky he said, “Never, never again.” The gathering concluded with the singing of “Te Aroha”, followed by an impromptu haka, lead by members of the public and supported by others scattered around the basin. As the reserve emptied, the mood remained somber. However, it was clear the words said at the vigil had resonated, as well as those said by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern last week: “They were New Zealanders. They are us. And because they are us, we, as a nation, we mourn them.”

About 11,000 unite at the Basin Reserve to pay respects. Photo by Robert Kitchin of Stuff.

News.

MOSQUE TERROR ATTACKS: THE GOVERNMENT RESP ONDS THOMAS CAMPBELL Both the legislature and executive spent time early last week to acknowledge the Al Noor and Linwood Mosque Terror Attacks.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;As a cabinet, we were absolutely unified that the terror attack on Friday was the worst act of terrorism on our shores,â&#x20AC;? Ardern said.

Jacinda Ardern also gave an update at the first post-Cabinet media conference on proposed legal action going forward.

She acknowledged the possible uncertainty that some gun owners were facing in the prospect of an overhaul of existing laws. However, she added that gun owners would agree that change should happen.

Parliament came to a standstill on Tuesday, with politicians from all sides making condolence speeches for victims of the terror attacks. This was followed by more statements of condolences on Wednesday. The house will not sit again until April 2.

Ministers from the Green Party were invited to Cabinet today to discuss issues surrounding gun laws. Cabinet announced an inquiry focusing on the circumstances that lead to the attack. In particular, the background and movements of the shooter both domestically and internationally prior to the event.

Ardern herself returned to Christchurch on Wednesday, where she met with the first responders of the incident, including St Johns and frontline support staff.

Relevant government agencies would also be investigated as part of the inquiry to see if there was any way that the shootings could have been prevented.

The post-Cabinet media conference focussed on gun control reforms and an inquiry into the failure of intelligence agencies to prevent the attacks.

The date of a national memorial to commemorate the mosque attacks is to be announced by the Prime Minister at a later date.

Ardern stated that she planned to announce the changes before cabinet meets next, a week and a half after the terror attacks. All parties around the table agreed that gun reform was necessary.

Vice Chancellor Grant Guilford speaks with students in front of tribute mural. Photo by Victoria University of Wellington.

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MENTAL HEALTH WANANGA CELEBRATES WORK , LOOKS TO THE FUTURE MELISSA OLIVER “When I was at university there was no discussion or activism in this area. None. People, like me, who struggled with distress at university, did it in silence.”

CW: Mental Illness VUWSA recently held a wānanga to discuss and celebrate the recent introduction of extra mental health support at Mauri Ora through the Piki pilot programme.

“I've been working... in mental health for 30 years. I've never felt this before but at the Wānanga I thought I can confidently pass on the baton to these young people.”

The wānanga was held on March 15 and 16 at the Tapu Te Ranga Marae in Island Bay.

“They rock,” she concluded.

It functioned both as a celebration of the work put in by local mental health activists, and an opportunity to discuss projects going into the future.

Paul also said Raui spoke about who should help those suffering with mental illness, and the responsibilities as community leaders. Hartendorp reportedly facilitated reflections on kotahitanga, whanaungatanga, manaakitanga, and how these underpin mental health activism.

VUWSA President Tamatha Paul told Salient that those who gathered heard from former Mental Health Commissioner Mary O’Hagan, Ezekiel Raui (founder of Tu Kotahi), and activist and community organiser Kassie Hartendorp.

Pam Thorburn, Director of Student Academic Services, told Salient that VUW is looking forward to hearing from VUWSA to work together to improve mental health services.

Paul told Salient that O’Hagan spoke about the need in Aotearoa to move away from “Big Psychiatry”, and towards “Big Community”.

“Working alongside our students is very important to us as it helps us to develop more relevant and response services for the future”, said Thorburn.

Mary O’Hagan is currently a director at PeerZone and a recent 61-yearold. She talked to Salient about her experience at the wānanga.

SUSTAINABILIT Y ON SALAMANCA: VUW WORKING ON ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT SHANTI MATHIAS A number of VUWSA and university initiatives are helping Victoria follow more sustainable energy, waste, and building practices.

VUWSA currently has no sustainability policy, but is planning to finalise one later this year.

According to the 2016 energy management strategy, the majority of VUW’s carbon emissions come from gas and electricity usage, amounting to over 5000 tonnes of carbon each year.

“VUWSA has acted sustainably in the past without a previous sustainability policy,” Salient was told. For instance, VUWSA offers compost-only cutlery at events, supports Plastic Diet, and offers low-waste menstrual cups to students. A Sustainability Committee facilitates discussions on reducing environmental impact for students.

Victoria University claims that it has reduced its carbon emissions by 20% in the last ten years. This places VUW only behind AUT in terms of carbon footprint. However, until 2018, carbon footprint calculations did not include Halls of Residence and other factors.

Additionally, the Wellbeing and Sustainability Officer is one of VUWSA’s elected executive positions, which will be up for election in the upcoming IGM.

Because of this, VUW Sustainability Director Andrew Wilks estimates that the calculated carbon footprint of the university grew by 15% last year.

The creation of the VUW Sustainability Officer and VUWSA Sustainability Committee shows that there is “upper level support” for sustainability initiatives, Wilks suggested.

Since 2018, though, Property Services has been working with halls to improve energy efficiency, “generating almost a million dollars a year of savings compared to business as usual,” according to Wilks.

Wilks added that collaboration with students means that there will be increasing formal support for such initiatives, although he says that when it comes to its environmental impact, the university is "always on the improve".

Newer buildings on campus, such as Te Toki a Rata, are built with energy efficiency specifically in mind, in accordance with the sustainability ethos of Campus Design Guidelines.

News.

LAW SCHOOL APPARENTLY NOT GOOD AT FOLLOWING RULES JOHNNY O'HAGAN BREBNER Late law results have affected students’ academic and professional lives, and may have even breached university assessment guidelines.

These changes would not come into effect until 2020, as the 2019 courses have already been scheduled.

LAWS 358, an insurance law course in the first half of summer school, failed to return results to some students until the beginning of March.

VUWSA Student Representative Co-ordinator Joseph Habgood told Salient that when students contact their advocacy services on the issue, VUWSA works with the Faculty of Law on a case-by-case basis to obtain earlier provisional grades.

The VUW Assessment Handbook sets out that Trimester Three (Summer School) courses which run November–December must have results entered by the first teaching Friday in January.

However, there are also ongoing discussions with the VUW community to find a “long-term solution to grades being returned late”.

LAWS 358 ran from November 19 to December 23 in 2018, so it would be required to meet that deadline. That is, Friday 11 January 2019.

The VUW Law Students’ Society (VUWLSS) discussed the issue with Salient, following a law school faculty meeting.

Courses running the length of Trimester Two, or in the second half of that Trimester, must be entered by the first Friday after the examination period. In this case, 1 March 2019.

VUWLSS understands that the Faculty of Law releases all Trimester Three papers at the end of February, even if they run in the first half of Summer School.

Salient talked to two LAWS 358 students, who both wished to remain anonymous. Both only received their results on March 4, the first day of Trimester One 2019.

When raised by VUWLSS, the university explained the even later results were a consequence of the course being largely lectured by adjunct professors (out-of-school academics).

One of the students required the results for his academic transcript; the late release preventing him from applying for jobs, internships, and similar positions.

Despite these and other factors, the society still considers that “the lateness of the LAWS 358 grades seems abnormal and to have breached the Assessment Handbook deadline.”

The other student failed the course, but the late results required to her to apply last-minute for other courses, placing her on waitlists and disrupting her academic study. She described the delays as “completely unreasonable”.

VUWLSS have also been made aware of the law school rescheduling plans, suggesting that all future summer law courses would be classified as “full summer papers” to effectively push back results deadlines.

It is unclear how many people were affected by late LAWS 358 results.

In the case of LAWS 358 2018, that would have meant the results deadline would have been March 1, rather than January 11. Even if that rescheduling had occurred, returning results on March 4 would still be late (diagram below).

Manager for Student Academic Services at the Faculty of Law, Kylie Hooper, replied to questions from Salient.

In short, students taking a class that ends in November could have to wait ten weeks for their results.

She explained that the faculty will “always endeavour to get results out as quickly as we can”, but “a range of operational factors” lead to the late release of results.

VUWLSS, VUWSA, and the Faculty of Law have all made themselves available to students having problems with late grades.

The students said late results were commonplace, and had been “happening for years”.

The Faculty of Law has said they will communicate information on courses and marking processes as clearly as possible to students.

However, she also said VUW has been discussing solutions with VUWSA. The law school is consequently planning to make scheduling changes to Trimester Three courses so that results can be released “within the appropriate timeframes.”

If you have been affected by late grades from the Faculty of Law, or any other courses or faculties, please contact news@salient.org.nz. Anonymity is assured on request.

“All courses will comply with the assessment handbook”, said Hooper. SUMMER SCHOOL TIMELINE: RESULTS DUE VS ACTUAL 2018 November

December

2019 January

Half-Tri Course

Results Due Jan 11

Teaching Period

March

February

LAWS 358 Returned March 4 Results Due March 1

Full-Tri Course

DIAGRAM: RACHEL SALAZAR

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SALIENT

SCHOOL CLIMATE STRIKE DRAWS THOUSANDS FINN BLACKWELL They say that there’s strength in numbers. In that case, there was no shortage of strength at Wellington’s School Climate Strike on March 15.

“We’re never going to get to achieve them if the world is destroyed by climate change.”

While the government has put initiatives in place such as banning plastic bags and straws, Friday’s strike suggests that there’s far more to be done.

