The Page

MARCH . POUTOU-TE-RANGI '14

Unity Amidst Diversity Passion for young education

Groovylicious

Long journey to becoming a vet

the pages These pages are special. They’re our stories, our lives and our loves. It makes us happy to share.

06 SNIPPETS 10

PASSING IT ON Shane Rufer on achieving success

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A SWEET TWIST IN SERVICE Empowering intellectually disabled young adults

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HALFWAY AROUND THE WORLD Afghan families finding refuge

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LONG JOURNEY TO BECOMING A VET World-class veterinarian programme

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PASSION FOR YOUNG EDUCATION Taking kindergartens to the community

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ARTISTIC ROOTS Shelley Jahnke: expressing cultural pride

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LEADER BY DESIGN Architectural designer Paul Patel

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THE MAN BEHIND THE “POWER HOUSE” Steve Maharey balancing work and play

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UNITY AMIDST DIVERSITY Joie de vivre

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MODERN-DAY SHEPHERD Lew Findlay supporting our community

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COMPETITIVE BY NATURE Massey University’s Steve Stannard

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A LITTLE BIT OF STYLE The beautiful homes we create

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WEST IS DEFINITELY THE RIGHT DIRECTION ON AIR Radio legend Mike West

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IN PURSUIT OF AN AUDIENCE Ian Harman, the jack of all arts

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A CHILEAN’S LEGACY Refugee turned international cycling promoter

47 GROOVYLICIOUS

Welcome to their weird world 50

CREATING A NEW TASTE Hester Guy: cook extraordinaire

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CHASING THE GAMES Andy Kruy has his sights set

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TEACHERS BEING KEPT IN THE DARK Helping children with learning difficulties

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TASTY ON THE LIPS, KINDER ON THE HIPS The latest zero-fat sweet indulgent treat

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A CARPENTER’S DREAM Paul Humphries' sustainable homes

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IS THIS THE FUTURE OF THE SQUARE? Phill Andrews’ view on our future

pagemakers Shivarn Stewart MARCH POUTOU-TE-RANGI ’14 ISSUE FOUR Published by

Shivarn was born in the Year of the Monkey, which explains her habit of eating everything she finds.

As a monkey she is apparently playful, mischievous, energetic and clever. The rest of the team will tell you that the first three are definitely true, but the jury is out on the last part.

Christina Smith Level One, 478 Main Street PALMERSTON NORTH 4410 PO Box 12005 PALMERSTON NORTH 4444

Christina doesn’t particularly look like she is a snake, her Chinese zodiac sign, which is just as well really. Without arms, designing and laying up the beautiful The Page magazine would be rather tricky, and would require some interesting slithering over the keyboard.

+64 6 350 1811 www.thepagemag.co.nz Editor-in-Chief: Lance Bickford Editor: Shivarn Stewart Creative Editors: Christina Smith Llewellyn Annandale Acknowledgements: Kevin Bills, Bernadette Peters, Stephanie Bell-Booth, Katie Parkinson, Palmerston North City Council, Massey University, Te Manawa, Phill Andrews, Sarah Brown Printed by: Format Print To subscribe to The Page, or get the latest copies, contact office@manawatunz.co.nz or visit www.thepagemag.co.nz

Llewellyn Annandale Llewellyn is a dragon by zodiac, but thankfully not by nature. Llewellyn says that there aren’t any dragons in his home country of South Africa, but the food he likes definitely suggests a few fire breathers.

Ryan Willoughby Massey University intern Ryan considers himself a child of two worlds, so he decided to find his primal zodiac sign. A primal zodiac sign is the combination of your Chinese zodiac animal and your Western zodiac sign.

Ryan expected a strong bull, or an intelligent dolphin, but instead he is a clownfish. Sometimes life is fickle.

Krysten McLeod Krysten came to The Page as a Massey University intern, where she is studying the art of avoiding the snooze button to make it to 9am lectures. Being born in the Year of the Rooster means embracing early mornings; however, Krysten feels the whole morning business is highly overrated.

Rhema Nantham Some trees were repurposed to make this magazine. We chose only the ones we knew would be replaced, because we don’t ever want to run out.

As a Massey University Bachelor of Finance student, who knows why Rhema is interning with The Page.

Nevertheless, as our latest chic intern she is energetic, intelligent and confident - all the iconic qualities of a Year of the Rooster baby.

Kia ora! Nga mihi ki nga tangata me nga whanau katoa. The publishers wish to thank the individuals and families whose support and enthusiasm have made this publication possible.

Tim Hamilton

ISSN 2253-5705 (Print) ISSN 2253-5713 (Online) © Copyright Destination Manawatu, 2014

Tim was born in the Year of the Dog. Like a dog, Tim is coated in hair and lives with whoever will feed him.

Currently that is The Page magazine team, so Tim is responsible for most of the gorgeous photos within this magazine.

Year of the Horse According to the mystical world of the Chinese zodiac, some people are sheep, and some are dragons – though clearly shifted into their human forms, and hopefully with less fire breathing.

From the cunning and wealthy rats to the forceful and brave tigers, the stars can foretell our strengths and weaknesses.

While it may be the Year of the Horse, the Earth is populated by many people and many stories, and you never know what you might encounter, much like the pages within this magazine.

Whether you’re a monkey, an ox, a rabbit or even just a plain old human, The Page is for you.

SNIPPETS

literary talent At this year’s New Zealand Festival, Palmerston North celebrates another talent in home grown award-winning poet and short fiction writer, James Brown.

In 1995 James won the Jessie MacKay Best First Book of Poetry Award for his book of poems, Go Round Power Please. He now shares his talent as part of the Writing Team at Te Papa.

He also teaches the Poetry Workshop at the International Institute of Modern Letters at Victoria University of Wellington, and will be running the Exercise Book Live programme at the New Zealand Festival. This interactive workshop enlightens young writers, helping them to understand how to energise their prose, poetry and scripts.

James is planning big things in the near future, and will be taking a year’s unpaid leave from the Writing Team to focus on his poetry.

Beyond your peak

Gyms are no longer places reserved only for body builders.

Local gym, Zenith Fitness, has become a refuge for people of all shapes and sizes who are looking to lead healthier lives. Healthy, fit living is a motivation in most of everyone’s lifestyle today.

Zenith Fitness hopes to help Kiwis to achieve their fitness aspirations. The gym is open 24/7 in Palmerston North and focuses on members being able to accomplish their goals and start enjoying healthier lifestyles. Its real point of difference is its focus on helping “normal” people reach their goals to get fitter and healthier, rather than focusing on “gym junkies”

grunting their way to perfection. A key aspect is its desire to link its staff and members to local community events that mix active outdoor activities with the in-gym training.

Zenith Fitness offers a comfortable space for people from all sorts of fitness backgrounds to enjoy gym time, as well as linking with the outdoor activities and events on offer. Most importantly, Zenith Fitness emphasises the notion of having fun while being educated on healthy living. www.zenithfitness.co.nz

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SNIPPETS

Rejuvenated Gorge The Manawatu Gorge has been recently rebranded as the Te Apiti - Manawatu Gorge experience. The name Te Apiti means “the narrow passage” in Maori.

The Manawatu Biodiversity Project Group, which was originally established to coordinate efforts to enhance and protect the environment, has extended its role as guardian of the Gorge by bringing together walking, horse trekking, camping, jet boating and mountain biking into a cluster of incredible experiences.

Developing and promoting the Gorge into an appealing native-bush clad visitor destination within 15 minutes of a major New Zealand city, should see Te Apiti stand up well against other key day walks around New Zealand, appealing to both locals and visitors.

The opportunity to bring all of the elements together emerged from adversity.

The one-and-a-half-hour Tawa Loop was created from the access way that contractors built in clearing the major slip in the Gorge in 2010.

This alternative to the four-hour main track that traverses the Gorge from west to east has provided access to a much wider audience. From barely 15,000 walkers in 2006, the numbers have ballooned in the past six months to more than 40,000, putting it on track to exceed 70,000 this year, similar numbers to those who traverse the Tongariro Crossing each year.

With the launch of the initiative well underway, other upcoming plans include adding mountain bike trails to the Te Apiti - Manawatu Gorge experience, with several new tracks already well underway. www.teapiti.com

High tea with flair

After finding that there was no money in selling books, Petit Fours owner Chelsea Green ditched the books and moved on to sweeter things.

“As soon as I knew I wasn’t doing the bookstore and I was going to focus on just a little café, I instantly knew I wanted to call it Petit Fours because, traditionally, petits fours are served after dessert; they are bite-sized little confectionery.”

After three months of selling cupcakes with baker Abby at the local market, Grandma’s Roast House became available to buy. Six weeks later, in February 2013, Petit Fours was open and ready for business.

