Search Results

Words by Meegan Hall | Ngāti Ranginui A university statute may not strike you as the most exciting topic but our Te Tiriti o Waitangi Statute is pretty unique. Adopted in 2019, Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington is the only university to have such a statute. Other universities may have branded themselves as Tiriti-led but here, we have used our highest form of policy document to hold ourselves to account. But what is a Te Tiriti o Waitangi Statute, and what difference does it make? Our Tiriti Statute is short, and relatively simple. It draws on concepts from the actual Te Tiriti o Waitangi document, as well as key Waitangi Tribunal reports, other governance documents from the University such as the Strategic Plan and Mai i te Iho ki te Pae—Māori Strategic Outcomes Framework, and from mātauranga Māori (Māori knowledge). This culminates in a set of principles that are listed in the statute—but they are not the ‘Crown Principles’ or the ‘3Ps’ so often referred to (and criticised) in other contexts. Our eight Tiriti principles were selected with a lot of care and consideration for our distinctive university context and purpose. They are: kāwanatanga (good governance), rangatiratanga (self-determination), kōwhiringa (options), mahi tahi (partnership), kaitiakitanga (protection), whai wāhi (participation), rite tahi (equality), and whakaoranga (redress). The statute includes an explanation of each concept, and gives examples of how they can apply within our university environment. According to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor Māori, Professor Rawinia Higgins, “our statute sets high and clear expectations for our entire university community to honour Te Tiriti o Waitangi in all aspects of our activity”. Of course, setting expectations is one thing, but a challenge remains around how we can encourage and build capacity within our university community to be able to uphold these principles everywhere and in every way. One of the ways we are trying to do this is through a Te Tiriti o Waitangi Self-Review process. First undertaken between October 2021-March 2022, our Self-Review was essentially a ‘gap analysis’ of what the university was and wasn’t doing to support Māori student and staff success. The Self-Review team looked at university documentation and systems, held interviews and focus groups, and conducted a survey to find out how well we were tracking against giving effect to each of the eight Tiriti principles in our statute. While a huge amount of Tiriti-related activity was identified and collated in an online Te Tiriti o Waitangi Guide, the Self-Review report identified 32 recommendations for improvement. Since then, work has been underway to plug those gaps, make those changes, and raise the standards of our practice to be more Tiriti compliant. The recommendations have led to a raft of activities, including the University’s Council and senior leaders engaging in Tiriti training, and more reo Māori training being available for staff. They have also led to changes in our processes—for example, Māori panelists have been added to our Academic Programme Reviews process, and a host of university policies now include specific references that align our practice with our Tiriti principles. Another of the actions coming out of the Self-Review was the creation of the Anti-Racism Initiative (ARI). Designed to tackle structural and interpersonal racism within the University, the ARI team has been busy drafting anti-racism statements, reviewing policies and complaints processes, and our Student Leaders have developed and hosted BIPOC student wānanga about their lived experiences of racism and ideas for moving the institution towards anti-racism. The ARI project is ongoing, as is the rest of the implementation of the Tiriti Self-Review recommendations, so keep your eyes and ears open for opportunities to support and contribute to this important mahi as we keep the University ‘on its toes’ and continue to embed Te Tiriti o Waitangi into our university practices and community.

