This morning our daughter, her two boys and I attended the ANZAC Day Dawn Parade and Service at the cenotaph in the Feilding town square. It was a very cold and shall we say breezy autumn morning as we made our way into the square shortly before 6 a.m.
As a Quaker I am conflicted between the courage that those who are prepared to put their lives on the line for what they believe is an honourable cause and those who are willing to kill for what they believe is an honourable cause. More often than not these are the same people.
Perhaps my attendance his morning was to honour my father, who fought with the NZ army in Egypt and Italy and who, as a senior sergeant, had the courage to countermand the orders of a commissioned officer to open fire on a group of unarmed Italian soldiers. My father was relieved of his duty and the order re-issued, resulting in a massacre. The commissioned officer was commended for his bravery and my father was court marshalled.
Despite his court marshal, my father gained a chest full of medals, and as long as I can remember he attended the Dawn Parade every ANZAC day, but unlike every other returned serviceman/servicewoman he alone would march with no medals pinned on his chest.
I can only admire his courage for not wearing his medals in the face of not inconsiderable opposition from his fellow servicemen as they marched to the cenotaph, year in and year out until age and injury put an end to his participation. At this morning’s service one speaker made the comment that all service personnel have an obligation to wear their medals at the Dawn Parade. I can only imagine what my father’s response would have been if he was still alive.
ANZAC Dawn Parade and Commemoration Service, 25 April 2024, Feilding town Square
The song “Pepeha” by Six60 and released in 2021, is a bilingual song that is sung in both English and Māori. The word pepeha refers to a traditional Māori form of self-introduction, where the speaker describes their ancestry and connections to the natural environment, such as which waka (one’s ancestors arrived in Aotearoa on, and what mountains, rivers and marae are important to the speaker and their family roots.
The band members collaborated with Māori language experts and musicians to create a pepeha that would apply to all New Zealanders. The song is a celebration of New Zealand’s unique cultural heritage and the way in which Māori words are becoming embedded in New Zealand English.
In the song, the band members describe their connection to the land, sea, and mountains using Māori words such as “mana”, “aroha”, and “whanau”. These words have no exact English equivalent but are used to express deep cultural concepts that are unique to New Zealand. For example, “mana” refers to a person’s prestige, authority, or power, while “aroha” means love, compassion, or empathy. Similarly, “whanau” refers to the extended family, and “waka” means canoe.
Thus, the song “Pepeha” is a beautiful tribute to New Zealand’s rich cultural heritage and the way in which Māori words are becoming embedded in New Zealand English. While it may be difficult for non-Kiwis to understand the meaning of the song, it is a testament to the unique cultural identity of New Zealand and the way in which its people are embracing their heritage.
The band
Six60 is a New Zealand pop rock band that was formed in Dunedin, Otago in 2008. The band consists of Matiu Walters (lead vocals, guitar), Ji Fraser (lead guitar), Chris Mac (bass guitar), Marlon Gerbes (synthesiser), Hoani Matenga (bass guitar), and Eli Paewai (drums). The band’s name is derived from the street number of the house they lived in while studying at the University of Otago, 660 Castle Street.
Six60’s self-titled debut album was released on 10 October 2011 on their own label Massive Entertainment. The album was produced and mixed by Tiki Taane and debuted at number one in the New Zealand charts and was certified gold within its first week of release. Their first two singles, “Rise Up 2.0” and “Don’t Forget Your Roots,” (which I played in Musical Monday (2022/09/19) – Kia Mau Ki Tō Ūkaipō / Don’t Forget Your Roots) reached number one and number two, respectively, on the RIANZ singles chart and were both certified double and triple platinum. In 2018, the band won five Vodafone New Zealand Music Awards and were the most streamed artist by New Zealanders on Spotify.
Six60’s unique sound, which blends elements of soul, electronica, drum and bass, pop rock, and R&B, has helped them gain a large following in New Zealand. The band’s music is known for its catchy hooks, upbeat rhythms, and positive messages. Six60’s success can also be attributed to their energetic live performances, which have helped them build a loyal fan base. The band has played sold-out shows across New Zealand, including a historic concert at Western Springs Stadium in Auckland, where they became the first New Zealand band to play a sold-out concert at the venue.
In summary, Six60’s unique sound, catchy hooks, positive messages, and energetic live performances have helped them gain a large following in New Zealand. Their success can also be attributed to their unconventional approach to the music industry and their ability to connect with their fans.