In summer the food is light with fruity flavours like passionfruit slice, whereas in winter months more hearty baking such as walnut coffee cake is served up. One of the most popular services is high tea, appealing particularly to women in their 40s and 50s.

Cupcakes are very “child friendly” and Chelsea saw a gap in the market for kids’ high tea. So she created a children’s occasion that’s proving a real winner.

“What makes it unique is that our high tea is based on home baking, where we want to keep it accessible to people and allow people to try new things that aren’t complicated.”

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SNIPPETS

IT REALLY IS OK TO CYCLE TWO ABREAST

It is a common misconception that riding two abreast is illegal on New Zealand roads, but this is not the case. The official New Zealand code for cyclists states that a maximum of two cyclists may cycle next to one other, except when they’re passing parked vehicles or impeding traffic.

According to Gary Buys, owner of Pedal Pushers, “the general public doesn’t understand the rule, and that falls to a lack of education, as the rules aren’t made clear.” Cycling abreast primarily offers safety benefits for cyclists, giving them the space they need without the threat of being forced off the road.

Gary describes the relationship between drivers and cyclists as “pretty good”, and says that only a minority “spoil it by blasting their horns at cyclists”.

However, Gary argues that cyclists are also responsible for maintaining the relationship. “Riding abreast on a country road is enjoyable, but cyclists also have to be considerate of drivers.”

Taking you for a tour

A passion for their rich Indian heritage and culture has inspired a Manawatu couple, Nats Subramanian and Uma Natarajan.

They recently started their own company, Takeme2India, which offers Australians and New Zealanders unique and immersive tours to South India.

Within a year of its launch in April 2013, Nats has already taken two groups on tours, and six tours are planned for New Zealand’s summer season in 2014.

“I’ve always loved working with people and travelling.

When people talk about India, or they think about India, they invariably conjure up images of the Taj Mahal. It’s so frustrating, because there is so much more to India than that.”

The idea itself came to Nats quite suddenly while he was having coffee with a friend in late 2012. Nats had been facing a career dilemma, after having worked in the IT industry for 20 years. How could he use his MBA from Massey University to best advantage?

After first generating interest through social media, Nats and Uma set up contacts and teams in India who now help with the tours, including qualified guides in each location.

Nats has now given up his IT job to focus full time on their tourism business, which is being developed further to offer Indians Takeme2NewZealand tours to this country.

The couple believe that having small group sizes helps to keep their tours intimate and makes them that much more of an authentic and enjoyable experience.

“You lose the real flavour of India with a bus load of people.” www.takeme2india.co.nz •8•

SNIPPETS

Modern twist to vintage fashion

What started off as a sewing favour for her daughter has turned into a unique family business venture for Palmerston North's Denise King and daughter Kirsten Worthington.

the sewing and designs while Kirsten sets her efforts into fostering the business aspect.

Kirsten recognised her mother’s talent for sewing vintage dresses after Denise made a few outfits for her elder sister.

She promptly suggested that Denise use an inheritance from her mother to set up a clothing business. With a passion for vintage-style clothing from the 1940s and 1950s, Denise and Kirsten did just that, setting up an online store with Denise’s designs that put a modern twist on the classic styles.

To sustain her mother’s legacy, Denise has not only incorporated her sewing talent into the designs, but also immortalised her mother’s name, Mae King, into the clothes’ label. Through their efficient partnership, Denise focuses on

Those attending The Very Vintage Day Out 2014 on the 5th of April in Auckland will have the privilege of witnessing the launch of this new chic brand hitting New Zealand fashion.

On the same day the duo will also launch the official V is for Vintage website.

“It will just be an online store, but I do hope the business is successful,” says Kirsten. All fashionistas and vintage enthusiasts will no doubt love to get a taste of new artistic talent. www.visforvintage.co.nz

SURGICAL PRECISION HAS A FRESH CUT

Once a surgical practice to save lives, Melville House is now home to a budding new restaurant.

Built in 1928 by Dr Melville, the heritage site has evolved along with its Palmerston North surroundings. Co-owners and business partners, Craig Robinson and Mike Waghorn, have preserved the house’s classic architectural lines, whilst refurbishing it in a manner that honours its roots.

Craig returned from Australia, after having defined his career as a chef, to join Mike as the restaurant’s Head Chef for its opening in July 2013. With a new and brighter colour scheme, and a newly discovered fireplace, Melville House embodies modern cuisine with a vintage vibe. The response from the community has been hugely positive. A sense of nostalgia is prevalent throughout the whole property, with spacious rooms for dining in comfort and privacy.

The contemporary cuisine focuses on fresh local produce cooked humbly to accentuate the individual flavours of the ingredients. Future plans for Melville House include a new boutique wine bar, to cement it as the heritage dining experience. Craig believes that Melville House has returned to its glory days and expresses his optimism for its future. “I hope it’s here forever”.

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Passing it on Interview Rhema Nantham Image Tim Hamilton

Shane Rufer was one of the first New Zealanders to play professional football in Europe, and has been one of the biggest influences in developing and promoting football in this country. To call him something of a football superstar is not a stretch, and since settling in Palmerston North to be closer to his children, Shane’s work with the local football community has influenced a large number of talented children.

When he first returned to New Zealand after a decade of playing and coaching for Swiss professional teams, Shane and his brother Wynton had a dream of starting football academies. They hoped to discover talent and develop football in our country. The brothers started their first academy in Auckland, and upon his move to Palmerston North, Shane decided to go solo and the Shane Rufer School of Football was born.

“Football is underdeveloped in New Zealand, so it was natural for me to bring my experiences from Europe and pass them on,” Shane shares.

develop and influence children through sports life skills, like teamwork, discipline and self-esteem.

Shane lives by the principle of “you need to love what you are doing”, because he admits that it is difficult to make a living in football in New Zealand. Through his diverse programmes in the School, he gives his students the opportunity to go overseas, to New Caledonia and Japan, to train and discover the world of football. In turn, he invites foreign students to visit here and interact with the Kiwi culture.

Through the pursuit of discovering new talent and refining their skills, Shane does face stressful and taxing periods, but says, “You have to learn to be calm in the good times and calm in the bad times”.

Retirement for Shane is a far-fetched thought. “Every day you need to fight. Before challenging the world, you need to fight yourself.” For Shane it is something he has done all his life, and he looks forward to doing it for more years to come. www.schooloffootball.co.nz

He enjoys working with talented players, but admits that it is rare to discover talent. However, there is space to • 10 •

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A sweet twist in service Interview Krysten McLeod Images Tim Hamilton, Humbug staff

Business partners Mary Prichard and Georgie Goulden have made quite an impact on the community in their pursuit of unique employment opportunities. Their businesses, the Lolly Trolley and Humbug Sweets, were created specifically to provide workplace experiences for intellectually disabled young adults, who are included in every aspect of the business, from packaging and weighing products to serving customers.

One of their first initiatives was the creation of the Lolly Trolley, a prototype business used to test the market for specialty lollies. This was funded by Mary herself, who continued to practise as a social worker while Georgie worked with Morgan and an intellectually disabled girl, Anaru, in running the Trolley. After the success of the Trolley they decided to move forward with a fully fledged lolly business, Humbug Sweets.

The pair first met when Mary was The progress they have made teaching social work at Massey “We were really driven by our so far with their intellectually University and Georgie was one of disabled volunteers has been own concern for his welfare; significant, and Georgie and Mary her students. Their shared passion and interest brought Georgie are confident they will fulfill their what kind of future would into the family to help out with goal: “To start businesses that will Mary’s intellectually disabled son, be owned and operated by people there be for him?”

Morgan. From then on, “Georgie with disabilities, and provide them just became part of the family with life long careers”. really”. Both realised they did not want Morgan, who has For the future, Mary and Georgie hope that one of those Asperger’s and Down syndromes, to just go into a sheltered businesses will be a café called The Upside of Down, an idea work environment after he finished school. that came from the volunteer workers themselves. Some of “We didn’t feel that there were any real employment the food sold would be upside down “just to challenge what opportunities, and those that were there seemed to be people’s ideas about what normal is and say, actually, it’s OK offering him work in the back of something, not in the front of for us all to be different,” says Mary. something. So we were really driven by our own concern for his welfare; what kind of future would there be for him?”

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Halfway

Around the world Interview Krysten McLeod and Shivarn Stewart Images Tim Hamilton

“I was more than happy to help, because New Zealand had come to help. They didn’t come to invade our country, they came to save our people.”

New Zealand has become home to many refugees who have escaped from countries in turmoil, giving them the opportunity to lead safer and happy lives. Eight months ago, Ali Jan Sayed, his wife Gulsom and their three boys, along with Asadullah Rezaie, his wife Najibah and their son, became residents of Palmerston North. These men and their families travelled halfway around the world to escape the conflict in the Middle East, and could not be happier to have arrived here.