Taipari Taua (she/they) | Ngāti Kahu and Ngāpuhi Ko tēnei te whakatauākī o tōku kura, i ahu mai i te kāhui matua i whakakā ai te ahikā o tōku kura. Ko tēnei whakatauākī e whakamārama ana ngā whainga, ngā wawatā o tēnei kāhui mō ngā tauira, kia moroki tonu te whawhai mō te Tino Rangatiratanga. He whakatauākī kua tāmokohia ki tōku rae, koinei te mātāpono o tōku iho matua. Ko tēnei whakatauākī te take i whai wāhi au ki te hīkoi nui i Hui-Tānguru mai i te Rerenga Wairua tae noa ki Waitangi, i tīmata tōku hīkoi mai i tōku ake haukāinga i te rohe o Ngāti Kahu. Ko te hīkoi e whakamana ana i te Tiriti o Waitangi me te Hakaputanga, he mea whai i te Tino Rangatiratanga o ōku iwi, o ōku tūpuna i tāmokotia ērā mauhanga. Koinei anō te take i whai au i te ara ki Waitangi i tērā wā tonu, kia whai i tēnei mea te Tino Rangatiratanga. I reira au whai ai i te ope protēhi o Eru Kapa-Kingi mā, me te tūhonotanga o te hīkoi i arahina e Rueben Taipari ki te pōwhiri mō te Kāwanatanga ki Waitangi. Ka tika ko te marae ātea, te papa a Tūmatauenga, te wāhi mō te tōhē i te taurekarekatanga o te Tiriti o Waitangi. I mua au i te ope, pupuri ana ki te kara o te ope rā i a Winston Peters e kōrerorero, tekateka ana. Nā, i te rongo au i ētahi o ōku kaumātua, pakeke nōki e kōhete hāmama ana i a ia. Inā tōku riri i tēnei, tuatahi ki te kōrero whakaiti a Peters, tuarua ki te riri o ngā reanga i muri i au. E hia ngā tau rātou e whawhai ana mō te Tino Rangatiratanga, kia rangona tonu ngā kupu kerakera a te Kāwanatanga. I reira tonu au pā atu ki te wairua haka, ka tūwhera tōku waha kia haka atu ki a Peters:   “ He taitimu, he taipari! E te karetao o te Kāwana,  Ko wai koe, ko wai koe? He aha tāu? Takatakahia te mana o te Tiriti, o te whenua, o Tangaroa ē Ina, ana, koia rā Ina, ana, koia rā, hi!” Koinei ko ngā kupu o te haka o te Hīkoi Takutai Moana e whakahē ana i te Kāwanatanga, i tito i te tau 2004. I panonitia e au ētahi kupu kia hāngai ake ki te kaupapa o te wā i a au i Waitangi. 20 ngā tau kua pāheke mai i te titonga o te haka rā, kua tino whai take ēnei kupu i ēnei rā tonu. Timu atu he Kāwanatanga, pari mai he Kāwanatanga, kei konei tonu ngā take, ngā tāmitanga a ōku mātua, ā ō rātou mātua. Kei te korokoro o te parata tonu te oranga tonutanga o Papatūānuku, o Tangaroa hei tā ngā mahi hīanga ā te Kāwanatanga. Ka mutu taku haka, ka rongo au i te toenga o te ope tautohe e hamahama ana kia noho a Winston. I mea mai ētahi ko tēnei porotēhi he mea harehare, hoi, ki tōku nei whakaaro, ko te porotehi he whakamana i te Tino Rangatiratanga. Ko te haka, he whakamana i te Tino Rangatiratanga. Mēna ko te Tino Rangatiratanga he puakitanga o te mana motuhake, ko te porotēhi i ngā mea e whai ana kia kāti i te Tino Rangatiratanga he mea whakamana i tēnei mea anō. Me te mōhio kua pēnā te kitenga a ētahi ki ngā kaiporotēhi ki Waitangi mō ngā tau e maha. Ko tērā nōki te hunga i whawhai mō te Reo me ōna tikanga, te Kapa Haka nōki. Nei rā te mihi ki ngā reanga o muri i pakanga, i whawhai ao te pō, pō te ao, mō ngā reanga whakatipu e whai ake nei. Ko rātou te take e tāea ana au te tū haka, kōrero Māori ai. Ki a au nei ko tā mātou whakautu i te toto, i te tōtā i heke, ko te whakamoroki ai i tēnei pakanga, kia whawhai tonu, mō āke, ake, ake.  He take kua rite te kupu “whai” ki te “whawhai,” ka tika he whawhai te whainga mō te Tino Rangatiratanga. Tika tonu te kōrero o te kapa Angitū -  inarā he uri porotēhi tātou ē.

Te Hohaieti o te reo Maori ki Wikitoria Ko wai ahau? Nō tua whakarere ahau  Nō ngā rā o te moa I tupu mai ahau nō roto i ngā whenua taurikura o Aotearoa  I rere noa ahau i tōku kāinga He noho haumaru, he noho āio I tētahi rā, i tae mai te mate nui ki tōku kāinga Kua patua ahau e ringa kē Kua tāhaetia i ngā arero o ōku ake Kua roa ahau e tatari ngū ana kia puta anō Ahakoa tōku māuiuitanga, Kei ngā ringaringa o ōku ake te rongoā He wā tōna, ka puāwai anō ahau  Kāre tētahi e pātai ko wai ahau  E kore rawa ahau e wareware Ka puta anō ahau Ko Te Reo Māori tōku ingoa

Nā Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Te Ara Whānui Tēnā koe, te Tiriti o Waitangi  A treaty born of compromise and pain  Signed by our tīpuna, with hopes and dreams  For a future where our cultures would entwine Article One, the Crown’s promise to protect  Our language, our culture, our tikanga to respect  But history tells a different story, one of shame  Assimilation, suppression, and a legacy of pain  Article Two, the guarantee of our rights  To our whenua, our taonga, our very lives  But still we fight, for the land we hold dear  Against the Crown’s breaches, year after year  Article Three, the gift of citizenship  But at what cost, our identity, our whakapapa?  We’re forced to confirm, to fit the mould  Leaving our Māoritanga, our souls to grow old  Yet still we rise, with resilience and might  Our reo, our culture, shining like the morning light  In our Kura Kaupapa, we learn and grow  Embracing our heritage, letting our spirits glow Te Tiriti o Waitangi, a treaty of old  A promise unfulfilled, a story yet untold  But we hold on to hope, to the dreams of our past  For a future where our cultures will forever last.