The protest featured many speakers, most still in high school. One student addressed the crowd, exclaiming that New Zealand should “keep fossil fuels underground, where they belong”.

The strike is part of a worldwide movement in which students walked out from school, willing to temporarily sacrifice their education in order to highlight issues on climate change and make a stand.

Green Party Co-leader James Shaw addressed the crowd: “It is time for the talking to stop, and it is time for the action to start”.

Strike organiser Raven Maeder said, “The number of strikers, and their passion and energy, far exceeded our expectations.” “We had strikes in over 30 communities across Aotearoa”, Maeder said. “In Wellington, we had somewhere between 4000 and 6000 people take part in the march down Lambton Quay and rally at Parliament.” The significance of the strike was also emphasised by several protesters. “We’re out here because we want to do something so that the future generations aren’t in danger”, one student said. VUW’s own Caitlin Goodier told Salient “climate change is a life-ordeath situation”. “There are so many things I want to do with my life, I want to go to Spain, get married, have kids, and everyone around us right now has dreams like that.”

Shaw continued by promising that the Zero Carbon Act would go into effect this year, reaffirming his belief that New Zealand can be the first country in the world to be carbon emission free. VUWSA also had a presence. Interim Wellbeing and Sustainability Officer Kimberly McIntyre* told Salient that “the atmosphere was one of solidarity, it was well organised, and was a safe and positive experience for all involved.” McIntyre also acknowledged Meader, calling her an “absolute inspiration”. Maeder suggested to Salient that there would be more protests. For anyone wishing to be involved, a meeting will be taking place at the Aro Community Centre from 5–7 p.m. on April 10 to plan next steps. McIntyre told Salient, “We are not done yet. We have the Governments (sic) attention, time to push for action.” *Nominations are open for the Wellbeing and Sustainability Officer position, to be elected at the VUWSA IGM.

Climate Strike Protesters, Outside Parliament, Wellington.

News.

A CHANGING ATMOSPHERE:

Protester Ella Collins-Peka (below), a 15-year-old Wellington High student, talked to Salient in front of Parliament. Collins-Peka has a breathing disease that may require her to be schooled from hospital. Environmental changes are likely to make conditions like hers, in children here and around the world, much worse. Despite the threat to her health and education, she was enthusiastic about the strike: “I’m really proud of what everyone’s done”.

Climate Strike Marches Down Lambton Quay, Wellington. Photos by Johnny O'Hagan Brebner.

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VUW TO BEGIN KELBURN LIQUOR BAN CONSULTATION EMMA HOUPT Victoria University of Wellington says consultation for the Kelburn Park liquor ban is underway. VUW Student and Campus Living Director Rainsforth Dix spoke at the Wellington City Council (WCC) City Strategy Committee meeting on March 7, where she said the university's consultation process to report back to WCC is ongoing. WCC initiated the consultation process for the Kelburn Park liquor ban at the end of last year. They proposed to work alongside the university to reduce the number of behavioural problems caused by intoxication in the Kelburn area, with a specific focus on Kelburn Park. At the City Strategy Committee meeting, Dix said that the VUW liquor ban consultation process involved having discussions with parents of hall residents. Dix highlighted the importance of including parents in the decisionmaking process, since most residents are living out of home for the first time.

“We want to make sure their parents’ views are considered and also that parents understand what their expectations of the student experience in the Halls should be, given that many of them pay the accommodation costs.” VUWSA has not been involved in the liquor ban consultation process yet, however, VUW says they will be included after the university has fully assessed the matter. VUWSA do not agree with the liquor ban being put into place at Kelburn Park, believing it could put students’ safety at risk. WCC are opening their own consultation on April 1, to engage with students and find out what they think about the proposed liquor ban. A VUWSA spokesperson told Salient that while they oppose the ban, they welcome students to speak up about issues that affect them. “We will be encouraging students to submit on the issue and bringing it to halls in our hall visits.” VUW anticipates the entire consultation process will be completed by the end of June this year.

WELLINGTON CENTRAL LIBRARY CLOSED INDEFINITELY HANNAH POWELL The Wellington Central Library has closed its doors for an undetermined period of time, as of Tuesday, 19 March 8.30 p.m. The public carpark will also be closed. Wellington City Council CEO Kevin Lavery deemed it necessary to close the library due to earthquake safety concerns. The decision was made in consultation with Mayor Justin Lester and Councillors. “It is one of the city’s busiest buildings with 3,000 visitors a day […] the safety of our residents is paramount,” Lavery stated. Engineers advised the closure of the library in order to strengthen the frame of the building. Their report stated that there were similarities between the vulnerabilities of the library’s precast floors as those of the Statistics New Zealand Building that were damaged in the 2016 Kaikoura earthquake. “We will be making every effort to ensure the library services will be back in action as we know how crucial they are to the city and how disruptive this will be”, Lavery said. The Central Library could not give an indication of cost from closure

and reconstruction work at this time. Their employees will continue to be paid. Additionally, no estimate could be provided regarding how long the reconstruction would take. “Now that we have the engineer’s report we are starting to investigate options and make some decisions about what approach to take to repair the building.” Due to students’ dependence on the resources found at the Central Library, further decisions will be made with their patrons in mind. “We recommend students contact the Victoria University library services team to assist in sourcing specific academic resources for their study needs”, the Library said. VUW libraries are aware of the changes. University librarian, Janet Fletcher, told Salient, “We will be working with WCL to provide support where required.” There is no set date for the Central Library’s reopening. For now, the “living room of the city” will remain closed.

News.

Politics. THE PART Y LINE The Party Line asks political parties’ youth wings a question every week. We publish their responses unaltered.

Following the Al Noor and Linwood Mosque attacks on March 15, Salient made The Party Line available to VUW’s political party youth wings to make statements of support. These statements were made prior to midday March 20, and may not take account of any later information.

VicLabour

ACT on Campus Wellington

VicNats

VicLabour is still grieving from the terrorist attack and so appreciate the words of our Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern: "We were not a target because we are a safe harbour for those who hate. We were not chosen for this act of violence because we condone racism, because we are an enclave for extremism. We were chosen for the very fact that we are none of those things. Because we represent diversity, kindness, compassion. A home for those who share our values. Refuge for those who need it. And those values will not and cannot be shaken by this attack."

Today we speak to you all not as political representatives, but as New Zealanders. We are shaken to our core by the events on the 15th of March and we condemn the actions taken by a white supremacist. This was an act of terrorism and must be treated as such by the government. The show of solitary with our Muslim community has been powerful and we hope this extends into appropriate action and a permanent change in New Zealand’s social fabric, to ensure we treat all immigrants with kindness and without prejudice. Kia Kaha. As-Salaam-Alaiku.

Our country is in mourning and our hearts go out to the people of Christchurch. The events of the 15th were an unprovoked attack on the very freedoms we hold dear, and the Young Nats condemn those who would use violence against our fellow brothers and sisters. No one in our country should live in fear. No matter their race, religion or beliefs. Terrorism and extremism have no place in New Zealand, and together we will defend the Kiwi values of peace, compassion, and hope. We stand ready to support the Government in any way we can.

- Not attributed

- Jackson Graham

- Grahame Woods

Young New Zealand First

Greens@Vic

TOP on Campus

It is with a heavy heart that Young New Zealand First pens this article. As Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters has said, "The worst of the world has visited our shores and we'll never be the same again”. All members of Young New Zealand First extend our most sincere condolences for the families and communities affected by such a heinous act of violence, and condemnation for the perpetrator. Our members extend unfettered support to those who may require it, and stand resolute with the New Zealand public in knowing that our darkest day will only bring our nation closer together.

We see this as a time where thoughts and prayers are not enough. It is a time for change. For our gun laws. For our immigration laws. For our embrace of refugees as a nation. It is a time for action and reflection. We must own the racist past and present of New Zealand. We must acknowledge the hurt and pain it causes, and our own part in this. It is a time to share love, step up, and bring to life the Aotearoa we want to see. We send our love to the Muslim community throughout the country. We stand beside you, now and always.

On behalf of TOP on campus, we are saddened and distraught. No words of comfort could be given to fill the space of lives that were stolen. Our only hopes to respectfully move forward is to grow as a nation. Step away from our xenophobic spaces where we have sat too long in. Recognise the issue of social and economic inequality. Hold accountable our education system in its entirety. So, we will never again facilitate the hate that became of this day. We stand together as one people, not divided or defined by gender, race, background and especially religion.