For anyone, moving to a foreign country is an enormous life change. Asadullah was in shock when he first found out that he and his family could immigrate to New Zealand, but he knew that “it was very, very good news for me”.

Ali Jan and Asadullah were granted refugee status because of the association risk they had from working with the New Zealand Army in Afghanistan. Both men worked as civilian contractors for the New Zealand Army for three years; Ali Jan as a carpenter and Asadullah as an interpreter.

Working with the New Zealand troops put these men and their families in considerable danger, fearing attack from the Taliban. However, as Asadullah says, “I was more than happy to help, because New Zealand had come to help. They didn’t come to invade our country, they came to save our people”.

The Taliban are a very serious threat to those who do not

adhere to their ideology. According to the United Nations, the Taliban and their allies were directly responsible for three-quarters of the recorded civilian casualties in Afghanistan in 2010.

This was the year in which Ali Jan met Ellen Ford, a Feilding soldier who was on tour in Afghanistan. Ellen spent seven months as the Engineering Commander, in charge of six other New Zealand soldiers and 16 locally employed civilians, referred to as LECs, in the Bamyan province. Ali Jan was one of these LECs. This team worked closely together to fulfil their two main tasks: maintaining the defences of the New Zealand bases and outposts in their assigned area; and helping with local construction projects that included schools and hospitals.

Ellen believes that the engineers had the best part of the tour, and she personally loved the experience. Ellen has “nothing but admiration” for the hard-working LECs she came to know.

She tells how some of them would walk up to two hours, on what resembled a dirt track at best, to get to work each day.

Ali Jan returns this admiration, and has a lot of respect for the way Ellen led her team. Ali Jan explains that although Ellen was his boss, she was very friendly and he has a lot of fond memories of her. “The day she left she cried, and we were all very sad too.”

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“We are more than happy, we are safe.”

Now that Ali Jan is living in New Zealand, he has remainedfriends with Ellen, who now resides in Palmerston North. This is another of the many reasons Ali Jan is happy that he immigrated to this country, first and foremost: “that we are more than happy, we are safe”.

“It was amazing. I know how to swim but I had never gone swimming in a big ocean with huge waves and lots of people around.”

The safety that Ali Jan and Asadullah both have living in New Zealand, unfortunately, does not ease the worry they have for the family members they had to leave behind. Each has parents who are still in Afghanistan, and Ali Jan has three brothers who are trying to come to New Zealand. Their worries are a daily part of their lives, as “we still have war in Afghanistan, and they are not safe”.

Another missed aspect of Afghanistan is its weather. Both Ali Jan and Asadullah laugh when they discuss how they preferred their respective dry and wet seasons, instead of the “four seasons in one day” in New Zealand. Experiencing earthquakes has also been new experiences for both the Sayed and the Rezaie families.

While Ali Jan is practising swimming so he too can have this experience, both men are focused on a much more important goal. They share a passion to become fully employed in the community, instead of relying on financial support from the Government. “We want to progress our lives,” says Ali Jan. Helping with this progression has been the support of Red Cross volunteers. Three volunteers were assigned to each refugee family for six months, in order to help them settle into the community. Ali Jan says he is very grateful to his volunteers, who are still in contact with him now.

It is not only the Red Cross volunteers but people in general who have been friendly and warm towards both Afghan families.

However, a much more pleasant experience has been seeing the ocean for the first time. According to Asadullah, the Bandyamir Lake near their home town in Afghanistan is nothing compared with the ocean he saw on arriving in New Zealand. One of his best experiences has been “swimming in the ocean for the first time”.

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“Kiwis are very nice people. They are always asking us if we need help, which is very, very different in my country where no-one asks you if you need any help.”

Long journey to becoming a vet Interview Ryan Willoughby Image Tim Hamilton

For more than 50 years, Massey University’s veterinary school has trained the best and brightest vets. Simone Ginwala is a perfect example of this, as an international student who has travelled thousands of miles in order to live and learn at the Manawatu campus.

Simone Ginwala came to New Zealand from India to pursue her childhood dream of becoming a vet. Simone’s dream was fuelled by her parents’ passion for animals, the environment and conservation. Her family could never find a vet whom they really trusted, and Simone believes that this struggle contributed to her decision to become a vet herself.

To get the best education Simone had to leave India, as none of its vet schools were internationally accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association. Outside the United States, there are only 11 accredited schools, and Simone was faced with a choice of Australia or New Zealand.

After realising that Australia was home to more animals that could “eat, sting you and hurt you”, Simone decided on New Zealand.

When Simone arrived in New Zealand she was told that the change would be jarring, and that she would struggle to adapt to her environment. “A lot of people say, ‘Oh you’re from India, was it a culture shock?’ But to be honest, I didn’t feel that way, it was a great transition.”

However, her studies were not without their hiccups, as Simone wasn’t selected to progress in the programme during her first year. “I was gutted. I wanted my grades to be the best, but I decided I just needed to try harder and dig deeper,” says Simone. The following year, Simone spent most of her time in the library studying, and managed to not only • 19 •

gain entry to the vet programme, but earn a spot on the College of Science Merit list for academic excellence.

The University’s support for international students remains a huge advantage in Simone’s mind, as the school runs many programmes to make students feel more comfortable and supported. Simone reflects that education in New Zealand differs from that in India because “the lecturers know each student by name, and they actually care about you”.

One of those educators is the lecturer on small animal medicine and nutrition, Nick Cave, who completed his PhD at the University of California Davis, one of the top veterinary schools in the world. Nick describes his role as a lecturer as one of his “greatest privileges” in life, and believes that Massey’s vet degree acts as a “springboard” for bigger and better things.

“The students here are all bright, well motivated people. They know why they’re here. Even if they have doubts, you don’t ever have to convince them that this degree is important.”

Being so far away from home, Simone struggles with homesickness, and does sometimes envy those who can get in a car and return home in 10 minutes. “At the end of the day, I just keep reminding myself that this is the best place to study, and that I really love what I do.”

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Passion for young education Interview Krysten McLeod Images Kevin Bills

After just over a year as the General Manager of Ruahine Kindergartens, Alison Rudzki reflects on how her incredibly challenging and complex role has turned out to be “the best job in the world”.

“It’s really to do with the funding. Given that we travel 450 kilometres a week, and we have to fund a head teacher, a teacher, an administrator, a teacher aide and the van, it’s a bit of a challenge really.”

Ruahine Kindergartens runs 25 kindergartens across the wider Manawatu region, and a crucial difference between it and other early childhood education providers, in Alison’s view, is that “we are totally committed to having 100 percent qualified and registered teachers”. These teachers instil selfconfidence, social skills and a number of life lessons to their pupils through pretend play.

Funding is not simply an organisational concern – Alison witnesses both ends of the spectrum when it comes to children’s financial backgrounds. She has experienced firsthand some of those stories of children who are vulnerable. “I realised when I first started that I wasn’t quite as aware as I should have been.”

Alison’s own childhood occurred on the other side of the world, with her growing up in a small mining village in County Durham, north-east England.

While living in the United Kingdom, Alison had a mixture of jobs that were mostly marketing based. This led her to actually teaching marketing for nine and a half years before coming to New Zealand for a holiday.

Home life is so much more complicated for children now.

Kindergarten provides a safe environment that readies them for life and, for some of these children, kindergarten may be the only stability they have in their lives.”

That being said, Alison does find there are many families who wish to be involved within the classroom, and Alison encourages them to stay during the day to spend time with their children. Parent support is also a huge help when it comes to fundraising for extra equipment.

“Within half an hour of getting here, it was decided that we would move to New Zealand to live.”

After living in Palmerston North for a few years, Alison realised she had a real passion for education, and wanted to go right back to the beginning with early childhood teaching.

Since then she has gone on to lead the Ruahine Kindergartens, but they have suffered some setbacks. Alison is particularly disappointed at the fact that they will be shutting down their Hunterville-based mobile kindergarten in April 2014, which has been travelling to rural families and is one of only two mobile kindergartens in the country. The service acts not only as a centre for pre-schoolers, but also facilitated a weekly connection for many rural families.

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Alison’s vision for the future is to see more kindergartens start up in new communities, with more staff so that there are opportunities for one-on-one learning. She’d also love to see the mobile kindergarten restored and thriving again in the future.

Alison doesn’t let money constraints deter her from her proud and positive outlook on the organisation and its staff. “Everyone here is consistently passionate and totally dedicated. We do a lot with what we’ve got.”

Artistic Roots Interview Rhema Nantham Image Vincent Ward

Shelley Jahnke was exposed to art from birth; her father, Bob Jahnke, is widely recognised as one of New Zealand's leading contemporary Maori artists. Accepting an appointment to come home to Palmerston North to take up the role as Te Manawa’s new Curator was an easy decision to make.