SIX60 – Pepeha (Lyric Video)
Pepeha
Ko Mana tōku maunga Ko Aroha te moana Ko Whānau tōku waka Ko au e tū atu nei
Mana is my mountain Aroha is my sea Whānau is my waka And all of that is me
Ahakoa pāmamao Kei konei koe Though you are far away I hold you near
I'll keep the home fires burning So you can see clear Kia maumahara mai rā Nō konei koe
Ko mana tōku maunga Ko Aroha te moana Ko whānau tōku waka Ko au e tū atu nei
Mana is my mountain Aroha is my sea Whānau is my waka And all of that is me Ko mana tōku maunga And all of that is me
At 74 I’m clearly not as young as I used to be. A little bit of light exercise I thought.
I had assembled a raised vegetable garden in our back yard so that the wife and I don’t have to get down on our knees to manage the gardening. We bought fourteen bags of garden mix to fill it. These were delivered on Friday and stacked on the parking area in front of our basement-garage for me to transport to the back of our section (NZ term for “lot” or “property”) at my leisure. Additionally there were two fruit trees plus large wooden barrels to contain them to be moved to the rear of the section. Saturday was rain, so today was the day.
Our section is not level and slopes up about 9 metres (29 ft) from front to back. From the road to the front of the house the land rises about 5 metres, but has been partially excavated in front of the house to form a parking area and access to the three garages under the house. On each side of the parking area there is a steep loop-back path that enables access to the main part of the house climbing 3.5 m (11 ft) in 10 m (33 ft) before climbing gently about another 60 cm (2 ft) to the back door, a distance of about 20 m (66 ft). From there you take some steps rising about a metre (3 ft) to a patio area, then after crossing the patio, approximately 4 m (13 ft) you take some more steps to the (mostly) level ground a metre (3 ft) higher, where the raised vegetable garden is situated. In total, that’s a rise of around 6 m (20 ft) over a distance of 40 m (130 ft) from stacked bags to vegetable garden.
Now that I’ve laid out the scene, there’s one more important bit of information you need to know. The bags are 40 litres each and weigh between 25 kg (55 lb) and 30 kg (66 lb) depending on moisture content, so not exactly featherweight. My intention was to carry the fruit tress and barrels then all the bags of garden mix.
The two barrels were heavier than I thought, but I managed to lift both together and carry them to the back, and then the two trees (one in each hand) without raising a sweat. The slightly limp and very heavy bags of garden mix were a different story! I ruptured two discs in my lower back when I was a teenager by lifting a very heavy object incorrectly, learning the hard way not to use my back as a crane. I’ve since learnt to keep my body upright and use my legs to get from a squatting position to a standing position. But pressing an additional 25 – 30 kg above my own weight proved to be stretching the limits of my 74 year old legs. By the time I had carried six bags, my legs felt like jelly and I knew I didn’t have the strength to lift, let alone carry another bag. It’s a cold, windy, un-spring-like October afternoon, but the exercise left me saturated in perspiration. I don’t think I’ve felt so exhausted for more than a decade.
So there’s another eight bags than need to be moved to the back of the section. Any takers? There’s a twelve-pack of beer when its completed.
We Kiwis are perhaps fortunate in that being able to enrol and vote in elections and referendums is easy as. In fact there’s no need to prove identification to do either! (I’ll cover that in an upcoming blog post.)
When it comes to enrolling, then if you’re eligible (NZ citizen or permanent resident and are over 18 and have lived in NZ continuously for 12 months at some time), then by law you are required to enrol. See my previous post on how to do that. However, you can choose whether or not to vote. You can enrol right up to the day before election day. And if you aren’t enrolled and still wish to vote, you still can by casting a special vote.
I want to remind you that it isn’t necessary to cast your vote at a voting place in your electorate. You can vote at any voting place anywhere in Aotearoa either on election day or in the two weeks preceding election day. As I said, easy as!
To use the Kiwi vernacular, enrolling to vote is easy as! So, if you’re a New Zealand citizen or a permanent resident of New Zealand, make sure you are enrolled.
How to enrol to vote (Turn on Closed Captions if you the the Kiwi Accent difficult to understand)
The 2023 New Zealand general election to determine the composition of the 54th Parliament of Aotearoa will be held on Saturday, 14 October 2023. The Electoral Commission has confirmed the timetable for the election following the Prime Minister’s announcement of the election date. The key dates for the election are as follows:
Friday 14 July: Regulated period for election advertising expenses begins
Friday 8 September: Dissolution of Parliament
Sunday 10 September: Writ Day – the Governor General issues formal direction to the Electoral Commission to hold the election
Noon, Friday 15 September: Nominations close for candidates
Wednesday 27 September: Overseas voting starts
Monday 2 October: Advance voting starts
Friday 13 October: Advance voting ends. Regulated period ends. All election advertising must end. Signs must be taken down by midnight.