Barked by Teddy (He/it/ia)  (A small caveat: this article is about Animal Jam Classic , not Animal Jam: Play Wild .)  Be honest with me, who didn’t play an MMO as a kid? There used to be an endless amount: Moshi Monsters , MovieStarPlanet , Poptropica , Neopets , Habbo Hotel , the list could go on and on. The two, however, that I played the most were Club Penguin and, of course, Animal Jam . After the fall of Adobe Flash player, many of these games came to their close, servers quiet and empty as the years had gone on, but… Many have persevered! MovieStarPlanet adapted to the times, creating a downloadable desktop version of the game. And though most other titles didn’t, I’m sure we’re all aware of the many Club Penguin remakes and remasters. We can thank older Gen Z’s, figuring out how to code websites to soothe their nostalgia. The greatest story of all, though, is Animal Jam .  The game could produce a thesis. I could talk to you about its rise and fall and rise again; about how National Geographic is no longer involved in a game once created to educate kids on the wildlife of the world; about how it is now run by a dying company which invested too much time into NFTs. Wildworks, incidentally, did manage to scrape by—on the funds of children, and of furries in their 20’s dressing up their animal avatars and roleplaying as quite literally anything you can think of (the best Animal Jam RPs are Warrior Cats themed. You can’t change my mind.)  I could talk about any of this. But today, I’m talking about capitalism.  Animal Jam is a game which relies on social class to establish status amongst its players. How do they create that social class? Rares. And what are rares, you might ask?  Well, that depends. Rare Item Mondays (RIMs) are the lowest kind of rares you can get. Every week, one of the shops around Jamaa—the world where AJ takes place—will release an item with a ‘RARE’ tag on it, declaring it as better than common items. A step above that are regular rares. These ‘RARE’ tagged items ( not  RIMs) are harder to come by—because they came out earlier in the game’s release, or because there are fewer of them in the world. Finally, there are Betas. These items aren’t tagged with the ‘RARE’ label, but were solely released in the Beta phase of the game, meaning they’re extremely hard to come by, and worth quite a lot.  These final two kinds of items are acquired either via trading—the best part of the game other than running around as an Arctic Wolf—or via purchase from another players' shop. There is, though, a third option: the EBay black market. Through EBay, players can purchase items from anywhere between $1 and $100—and that’s in USD!  Basically, the game runs on a laissez-faire capitalist system; a form of economy in which there’s no government intervention, and society ‘naturally’ runs it alone.  What a player chooses to wear on their current display animal, (non-members can have two, members up to 1,000, really showing the class divide) denotes how “rich” they are, and therefore their social standing. Oh, you’re a bunny wearing a head flower? You have no friends. You’re a snow leopard with a headdress, long spiked collar and worn blanket? Hellooooooo, besties!  These “rare” jammers are regarded in the same way the elite are in our real world: respected, feared, their friendship sought after. It’s always been interesting to me how membership in Animal Jam doesn’t cause the class divide within players which membership usually would—because non-members can have just as many rares as members, access to the elite is theoretically possible for all.  Much like the real stock market, Animal Jam’s index of item worth changes weekly, sometimes daily, to keep up with ever-releasing items and trends. One week a worn  blanket might be worth a few clothing Betas, the next, a few RIMs. This is all tracked and catalogued via the  AJ Item Wiki, a Wikipedia which does exactly what it says on the tin. You’ve received a den item in a trade you’re not sure is a Beta? Check the Wiki! You’ll find out soon enough if you’ve been scammed.  All of this to say: I was taught about economics through an online MMO. I learnt about uptrading, a term used here to describe how you can trade from a low-worth item up to an item worth at least five times its amount. Entrepreneurial, in a way. Not only that, but I was also taught psychological manipulation. How many people have been scammed before, in the real world? Well, not me! I was scammed on Animal Jam  once, when I was twelve, and have never mentally or emotionally recovered—allowing me a blissful existence of never-ending money related trust issues.  If you don’t believe me, just look at the Steam reviews!