The exhibition has given her the opportunity to gain firsthand exposure to a vast selection of international art, an eye-opening comparison with the art culture in New Zealand.

“It has been one of the most rewarding and educational experiences of my career,” says Shelley.

Shelley’s passion lies in art history, but art history was not a subject offered at her school. Settling instead for both history and practical art, Shelley was inspired to continue pursuing her passion at university, attending renowned art schools at Elam in Auckland and Cal Arts in California. “I decided to combine both art and history, the best of both worlds.”

Having travelled and explored art nationally and internationally, Shelley foresees an optimistic future for Te Manawa. With the guidance of current CEO Andy Lowe, whom she calls a positive and supportive influence for the team, the museum is discovering a range of positive changes for itself and the community.

Sticking to her Maori roots, and wanting to explore a “Andy Lowe’s huge heart and inspiring vision of a museum contemporary aspect, Shelley without walls were major factors “It has been one of the most went on to do her Masters in my decision to accept the role research on renowned as Curator.” rewarding and educational contemporary Maori artist, Shane As an avid art historian, Shelley Cotton. Her passion for art, and experiences of my career.” relates to various forms of her love of Cotton’s work, made creative expression. She explains him an ideal subject. “He’s a close that “whether it be film, fine art, theatre, poetry or dance”, family friend. Since I was a teenager I’ve watched his career she appreciates the quality and creativity of the piece. develop and blossom, so really it was a no-brainer.”

While she cannot pinpoint one favourite piece of art, Shelley Shelley’s fascination and hard work have led her to become does admit that “I stood in front of Van Gogh’s ‘Starry Night’ an international face for New Zealand art. In 2013, fellow for close to an hour at MoMA in New York recently. I think the New Zealander and artist Shigeyuki Kihara invited Shelley and guards became quite suspicious…”. a colleague to present a paper at the International Studio & Suspicious behaviour aside, Shelley is a breath of fresh air for Curatorial Program in New York. Shelley says the experience Te Manawa and is a positive influence for the art culture in was one that increased her confidence in speaking for New Palmerston North.

Zealand on a global level.

The brightest point in her career so far has been her work on Roundabout, an international touring exhibition.

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"Ha Winter's Breath; The Fleeting Intensity of Life" exhibit at Te Manawa • 23 •

leader BY DESIGN Interview Rhema Nantham Images Tim Hamilton

As with all successful careers, there is a moment that marks the upward turning point. For Paul Patel, this was in the form of refurbishing a New Zealand landmark – Vogel House. He worked with Prime Minister and Lady Muldoon to completely upgrade the official residence in Wellington, a job that was a stepping stone for his career.

Through the Vogel House project, Paul demonstrated his versatility as a designer and project manager.

Today, this skill is the key to his business success, and is especially useful when long-term planning with the schools that are the majority of his clients.

Born in Dannevirke, Paul is a successful Gujarati designer who is proud of his culture, but he calls Manawatu home.

His legacy in Palmerston North is one that has affected an entire community.

Paul’s grandparents first arrived in Dannevirke from the Gujarat state in India in 1917. They opened a fruit shop, Shires, in 1924 and the family’s business is still an ongoing success.

After many years of working in the Ministry of Works and Development in Wellington, Paul’s heart was getting heavy.

“Coming from a big family of three sisters and six brothers, I just wanted to go home.

“Back then, the term CV was not heard of, so I wrote to every single firm in Palmerston North and told them the truth. I am homesick and just want to come home and work,” Paul confesses. After rejection after rejection, Paul finally got an offer from the Ministry of Education that would enable him to work in its Palmerston North office, so in 1976 he settled permanently in the city.

Although Paul was a very sociable and busy bachelor, he decided to get married and settle down to continue the Patel name. “I made the decision myself and I chose to return to India to get married,” Paul admits. He found himself a homebred Gujarati girl and they got married in 1981. Today, Paul and his wife have two adult daughters, Nikita who is a teacher in England, and Umesha who is a banking advisor with BNZ. Paul enjoys balancing his family life with his extensive community involvement.

Having worked in the public sector for many years, when threats of redundancy were being rumoured, Paul and a senior architect in the Ministry of Education decided to leave and open a private architecture firm together.

In June 2005 the Patels had an alarming month, as Paul suffered a serious heart attack. During his recovery Paul realised that he needed a break, a sense of freedom and

flexibility. “I went into the office and told my partner that I was thinking of leaving. Then I said, no, I am leaving.”

Paul now has an office at home, and although he still has as much work as before, he has found a greater sense of personal satisfaction. He enjoys being in control and has flexibility, whilst honing more than just his designer qualities.

Paul Patel is a familiar name among architects and designers, particularly due to his work as the national delegate for Architectural Designers of New Zealand, but he is even better known amongst the Palmerston North community. As the President of the Central Districts Indian Association (CDIA) since 1981, a representative on the Manawatu Multicultural Council and chair of multiple committees for the New Zealand Indian Central Association, Paul is a household name.

When Paul first returned to Palmerston North, he was part of the Manawatu Darts Association and became President with a lifelong membership. When the Indian women’s cricket team visited, he organised and hosted the dinner.

The positive response from this experience gave Paul confidence, and was the start of his journey to building a remarkable reputation in the community and earning credible respect across a wide range of local cultural groups.

Paul credits discovering his inner leader to his primary • 25 •

school years: “I was the type of leader who was the voice for the people.” He started multiple clubs and later on in high school was named as school captain.

Surprisingly, despite his convincing leadership, “I am very shy, it is my one main downside”.

Having been the President of CDIA for more than 30 years, “I am looking to shoulder tap someone to take over”. His biggest worry is the future of native cultures; not just the Indian culture, but those of all the ethnicities present in Palmerston North. “What is going to happen to culture?” he asks.

In 2010 Paul returned to Vogel House to receive the Queen's Service Medal for his community work and attended the awards dinner. “I could still remember every detail of the house. They told me that they would give me a tour even though I knew every corner of the house,” Paul recalls.

Walking around the house, Paul reminisced over the sleepless nights it took to finish the drawings of the design, watching the construction and seeing the reality of his design emerge.

Today, Vogel House stands as a proud legacy to Paul’s talent.

As a man of confidence and exceptional leadership calibre, Paul Patel is a humble soul who has not changed his core beliefs. His key piece of advice, to others and himself, is simply to “take a breath every now and then”.

The Man Behind the “Power House” Interview Lance Bickford Images Tim Hamilton, Katie Parkinson, Llewellyn Annandale

It has been four decades since Steve Maharey crossed the bridge across the Manawatu River from Palmerston North to enrol at Massey. Back then Steve was enjoying life, but thought becoming a student might lead to even more interesting opportunities. Today the sociology senior lecturer turned cabinet minister is in his second term as the University’s Vice-Chancellor. When Steve talks about the transformative power of education, and education as “a long-term passport not a short-term visa”, it is his personal experience he is drawing on.

longest-established distance learning programme – and a multitude of research alliances, here and overseas.

The result, for Steve, is a life that is a whirlwind of meetings, openings, speeches and interviews, and a frequent flier’s schedule of international obligations. He makes himself determinedly available, but even so he sees himself as a transitional figure. “I try to travel to the three campuses, but eventually it will defeat someone. If the game plan comes off, Massey will become a global player.”

As Vice-Chancellor, Steve presides over a substantial enterprise. Massey University, which this year celebrates its 50th year as an autonomous degree-granting institution, has three campuses, 3,000 staff, 35,000 students – with around 17,000 of them studying through New Zealand’s • 27 •

It will also, if Steve has his way, play a significant role in creating a better, more prosperous “new New Zealand”.

Hence initiatives such as FoodHQ, which, with the support of the Palmerston North City and Manawatu District Councils, is creating a super campus comprising AgResearch,

“You need an environment in which people want to constantly stretch themselves.”

AsureQuality, Fonterra, Massey University, Plant & Food Research, the Riddet Institute and the Bio Commerce Centre.

staff,” says Steve. “Management needs to be light-handed and strategically focused.

If New Zealand is to hit the Government’s target of having food exports reach $60 billion by 2025 – trebling 2009’s result – Massey’s input as a “science power house” will be key.

“You need an environment in which people want to constantly stretch themselves,” says Steve Once you have that, it is simply a matter of “running along behind them and being supportive”.

FoodHQ will principally draw on the expertise held in Massey’s College of Sciences and College of Health, but Steve is also sure that the University’s Colleges of Business, Creative Arts, and Humanities and Social Sciences will have a role to play in making Massey “the engine of the new New Zealand”.

As a former sociologist, Steve has a particular fondness for the humanities and social sciences. These disciplines are areas he thinks have been unfairly neglected in recent times.