- Kate Aschoff

- Mandeno Martin

- Not attributed

TWEETS OF THE WEEK

“We were ordering Nandos for lunch at #Christchurch and one of these lovely gentleman insisted he pay for our lunch. It was such a nice gesture and not needed at all. But people are going above and beyond to make Muslims feel welcome as well as a way if saying "I'm sorry". - @DrZuleyhaKeskin

SOLI DA R I TY, L OVE , A ND H OP E COLLAT ED BY EM M A M AGUIRE

“I received these flowers from an old man while I was buying bread from the supermarket. "This is just to tell you sorry for what happened in New Zealand and to show you that there are very good Australians”, He said. Humanity always wins.” - @SamarHabsi

“Drawn at Hagley Park, Christchurch.” - @maddieg87834359

“Supermarket near the Mosque in Kilbirnie, Wellington.” - @MelTakaranga

“Went to pay my respects at the Kilbirnie mosque after work. Incredibly welcoming and incredibly moving. “Don’t cry” the lady said, “we are feeling your love” “ - @lynzsutt

“In Arabic we say Allah yerhamon. May God grant them rest. It doesn’t matter what religion you are, or what you believe, these innocent people deserve their belief to be respected. I’m so sorry. Im so angry. I’m so sorry to the whole Muslim community right now. Allah yerhamon.” - @femmocollective

“My heart is broken. My country is weeping and so am I. I am dying knowing that this kind of hatred can happen in my homeland. All my love goes out to Christchurch, the victims, the families, the Muslim community, and all who have chosen our islands as their home. This is not us.” - @TaikaWaititi

E XC LU S I V E ST U D E N T O F F E R â&#x20AC;&#x201C; J O I N N OW *

L E S M I L L S L A M B TO N Q U AY | L E S M I L L S H U T T C I T Y L E S M I L L S TA R A N A K I S T R E E T

* Te r m s a n d C o n d i t i o n s a p p l y. P r i c e v a r i e s p e r c l u b . S e e l e s m i l l s . c o . n z

IN NZ . MAHDHI OSMAN-PENRICE When my mother gave me my name, it was a name she couldn’t pronounce. The harsh accents of the Arabic language eluded the Pākehā tongue. Growing up, I always felt more comfortable introducing myself as she knew me—Mah-dee or Ma-ha-dee—just about anything that made me feel like I belonged to this country more than my name would indicate. My dad objected to me using my last name of Osman (‫ )نامثع‬when sending job applications, out of fear that employers would have another reason to shun me in addition to the colour of my skin. Despite my objections, I really felt I got where he was coming from. Fleeing our native Somali peninsula with six of my siblings on his back meant he knew all too well the consequences of man’s politics of division. The kind of power our names, beliefs, and appearances can have over our day-to-day lives. And so from birth, I was caught between this sort of dual identity. Who I felt I truly was (Muslim, Somali), and who I felt I needed to be in order to feel secure: elusively ‘Kiwi’—at least just enough to pass. That culture of fear shapes the lives of millions of Muslims growing up in White society. It decided where I’d spend my schooling, after a Lebanese sister who taught at my primary school warned of how her husband had suffered intense racial discrimination at Scots.

There needs to be a clear distinction between being shocked by the violence of it all (which is justified) and being shocked by the traditions of white supremacy that underpinned this massacre—is, at best, naive. People of colour have always been known to be weary of Christchurch; it’s the town the “Pakeha Party” and the skinheads call home. What’s a quaint home to some has been a bastion of hate to others. That same veil of privilege that white New Zealand continues to hold drawn over their eyes helps them easily forget NZ First’s calls to ban Muslim men from flying Air New Zealand a mere five years ago. “In NZ?” seems to suggest that this country’s success isn’t underpinned by a long history of violent white entitlement. As if those mass murders and displacements of our native people belong to an alternate history; as though the persecution of black and brown people is something alien to our nation, unheard of. Only now, in the blinding bright horror of mass murder, are we forced to question these bull narratives of ‘racial harmony’.

WHO I FELT I TRULY WAS (MUSLIM, SOMALI), AND WHO I FELT I NEEDED TO BE IN ORDER TO FEEL SECURE: ELUSIVELY ‘KIWI’—AT LEAST JUST ENOUGH TO PASS.

Tasks as simple as deciding how I wanted to get home became a question of life or death, after finding out my brothers and cousins had been chased and beaten by skinheads walking home through Berhampore. That’s why when our brothers and sisters in Christchurch died during the Friday congregation, I didn’t feel so much surprised as I did sickly validated. I never had to ask myself how this could happen “in my NZ”, as so many members of White New Zealand seem to be asking themselves right now. Because for me, my family, and my friends, this has always been an ever-looming threat. Ever since my brothers got pulled from class after being racially abused after the 9/11 attacks, ever since my family home got “ISIS” tagged on our front door in 2015, we’ve known that racism and xenophobia aren’t simply American issues. That’s why it’s so frustrating to hear again and again, “in NZ? Here of all places?” from friends, all the way to mayors and MPs. As if to softly insinuate that we’re above the sort of sickly discrimination that people of colour have endured ever since this young nation was raided in the name of empire.

If you continue to ask how could this happen “here of all places” then let me tell you:

Your indifference to the plight of Muslims here and overseas meant this guy could freely express his hate and walk right onto our soil unquestioned. Your jihadi jokes and crap cosplays designed to demean the same people you’re eager to call mates only fanned the flames. All this fosters an environment where violent acts of white supremacy can and will take place. Going forward, I don’t want to hear “how could this happen to us”; it’s been happening. Empathise with your Muslim whānau, hear our stories, break bread with us this Ramadan; make a conscious effort to see us, and recognise our right to be seen. Rather than offering sympathetic condolences, challenge the racial bias that promotes white supremacy. See us through the constant clutter of trauma porn and media hype. Read on the dawn raids and land wars. Immerse yourself in our country's dark histories of oppression. Remember those that died; etch their legacy into your heart. This is the New Zealand that we know, but it doesn’t have to be. “And never think of those who have been killed in the cause of Allah as dead. Rather, they are alive with their Lord, receiving provision” Quran (3:169)

Leyla, Anisa, Sara and Faisaâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;when they fled the violence that sought out our community.

Owhiro ‘Ōwhiro’ is a two-fold investigation into a unique local ecology and the wider implications of water pollution in New Zealand. The photos are part of a wider body of work, which traces the Ōwhiro stream in Whanganui-a-Tara, Wellington, as it runs through the Southern valleys, from the ridges of Brooklyn, through landfills and domestic landscapes, to the coastal beach area of Ōwhiro bay and into Tapu Te Ranga and the southern sea.

Photography: Kristine Zipfel Kristine Zipfel is a photographic artist from Norway and Germany, residing in Wellington, New Zealand. Through her practice, she uses photography as a tool for understanding and documenting stories about the natural world and human relationships towards it.

PREYA GOTHANAYAGI

We are New Zealand. We’re a country currently engaged in a decades-long argument about who owns boasting rights over a meringue dessert. Also a horse. We once spent 26 million dollars wondering whether to change our flag, only to decide that we couldn’t be bothered. And then we used some of the rejected designs as flag alternatives anyway, including one inspired by marae imagery and one that featured a kiwi shooting green lasers out of its eyes. Our attitude to the debacle can be summed up succinctly in what can only be described as New Zealand’s unofficial motto: Yeah, Nah. We are a country united by strange news stories and pithy ads and a weird sense of humour. We are the country of “Nek Minute”, “Yeah, Right”, “Ghost Chips” and “Always Blow on the Pie” (if you don’t recognise any of these, they're well worth a google). We had a wee giggle when Temuera Morrison asked Nicole Kidman, ”Can I cook you some eggs?” in Aquaman. We spent most of a summer stalking a tourist family around our country for being rude as heck and littering, and were collectively outraged. We have a DIY spirit so strong that I once stayed up till one in the morning trying to change a toilet seat because I couldn’t admit that I didn’t know shit about plumbing. Nor could I admit defeat. The outcome: We now have a toilet seat slightly off its hinges.

te reo night courses have waitlists, our companies attempt to incorporate basic te reo into their culture, and my own workplace has sponsored my te reo and NZSL education (I am currently busy trying to teach my dog to sign his name. He’s not very good at it). We have adopted bits of te reo into our vernacular, and learn waiata in schools. Our prime minister wore a korowai while overseas. The haka is one of the most recognisable aspects of our culture around the world. Every time I see it performed, I tear up. It gets me so emotional that sometimes I tune into All Blacks matches for the haka, not the rugby. We also refuse to grapple with the effects of colonisation in a sustained, meaningful way. When Taika Waititi named and shamed New Zealand as being “racist as fuck”, we responded with shock and more racism. We’re a country where a shared lunch at school can harmoniously consist of potato salad, green curry, nasi goreng, and vegan chocolate cake for that one kid who’s vegan. By the end, nothing’s left. And the mums are always complimented for their wonderful ethnic food, but this goodwill towards food doesn’t always extend to people... I called the cops on a man who verbally harassed me on the side of the road for being “fucking Indian”. They did nothing, because they couldn’t—the law doesn’t cover casual street racism unless people fear for their physical safety. A few years later, I was disheartened to read a blogpost by Deanna Yang, owner of Moustache Milk & Cookie Bar, talking about a Chinese boy being racially harassed in the exact same spot.

Our politics aren’t immune to our essential Kiwiness. Ex-politician Steven Joyce was once hit in the face with a plastic dildo, resulting in: a campaign We’re hardly perfect, and sometimes we don’t listen to each other enough. to enshrine the dildo at Te Papa, a flying dildo fuckstravaganza on an But. This is a country in which a rugby team (the Crusaders) is considering a name change based on public feedback after a international late-night comedy show, and "AND THE MUMS ARE tragedy. In this country, a prime minister gave birth national treasure Peter Jackson proudly waving a Joyce-dildo flag. One of our two major ALWAYS COMPLIMENTED FOR with little to no fuss, and her gorgeous little one was adopted by the whole nation. We are starting to parties was once sued by rapper Eminem for THEIR WONDERFUL ETHNIC teach te reo in schools, and our government has set plagiarising “Lose Yourself”, and in the ensuing FOOD, BUT THIS GOODWILL targets to ensure the preservation of the language. trial, a lawyer played the rap song in its entirety to TOWARDS FOOD DOESN’T a silent courtroom, in possibly its most awkward ALWAYS EXTEND TO PEOPLE." We celebrate every festival our various ethnic communities want to share, and take pride in doing rendition yet. Our current Deputy Prime Minister once accused our ex-Prime Minister of having “curtains” that “don’t match so. In this country we have tried, imperfectly, to come together from all walks the carpet”, creating the weirdest political ship that I have yet to write of life, and make amends for the sins of our ancestors. In this country we put old grievances to rest, moving towards a brighter future. fanfiction about. We don’t take our leaders or ourselves too seriously. Speaking of our tone towards politics: We kept David Seymour on Dancing with the Stars for far too long. Although—this could be attributed to the same demographic of our population who are too young to recognise Suzy Cato. For future reference, young ones, Suzy Cato is the aunty of our nation. You sent our aunty home. Democracy is dead. Except, of course, when it’s alive and well. We were the 13th country in the world to legalise gay marriage, and we were vaguely surprised that we had not done it sooner. Pakuranga MP Maurice Williamson delivered an impassioned, comedic speech in support of the bill, which included the immortal phrase, “I thought Deuteronomy was a cat out of Cats, but never mind”. The bill passed by a large margin of votes, celebrated with a standing ovation and a rendition of Pōkarekare Ana, sung in perfect harmony by spectators, and less than perfect harmony by politicians. If you pause the YouTube video 33 seconds in, you can see a young, fresh-faced Jacinda, smiling her trademark smile, enshrined in history. We have made the language of our indigenous community, our tangata whenua, an official language of New Zealand. We also decided that our other official language, to be protected by law, is not English, but the language of our deaf community, New Zealand Sign Language. Our