Words by Khai (They/Them) Ah, student life. Lectures, two-minute noodles, that existential dread that lingers like a flatmate who won't wash the dishes. But for queer students in New Zealand, there's another layer to the chaos: the fight for basic rights that should've been granted, like, yesterday. Look, New Zealand gets a gold star for stunning scenery and flightless birds. But when it comes to queer student rights, well, let's just say the progress report reads like a participation trophy application. Sure, there are policies in place, but the implementation? Patchy at best. So, what's a woke, broke, and fabulous student to do? We march, we rally, we write strongly worded emails that probably get filed under "Too Spicy—Do Not Open." We also use our student loans for good outfits (because self-expression is political, darling) and maybe a megaphone or two. Because let's face it, if the world is on fire, at least we'll look snatched doing it. Change is slow, bureaucracy is a monster, and those single-stall bathrooms just won't budge. But we're queer students. We were practically born with glitter cannons and a microphone in one hand. The fight for our rights might be frustrating, but hey, at least it's never boring. Plus, you don't have to fight alone! Reach out to UniQ for awesome friends, cool events, and a chance to forget the world's burning... for a little while at least.

Words by Sandy Taing (she/they) As Campaigns Officer this year, I’ve learnt that a petition doesn’t do shit because most people don’t give a fuck. They’re just here for a good time, not a long time. Imagine Brian. Brian is satisfied with a few beers, good music, video games and a night out. Brian will probably either inherit a property or make enough money in some soulless job to live happily. In Brian’s world, why should he give a fuck about injustice when he is much happier playing Baldur’s Gate and drinking beer at 6pm on a Tuesday? Thinking about the world, or pondering concepts like the end of late stage capitalism, are all just recipes for a migraine and a mental breakdown. How could he, a single person, possibly make a difference? As New Zealanders, we love being ignorant. We are safe here, cocooned from things like war and severe poverty. And we owe this safety to the conquest and continued dominance and exploitation enabled by colonisation. Life is great when it's not political.  But the thing about Brian is that everything he does is politics. When he chooses work in a field that is actively contributing to a negative outcome for others for his own financial gain, he is actively destroying futures. When he normalises a 40 hour work week, he reinforces capitalist exploitation. When he does not speak up about racism or lack of representation for others because he’s afraid of losing his job, he is preserving a world where both job insecurity and racism are used to keep people miserable and in servitude. Or maybe he isn’t even educated enough to realise he, himself, is being racist!  Politics affects you when you sleep, when you eat, where you live, what you do for work, even who your friends are. Politics controls every part of your experience whether you like it or not.  If you have the choice not to be political, you are privileged.  And when you are privileged, you have power and responsibility to use that privilege for the benefit of others. It is likely that if you are at university, you are privileged. Being political isn’t just about protests, it is about shaping the future and creating a world you’re actually proud to be a part of. It means you might be able to wake up to a world where you’re not an employer’s little bitch or being exploited by your landlord. Being political is not being complacent in a system which fucks us all over.  Being political is as simple as having influence in your own whānau or friends. You make a difference. When you live out your politics, others will follow. When you have the balls to give a fuck about others, to talk with your mates about ethics and morals, or about what they’re going to do with their inheritance, or what kind of voices they’re going to listen to when they’re at the top. Being political is trying to ensure that after you die, the world will be less shit.  Real change is living out the politics you wish to see. And if you’re happy with the status quo, then you’re probably just an asshole who is riding on the wave of privilege inherited from slaughter and colonisation.  Your choice really.  P.s if you relate, have any pātai, ideas or whakaaro, email me (Sandy). It’s my job to make being political easier for you. campaigns@vuwsa.org.nz   Sandy Taing (Te Aka Tauira - VUWSA Campaigns Officer)  Pronouns (she/they) (whakapapa to Cambodia and South China, born and raised in NZ).