“I think the humanities and social sciences have a lot to offer, informing social policy, creating effective, competent citizens in a democratic society, promoting critical thought, and helping people to live full and satisfying lives.” In late 2013 the University launched the WH Oliver Humanities Research Academy to boost research in the humanities.

Managing such a large and varied organisation is not a simple task. A commercial enterprise would allow for more direct management. In a university, things are not so simple. “Good universities pride themselves on their independent academic • 29 •

Away from Massey, Steve tries to keep active. “Our dog manages to get us out of the house for a walk every day. That provides some fitness for mountain biking and tramping”.

Every year he and his wife Bette try to tick off another adventure. “I used to do one long mountain bike race or something like that, but in the past few years we’ve done the Milford, Tongariro, Queen Charlotte and other shorter tracks.”

Mountain biking was something he took up “during my midlife crisis”; tramping was at Bette’s insistence.

“I have to say it is one thing I never thought I would do, sleeping in huts. I think, you know, if there are perfectly good hotels, why are we staying in a hut? But I actually enjoy it now; I enjoy the whole camaraderie of meeting other people, cooking your food and sitting there in the dark at night time. I think it’s fantastic. I can’t believe I’ve left it so long.”

Unity amidst

diversity Interview Rhema Nantham Image Tim Hamilton

Having lived in chic Europe and enjoyed the cultural lifestyle there, Isabelle Poff-Pencole moved to New Zealand 17 years ago when she was eight months pregnant with her daughter.

“Palmerston North wasn’t my first choice. I wanted to live in Wellington,” she admits.

However, as time passed, she began to appreciate the perks that the city had to offer. “Everything is understated in Palmerston North. Nothing is in your face,” she describes.

She discovered that there was always something to do and opportunities to develop herself and her family, whilst experiencing new things. “Palmerston North provides a great life to raise a family.”

“I enjoy contributing to other people’s lives if I can make a positive impact.” Stress and demotivation are commonplace, but this drives her through the tough sleepless nights of paperwork and planning.

With the French Film Festival nearing, which Isabelle leads, excitement is brewing in the community. There is a sense of mystery in the air.

Isabelle is keeping people in suspense; the mystery will be revealed soon in a theme that will “bring a point of difference to cultural life in the city”.

The French film industry is regarded as one of the top moviemaking industries in the world, so it certainly provides that point of “The theme is to bring difference. The Festival will showcase a range of films from the diverse a point of difference to genres that French cinema has to offer, appealing to viewers of all ages cultural life.” and cultures.

As the President of Alliance Francaise in Palmerston North, Isabelle has settled in the city and developed a niche for herself. Her main commitment is to Alliance Francaise, but she is also an avid volunteer involved with Migrant & Refugee Services and the Manawatu Multicultural Council. She also voluntarily teaches French in schools, and attends Community Services Council meetings to discover more opportunities to add value to the community.

Isabelle’s drive in the community is “to create a vibrant multicultural and multi-ethnic community”.

She is successfully guiding the community to achieve this positive focus through her work in Alliance Francaise. The organisation often hosts events involving other cultures and ethnicities to create opportunities for them to interact.

This provides a platform for people of different ethnic backgrounds to experience each other’s cultures.

The community response has been very positive in the past, and Isabelle says the Festival has “gone from strength to strength” since its introduction in 2012. As promised by Isabelle, “the 2014 programme will be magnificent!”

Isabelle is a successful, positive opportunist who has developed a name for herself during her time in Palmerston North. As she puts it, she and the French-speaking community are “here to stay”. www.french.org.nz

• 30 •

Modern-Day Shepherd Interview Julie Bowe Images Tim Hamilton

A safe place to stay, a ride home, or even just a free sausage.

These are just the obvious aspects of what Shepherd’s Rest and the Street Van offer. Since their formation in 1995, the Palmerston North Street Van and Shepherd’s Rest have been doing their part to support the safety and wellbeing of the people in the city, from students out on the town to the homeless and those trapped in cycles of addiction.

The driving force, both behind the scenes and out on the streets running the Street Van into the wee hours of the night, is Lew Findlay. The Street Van group was established to help mitigate the dangers faced by some people at night. Lew recounts how “a group of us decided we had to do something about the street problem in Palmerston North. I had kids, and I didn’t want my young kids growing up like that”.

Nearly 20 years later, Lew feels that the service is still vital, and if anything there are more reasons to be doing it now. The organisation has expanded hugely, now operating three Street Vans with 180 volunteers. Lew has been thrilled with the way students have also got involved, with Massey University and UCOL students now operating their own teams and regularly running the vans. “They came to us, the students themselves.

They wanted to do something.”

The other side to the organisation is Shepherd’s Rest, which offers low-cost accommodation to anyone in need of a home.

Making up a huge portion of Shepherd’s Rest’s tenants are those who would otherwise be homeless, and Lew feels that they do not get the care they need elsewhere.

“People from out of prison, where do they go? People from out of hospital, where do they go? Someone comes out of a • 33 •

mental health facility, who takes them in? No-one. So that’s why we take them. No-one wants to know a drug addict or homeless person unless they’re in their own family.

“There are certain people whom we won’t take back, mainly because their actions have affected other residents. But other than that, we never say no.”

The Street Van and Shepherd’s Rest are more than just Lew’s passion. His wife Meriam and two oldest children, Sarah and John, are all volunteers, and Sarah also runs youth groups teaching children about the dangers of drug and alcohol abuse. “My kids grew up around the silo, around alcoholics and drug addicts. They have never gotten drunk and they never do drugs, so there you go. They’ve seen it, they know what happens.”

Some would question the wisdom of putting your children into these situations, but Lew strongly disagrees. “People say, ‘How can you let your daughter be close to them?’. My daughter feels totally safe around these people; if anyone so much as looked at her they’d get smacked.” Far from a threat, the people Lew has met through the Street Van and Shepherd’s Rest have become surrogate family members. Lew laughingly tells how a few years ago his daughter “went to the pictures and was with a boy. I had four drug addicts ringing up to tell me my daughter was out”.

At the end of the day, Shepherd’s Rest and the Street Van can be best summarised by Lew as, “Sometimes, it’s just about doing something nice".

• 34 •

Competitive by Nature Interview Ryan Willoughby Images Tim Hamilton

From inventing an ergometer for an Olympic bronze medallist to competing at the top level of Australian and New Zealand cycling, Steven Stannard is a true competitor in every venture.

Upon finishing his PhD in Sydney, Steve was offered a lecturing position at Massey University and decided to try it out for three years. Some 10 years later he is now Head of the School of Sport and Exercise. Steve describes New Zealand as a land of opportunity. “If my peers in Australia knew the way I lived, they would be green with envy,” says Steve.

Steve was approached by the father of Manawatu cyclist Simon van Velthooven ahead of the 2012 London Olympics, with concerns about Simon’s slow start. Steve knew that no ergometer was equipped to mimic and measure the conditions of a start, so he got together with local designers and mathematicians and built one.

When approaching his professional and his personal lives, Steve takes a similar attitude. “I’m a competitor, and I like to be the best, in cycling, in my career and in life.” For now, Steve’s competitive cycling days are over, as he passes the mantle on to his children. He calls the decision “more practical than physiological”, as his body is still up to it but his schedule is not.

On cycling and its popularity, Steve believes that “every sport is an afterthought after rugby”, and that such a monopoly of the nation’s attention is unhealthy for New Zealand sport. He explains that the truly international sports are being ignored in favour of rugby, which “is a minor sport in other countries.

Even in Australia, it’s about fifth in popularity”.

“We don’t have the money or the fancy technology here, so we build things. We’ve got to use our brains and be innovative.”

Cycling is a family affair in the Stannard household, with his wife Katherine and three children all avid cyclists. Steve’s son Robert took a contended second place in last year’s Tour de Manawatu, beating his father by just eight seconds, while his daughter Elizabeth was selected in the New Zealand triathlon team. “They wouldn’t have had those opportunities in a place like Sydney; they wouldn’t even have been able to ride their bikes.”

When Steve was racing internationally, he was watching in awe as Lance Armstrong began to take a stranglehold on the sport, only to be shocked and dismayed by the superstar’s drug admission. “Overseas I saw some riders do some incredible feats, and I think now I know how they did it, and I feel duped,” says Steve. “I’ve never taken anything more than a cup of coffee, and I should feel angry, but I’ve still got my integrity, whereas now they have none.”

• 35 •

On women’s sports, Steve believes that the low funding levels and coverage afforded to women’s sports are also unbalanced and unfair. “I struggle to see why they don’t get enough coverage or enough money, because sometimes women’s sports are far better to watch than men’s.”

Now a New Zealand citizen, Steve believes that New Zealanders underrate their country and should follow the psyche of people in places like the United States, who see their countries as lands of opportunity. “If America is the land of opportunity, it’s double that here.