Only in this country could my Hindu cousin marry the Muslim love of his life. They spent nine years hiding their relationship due to religious tensions, but broke down the barriers of both families by bringing them together. We all attended three weddings—the ‘white’, the Hindu and the Muslim ones, and participated in everything that they entailed. Our ignorance and misunderstanding was no longer justifiable once we put faces and names to historical grievances that made no sense in our lives anymore. Our prejudice could not be applied to someone so bright and wonderful as my cousin’s future wife. Old tensions ebbed away, replaced by love and goodwill. This is New Zealand. We’re not perfect. We’ve come a long way, and we have a long way to go. But we are unique, united, unflinching, and we always will be. No matter where we come from, no matter where we’re going, New Zealand can be home to anyone. No matter what our background, we should all have been spared the horror of David Seymour twerking. We can all get weirdly emotional about the haka, or pavlova, or a flag, or a horse. And we should all, always, at 3 a.m., blow on the pie. Safer communities together.

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Salman Abbasnejad, Chasing Home In A Foreign

n Land, Digital Illustration, 59cm x 42cm, 2018

Solomon and I had a chat about all things music, central Waikato, and his favourite kind of ice cream.

HUNTER BLAIR

Interview with Solomon Crook

I admit it: I live with Solomon Crook. No, I’m not looking for credit or a pseudo-sense of importance given this one connection. However, I do find it bizarre that New Zealand’s next offering to the international stage is someone who I consider both a friend and the man who prepares dinner for me once a week.

Solomon: I grew up in Opoutere, which is about ten minutes from Whangamatā. When I was seven, we moved to Cambridge and I eventually ended up at St Peter's. We still return to Opoutere regularly, though, as my family have a lot of ties there. It’s a significant place for me as a musician, too, as inspiration can be easily sought out.

Solomon: Yeah, I went to school at St Peter's, which had a really good music programme and that definitely helped drive the path of craft. Hamilton had no real visible scene so all of our opportunities to play came within the school. It was a very structured and methodical process so that trajectory helped shape where I’m at now.

As long as the admissions are flowing, I may as well admit that I’m taking the easy road here. Sue me. It’s 4 p.m. and instead of fiddling with the inner labyrinth that is my computer's system preferences trying to make Skype work so I can speak with some international touring artist, I’m lying on the floor of Solomon’s room, passing a joint back and forth (Can we say that?). I’m meant to be asking him questions; taking a journalistic eye and crafting an indulged story about how ‘cool’ I think he is. Instead, we’re too busy talking about nothing—a particular type of ice cream, dragon’s blood incense, why one particular establishment’s jam night actually kinda sucks.

Hunter: I remember hearing an interview with you and Miles Buckingham on RadioActive and Miles made the comment that being “from the Coromandel and playing guitar went hand in hand”. Was there ever a focus on developing a solo act and pursuing that stereotype?

We played in events such as Smokefree Rockquest which helped get the bands I was in to sit down and write songs, to rehearse, and then to perform. Playing in bands with other people and being able to have that interaction was invaluable.

Solomon: Haha, not so much. I think that any song with good vocals and structure can be quality, so in essence, I started with that formula, which is often just playing alone, learning your craft. I do enjoy playing with others, though, and I have done for many years.

Hunter: So essentially this year you’ve become a free agent. You’ve generated the groundswell and played some big gigs with your band, as well as releasing an EP in 2018, so what’s on the cards for this year going forward?

If anything, I think this is Solomon’s greatest appeal; he could talk to a lamp post. Solomon, or better known as ‘Solly/Crooked’ depending where you reside in his social circle, is just a purely nice guy, and I mean that with genuine intent. Solomon oozes charisma, yet he has an understated cool that keeps his head in check—as his aptly named debut EP, Abandon Adolescence, Crook has had to replace any ego with humility and focus on forging a career in music. Hunter: You’re now living in Wellington, and have done for a number of years over the course of your degree. Where did you originally grow up?

Hunter: Is there a band that you usually play with? Solomon: Currently we have six in our band but we interchange from time to time depending on the event and the availability of the artists. Hunter: Obviously both Opoutere and Cambridge aren’t notorious for their rich music culture. Did growing up in towns with little to no ‘gig’ scene stimulate interest in the craft of music as opposed to the popularity aspect? And has that been something that has become a part of the process?

Solomon: The same thing probably. I’m just enjoying being able to play shows and scrounge around for some coin. I don’t think I’ll change my approach as this year doesn’t need to have anything change—just to keep working away at the greater task at hand. Hunter: Cool. Well, one last question, what’s your favourite ice cream from the BP across the road? Solomon: Chocolate. Hunter: Chocolate? Solomon: Yeah, not plain but that nice shiet.

Solomon is currently based in Wellington. His EP, Abandon Adolescence, is availiable for streaming on Spotify and Apple Music .

KAHU KUTIA

TE TŪ KOTAHI It is a privilege to be a tauira at Victoria University. It is a privilege because we have been able to access a space that is still inaccessible for many of our whānau. Because here we can gather knowledge to take back to our communities. Another reason that it is a privilege is because of the legacy of tauira Māori at Victoria University. So many of our pakeke and kaumātua who passed through Te Herenga Waka marae are leaders in fighting for indigenous rights. Te Hōhaieti o te Reo Māori ki Wikitōria was one of the key rōpū that petitioned the government to assert Te Reo Māori as an official language. Te Ao Mārama (our annual Māori students’ magazine) has been running since the 70’s, making it the longest running publication by tauira Māori. It has always been a space for us to share our thoughts. To speak out against racism, colonisation, and discrimination. To celebrate all the strength of our culture. Because of many people over the years, including tōtara like Dame Whina Cooper and the young activists of Ngā Tamatoa, we have rights today which some of our kaumātua did not get to experience in their lifetimes. For me it is a privilege to be a tauira. Last week the whānau of Ihumaatao took a petition to Parliament. The beautiful green whenua of Ihumaatao is just five minutes from Auckland Airport. You’ve probably been past it heaps of times. One of the few pieces of green left in the constantly expanding rohe of Auckland City. Twenty years after Te Tiriti was signed, the Crown took the whenua from the hapū and displaced most of the uri. The whenua has passed through many hands since then. Their maunga tapu was quarried to build the roads of Auckland. Their awa was reserved to hold the city’s waste.

The land sits on and beside historic wāhi tapu. There are kōiwi buried in the area, as there were in the land that is now the second runway for Auckland Airport. The Ōtuataua stone fields are one of the first examples of māra kai being set up in Aotearoa. Mana whenua have been leading a resistance movement since 2014 after the Auckland City Council sold the whenua to Fletcher Building Limited. Fletcher plan to build 480 high-price houses on the land. Amongst the crowds of people that walked from Wharewaka through to Parliament, I saw many of our whānau from here at Vic. I saw pēpi and kaumātua. I saw Māori, Pākehā, Tauiwi. 18,000 signatures were received on the step by Marama Davidson. The hīkoi was a reminder that we as another generation stand on the shoulders of giants. But there is still so much more we have to fight for. About a month ago, I went along to one of Ihumaatao’s weekly Sunday potlucks. Anyone can come along to share kai and kōrero with the people who protect this whenua. Never before have I felt manaakitanga like that which was given to me there. In the face of imminent invasion from bulldozers, and with helicopters flying over the area, they held us as manuhiri so beautifully. Shared their whare and stories with us. Gave us a bed at the end of the night. It is true that safe and affordable housing is increasingly rare in Tāmaki-Makaurau. Those who support the housing project argue that this development will provide some relief to that crisis. But these houses will be high-price and not affordable to those who really need them. You want to build more houses? Take the golf courses. Not our wāhi tapu.

MAURI OR A

TH E F WOR D VIC UFO

JUDE WEST & CATHERINE NELSON

Spokesperson of Islamic Women's Council of New Zealand Anjum Rahman’s article on RNZ opens “How does a heart break? Does it shatter into a million pieces? Does it split into two aching, throbbing halves? ... I will try to convey to you my absolute blinding rage.”

Sexual Health Checks Available at Victoria University Student Health offers sexual health consultations at Mauri Ora and Te Taunaki. Worried about having a check? Don’t be. We will be able to put you at ease about how simple and quick a sexual health check can be. Nothing surprises us, anyway.

Women have a long and complicated history with strong emotions. Anger. Rage. Despair. More pejoratively dismissed as hysteria, shrillness, or perhaps patronised with sassy, feisty. It gets more complicated when you’re a woman of colour: passion becomes aggression. Volume becomes aggression. Challenging any oppressor becomes aggression. That kind of rhetoric is often exhausting. There’s emotional work involved in changing your tone, making sure your words are appropriate enough to not offend delicate (see: white, male, straight, cis, able-bodied) sensibilities, while still getting your message across. Tamping down on anger. The responsibility of telling someone how they can improve without implying that they were in the wrong in the first place, lest they be driven away by your aggression. In the end, Rahman pleads for accountability. In a similar RNZ article, Saziah Bashir asks us to just "listen", especially to Muslim women.