Dani Maylam, (She/Her) | Ngāti Porou   Whakataukī:  “Nāku te rourou, nāu te rourou, ka ora ai te iwi.” With your basket and my basket, the people will thrive.  We’re all aware of the phrase, ‘don’t judge a book by its cover’. How about 'don't get duped by plastic's façade; the real party is happening on the inside!’. Doesn’t seem to have the same ring to it, unfortunately.  Words often conjure different meanings across time, for better and for worse. There has been a new connotative meaning behind the word ‘plastic’ floating around in recent years—the term is sometimes used in reference to someone who is seen as not authentically themselves, due to their appearance and mannerisms. The term ‘Plastic Māori’ has unfortunately latched itself onto Aotearoa’s conversational dictionary, a way to determine who can be Māori through appearance and personality. Clearly the best way to assign culture.  Growing up, in the whitest possible suburb of Tāmaki-makau-rau, I fit right into the cookie-cutter model of a ‘white girl’. My pale complexion, combined with the yo-yo-ing phases of brunette to blonde hair (even accidentally ginger at one point), really sold the part I felt I had to perform. Yet I always felt a need to somewhat reconcile with this hidden element of my heritage, despite not knowing what that looked or felt like. I took Te Reo Māori throughout high school, as well as joining Kapa Haka and attending many Māori student hui, which opened my eyes to a side of myself that felt unconfident, yet increasingly empowered. It was at one of these inter-school hui that I was first exposed to someone using the word ‘plastic’ in the way we’ve discussed. I remember it clearly, sitting at a small lunch table, awkwardly trying to make conversations with other school groups; three people across from me pointed out that I appeared to be “pretty plastic, aye?”, followed by a group laugh. Instinctively, I joined in, agreeing that I was the perfectly plastic person in this particular scenario, the literal embodiment of plastic. This interaction completely confirmed how I had felt entering these spaces, and the word plastic became ingrained in my perception of both myself and my culture.  Indigenous studies lecturer Dr Rawiri Taonui defines a ‘Plastic Māori’ as a term “used by more culturally nationalistic Māori to refer to Māori who did not know te reo, tikanga or their whakapapa”. The concept of being 'plastic' originates from a rivalry over ancestral knowledge among Māori, which is undeniably the most disheartening aspect of this discourse. It’s giving, “You can’t sit with us!”. Exact, Mean-Girl Plastic behaviour, for real.  This response, of hostility towards a lack of knowledge, is paradoxical—given the enduring impact of institutionalised racism and colonial structures on modern society. We do not need to look too deeply at history to find illustrations of these structures. In 1867 the New Zealand Government passed the Native Schools Act, under which Māori were compelled to surrender land for school construction, bear financial burdens for infrastructure and educators, and adapt to an English-centric educational system. Repercussions of this single Act alone persist to the present. I’ve heard stories from my tūpuna about being abused for speaking Te Reo Māori, their cultural existence in schools forbidden. These histories have severely impacted and aided the loss of Māoritanga. Even now, the gap of knowledge is still prominent, and our attention shouldn’t be on who is ‘the most Māori’, but rather on how we can tautoko each other, and reclaim what has been stolen through colonial crimes and erasure.  Conversely, it is important to note the privilege I do have as a pākeha wahine. I truly will not face the level of discrimination that many Māori face in Aotearoa, nor any person of colour. I am well aware that many see the idea of being plastic as being white-washed, as people only using their culture as a means; I know too that these views do not go away overnight. I have often struggled with the fact that I did not grow up around my iwi, nor my marae or hapū, and the estrangement has aided the alienation I feel from being Māori. If anything, it was my whanau that kept me aware of my whakapapa, particularly my nana, who herself doesn’t reside by our iwi or hapū. If anything, she has shown me that being Māori transcends mere geography; it's about embracing one's identity wherever you may be, and taking pride in it, along with cherishing connections with whanau through kōrero. Te Reo Māori is the most beautiful language, is a ‘taonga tuku iho’, and is not something seen—much alike to being Māori for someone of my appearance. I prefer the term that Dr Taonui uses: “kōtuku mā’ (white herons)," used to “describe Māori with non-traditional colouring such as fair skin, blonde hair and blue eyes.” This term, while it does highlight the differences in physical appearance, forms a sense of mana and reclaims this feeling of otherness and illegitimacy that being ‘plastic’ creates.  I believe a lot of the issues at hand are due to hesitation. Terms like plastic can form an apprehension in embracing and learning tikanga Māori, which is a big issue in younger generations. From stories I have heard, some tamariki aren’t connecting with Māoritanga because they fear being ostracised by their peers, or because it’s deemed ‘not cool’. Personally, I have internally battled with this notion—various friend groups and comments question why ‘I would bother’ impacted me more than I’d like to admit. When something isn’t seen as cool or necessary, or is seen as different from the god-awful Euro-centric schooling system, people like to jump the gun and reject it. Maybe it is a result of unconscious racism, but attitudes such as these are detrimental to how future generations will view Māoritanga, and risk continuing the cycle of oppression, no matter at what scale. Terms and societal views such as ‘plastic’ have created a deterrence from learning about our Māori whakapapa and we need to protect both our tamariki and end the colonial cycle.  From my experience, I think the best possible outcome is to continue to be open to what culture can teach us, irregardless if we are biologically connected or not. My beautiful kaiako in college (shoutout to Whaea Sarah! <3)  once told me that blood quantums have historically been used in Aotearoa to negate our connections to whakapapa and our tūpuna. Being considered ½ or ¾ or whatever of a race is a colonial view that continues to perpetuate the idea that Māori are ‘dying out’ and are less important than other counterparts, or blood amounts. Dividing blood particles in our bodies does not make you more or less a part of a culture. If you are Māori, you are Māori. Plain and simple. Biology isn’t culture, and culture isn’t quantified.