Saturday 14 October: Election day. Voting places open from 9.00am to 7.00pm. Election night. Preliminary election results released progressively from 7.00pm as counting at each voting place is completed.
Friday 3 November: Official results for the 2023 General Election declared
Thursday 9 November: Last day for the return of the writ
At the election, you’ll get to vote for the parties and candidates you want to represent you in Parliament. You need to be enrolled to vote in the election. To enrol and vote, you must:
be 18 years or older
be a New Zealand citizen or permanent resident, and
have lived in New Zealand for 12 months or more continuously at some time in your life.
If you enrol by Sunday 10 September, the Electoral Commission will send you information about the election in the mail. This will include an EasyVote card which makes voting easier
They look lovely when on the trees and even look quite pretty when the dropping petals first land on the footpath, but…
They stick like glue to the footpath making them almost impossible to sweep away unless…
Someone walks over them, where they stick like glue to the soles of shoes or to Frankie the cat’s fur, again making them almost impossible to remove, unless…
The aforementioned shoes or cat come in contact with the carpeting in the car or the house entry points where those damned petals stick like glue to said carpet and become impossible to remove even with the vacuum cleaner, unless…
I pick up each decaying petal one by one where they stick to my fingers and I find them impossible to remove, unless…
A few weeks ago we decided we take The Cat, aka Puss, to the vet for a health check. Although she seemed to be in good health, there was the question of whether or not she had been spayed, and whether she needed vaccinations and flea and worm treatment. So we hired a cat transport cage and took a very indignant cat off to the vets.
We came back with Frankie, and he is a desexed three year old purebred Chinchilla born in the Wairarapa, several hours drive from Feilding. No we didn’t swap felines. It turns out that Puss, is Frankie, micro-chipped and he lives lived at the opposite end of our street. He was on the vet’s books and was last seen only three months previously for flea and worm treatment. So the vet contacted the guardians of Frankie (they don’t use the term “owner” for companion animals, and besides, does anyone really own a cat?).
Within ten minutes, Frankie’s official guardian was in the veterinary consulting rooms. She was a very nice woman and she and her family had been quite concerned for Frankie’s wellbeing. Since they obtained him as a kitten he has been spending more and more away from home, and over the last year or so he’d return perhaps once or twice a week to sample his food and then disappear again. Once she learnt that Frankie spent most of his time at our place, she agreed that it was probably in Frankie’s best interest if we took over guardianship,
We’ve noticed that Frankie likes quiet (a trait quite common with the chinchilla breed), and after learning what his previous domestic life was like, it’s hardly surprising he sought out an alternative home. His previous home consisted of two adults, three pre-teenage children, two dogs, and another cat who thoroughly disliked Frankie and make that very clear at every available moment, plus an assortment of poultry and goats.
So we became the official guardian of Frankie, and after he received his annual vaccination and quarterly flea and worm treatment, we brought Frankie home with us. And here he remains. Occasionally he might disappear for an hour or so, so perhaps he might visit his old home on some of those occasions, but now he’s well and truly settled in having laid claim three spots as his own: the deck chair on the main front balcony where he can observe the street below, an armchair in the lounge, when the weather makes the desk chair less than ideal, and on top of a pile of duvets and quilts on a spare bed in an upstairs bedroom, the dormer windows from which he can purvey his kingdom and watch birds cavorting on the roof outside.
The bedroom is one I frequently use so as not to disturb the Wife – I’m a restless sleeper at the best of times but restless leg syndrome (Willis-Ekbom Disease – a condition I inherited from my mother and which has progressively intensified over the last fifty years) keeps not only me awake, but also the Wife. On such occasions I move to the other bedroom and Frankie moves from his pile of duvets and snuggles up against my chest and/or neck keeping well away from my constantly moving legs.
Frankie may have a pedigree, but his fur has “cosmetic faults” that make him “pet quality” rather than “show quality” or “breeder quality”. He has a long and luxurious coat, which he manages to keep well groomed all by himself apart his chest area between his front legs, and his lower neck, which I discovered is prone to matting and tangles, big time. Now that most of the matting has been removed, Frankie has learnt to guide my hand to that area with his paws as I brush him. We now spend ten to fifteen minutes, several times every day carefully grooming his chest and throat, even though it obviously hurts at times.
I haven’t been able to find the time nor the energy to blog over the past few days. It’s a hectic time of the year with extra family and dogs, days too warm for my comfort, a mild migraine that kept me in a sort of brain fog for days and hayfever medication that makes me drowsy regardless of the counterclaims on the packaging.