When to have a Sexual Health check You should have a health check if you have new or unusual symptoms such as a discharge, unusual bleeding, or you notice some lumps or bumps in your genital area, anus, or mouth. Other times to be tested include at the beginning of a new relationship, or after one ends. Some STIs do not show symptoms at all, so it’s recommended that you get checked. Incubation Times Incubation time refers to the time from when you may have been exposed to a STI until you can be tested for it. Some STIs, such as chlamydia and gonorrhea, can be tested for in two weeks by sending a urine test or swabs to the lab. Due to their longer incubation times, blood tests for other infections such as syphilis, Hepatitis B and C, and HIV, are recommended at the initial appointment and repeated some weeks to months after potential exposure. What is involved when you have a Sexual Health Check?

This is the thing about accountability: it’s not something that shies away from the past. It stares the past straight in the eye, and forces you to look, too. It’s not something that is quiet for the comfort for others. It’s not a claim that this is not who we are. This is who we are. And it’s our responsibility to do better. VicUFO are not exempt from this responsibility. Perhaps, looking at our own past, and the position of power and privilege we hold, it’s more than just a responsibility: it’s a commitment to action, to mobilise, to support. A commitment to work together as a community, for the community. We’re here to witness. We’re here to listen. We’re here to do better.

We know it can be daunting to make that first appointment, so you can bring a friend or request a chaperone. Consultation with the nurse or doctor starts with history-taking. This information helps us decide which tests we would recommend for you. If you have no unusual symptoms, you will be able to self-test (taking your own swabs or passing a urine sample). If you do have symptoms, you may require an examination. If you have any questions about sexual or reproductive health, make an appointment with us. Other options include seeing your Medical Centre, a Family Planning clinic, or the Sexual Health Service at 275 Cuba Street, Te Aro. The Service is free, and they also have clinics in Lower Hutt and Porirua—phone 0800 188 881.

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SWAT

D REAM D IAGNO SIS

ALEX WALKER

MELANY TONIN

SWAT would like to give enormous aroha to our Muslim whānau. We stand in solidarity against the racism your community has always faced, and our hearts ache for the lives that were taken.

When I get a little stressy, I have a recurring dream where my teeth fall out. It feels like I have a bunch of crushed tic-tacs in my mouth. Whenever I wake up, my first thought is always “oh no my teeth are all gone,” until I get ready for the day and start eating breakfast and I remember that they’re all there. I’ve also recently had a few hair falling out dreams, these ones are relatively new. I think I need a holiday.

I would like to address any Pākehā who may be reading this: we need to be better. We cannot let what has happened become an explicable tragedy that we all must move on from. In the wake of the terrorism on March 15, I have read many articles by Muslim members of the community talking about how unsafe they have felt in Aotearoa. Stories of racism and prejudice that, for many minorities in this country, have formed a common part of their lives. It is easy for us to say “this isn’t us” but doing so blocks out the voices of people who are telling us different. People that have far more experience in discrimination than we will ever have.

Dear dreamer, On first glance, dreaming about teeth falling out is reasonably normal. Mundane even. What’s interesting is that you compare your teeth to delicious crushed tic-tacs, and even after you’ve woken, you carry on with this fantasy. You stagger to breakfast thinking you have fresh, minty toothless breath, which leads one to wonder: what the hell are you doing? Why not slide a finger into your mouth on the way to the kitchen?

You might think: What I have got to do with this? I’m not a racist person!

Teeth are a sign of power. The fact this symbol for loss is twisted and framed as an impotent mint makes one wonder if something darker is going on. Is there a fight raging within? A struggle as you adjust to adulthood, sweetened by your misguided need to dismiss, or diminish? All sorts of possibilities are tied in with tooth symbolism—the impending death of a friend, losing money (the tooth fairy lives on), putting your faith in what man thinks rather than in the word of god (that last one might have come from Google).

The answer is that we hold accountability as members of an unfairly privileged group in Aotearoa. And our accountability needs to start now. It’s shutting down racist “jokes” and racist “banter” whenever we hear it, whether the speaker is a family member or close friend. It’s seeking out non-Pākehā voices in our media consumption. And it’s owning up to our own racism. Because no matter how good of a person we think we are, we’ve still been raised in an environment where the Pākehā voice is the default voice. We’ve still studied in Pākehā structures of education and have internalised Pākehā ideas about how the world works.

You’re deteriorating. That’s why the dreams began in your mouth and have now reached your skull. Hair is a symbol of attraction, of ideas, of creativity. It represents a growing concern about what you’re giving up. Your subconscious is finally realising you’re actually a small fish in, at best, a moderately-sized pond, and if that really is the case then I recommend you never leave Wellington.

There’s a wonderful quote from human rights activist Desmond Tutu that we should remember. He says: “If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor.”

You need to brush your teeth and comb your hair. Not literally, but it has to be done. You need to realise that you will have to crawl to the top from the very bottom. Ideas from NCEA won’t cut it.

It’s clear that simply saying we aren’t racist is not sufficient. Saying “that was an awful tragedy,” before moving on with our lives is not sufficient. The time for us to educate ourselves on the evils of racism is not today. It was 179 years ago when Te Tiriti o Waitangi was signed. But now it’s long overdue, and we have a lot of work ahead of us.

I also recommend you try to relax.

ALICE MANDER “You’re so lucky you have other stuff going for you.”

Red Nicholson (teacher, disability advocate, writer, podcaster, and all-round cool guy) wrote an article called “The fragile ego of disability” and I think his opinion is pretty on par with my point. He writes:

In other words, you’re so lucky because I don’t see you as just disabled. Not too long ago, hearing this would have filled me with pride. It would have confirmed that, yes, I’ve finally achieved my goal of making my disability invisible and irrelevant by ignoring it for most of my life. You see, I have always grappled with the thought that I have to become somebody in order to avoid the label that I used to fear the most: “just that disabled girl”. If I get a bad grade, I’m not smart and, I am just that disabled girl. If I don’t appear desirable, then no romantic interest will ever be able to love just that disabled girl (*cue sad girl on piano music*). If I don’t succeed in my endeavours all the time, I am just that disabled girl. It’s a thought process that can trap me in a deep pit of anxiety, panic, and self-hatred (~fun, fun, fun, fun~).

“The answer, of course, is ego. And shame. Ego, because our entire childhoods were spent being told how special we are. How clever. How wonderful that we were disabled and we had friends. That we were disabled and we did our homework. That we were disabled and we did this most inconsequential mundane thing. And shame because now, faced with the reality that life is actually more difficult for us, we are still desperate to perpetuate this narrative of specialness in a world that simply isn’t set up in a way that allows us to thrive. That paradox is a painful one, and I think it leads us to carve out space for ourselves in such a way that people continue to remark upon us as unique, as special. Through this, we are able to continue countering stereotypes and harvesting that external affirmation that we have been conditioned to so desperately crave. However, we’ll probably end up living our lives in the pursuit of the validation of others – a tragic and vacuous life, surely”

As I’ve hopefully made clear from this column—disabled people are always held up against the expectations of an ableist narrative in which we are expected to fit a mold which may be impossible for us to fulfill. It’s not inconceivable, therefore, to see why disabled people may feel that they need to overachieve in order to legitimise their existence or even their sense of worth. I think this is a trap that a lot of activists, myself included, sadly buy into. The reality is, we simply aren’t going to be listened to if we aren’t considered impressive enough, outside of our disability. And most of the disabled activists I know of are extremely impressive— entrepreneurs, very talented writers and speakers, athletes, actors, etc. Regardless of their disability, these people are achieving more than most people of their age. But, really, why are we so desperate to be at the top, to have so much else “going for us” on top of our disability?

I agree with this. But, as someone with a progressive disability, I think my quest for perfectionism might come from somewhere else also. Technically, I wasn’t always disabled. Learning to accept and love the fact that I am ”that disabled girl” in a world which makes it hard, has been a slow and wild journey. I strive for perfection because part of me is still scared of that label. Part of me wants to reject it. But, finally, I’m learning to get along with it. Because I am that disabled girl and there’s nothing wrong with that—whether I am adorned with achievements or not. Besides, I’m just so tired of making myself look and feel good through an ableist lens. It’s, like, totally messing with my crippled aura, d00d.

SALLY WARD

Monsodium glutamate, otherwise known about town as MSG, has been cast as a villain in the narrative of appropriate diet decisions. But the real villain here is racism.

manipulate the perception of a group. Before you fall prey to propaganda, take a proper gander at your information. ‘Chinese restaurant syndrome’ became a thing in the 1970s and continued to have a place in our dining dialogue well into the 2000s. It started after some guy complained that he felt headachey and ill after eating a meal at a Chinese restaurant. The guy also suggested that the headache and double vision could have been related to alcohol consumption…

MSG is delicious. Step into the back of any restaurant that produces curry or noodles and you will find, next to a simmering pot of soul-warming goodness, a bowl of sugar and a bowl of MSG. If you’re wondering why you can’t make a Thai green curry at home that tastes as good as your local, it’s because you are missing the special ingredient.

The terrifying thing is that these reported symptoms and negative connotations attached themselves to the perception of an entire cuisine and, by extension, a race. Winny Churchill said that a “lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on.” He’s not wrong. Despite a fleet of studies that followed, concluding that MSG is safe and unrelated to said symptoms, it still affects the perception of some highly reputable restaurants.