“The quality of life here is vastly superior to that of a place like Sydney, and the opportunities that I can give my kids are far beyond what I could’ve dreamed.”

A little bit of style

• 36 •

The pursuit of beautiful things is a worthy task, and our homes are a perfect avenue for expressing this. Magazines, television and films have us all dreaming of what could be possible in our homes, and many of us are using these dreams and ideas to create our own distinct styles and unique homes. There are many of these homes within the Manawatu region, and they each show the beauty that a little inspired design can create.

Feast your eyes and see how simple touches can add life, modernity and beauty to an otherwise ordinary space.

Stylist Stephanie Bell-Booth Images Tim Hamilton

• 37 •

WEST IS DEFINITELY THE RIGHT DIRECTION ON AIR Interview Ryan Willoughby Images Tim Hamilton

As the host of More FM’s breakfast show Mike West in the Morning, Mike West is a household name, with more than 35 years in the industry. But behind the public figure lies a devoted husband and father.

when a three-year-old Jason commanded Mike to bring home more doughnuts.

From the age of 14 Mike knew he wanted a career in radio, inspired by former DJ Kevin Black, who West describes as “the funniest guy on the planet”. However, getting a job on radio was no small feat and West describes hounding every radio station in the country, itching for an opportunity.

At age 17, Radio Windy gave him that opportunity, and Mike moved to Wellington to do the Midnight to Dawn show, which he describes as a terrifying and thrilling experience for a “young naive boy from Palmerston North”. Back then, Mike was known by his birth name, Blain Yarrall, and only received his radio name after a boss thought his name wasn’t going to cut it on radio.

When Mike returned to Manawatu he walked into a Cook Street dairy, not knowing he was about to meet his future wife. “The owner of the dairy told me that Amanda had to go and put her head inside the freezer just to cool down after seeing me. I thought that was so funny and a bit cute,” says Mike. By pure chance, they crossed paths again while Mike was broadcasting for a fundraiser, and the rest is history.

The births of Mike’s sons, Jason and Sam, have had a lasting impact on the veteran broadcaster: “all my priorities in life seemed to automatically change from that point and family became the most important thing”. From a very young age, Mike’s children would ring him while he was at work, and he would answer the calls on air, describing one situation • 39 •

Both Sam and Jason have pursued careers in radio, with Sam working with his father in the promotions and marketing department of More FM, and Jason working with Sydneybased Nova 969. “I guess they had a lot of fun with me working in radio, and they saw the fun that I had, and they decided they wanted to get into it too.

“I’ve had a few job offers over the years, including one from Sydney, but I’ve always liked living in Manawatu,” says Mike.

Mike says the schools, the lifestyle and the people are the reasons why he raised his kids here, and why he and Amanda continue to live here.

Late last year Mike feared for his career as he began having trouble with his voice. “It was like someone was turning down the volume, and by the evening I could hardly speak.”

Acting on the advice of a friend, Mike had it checked and a small cyst was found on his vocal chords, which was removed in October last year, giving the broadcaster his voice back.

For those aspiring to be on radio, Mike says that the key to entering the industry is getting hands-on experience with a station, getting trained, and having a competitive attitude.

“Life’s what you make it. If you’re going to sit around on the couch and watch TV all day you’re going to get bored, and you’re going to think this is a boring place, but if you get up, find some things to do, it’s a great place.”

In pursuit of an

AUDIENCE Interview Shivarn Stewart Image Bernadette Peters

Ian Harman is a man of many talents – magician, dancer, choreographer, costume designer and director, to name only a few. With a CV that is “ridiculously long”, Ian has become a figurehead within the performing arts community of Palmerston North, designing costumes for Centrepoint, directing for Abbey Theatre, and creating and starring in his own cabaret and burlesque shows.

A sense of devotion to his audience has been a common trend throughout Ian’s career. In his first experience of theatre, as Jack Horner in a school play at age five, Ian tells how he felt “this big amount of love and support” from the crowd. “From there I was wrecked for life really,” and Ian has been pursuing the audience’s adoration ever since.

“My focus is always that the audience has a great experience, and that they are comfortable, or at least delightedly shocked, by what happens; that they are entertained, or feel something.”

In recent years Ian’s focus has been on burlesque, and his hugely popular performance group The Boom Boom Room has performed all around New Zealand. As he describes it, burlesque is “a lovely transition of cabaret and vaudeville and magic and slapstick and old-style theatre. It’s very empowering, and it’s not like any other kind of performance I’ve done in my life”. Even more importantly, Ian feels it is an art form that really connects with its audience.

“With burlesque the gratification you get from your audience is really different. Burlesque isn’t just about taking your clothes off, it’s about revealing something emotional or physical about yourself. Even if you don’t take your clothes off, you’re very naked up there. I think the audience appreciates that vulnerability.”

When he isn’t touring the country with his burlesque troupe, Ian is happy at home in Palmerston North. His only major irritation with his adopted home town is “that I get people • 41 •

asking me when I’m going to leave”. People often suggest that he needs to move in order to succeed in the arts, but Ian thinks that the opposite is true.

“We’re an incredibly cultural city, and I think sometimes Palmerston North doesn’t actually realise what talent we have, and how good the theatre here is. There is an incredible number of talented and creative people in this town, and it’s supported my arts career for a really long time, which is pretty amazing in itself.”

While he has made a career in the performing arts, Ian assures that he “isn’t a nut about it”, and that there is a separation between the characters people see on stage and him in real life. “It doesn’t rule my private life, which I think people are surprised about. Most people meet me as a character, and most of the characters I play are incredibly flamboyant and out there, and then they meet me as a person and I’m reasonably quiet. If I’m at a party I’m usually in a corner having a chat with someone about something serious, not dancing on a table, which is what my characters would be doing. I feel that I’m disappointing people on a regular basis, because I’m not quite what they expected.”

Despite the clash of private versus stage personas, Ian knows he will never leave the stage. “In any job or career I think there are moments when you think, ‘It’s got to be easier than this’. But actually I’ve been doing this for so long I can’t imagine doing anything else. That’s my curse, I’m creative.”

A Chilean’s legacy Interview Ryan Willoughby Images Tim Hamilton

Jorge Sandoval has been many things in his time. From cabinet maker to international cycling promoter, his story is one of heartbreak, triumph and unwavering determination.

“There wasn’t a day I didn’t think about my family, or my country.”

From an early age Jorge developed a love of cycling as the Tour of Chile rode through his home town of Tome, a small city by the sea. Jorge would follow the riders and listen to their languages as he dreamt of riding amongst them. Although his family was very poor and his country was in political upheaval, he describes his childhood as a time of “happiness and beauty”.

His childhood was to be cut short when he was denounced as a traitor for crimes against the dictator Augusto Pinochet at age 19. He was imprisoned in a concentration camp where he was tortured and bore witness to the murders of a number of his fellow prisoners. Unbeknown to the military, one of the camp guards was Jorge’s own brother, and both had to remain silent to ensure the other's survival.

After a year of imprisonment he was released to his family, and as he left the camp he smuggled out a small wooden sign a fellow prisoner had made, to remember his ordeal by. Fearing for his life, Jorge decided to escape illegally to Argentina with his pregnant fiancée. After a short time in Argentina, the pair chose to immigrate to New Zealand, and on 26th November 1976 they landed in Wellington.

After just four days Jorge was put to work in a factory for 12 hours a day, without knowing a word of English. He

says the language gap caused workers to treat him with extreme prejudice: “because you can’t speak the language, they think you’re a dumb ass, they think you’re ignorant”.

Jorge describes these years as the toughest: “there wasn’t a day I didn’t think about my family, or my country”.

Jorge found support for refugees at the time “non-existent”, and simple tasks like finding sugar in the supermarket would take Jorge hours. Jorge and his friends had to resort to tasting things in the aisles, and one of his friends mistakenly fed his family dog food, as he thought it was cheap ham.

It was only when Jorge joined a Wellington cycling club that he began to meet new people and learn the English language. “I had to adapt to New Zealand because New Zealand never adapted to me,” he says.

Jorge proved to have a talent for the sport and within a couple of years he was selected to join the New Zealand cycling team, and began touring around the world.

In 1988 the team was to ride the Tour of Chile, providing Jorge with the chance to return to his home town and fulfil his childhood dream. When Jorge arrived, armed guards met him at the terminal and took him for questioning. He had no idea if they knew who he was or if they would imprison him again, but he was able to lie • 44 •

“One day they got so sick of me that they said, ‘You know what Jorge? You are so smart, why don’t you do it?’. So I did.”

and enter undetected. He describes the ride through his town as one of the proudest moments of his life.

other countries where it is “second only to religion”.