Words by Te Huihui o Matariki Chi Huy Tran (he/him) - Taranaki Tūturu, Te iwi o Maruwharanui, Ngāti Maniapoto Subway Art Celebrates Local Heritage in Naenae Wellington's Naenae subway, blessed by Te Āti Awa and Taranaki Whānui, has been officially opened. The upgraded subway features mahi toi Māori by local artists Len Hetet and Manukorihi Winiata. The designs tell the origin stories of the Waiwhetu and Te Awamutu rivers, as well as Te Ngaengae, the freshwater lake beneath Naenae. The subway aims to provide a safe and modern entry to the train station and improve pedestrian connections. It's great to see the community's input in creating public spaces that reflect their identity.  Ngāti Toa Rangatira Opposes Fast-Track Bill  Last Wednesday Ngāti Toa Rangatira, joined by allied iwi and supporters, marched in protest against the Fast-Track Approvals Bill, emphasising their commitment to safeguarding their land and resources. Te Rūnanga o Toa Rangatira's CEO, Helmut Modik, asserted their unwavering stance: "Ngāti Toa will not allow degradation of our whenua. This bill risks irreversible harm to ecosystems and biodiversity, disregarding Treaty rights and our obligation to uphold Te Tiriti o Waitangi." Te Pāti Māori echoed support, while nearly 27,000 submissions to Parliament underscored widespread concern. Committee chair David MacLeod acknowledged public interest, promising thorough consideration. Modik emphasised the importance of their protest, citing past harm to Te Awarua o Porirua Harbour as a cautionary tale. Government Agrees to Auckland Water Infrastructure Borrowing Plan In a significant move, the government has granted Auckland's water provider, Watercare, permission to secure borrowing for infrastructure independently, alleviating pressure on the Auckland Council's balance sheet. This decision comes alongside a revision in water rates, with a 7.2% annual increase for the next three years, instead of the initially projected 25.8%. Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown hailed the move, emphasising its alignment with the council's stance against the proposed three waters. Royal New Zealand Navy Assists in Combating Illegal Fishing in Fiji's Waters A 10-member Royal New Zealand Navy team has wrapped up a six-week mission targeting illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing in Fiji's Exclusive Economic Zone. Tasked with sweeping Fiji's waters for illicit activities, including poor crew welfare and pollution, the contingent collaborated with Fijian fishery officers. During the operation, they boarded 23 vessels, all found to be compliant with licensing terms, albeit with minor infractions in long-line fishing practices. The mission, conducted in partnership with the UK's Royal Navy vessel HMS Tamar, aimed to bolster enforcement in the region. Lieutenant Jack Walters noted the vital role of such efforts in safeguarding the prosperity of Pacific Island nations. This collaborative endeavour underscores the commitment to combat IUU fishing, crucial for preserving marine ecosystems and supporting local economies. New Study in New Caledonia to Investigate Shark Presence and Behaviour Following shark incidents last year, a new scientific study in New Caledonia's Southern Province aims to monitor tiger and bulldog shark movements. French Research Institute IRD will collaborate on the project, deploying transmitters in 200 sharks' stomachs for tracking. Additionally, environmental DNA testing will detect shark cells in seawater samples. The four-year study, costing approximately US$2 million, will map seasonal shark presence. University of Otago Unveils New ikoa Māori and tohu The University of Otago revealed its new Māori name, Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka, and a new logo, during a ceremony alongside Te Rūnanga o Ōtākou and Kāti Huirapa ki Puketeraki. The name signifies "A place of many firsts," echoing the legacy of Sir Peter Buck, the first Māori medical graduate. Inspired by the Ōtākou channel, the symbol represents knowledge exchange. Chancellor Stephen Higgs sees it as a step towards a Te Tiriti o Waitangi-led future. The new brand will feature in all communications, marking a shift towards inclusivity and connectivity.