The scientists behind the compound are German chemist Karl Heinrich Ritthausen and Japanese chemist Kikunae Ikeda in the early 1900s. It is gluten, treated with sulfuric acid, which has been crystallised to extract the flavour. And what a flavour! It has umami taste that enhances the meaty, savoury flavour of food. And this is something that has been recognised by chefs at the top level (notably Heston Blumenthal). MSG is used in canned foods, chicken stock, malt extract, sauces, and more. It’s why those mysterious mee goreng sauces taste like a gift from the gods. It is a ‘treat’ thing, so I wouldn’t start adding it to my breakfast cereal, but it would go nice in my next tofu marinade. It should be used in moderation, just like you should eat barbeque Shapes in moderation.

How did something invented in Europe and Japan, that is used worldwide and across many different cuisines, become a weapon against Chinese food? Because dragging it through the mud allowed them to target a group of people and rob them of their business. It got lost in the sauce. Stash some MSG in next to the sumac and keep xenophobia out of your kitchen. And remember: if you leave a restaurant feeling sick, it’s probably the alcohol.

You’d think I would have stopped being surprised by how random and pervasive racism can be by now. It is not welcome anywhere and certainly not welcome in my food, thank you. Going beyond racism, the case of MSG shows how food can be used to control and

CAITLIN HICKS

CW: Paedophilia, Sexual Abuse

claimed in a 1993 MTV interview that Michael was a paedophile, corroborating Chandler’s claims. She later retracted her statements, citing pressure from her thenhusband to lie.

I finally watched Leaving Neverland. To help you decide where you sit when it comes to the allegations, I’ve compiled a brief, objective summary of everything you might need to know.

After its Sundance debut, Jackson’s estate announced that they were suing HBO over the documentary. The estate maintains that it is exploitative and an unvetted “public lynching”. Jackie Jackson, the late singer’s brother, told CBS This Morning that verification was needed, and the testimonies were untrue. Janet Jackson has reportedly come under fire from relatives for not issuing a public statement, and Jackson's children have made no comment.

The two-part, four-hour exposé follows the testimonies of Wade Robson and James Safechuck, who allege that they were abused by Michael Jackson as young boys. Robson first met Jackson when he was five, and says that from the age of seven, their close friendship took on a sexual nature. Safechuck starred in the 1987 Pepsi commercial with Jackson and was soon seduced by the generosity and glamour of his lifestyle; his abuse is said to have begun at age ten. Both men describe visits to Neverland, sharing beds with Jackson, and escalating sexual acts. Their accounts are painfully articulate, and powerful. Robson and Safechuck were not remunerated for their participation in the documentary.

Many have spoken out in support of the victims, including a former Neverland maid who claimed that she saw the singer kissing and petting young boys. Corey Feldman, a lifetime friend and supporter of Jackson, publicly denounced him after watching the documentary. Radio stations here, in the UK, Canada, and Australia, announced last week that they would no longer play any of Jackson’s music. Sales of Jackson’s records on iTunes have soared, moving into the UK top 200, though Billboard US reported a fall in sales following the documentary's release.

Accusations of child molestation pervaded the last 15 years of Jackson’s life. In the 1993 civil sex abuse case raised by Jordan Chandler against the late singer, Safechuck testified that Jackson had never abused him. Robson testified similarly in 2005 proceedings against Jackson. The Chandler case was settled out of court for a rumoured US$20 million, and the 2005 California jury cleared Jackson.

It’s hard to come away from Leaving Neverland without needing to do some soul searching. Is Jackson, the revered King of Pop, too important to be muted? Can we ever divorce the artist from their art? Are we too ashamed to believe that the rumours could be true? After all, creators like Jackson soundtracked some of our most important lived experiences. To concede that they did unspeakable things inevitably tarnishes those memories for ourselves.

In 2013, Robson claimed that he had lied in 2005, suffering psychological damage. That same year, he brought legal action for the abuse against Jackson’s estate, and Safechuck filed similar proceedings in 2014. Both proceedings were dismissed in 2017 for technical reasons, but are awaiting an appellate judgement later this year. So far, five boys that Jackson has shared a bed with have accused him of abuse.

Chances are, you won’t be able to escape this subject for a while yet, so buckle up and get informed.

Jackson admitted in the 2003 documentary Living With Michael Jackson that he regularly shared his bed with young boys, but said “it’s not sexual”, and “it’s very sweet, it’s what the whole world should do”. La Toya Jackson, estranged from the family at the time,

"This is not New Zealand" the white woman tells our Muslim colleague and it's intended to comfort to console she just looks at her wordless she has to go home and explain to her 9 year old why in New Zealand they can't go to mosque - Saete

Send your limericks, elegies, and odes to poetry@salient.org.nz

MUSIC NØIR R E VI E W: R E U BE N G R A N T

Smino’s second album, NØIR, released in November 2018, proves to be the singer/rapper’s most enjoyable listen yet. Having always grabbed attention with his velvety voice, here he hones it down and manages to pull a diverse set of instrumentals into cohesion, and it sounds signature. Less subdued and weighty than Smino’s debut album blkswn, NØIR is sensual and carefree; the soundtrack to a bedroom party, from the leisurely takeoff through to the cozy after-hours. Originally from St Louis and now based in Chicago, the 27-year-old has entered the limelight in the last few years through collaborations with Chicago natives Noname and Saba, as well as through the rise of his collective Zero Fatigue, which includes members Ravyn Lenae, Jay2, and Bari (who offer key features here). Staking ground somewhere between soulful T-Pain and slick André 3000, with similar levels of gospel music and gangster rap, Smino released two mixtapes in 2015, and, following several successful singles such as “Anita”, came out with his debut album blkswn in 2017. Though pleasing, the record is too comfortable in its vibe of mellow and woozy trap R&B, and coming to an hour in length, it’s too long for even Smino’s overflowing charisma to hold our attention. On NØIR, he finds his springs. Though Smino’s subject matter still runs on familiar lines—flexing, various forms of intoxication, women, and sexual plunders—his lyrical finesse keeps these songs fresh, popping out endless snappy one-liners or stringing together rhymes that by all means shouldn’t work. On the cavernous self-produced beat of “KRUSHED ICE”, Smino slyly pens “She got apple bottom, give me face time”, while on “KOVERT”, one of the record’s rare poignant moments, he deftly layers ideas: “Black spots on my memory/I white out all the pain with green/That’s the only color that ain’t done me wrong”. Smino’s voice, however, is his strongest asset.

Silky, smooth, succulent—plainly put, this hits the sweet spot. On “MF GROOVE”, Smino is joined by Ravyn Lenae; honeyed vocals lifting off from the song’s crunchy funk bassline to blissful heights. NØIR hears Smino perfect his mastery over cadence and inflection. Shifting gears from deep soulful drawl to quick-fired rap to tightly pitched croon—all without the slightest hint of friction. Words are squeezed and bent to his will, the daftest of pop culture references come rolling out with style: “I got the dough, like Homer”. At times, Smino flips through his vocal playbook so readily and effortlessly that it runs the risk of blurring into a pleasant mush. Thankfully, NØIR’s production is diverse and experimental, providing a variety of frames for Smino to exercise his chops. The warped clavichord sample on highlight “KLINK” snaps against crisp trap drums to create a quirky banger, and Smino bounces out his tricks one by one, belting a shrill cry before falling into a playful tumble. Another stand-out, “MERLOT”, hears soft percussion and icy synths twisted backwards into a beat that Smino skates on with a seductive cool: “Sip and I swerve on your curves/It appears I'm absurd, it's the merlot.” These shifts to stranger sounds were missed on blkswn, and it left the record predictable. It is exciting to hear Smino step up to more of a challenge here. The warm and fuzzy trap sound remains, though with more nuance and exploration; bending out wicked curveballs and refining its blend of sweet R&B and strippedback neo-funk. Smino even steps into a reggae beat on “TEQUILA MOCKINGBIRD”, and comes out with a bubbly dance-floor filler. Overall, NØIR shows Smino’s ability to dig up catchy earworms while still taking risks that set him apart from the crowd. Apparent in his wicked remix of Drake’s “In My Feelings”, this is an artist who’s got what it takes to break into the mainstream—the question is if he wants to.

PODC AS T GE T TI NG C U R I O U S R E VI E W: SO PH I E D I XO N

You’re sitting on a couch with your flamboyant, fantastic best friend and his mate, and you’re all just chatting about the importance of vulnerability, or the rise of artificial intelligence, or the career paths of popular authors. All well and good and intellectually stimulating—until you realise you are really just talking out loud to the podcast in your head (and freaking out the students around you making the my-timetable-sucks-trek from Pip’ to Kelburn). Jonathan Van Ness’ podcast, Getting Curious, sees him interview a new guest each week for around 30 minutes about any topic under the sun. With the latest season of Queer Eye that was dropped on Netflix on March 15, I figured I’d see what else the star of the show had been up to, beside dispensing grooming tips and one-liners. Quite a lot it seems. There’s nearly 100 episodes to chunk through, so you have the luxury of picking and choosing ones that sound interesting to you. To review his overall work, I listened to a few different ones from when he first started in December 2015, and then his more recent instalments, where he gets better at letting the interviewee explore their thoughts without interjection. I listened on Spotify, but you can use iTunes, Earwolf, Player FM, or other podcast-specific apps. It’s witty, well-researched, and the guests are always interesting in their own right. It’s a star-studded list, from his co-stars, to neuroscientists, to figure-skaters. Titles include: “What is Toxic Stress & Why is She So bad?” “How Do We Treat Our Skin Like the Gorgeous Organ She Is?” and “What's The Cutest Way to Fight Climate Change?” There’s huge variety as he flipflops from the star power of Kim Kardashian to asking whether we still possess the capacity to be civil. It’s like having a smart, very loveable, but very annoying friend in your back pocket—a Donkey to your Shrek.