However, Jorge describes a darker side to cycling in New Zealand, as drivers’ attitudes to cyclists are very poor. “I’ve never allowed my children on the road, because of what I have seen.” To improve the sport, Jorge feels drivers and cyclists need to try to understand each other better and share the road.

But Jorge’s influence off the road was to be his greatest contribution to the sport, and in 1988 Jorge launched the first Tour of Wellington. Before this, Wellington had had no tours or significant cycling events, prompting vigorous complaints from Jorge.

“One day they got so sick of me that they said, ‘You know what Jorge? You are so smart, why don’t you do it?’. So I did.” A quarter of a century later, it’s now the biggest international cycling event in the country, attracting riders from all over the world.

When Jorge had saved up enough money, he was able to bring both of his brothers to New Zealand to work. His brothers’ plight highlights the employment problems in Chile, as both brothers were out of work despite being accountancy and teaching professionals. The two brothers now own their own businesses and all three visit Chile once a year, as well as sending money every month to other family members.

His contribution to the sport became clear when he was awarded the Queen's Service Medal in 2006, for both the men’s and women’s professional cycling tours.

When he returned to Chile with the medal he was named as an honorary citizen, by the very man who had denounced him as a criminal all those years ago.

In 2011 the tour was renamed the New Zealand Cycle Classic and moved to Palmerston North, as Jorge considered Manawatu “the perfect cycle destination” with its smooth roads and stunning hill climbs. Jorge thinks cycling in the area is improving, but it pales in comparison with • 45 •

Jorge feels that the country is beautiful, the schools and hospitals are excellent, and that life in New Zealand is full of possibilities. “A lot of immigrants come here and they are capable of a lot more, but you’ve got to work hard, don’t take no for an answer,” says Jorge.

“This country has done a lot for me, a lot. I’m not going to be here forever, but I hope that when I’m gone, people remember that this Chilean refugee came to this country and his legacy is here.”

- Groovylicious

• 47 •

groovylicious “I call it a boutique speciality, vintage and upcycle shop.” Groovylicious is more than just one of the coolest shops in Palmerston North – it’s its own community. Owner Shaun Kay is devoted to supporting local artists, through the art he displays for free, and the wide range of clothing and oddities he stocks from local designers. With a comfy couch to hang out on, and open mic nights outside, Groovylicious welcomes everyone into its wacky little world.

Creating a new taste Interview Krysten McLeod Images Llewellyn Annandale

Hester Guy is one of New Zealand’s most recognised food personalities, driven by her love of and dedication to cooking. Her reputation has been built on years of work in the industry, developing catering companies, teaching cooking skills in people's homes, and presenting her own television programme, "Hester Guy Cooks".

“I’ve always been interested in cooking. My mother was an extremely good cook and it runs in the family. All my cousins cook, and food is the main topic of conversation.”

and handle products and understand the basic principles.

We all have to eat, so why not cook to the very best of your ability?”

Born just north of Levin in Koputaroa, Hester discovered a love of cooking that was destined to inspire her travelling.

Having always wanted to attend cooking school, upon completing university Hester decided to leave New Zealand and train at the Cordon Bleu cooking school in London. Once she had completed her course she travelled, always with food in mind, until she returned to New Zealand to start up what was to become a successful catering business in Wellington.

Food projects and developments have been a theme throughout Hester’s life. These have included working with Massey University to research the sous-vide cooking process, which involves very slow cooking of vacuum-sealed food and is now a process embraced by many chefs. She has also developed a successful range of salads and chilled meals for supermarkets.

“I then married a farmer and came to live in Shannon, where there was little call for my services.” Instead Hester started travelling New Zealand, demonstrating cooking to groups of women. “At the time nouvelle cuisine was changing the face of cooking. Cooking was becoming lighter, seasonal and cleaner in flavour.

“At the same time I had seen how the chicken industry had changed and customers were able to buy new ready-to-cook cuts of chicken. I thought this same theory could surely be applied to lamb.”

In response to this idea Hester and her husband began to develop new lamb cuts, a project that was launched through Woolworths. It took time for the concept of trim lamb to be accepted, as it was a far cry from the traditional roast meat.

Hester feels that there is still further potential for cheaper cuts of lamb to be used for more ethnic-styled cooking.

This innovation gave Hester the opportunity to do a cooking show on television. “I really wanted people to learn to cook

Hester has now opened, in conjunction with her catering business, a sophisticated and friendly café in Palmerston North, which focuses on serving those who want healthy alternative takeaways. Create Eatery came from the desire to have a small takeout venue that used the very best ingredients in all its cooking. Hester and her team produce freshly prepared gourmet meals daily, as well as frozen meals that make for easy home dinners, a range that she plans to expand in response to its popularity.

Recognising that she is not necessarily good at managing people, Hester employs people around her who complement her strengths. With her talented chef Liz Parkes, front of house personality Douglas Begg and the rest of her team, Hester thinks that the food they present is “stylish and unpretentious, but delicious”.

“Cooking good food is not difficult, but it takes care, love and an awareness of the food you’re handling. When people eat your food, you watch their faces, and if their eyes light up you’ve got it.”

• 50 •

Chasing the Games Interview Krysten McLeod Images Tim Hamilton

Sportsman Andy Kruy is currently the third-fastest man in the country, and at just 22 years old. His achievements in athletics include medals in the 100 metres and long jump at New Zealand championship level. With no signs of slowing down (literally), he looks forward to some day becoming the fastest man in New Zealand.

Andy found his passion for sports at a young age, when his early school days were filled with playing lunchtime games with friends. It was the influence of these friends that had Andy wanting to play Saturday morning rugby for a local club.

“It’s a funny story, because I remember when I was 11 years old I had to beg my Dad to let me play. I think I even cried so that he would say yes.”

Andy understands how his parents might have seen club sport as a distraction from getting a much-valued education, given what they had been through. Andy’s parents came to New Zealand as refugees, having escaped from Cambodia during the rule of the communist Khmer Rouge in the late 1970s. This devastating government cost nearly two million Cambodians their lives during the four years that would become known as the Cambodian Genocide.

“When I was younger I was told about this, just so that I would know where I had come from and how fortunate we were to live in this land of opportunity.”

“I wanted to give up sport, and I actually took a month off to go back to Cambodia.”

On returning to New Zealand, Andy found his passion for sport had not left him, and what followed was what he personally considers one of his most successful years.

While in his last year of high school, Andy managed to juggle club sports, his role as a House Captain and school work, while also gaining scholarships that would enable him to attend Massey University. He made history as House Captain by leading his house to win the House Cup for the first time in 15 years. This was also the first year that he won a national title in long jump, breaking the long jump record held by former professional rugby player Mark Ranby.

At Massey University, Andy decided to switch his sporting focus to athletics. The close proximity of the track, and support from the Academy of Sport, helped him to balance his studies with his training.

“Some days I would have to skip training to get assignments done, but overall it was really easy. After my lectures finished for the day I could jump straight down to the track. If it had been even five kilometres away it would have been way more difficult.”

Attending Freyberg High School gave Andy plenty of opportunities, and in particular allowed him to further his interest in sports. However, Andy was also faced with his biggest challenge during his time at high school, when his mother passed away.

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This balancing act between sport and study paid off for Andy, when he graduated from Massey with a Bachelor of Business Studies in Sport Management and Business Management, as well as making the senior grade in athletics.

With his degree in hand Andy has gone on to work at Sport Manawatu as a Community Sports Advisor. This role involves working with sports clubs and unions around the region to increase participation in sport, increase junior numbers, and help groups with funding opportunities – work that “Realistically, Andy is loving.

If we don’t make the Commonwealth Games we have a very slim chance of making it to Rio.” This is not the only reason for Andy wanting to get to the Commonwealth Games this year. Andy is personally aiming for his father to see him run competitively for the first time in Glasgow, which “would make for a pretty cool story”.

Although he has to travel north every two months to train with the rest of the relay team, Andy himself has never felt he needed to move to further his sporting career. A big reason for I have from this is the confidence he has in his coaches.

I’m maybe 30, so

Meanwhile Andy’s job hasn’t now until slowed him down at all on that’s really only eight years “Anne Thomson and George the track. He gained a bronze McConachy have been coaching medal in the 2013 New Zealand me for a good five years now and to live this dream.” championship men’s 100 metres, our great relationship is getting and as a member of the New results, so why move?”

Zealand men’s relay squad he and teammates Scott Burch, These past few years have kept Andy quite busy, and although Zac Topping and William Smart came second in the 2013 he may not have a lot of spare time outside sports, Andy senior men’s national competition. knows he won’t be competing in athletics meets all his life.

The relay squad has been working hard to qualify for the 2014 “Realistically, I have from now until I’m maybe 30, so that’s Commonwealth Games, which are to be held in Glasgow. really only eight years to live this dream.”