DAN MOSKOVITZ (HE/HIM) If you asked any Wellington Phoenix Men fan if they’d take a second-place finish at the start of the season, they would have bitten your hand off.  The Nix had lost three of their best players, their best-ever manager, and had barely recruited, instead choosing to trust in their academy. Now after a season of breaking records, shocking the league, and spending 16 weeks at the top of the table, finishing second almost feels disappointing.  But from November onwards the Central Coast Mariners, currently top of the league, only lost twice. Ultimately, the Phoenix just couldn’t keep up with their incessant march. CCM finished first on 55 points, just two ahead of Wellington’s 53.  Still, plenty of positives. The Phoenix notched record numbers of wins, goals conceded, clean sheets, points, and their best-ever placing. All of this during head coach Giancarlo Italiano’s first season managing a professional football club. The hunt for trophies, though, isn’t over yet. The playoffs are now underway, and by virtue of finishing top two the Phoenix are automatically through to the semi-finals, facing off against Melbourne Victory.  At the time of publication the pair will have just completed the first leg of the two-legged semi-final across the ditch. The second leg will be back in Wellington, the first time the ‘Nix have hosted a playoff in nine years.  The grand final will be hosted by the higher-placed team on the ladder—should CCM lose their semi and Wellington win theirs, the Grand Final will be in Wellington.  The last time the Nix won a playoff game was in 2012. The Wellington Phoenix play Melbourne Victory in the second leg of their home semi-final at 6.30pm on Saturday the 18th of May. Tickets can be purchased on Ticketek.

DAN MOSKOVTIZ (HE/HIM) Russia’s war against Ukraine has earned near-universal sympathy from the West for the Ukrainian cause. Even while Israel’s war on Gaza has replaced it in the headlines, most westerners still see Ukraine favourably.  When you talk about nation-states rather than people, the reality gets more complex. $60 billion of vital American aid has been slowed down by Republicans, and the EU has been similarly sluggish in delivering Ukraine the weapons it needs. Recent Russian gains may be spurring both into action, but it’s too early to tell.  Go wider, and attitudes get even blurrier. So two years on, how has the Russian invasion of Ukraine affected global geopolitics?  Europe: Aid and the fear of being next  Europe at least remains surface-level united against Russia. This is especially true in Eastern Europe, who understandably have a lot more concern about Russia given their proximity, and shared history. As a proportion of GDP, Estonia has sent a whopping 3.5% of its GDP in aid to Ukraine ; by the same measure, the top six donors to Ukraine are all Eastern European nations.  Similarly, Finland and Sweden, historically neutral nations, have both abandoned the stance for NATO. Finland’s accession was the fastest in history, and Sweden abandoning neutrality is unprecedented. Since the Napoleonic wars, Sweden has avoided conflict at all costs, including being one of the few countries in Europe to dodge both world wars.  So if the war was a response to NATO enlargement, Russia has only further cemented it.  While Ukrainian support is dependent on messy local politics, most of Europe has taken an anti-Russian stance. Even in Europe, however, support is uneven. There is across the continent a growing number of (often heavily coordinated) far-right governments—much like extreme US Republicans, these parties represent an isolationist, anti-EU, and frequently pro-Kremlin position . Go further afield, and things get even more complicated.  Africa: Colonial histories and their impact Nowhere is this more pronounced than in the African Union, which finds itself somewhere in the middle.  “A number of African states have some sympathy for Russian rhetoric about standing up to western hegemony,” says Otago University’s associate professor of politics Jim Headley, who studies Russian foreign policy.  By way of example, on UN votes condemning Russia and its invasion, African nations make up the majority of abstentions,  far more than nations in the Asian, Pacific, or Latin American regions. Why? One reason is colonialism. Russia is the successor state to the USSR, who pushed for decolonization from the European nations which now support Ukraine. This leads to a fond collective memory of Russia in Africa.   The warm fuzzies towards Russia also extend to contemporary military assistance; Russia has aided many nations on the continent via its mercenary company Wagner.   Ukraine by contrast only became independent during the USSR’s collapse in 1991, meaning there is far less connection to Ukraine throughout Africa..  “Decolonization is supposed to be about preserving sovereignty, preserving borders and not allowing foreign invasions,” says Headley. “And this is a colonial war on the Russian side. They're doing a full-on invasion of a sovereign state.” “Yet many African nations seem somewhat sympathetic to Russia invading Ukraine. I think that's because it fits into this narrative of Ukraine being a puppet of the west.” There’s a lot of contemporary mistrust towards the west, too. Consider the double standard between Ukrainian refugees  and refugees from the so-called third world.  Or how the west largely failed to get Africa the vaccines it needed  during the pandemic. Or the fact that African countries, poor from centuries of colonial resource extraction, are suffering the brunt of a dangerous and expensive climate crisis—while European states emit and amass capital on the back of these stolen resources. Or, as Headley points out, the fact that Ukraine is mostly backed by the same nations arming Israel—potentially tainting it by association. The African Union has historically been a  supporter of the Palestinian cause.  “Aiding Israel reinforces this idea that the west is always just pursuing its own interests. So any idea of supporting Ukraine because of international law creates scepticism when the west is actively arming Israel,” says Headley. None of this delegitimizes the Ukrainian cause. However, the chickens of western colonialism have come home to roost, and it’s Ukraine which suffers as a result.  But as you’ll get when generalising the politics of a continent, there are quirks. As Headley notes, African nations who have recently been on the UN Security Council tend to lean further towards Ukraine. Ghana, who was on the security council between 2022 and 2023 and Sierra Leone, who replaced it, released a joint statement  last year decrying Russia’s war of aggression.  It might be easy to dismiss African states as far removed from the conflict compared to their European counterparts. That’s not a mistake Kyiv is making. They might have to play catch-up to match Moscow’s presence on the continent, but they’re playing it regardless. There are plans to open ten embassies in Africa, with one (notably, in Ghana)  already operating.  New Zealand: Lessons for the future   So where does this all leave Aotearoa? Both the previous Labour and current National government have sent aid to Ukraine, but the war is very much at the periphery of political debate here.  Instead, according to Headley the main takeaway is how we approach China, particularly in regards to Taiwan.  Taiwan is viewed similarly to how Ukraine was before Russia’s invasion; a potential hot spot where conflict could potentially erupt. An island off the coast of China, Taiwan is the remnants of the capitalist faction who lost the Chinese Civil War way back in the 1950s. China still lays claim to the island, and recognizing Taiwan as a nation risks isolating yourself from China. Taiwan has full relations with just 11 nations plus the Vatican.  “I recently read about how if Russia could get a quick blitzkrieg victory over Ukraine, it would provide China a model to do the same with Taiwan,” says Headley. “I’m wary of interpreting the war that strongly. I think there’s a danger of perpetuating an “us against them” with China. Yes, this was an unprovoked war of aggression by Russia, but in the years before the war I was quite critical of how some western policy towards Russia was just not listening to what they were saying and ultimately disregarding their interests. “I think you have to be wary about doing so with China as well.” As Headley explains, Russian concerns about not being consulted by the west in either the Iraq invasion, Serbian intervention, and more were continuously ignored and dismissed by the west over several decades. The same occurred when Russia tried to address these concerns in 2009 with a new European Security Treaty, but it similarly went nowhere.  By 2021 all reasonable Russian concerns had been replaced with war rhetoric, but there was something to them beforehand.  “It’s hard to work out the right response,” says Headley. “In retrospect, did the us against them mentality cause the problem? Or was Russia always going to be aggressive and should we have done more to bring Ukraine into the fold from the start?” “It’s a very difficult question to answer. And it’s equally difficult in terms of strategy towards China.”

Judged by Kate Seager (she/her) 1st Place - Kate Campbell Kia ora, Ko Kate tōku ingoa. Nō Perth me India ōku tīpuna. Having an art teacher for a mother and a geologist for a father, my upbringing saw an exploratory blend of both the arts and sciences, where I believe my relationship with nature falls somewhere in the middle. This piece, ‘Overgrown Garden’ was created at quite a transitional point in my life. I was fresh out of Uni, having completed a Masters in Health Psychology at Vic and was spending my days hovered over my laptop updating my CV and looking for work in what has become an increasingly scarce job market. During this time, I turned to art for escapism. This piece was completed over 50 hours and was created using (many) black fine liner pens on A1 fabric paper. I’m really proud of this piece, not because it’s my best or largest piece of work, but because it’s something I chose to chip away at everyday in what was such an uncertain time for me. I’ve always doubted my ability to be creative, especially having chosen more of a ‘science’-based career path, so it’s been great tapping into my artsy side and finally picking up the pen once more.  You can pick up your own copy of ‘Overgrown Garden’ (A3 Print) for $20 NZD. Feel free to flick me a message on Instagram: @ __katecampbell 2nd Place - Xanthe Griffiths  Kia ora!  This centrefold piece is inspired to encourage people to take the bus. My commute to work is 45 minutes on a bus through town, which inspired me for this piece. I moved to Pōneke this year from studying Design in Ōtepoti. Pōneke is so vibrant and fast and I wanted to somehow replicate this through this piece.  My name is Xanthe and I’m passionate about design, people and our gorgeous Papatūānuku. To have a cheeky look at my work, check out my Instagram (@the_funkiest_magazine) for a small magazine I run (now online). Irregular and ordinary, the Mini Funk comes out every so often, with people submitting their work and other bits and bobs. Check it out! Kia ora and ngā mihi nui. 3rd Place - Peta Symons I actually completed this piece for a class this year as a visual representation of the surrealist art movement. A sort of portal into the surrealist mind, aiming to convey the instability and complexity of the human psyche. Each element - the bizarre creatures, birds, books - symbolises various aspects of surrealism, such as the exploration of the subconscious, the blending of reality and fantasy, and the embrace of the unknown.  My Instagram is @petasymons :) Thank you!