In our household, Christmas is usually a time of overindulgence when it comes to food, and this year was no exception. The one glaring difference was that we had our family Christmas meal on Christmas Eve, as family obligations meant some were not able to be present on the day. There were ten of us present, which is about as many as I can cope with: myself, The Wife, our son and his wife, our daughter, her three children, her partner and his son, plus two dogs.
The meal itself was typical family favourites and I daresay is not too different from that served up at many Kiwi Christmas get togethers. We started off with a watermelon and cucumber soup (cold of course). For mains we had glazed ham, chicken nibbles, potatoes, peas, beans, carrots, and a selection of salads. As it was three days ago I am struggling to remember them all but here goes: pasta salad with with (lots of) preserved ginger, red and green glazed cherries, pineapple, red capsicum, baby peas and and beans, and corn; mandarin, almonds and rocket salad; apple and celery salad with dried cranberries and feta cheese; watermelon and cucumber salad with mint and crumbled feta; cucumber salad with red and yellow Tom Thumb tomatoes and pan fried halloumi cheese.
For desserts we had trifle (the grandchildren claim it wouldn’t be Christmas without it), pavlova topped with whipped cream and berries, fresh cherries, an assortment of fresh berries (blueberries, strawberries and raspberries if I remember correctly), tiramisu, apple crumble and an assortment of ice creams (triple chocolate, salted caramel, rum and raisin).
Then gifts were exchanged with those who would not be present on Christmas morning, and what was left of the day was spent quietly recovering from eating too much. On Christmas morning, gifts were exchanged and by 9 am something like normality resumed, with just myself, The Wife, our daughter and one dog remaining. Tonight our daughter is staying with a friend who lives nearby leaving her dog with us, and tomorrow it will be fully back to normal with just The Wife and I occupying the house. Until next year…
Fifty years ago today, in the privacy of a suite in a ryokan (Japanese style inn), the wife prostrated herself in front of me and vowed to be a good, dutiful and obedient wife. I suppose some new husbands might delight in such a moving offer, but I was shocked and appalled. That was not what I envisioned. I had grown up in a very egalitarian society and in a whānau that was even more so.
I had seen in her – and still do – a wilful, independent spirit that was at the same time, tender, gentle, wild and fierce. What she was offering was servitude. What I wanted was someone to share my life with – as equal partners. For life. I don’t recall exactly what I said in response, but I remember lifting her up from the floor and (apparently crossly, according to the wife) telling her that if that was what she wanted, we may as well end the relationship right now, as I wanted her to be herself, my partner and friend, not my servant.
I’ve made many mistakes during my life, and I sometimes joke that my biggest mistake was telling the wife I didn’t want her to be obedient. It certainly has made life more unpredictable and challenging, but oh so wonderful – exciting even. I still sometimes wonder what she saw in me – a reserved, socially awkward undiagnosed autistic, not known for expressing or showing emotions. Certainly not handsome by western standards, more exotic than handsome by Japanese standards of the day, but she often reminds me that my patience, sense of fairness, absence of negativity and being ridiculously accepting and tolerant of alternative beliefs and perspectives attracted her, and my declaration in that ryokan confirmed her choice. She makes a point of emphasising ‘ridiculously‘ at times as she often finds tolerating my tolerance very difficult.
Fifty years seem to have flown by in less than a blink of an eye. I have spent 70% of my life with a woman who is both delightful and charming yet at times tests my patience and tolerance almost to breaking point. But I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way. We really have shared out delights and dispairs together.
As to the future, there’s little chance of another fifty years together, but with a history of longevity in both our families, another twenty to twenty-five years is a distinct possibility. I sincerely hope that those years pass at a more leisurely pace than those already gone for no other reason than to delight in the company of the person I have grown to love in a way I never thought possible.
It’s unlikely that she will read this post – she’s never asked me to provide her with a link to my blog – but I wish to extend a public expression of my gratitude for having her as my life partner. So thank you Sayoko, my Honey-chan, for being my friend, confidante and lover.
Winter and Meals go together so nicely, and this winter has been no different. And we’re not going to let the inconvenience of a lockdown get in the way. The video clip is here to remind me of the pleasure I get sharing meals with the wife and whānau. If you enjoy it too, so much the better.
The meals have been made by the wife and/or myself. Care to speculate who cooked what?
A tangata Tiriti reflects on Te Tiriti o Waitangi | the Treaty of Waitangi and how it can guide how we all live together in this place now and in the future.
Staying true to the foundation of combining Jesus and justice, Red Letter Christians mobilizes individuals into a movement of believers who live out Jesus’ counter-cultural teachings.
Another Spectrum 
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