The problem is that Jonathan is sometimes too interesting. I loved his vibrant, charismatic personality on the show and this is reflected in his episodes. However, his shine can overpower his guests, and there really should be a limit to the amount of times one person can say “gorgeous” in thirty freaking minutes. New drinking game anyone? It’s focussed heavily on America but if you are like me and American politics causes your heart to beat faster out of fear, you can just skip those episodes, or else tune in to have your fears amplified (or lessened—depending on the apocalypse level you were imagining). By giving Van Ness’ work a whirl, you will be joining legions of other fans, the podcast having been recommended by both the Guardian and Harvard University. The interview format leads to surprising revelations that move beyond basic question-and-answer to real connection and conversation, but it takes a while for the rapport to build throughout the episode. The work has real heart and is also super informative, if you can dig yourself out of an avalanche of tangents. Jonathan’s chatty style means you can venture out to make a cup of tea, get involved with the nightly bragging (crying) about everyone’s length of their readings, and come back without missing a whole lot. It is a great introductory podcast that makes fresher flu a little more bearable. To sum it up in the iconic words of JVN himself: “He’s living his truth and that’s cute.”

FILM B L I NDSP OT T I N G R E VI E W: E VA LO C K H A R T

So a few weeks ago, I wrote an article claiming First Reformed was the most important film of 2018. In this week’s issue I have to amend that statement. If First Reformed was to come second to anything, it could only be the multidisciplinary performance piece Blindspotting. Blindspotting follows Collin (Hamilton’s Daveed Diggs) who, on the third-to-last night of his probation, witnesses a white police officer shoot a black man in the back. A black man himself, Collin is terrified. Unsure what to do, he flees the scene. Brought on by a combination of guilt and fear, he begins suffering from paralysing nightmares and daytime hallucinations. The incident dominates his every thought, putting strain on the relationship between Collin and his white, grill-wearing best friend Miles (Rafael Casal), whose volatile behaviour landed Collin in prison in the first place. Written, produced by, and starring real-life besties Diggs and Casal, Blindspotting explores race-relations from a totally original and vitally 21st century perspective. Blindspotting is, more than anything else, a character drama, and their chemistry is a perfect fit for the dynamic between Collin and Miles. Miles, a white man raised in the hood, is in some ways stereotypically ‘blacker’ than Collin. He is the hotheaded troublemaker of the pair, and this causes some tension when Collin confesses that as a black man, he is constantly worried about the outward appearance of his behaviour—something that Miles doesn’t have consider because of his white privilege. One of the fantastic things about Blindspotting is the way it handles heavy topics with humour. It contrasts chilling moments (like a black child casually practicing putting his hands up and yelling “Don’t shoot!”) with comedic scenes, which help ground the film at times, and possibly make it more accessible to people who are unlikely to watch a straight-laced drama about police brutality. Despite this, Blindspotting is still undeniably a thriller. Tension is maintained masterfully throughout the film, which made me feel a confusing combination of deeply amused and extremely nervous.

The technical aspects of Blindspotting sometimes feel more theatrical than cinematic. Diggs clearly called on his Broadway background for inspiration in the heavily stylised, colourful lighting, which is strongly reminiscent of a stage play. In fact, the whole film feels more like a performance piece than a movie, due largely to the powerful pieces of spoken word poetry and rap sprinkled throughout, which gradually build in intensity and culminate in Collin’s final performance—a mix between rap and spoken word that lasts for an electrifying five minutes. Interpretive physical performance comes into play through the menacing choreography of the hallucination and nightmare scenes, featuring groups of dancers. These are the most anxiety-inducing scenes of the film, and believe me when I say that for the entirety of Collin’s final rap, I was so goddamn tense that I was genuinely perched on the very edge of my bed. I’ve spent a ridiculous percentage of my life watching films, but never have I been impacted by an ending like this. Other films, at their conclusion, must wrangle the narrative to hit the right emotional beats and deliver a clear message. But Blindspotting cuts straight to the heart, in what is essentially a dramatic monologue with rhythm. Collin’s final rap is a retrospective thesis statement summarising the film’s purpose, and in that is the pain one feels after seeing life senselessly taken. I am writing this on the 18th of March; the terror attacks in Christchurch happened three days ago. Our whole country is hurting, and the pain expressed by Collin in Blindspotting is a mirror of the pain we feel. Films like this are made to encourage acceptance, empathy, and change, and for that reason I encourage you to take the lessons of Blindspotting into your life going forward. I love you all with my whole heart. Even though I do not know you, I am with you and I support you. Stay strong, and above all—be kind to each other. I’ll be back with another review next week.

T H E ATR E Y E STE RDAY, I N S PAC E R E VI E W: K I R ST I N C R OWE

Yesterday, in space, I saw a non-binary robot commit manslaughter, a mama’s boy seduce a fugitive doctor, and I saw a gay Māori captain dance and sing his way from certain death to leadership competence. Troy J Malcolm, founder of SPLITelevision productions, has been producing content since 2014, including Crash Bandicoot playthroughs, VLOGs in drag, and approachable videos on the craft of storytelling. Yesterday, In Space is their first play. Making an appearance are a diverse cast of actors of varying levels of experience from beginner to vet. They had lots of energy to give. Though there were occasionally issues with projection, overall the lines were delivered clearly. All actors gave their all and gave us characters we could laugh at. Special shoutout must go to Troy Malcolm (Dennis) and Jules Daniel (Alex the nonbinary robot) who the audience especially enjoyed. Malcolm was the consummate ragdoll pansexual, stridently flirty but with a vulnerability that endeared us to him even when he turned out to be the villain. Daniel was the perfect above-this-shit truthteller and played the sarcasm to some of the biggest laughs of the night. Though the show advertises itself as a musical soap opera in space, Yesterday is really about relationships. The doctor has run away from her mistakes. The first mate can have anyone but really wants captain Otene. The copilot won’t chill out until she gets her turn at the wheel. The scientist has brains to spare but has a little trouble sticking up for herself. And the Captain, well, he really has no idea how to run a ship. The conclusion seeks to solve these essential problems for our characters, and so offer the audience catharsis. In the end, much like a Disney movie, all those loose strings are tied up. Finishing on an acapella ditty (“Farewell to Yesterday”), it’s all smiles on the intergalactic voyage.

The use of film is cleverly incorporated, with sophisticated space graphics and beautifully kitsch-kiwi delivery by the head of operations on earth (actor unknown). In the final moments, we get a scene of someone walking into an office where a Mike Myers-like villain turns slowly in their office chair, revealing that Dennis, first mate and mutineer, was actually a clone placed on the ship by a sinister organisation. This is a clever nod to soap opera convention, and reminded me of the videos that everyone waits for after whatever new Marvel movie, stubbornly sticking in their seats as the uninitiated shuffle past with their empty popcorn buckets. Though undoubtedly energetic and showing great potential, this was clearly a fledgling show. The songs, in particular, left me wanting, and not only because they were all acapella. In musicals like this we don’t necessarily need complex music, but it does need to be catchy. Yesterday has some good character motifs, and some exciting moments (like when they use one phrase as a round, the characters singing over each other, adding more and more sonic confusion as the crew lose control), but it never earns earworm status. The choice not to have a band also made the musical moments more soggy than soaring. Perhaps the biggest thing missing from Yesterday was a clear take away message. I was left wondering what the significance of the ship’s name, Yesterday, was, other than the opportunity to pun on its name in the final number. In a show that clearly set out to be as inclusive as possible, putting people of colour in lead roles, using sign language in songs, and spotlighting queer relationships, I wondered if perhaps the yesterday we are leaving behind is one where minorities were excluded. This wasn’t cleared up by the end and, though I was happy to leave that be, given the efforts the capable crew spent to entertain all of us on board, it may not pass by those in the audience with BAs in Theatre.

BOOK H OM E SI C K F O R AN OT H E R W O R L D R E VI E W: L I LY M C E L H O N E

Homesick for Another World, the first short story collection by Ottessa Moshfegh (of My Year of Rest and Relaxation fame) is a gloriously grotesque survey of the decaying stench of modern American life. Repugnant characters navigate strained relationships and extreme self-loathing in a selection of stories as perversely compelling as a “Top 10 Best Pimple Popping Videos” compilation on YouTube. As a book reviewer, I am contractually obliged to draw shakily justified connections between writers to make sure you all know I have read A Lot Of Books. So I am going to describe this collection as ‘Murakami for people that don’t hate women’. Perhaps, however, it would be better to describe Murakami as ‘Moshfegh for people that hate women’. Gaze plays a leading role throughout the book: a young woman’s story is told through the voyeuristic perspective of an eavesdropping neighbour, and we learn about a meth-addicted aspiring actor through his looking at himself. A lonesome man becomes obsessed with the imagined image of a woman he has never met, another loses himself in a love for a woman he sees every day but never gets close to. And while we can gawk at the grotesque points of view shown in the book, the narrative’s morbid fascination with the most repugnant parts of these characters is hardly exempt from salacious voyeurism. The intimate details told of back pimples and animalistic sex are conveyed in a way Hoarders or My Strange Addiction would be if they were literary fiction. We are repulsed, yet we can’t stop looking. These stories are linked by their common nihilistic worldview, which is implicit but eats away at the reader nonetheless. The tales contained in this collection lack any sense of hope. The characters are temporally trapped between their haunting pasts and underwhelming futures. An unemployed nephew pretends to apply for jobs, a young woman makes grand plans to leave her boyfriend

but never follows through. We get the sense that these characters simply continue to exist as a matter of habit. They are just as apathetic about death as they are life. The book surveys every level of the socio-economic ladder, studying closely both the monotony of unemployment and the bodily rot treated by an uppermiddle class doctor. These accounts are propelled not by plot but by their ability to appeal to our obsession with the grotesque. Endings rarely bring resolution; they leave the reader suspended in our own disgust and despair, with no option but to turn the page and indulge in the next rotten tale. The urban landscapes of the collection are vivid in their descriptions of dead squirrels and humid internet cafes; the smell of rubbish and stale sweat permeates Moshfegh’s rhythmic prose. On the few occasions where characters attempt escape the rats and pigeons of the city, they are met with closed church doors and used sex toys left in log-cabin beds. The cloying air of the ‘modern condition’ (for lack of a better word) has never been more compelling. My advice to prospective readers would be to forego reading Homesick for Another World if you hate yourself. Moshfegh has an incredible talent for drawing out the most obscure and nuanced flaws in her characters and mockingly dangling them in front of their faces. Those who tend towards self-loathing are at risk of feeling as if the author is taunting them with their own insecurities, too. On the flipside, I struggle to imagine how anyone could hate themselves as deeply as these characters do, so perhaps it may be a cathartic exercise in perspective. You’re gross and unlikeable, but, hey, it could be worse.