“It is crucial that we qualify for the Glasgow games, because from there we can build up to the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio. • 54 •

Wa l k ing Track s - Jet Boat in g - Bike Tr a il s Ho r s e Trek k ing - Camp in g - Sw immin g - A dventure

W W W. T E A P I T I . C O M

Teachers being Kept in the dark Interview Ryan Willoughby Image Tim Hamilton

Rachel Bradley and Elizabeth Manson form a duo that aims to make an impact on the education system. On the lawn of St Mark's and St Andrew's Presbyterian church in Palmerston North, lies the unassuming, prefabricated office building of SPELADD, an organisation committed to teaching and helping those with learning difficulties.

For several years Rachel attempted to help a child with his spelling without success, “I caught up with him one day, and he told me that he was doing a course at UCOL. He said that he still couldn’t spell, but that I had helped him realise that it didn’t mean he was stupid. I thought I had failed this kid, it was a huge boost for me,” says Rachel.

The pair warn that teachers across the country aren’t being given the skills needed to teach children with learning difficulties like ADHD and dyslexia. One incident observed by Rachel saw a teacher shouting at a student with ADHD. “The student couldn’t help bursting out because she hadn’t been helped, and the teacher was shouting at her in a voice that you wouldn’t use on your dog. It broke my heart,” says Rachel.

“Everybody’s different, the system doesn’t suit everyone; once you get into the real world, you can shine.

Entrepreneurs, celebrities, all kinds of amazing people have learning difficulties,” says Rachel.

Manawatu schools are mostly highly cooperative in assisting SPELADD with these children; however, Rachel outlines that one school denied her services, free of charge, telling her that the teacher had the necessary skills to deal with it. “They think they know what they’re talking about, and they really don’t, it’s just stubborn,” says Rachel.

Rachel explains that one of the most rewarding aspects of the job is being able to resolve misunderstandings between children and teachers, “to show they’re not bad kids, and to show them how they can help,” says Rachel.

“It’s a human right to have access to education and in New Zealand we are supposed to have free education for all, but because of these children’s specific disabilities, they can’t access that education,” says Rachel.

Rachel’s goal for the next few years is to strengthen the organisation, training new staff as the organisation enters a transitional growth phase. “We are presently very limited and localised, and we want to get out there, and be more active,” says Rachel.

Elizabeth and Rachel rely on grants, donations and the fees collected from parents, explaining that they reject government funding as they feel the Government actually hinders them from helping these children. “The government didn’t even recognise dyslexia as a learning disability until 2007,” says Elizabeth.

Rachel describes the support of local business as invaluable.

“It’s the people with passion who get behind it, because they know the struggle that these kids are going through,” says Bradley.

Rachel Bradley

TASTY ON THE LIPS, KINDER ON THE HIPS Interview Rhema Nantham Image Massey University The newest dessert concocted in Palmerston North is Scoop ice cream. The sweet and indulgent treat is the latest zero-fat ice cream developed in the Food Technology department at Massey University.

The collaboration of the research group has led to the creation of a non-fat luxury food that doesn’t lose its taste or texture in meeting zero-fat requirements.

With the assistance of Matt Golding and Alan Hardacre, Associate Food Technology Professors at Massey University, the discovery was quite surprising. By pairing two common ingredients, a stable structure with very small air bubbles is created. The magic ingredients still cannot be named due to pending patents, so there is still a sense of mystery surrounding this new composition.

Ice-cream eaters are definitely picky, and have a list of requirements to deem a product a success. The ice cream should be cold and refreshing, but not too cold that jaws are throbbing and brains are freezing. It should be smooth and creamy, overflowing with flavourful goodness.

Scoop definitely succeeds. It is cold but not too cold, it is still smooth and creamy and, just by eliminating the fat and reducing the air bubbles, a non-fat concoction that tastes just as good as full-fat ice cream emerges.

This creation has been a uniting factor for Massey University.

The College of Business and the Manawatu Bio Commerce Centre, based at the science campus, have worked jointly to

brand the treat, creating the Scoop identity.

Scoop has created an identity for this still to-be-revealed new technology, and paves the way for the future of the New Zealand food industry. Creations like Scoop are the start of future products that will add value to the global food industry through innovation across the value chain.

FoodHQ, based in Palmerston North, fosters collaboration across a number of platforms between Massey University, Plant & Food Research, the Riddet Institute, the Bio Commerce Centre, AsureQuality, AgResearch and Fonterra.

FoodHQ is actively supported by local government interests, and other organisations are soon to join the collaboration as it cements itself as a world leader in food innovation and research.

“Technology, design and marketing can all be a part of the package of food innovation to create value-added products,” says Matt.

With Scoop at the forefront it appears that, by providing greater choices for our ever-picky consumers who are looking for low-fat, healthier options, new markets could be created.

FoodHQ will essentially extend the range of innovative food products that maintain high quality and add value to the New Zealand food chain to influence the international food industry.

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The very best in creative cuisine matched with stunning surroundings and first class service.

T +64 6 350 5088 E info@wharerata.co.nz www.wharerata.co.nz

A carpenter’S dream Interview Rhema Nantham Images Tim Hamilton, Kevin Bills

He may have been born in Upper Hutt, but Paul Humphries feels that he is “pretty well entrenched here” after growing up in Palmerston North.

A carpenter by trade, young Paul began his career as an apprentice at Fletcher Construction. On finishing his apprenticeship Paul took to travelling, and traipsed the world for two years before returning home to Palmerston North.

Paul returned during a difficult period of economic decline for New Zealand, and he was left doing odd jobs for friends and family. Over time he built his network base, and in 1996 he ventured out on his own and started the now-renowned Humphries Construction.

Being an entrepreneur was not in Paul’s life plan. “I never really set out with a business plan and said right, I’m going to be a builder and have my own business.” Instead Paul simply followed where life and opportunities led him.

Creating Awapuni’s “Eco House" was one of these opportunities. Its conception came from Paul and his team’s • 61 •

desire to tackle environmentally friendly construction and design. This project, deemed “challenging”, ended up being an eye-opener in increasing their understanding of sustainability and energy efficiency. The house received a Home Star 6 rating, which Paul says, “was the first to receive that rating in Manawatu”.

Paul has a clear vision for sustainable architectural design in Palmerston North, and attests to being at the forefront of this inevitable change. “Everybody is slowly embracing it, and I think the clients and the people who are using these spaces want to be involved in those types of building.” Finding a balance between affordable and value-added is a difficult process, but Paul believes that it is achievable and definitely beneficial, as proven by the Eco House.

Retirement is a far thought for Paul. Instead he wants to grow and help his team evolve. As he puts it, the secret to success is that “to enable yourself to grow, you’ve got to have good people around you”.

An exciting interactive, multi-disciplinary exhibition that examines the amazing world of sunlight, will be opening at Te Manawa on 28 June.

Photography courtesy of NASA/ Goddard Space Flight Center Scientific Visualization Studio.

Sunlight – Aho Rā tells the story of sunlight: from how it is created and how it behaves right through to how it affects plants, people and animals on Earth.

FIND US ON FACEBOOK 326 Main Street Palmerston North +64 6 355 5000

Sunlight shines in the middle of winter...

‘The story of sunlight is an amazing one,’ says Te Manawa’s CEO, Andy Lowe. ‘The sunlight we see today only takes about nine minutes to travel here from the Sun, yet it could have been produced inside the Sun hundreds of thousands of years ago.’

The second part of the exhibition looks at how sunlight behaves.

What happens when light hits water, glass and shapes such as prisms?

Visitors can play with various light sources and equipment to find the answers.

The first part of the exhibition looks at the Sun and asks questions that many children would ask their parents. How was the Sun created; how much energy is inside it; how hot, big and old is the Sun? Visitors will be able to ‘travel’ to different parts of the solar system and encounter ‘space weather’.

The third part of the exhibition looks at how plant, animal and human life is affected by sunlight. How does the Sun help plants grow? Why does sunlight make us feel good?

Do animals see light the same way as we do? What impact does the Sun have on climate change? Why is the Sun important in Māori culture?

OPEN DAILY 10AM - 5PM

TEMANAWA.CO.NZ

IS THIS THE FUTURE OF THE SQUARE? Image Phill Andrews

The future of Palmerston North will be more technologically focused, sustainable and even more attractive, at least according to Phill Andrews, visionary and design lecturer at UCOL. His blueprint is a step into the potential future of the city, and is much closer than we might think.

They will power up during the day and then unfold like a flower at sunset to showcase self-edited composites of the day. Technology will also be used to further showcase the attractiveness of the city, with an oval, transparent sky dome tube used to board a city monorail.

Key features of his impression include greater technological adaptations to encourage more sustainability, such as the solar-powered projection pods near the clock tower.

Time will tell!

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