Haven't been to the cinema for ages but got there this afternoon. Went to see a film called Rain of the Children, a quite extraordinary documentary by Kiwi filmmaker Vincent Ward. 30 years ago Ward - then 21 - spent two years living with an old Maori woman named Puhi and her son, filming them. He wanted to find out more about her and discovered she had lived through one of the most significant periods in NZ history. She belonged to the Tuhoe tribe (nowadays fiercely independent) who come from the Ureweras on the East Coast of the North Island. In the early 1900s, shortly after her birth, a prophet named Rua led the Tuhoe people back to their sacred mountain Maungapohata and established a settlement there. He was trying to save them from the various Western diseases brought by the British settlers, and they also believed the tribe had been cursed because there had been natural disasters and so on. So Rua set up this town literally in the middle of nowhere. Puhi was married to his eldest son when she was only 14. But shortly after that the town was raided by policemen, and from there on in her life became fraught with bad luck. She - and the tribe - ended up believing she was cursed. She had 14 children and most of them died, she was married three times, and her last son was mentally ill so she spent her old age doing absolutely everything for him. Ward's reconstructed her life and the film's a mixture of archive photographs, his film from 1978, him revisiting her home, and interviews with the Tuhoe people about Puhi and her son. It's absolutely fascinating, especially when you consider it all happened not that long ago. And it's clearly a very personal film for Ward himself. Thoroughly enjoyed it.
I did feel however that if we were viewing Rua through Westernised, contemporary lenses (which we can't), Maungapohata would have been seen as a cult. He was a healer, a prophet, the self-proclaimed leader of his people, and he took as wives women who were apparently barren in order to give them children (yes, really). But I think cult is not an applicable word really because of the time and place in which he lived.
Saturday 27 September 2008
Monday 22 September 2008
Snow-capped mountains
I went up to Lake Karapiro (near Matamata) at the weekend to row - NZ masters championships. For a change, I was practically the youngest person there as you have to be 27 to compete in masters rowing. It was a lovely, relaxed, fun weekend and I won two shiny gold medals - in the 'A' (or 27-35 year old) pair and four.
On the way back yesterday afternoon it was sunny and clear, and we had absolutely amazing views over the Desert Road past the mountains. Despite grumbling about me being a tourist our designated driver kindly stopped a couple of times for me to take some photos.
Ruapehu:
Ngauruhoe in the wing mirror (the only one of several of these I tried that came out focused):
Ruapehu again:
And Ngauruhoe again:
Needless to say, apparently they've had a great ski season on Ruapehu ...
On the way back yesterday afternoon it was sunny and clear, and we had absolutely amazing views over the Desert Road past the mountains. Despite grumbling about me being a tourist our designated driver kindly stopped a couple of times for me to take some photos.
Ruapehu:
Ngauruhoe in the wing mirror (the only one of several of these I tried that came out focused):
Ruapehu again:
And Ngauruhoe again:
Needless to say, apparently they've had a great ski season on Ruapehu ...
A meme
I got tagged for this by my friend Jody. I'm supposed to tag other people, and am going to fall back on "whoever reads this". Only let me know if you do?
1. What are your nicknames?
I used to be Harry at school, and then I went to uni and there was a Harriet so I became Jo. Despite the fact none of my family have ever used it, I'm Jo to pretty much everyone else I know. Online, I'm Eledhwen, after Tolkien.
2. What was the first movie you bought in VHS or DVD?
Schindler's List, on VHS. Also my first CD.
3. What is your favorite scent?
Just after it's rained.
4. What one place have you visited that you can't forget and want to go back to?
Probably because I'm so far from it at the moment, Snowdonia. I know I will go back so that's all right.
5. Do you trust easily?
Too easily, for a journalist. But I know that, so can force myself to be cynical.
6. Do you generally think before you act, or act before you think?
Depends on the situation.
7. Is there anything that has made you unhappy these days?
Not on a personal level. On a wider level, the world's a bit too unsettled at the moment.
8. Do you have a good body image?
I think I do. Despite my legs being completely all over scars - and I've stopped caring about that - I'm reasonably happy with the way I look.
9. What is your favorite fruit?
Raspberries.
10. What websites do you visit daily?
The Guardian online, NZ Herald, stuff.co.nz, my email accounts, and theonering.net.
11. What have you been seriously addicted to lately?
Sleep.
12. What kind of person do you think the person who tagged you is?
I admire Jody a lot - she's making an effort to fulfil her dreams and she's always positive.
13. What's the last song that got stuck in your head?
I had the last movement of Brahms's German Requiem in my head at a swim meet the other week. Not easy to race to.