FOOD TOP FI VE P I C KS R E VI E W: FAT TA B

FATTAB’s top five picks for the best foodie deals in Wellington on a Tuesday!

3. Taco Tuesday at Wellington Sports Café: 58 Courtenay Place, Te Aro, Wellington 6011

Tabitha Lorck has been “eating her way through university” at Vic for the last four years and documenting each dish on her instagram account, FATTAB. For Monday’s top five picks, see Salient Issue 01 (available online). There’s heaps of places to grab food and drink around Wellington and when I get so hungry that I can’t make rational food decisions, I turn here. Who doesn’t love a good deal?

Every Tuesday from 3 p.m. onwards, you can get $5 tequilas, $5 Coronas, and tacos for $3—ARRIBA am I right! This deal is almost certainly cheaper than flat cooking, so I highly encourage those lazy flatmates who cannot be bothered cooking on their designated night to shout the flatties a mid-week fiesta! The taco flavours are fried squid, chicken, or beef. A cheap and easy meal for all friends to enjoy; and if you’re game, they also do free salsa dancing from 9 p.m.–1 a.m. PARTY!

1. $18 Tradesman breakfast from Maranui Café: Level 1, 7A Lyall Parade, Lyall Bay, Wellington 6022

4. 241 desserts from The Library Bar: 53 Courtenay Place, Te Aro, Wellington 6011

Breakfast with all the works AND coffee for only $18 from 7 a.m. until 3 p.m. Whether you’ve been partying hard Monday night and need a big feed to cure the hangover, or are just wanting to start your Tuesday right, this is the place to go! With beach views and friendly service, you’ll leave one full happy chappy. P.S. You do not actually have to be a tradie to get this deal!! But high vis is not discouraged.

Avid sweet tooth over here so I simply have to include this 241 desserts deal. A personal favourite of mine is the Stoners Sundae: ice cream with peanut butter dulce de leche, candied bacon, doughnut, Moro bar slice… need I say more! The Library Bar has a romantic feel to it, with tasty nibbles, drinks, and desserts. Think mood lighting, books galore and (often) live music, making it the perfect place to unwind after a long hard Tuesday (lol).

2. Half price cocktails from Dragonfly: 70 Courtenay Place, Te Aro, Wellington 6011

5. $8 margherita pizza from Scopa Caffé Cucina: 141 Cuba Street, Te Aro, Wellington 6011

One of my favourite ever deals in this city has to be Dragonfly’s half price cocktails on a Tuesday, because what’s better than cocktails with friends? HALF PRICE COCKTAILS WITH FRIENDS!! My favourites include the Mojo Martini, China Girl, and Gimlet Grenade—but with over 15 to choose from there is something for everybody. The courtyard out the back is one of Wellington’s best kept secrets. Great vibes and groovy scenes; a must do! Having sold over 27,000 since opening five years ago, the China Girl (vodka, limoncello, and black doris plum) is Dragonfly’s best-selling cocktail. Yummy.

Italian food is my favourite cuisine because CARBS, CHEESE, and MORE CARBS. So when places offer a humble margherita pizza for $8, they are winning and you can too! From 11–3 p.m. you can get this absolute steal of a deal! Scopa is a casual, contemporary space with great people-watching seats so I recommend parking up here to procrastinate doing uni assignments.

H IG H LY A CCURATE READINGS FRO M T HE S TARS ABO V E

ARIES

LIBRA

A sore may come your way midweek as Venus enters your twelfth house. Your work ethic is strong, both professionally and academically. With the sun now in your first house, expect your fiery self to be in top form. Light candles, stare into the flame until the flicker is burned into your retina.

The first half of the week offers ample opportunity for romance, and the weekend doesn’t look too shabby either. This week brings a skip to your step and a smirk to your smile, curl your hair, kiss your own reflection. Tensions will ease in your work life this week, I just hope you can concentrate with all those butterflies.

SCORPIO

TAURUS Oh my god shut up. Please just be quiet. Your secrets are dying to be spilled and your dreams are more vivid than ever, but for heaven’s sake just spend some time alone. Look at your feet while you walk, there could be money down there. P.S. all of this shit-talking your ex is boring your friends.

Your emotions may be dictating your relationships with your home life and uni work, but bear with— Wednesday brings a bout of creative productivity, providing an outlet for said feelings. Beware of flatmates pinching your stuff, FYI: it’s not because you were trashed that you can’t remember putting that ciggie burn in your favourite jacket.

GEMINI

SAGITTARIUS

Read books, do maths problems for fun, Mercury goes direct on Friday and now is the perfect time to engage that strong left half of your brain. Matters of romance may feel a little foreign and unnatural, don’t force it. Apparently, the blood rushes out of your brain during sex, don’t risk the compromise.

This week brings a whole lot of self-love to Sagittarians, starting with an improvement in body positivity and shifting to more intellect-focused love over the weekend. It’s an ideal time for personal growth, so pay attention to the wisdom held by your subconscious. Your dreams have so much to tell you.

CAPRICORN

CANCER Expect changes in your friendships, whether that be new friends or shifts in dynamics I can’t tell you because I am an astrologer and we have to be vague that’s the rules. That being said, Thursday through Saturday is a good time to smooth things out, overshare a little, strengthen ties. Wear silver.

Monday through Thursday, the position of the moon offers you the insight needed for some much-needed introspection. You may be feeling uncertain of yourself, but spending time alone is of more use to you than filling the void with fake friends. Take up synchronised swimming, or water polo, or maybe full moon drumming (please don’t take up full moon drumming).

LEO

AQUARIUS

There’s a flame licking at your heels, they’re never far away. New romance may blossom, but old embers are still glowing. Water signs have much to offer you now, and you’re in a prime position to be inspired and motivated by others. Listen to 60’s pop, call your mother.

Now is an academically prosperous time for Aquarius, so beware of too much wallowing while the moon inhabits your twelfth house Thursday to Saturday. Mercury retrograde ends Friday, and I have high hopes for you to find everything you’ve lost recently— your keys, your right Dr. Marten (you bloody hipster you), your dignity, it’s all coming back!

VIRGO

PISCES

Fun is everywhere! Challenges and the potential for transformation feel more exciting than ever. Get money, confess your feelings, let go of your wary ways, and live a little. The weekend is a wonderful time for establishing new bonds and making plans. Wear something you usually wouldn’t.

The moon shifts through your final houses this week, sending you down the rabbit-hole of uncertainty about your goals, feeling possessive of your friends, and that biting lonely feeling deep in your belly. Take advantage of Mars’ position in your third house to fuel your energy into that sharp mind of yours. Get into the lost art of bookbinding.

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HEALTHY DI STRAC T IO NS T O T RAIN YO UR BRAIN

CROSSWORD: IDENTITY IS FLUID

GUESS THAT DAD BOD

LAST WEEKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S BOD: MIKE MCROBERTS

ACROSS

DOWN

2. The Intercontinental or another five-star place (6,5) 9. First name of artist Matisse or Rousseau (5) 10. Group most likely to be reading Salient (8) 11. How a rose "would smell as sweet" to Juliet (2,3,5,4) 14. How the Queen refers to herself (3,5,2) 21. Power sockets, in some science class circuits (7,7) 25. People led by President Obrador (8) 26. Big red leaf on a flag (5) 27. Area of study focused on breaking heteronormativity... or a hint to what's going on in the grey squares (5,6)

1. It's displayed in a museum or a court (7) 3. Oneness (5) 4. Overturned; saddened (5) 5. Answer ____ putting into the grid now (5) 6. Finished; not dwelling on (4,3) 7. Put in a pyramid, perhaps (6) 8. Unbroken (6) 12. Paddle (3) 13. Horse feed (3) 15. Word in the title of a 2016 Drake hit (7) 16. Prefix for -moron or -gen (3) 17. Wellington street; anagram of 12-Down (or a member of the LGBT community) (3) 18. Free from, like taxes or jury duty (6) 19. New Mexico town where aliens totally didn't crash (7) 20. Fancy French cake (6) 22. Traditional British Sunday dinner (5) 23. Reckless speed (5) 24. Madagascar tree-dweller (5)

LAST WEEK'S SOLUTION

A SUDOKU A DAY KEEPS THE DOCTOR AWAY

Sudoku

EASY PEASY

46682

: Easy

Numbers: 28

Id: 173522

Sudoku

F*CK YA LIFE UP

1 9

Level: Difficult

Set Numbers: 22

6 5 4

1 5

Solution

9 7 5

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