14. What's your favorite item of clothing?
Pyjamas. They're comfy.
15. Do you think Rice Krispies are yummy?
No, they're tasteless, but fun because of the snap crackle and pop!
16. What would you do if you saw $100 lying on the ground?
Pick it up, see if anyone had dropped it recently, and then probably spend it.
17. What items could you not go without during the day?
Coffee.
18. What should you be doing right now?
Nothing much.
1. What are your nicknames?
I used to be Harry at school, and then I went to uni and there was a Harriet so I became Jo. Despite the fact none of my family have ever used it, I'm Jo to pretty much everyone else I know. Online, I'm Eledhwen, after Tolkien.
2. What was the first movie you bought in VHS or DVD?
Schindler's List, on VHS. Also my first CD.
3. What is your favorite scent?
Just after it's rained.
4. What one place have you visited that you can't forget and want to go back to?
Probably because I'm so far from it at the moment, Snowdonia. I know I will go back so that's all right.
5. Do you trust easily?
Too easily, for a journalist. But I know that, so can force myself to be cynical.
6. Do you generally think before you act, or act before you think?
Depends on the situation.
7. Is there anything that has made you unhappy these days?
Not on a personal level. On a wider level, the world's a bit too unsettled at the moment.
8. Do you have a good body image?
I think I do. Despite my legs being completely all over scars - and I've stopped caring about that - I'm reasonably happy with the way I look.
9. What is your favorite fruit?
Raspberries.
10. What websites do you visit daily?
The Guardian online, NZ Herald, stuff.co.nz, my email accounts, and theonering.net.
11. What have you been seriously addicted to lately?
Sleep.
12. What kind of person do you think the person who tagged you is?
I admire Jody a lot - she's making an effort to fulfil her dreams and she's always positive.
13. What's the last song that got stuck in your head?
I had the last movement of Brahms's German Requiem in my head at a swim meet the other week. Not easy to race to.
14. What's your favorite item of clothing?
Pyjamas. They're comfy.
15. Do you think Rice Krispies are yummy?
No, they're tasteless, but fun because of the snap crackle and pop!
16. What would you do if you saw $100 lying on the ground?
Pick it up, see if anyone had dropped it recently, and then probably spend it.
17. What items could you not go without during the day?
Coffee.
18. What should you be doing right now?
Nothing much.
Tuesday 16 September 2008
Oh, that's ridiculous!
The finance minister Michael Cullen - who's far from stupid, and when he was tertiary education minister had a good reputation - today said that the opposition leader John Key couldn't run the country because he used to work for Merrill Lynch.
*Scratches head*
I fail to see how Key's former employment has a lot to do with his fitness to be PM. It was eight years ago, and he was just one of many ML employees. He's not responsible for ML's sale today.
*Scratches head*
I fail to see how Key's former employment has a lot to do with his fitness to be PM. It was eight years ago, and he was just one of many ML employees. He's not responsible for ML's sale today.
Sunday 14 September 2008
Mini-quake!
There was just a little earthquake. Very short. But distinct. I'm certain I don't like them now.
From Geonet - it was a 5.2, 90km deep, 60kn south-west of Wanganui - which I think puts it somewhere in the Cook Strait. No wonder I felt it. That's four earthquakes rating 5 or above on the Richter scale in a month ... seems like a lot to me. Thank heavens they're all so deep.
From Geonet - it was a 5.2, 90km deep, 60kn south-west of Wanganui - which I think puts it somewhere in the Cook Strait. No wonder I felt it. That's four earthquakes rating 5 or above on the Richter scale in a month ... seems like a lot to me. Thank heavens they're all so deep.
Friday 12 September 2008
It's election time!
Helen Clark announced the general election today - November 8th. It's looking like a National victory, but we'll see.
I'm quite excited, really, though I can't vote!
I'm quite excited, really, though I can't vote!
Tuesday 2 September 2008
Random thoughts
Not much news really, life continues and spring is, at last, on its way.
There was an earthquake yesterday - 5.8, 80km deep, quite a long way away from Wellington. About 1.20pm everyone went "ooh, did you feel that?" and a moment later "and that?" Apparently I was the only person in the office who didn't feel it! I wonder if I'm less sensitive to motion or something? It would explain why I don't get travel sick, at least.
Slightly worryingly that's the third biggish earthquake in 10 months - the 6.8 near Gisborne before Christmas, a 5.9 in Hastings last week, and then this one. Luckily they've all been deep, but does this mean we're gearing up for the Big One that we're overdue? Or does it mean NZ's faultlines are shaking off something and we'll avoid the Big One? Still not used to earthquakes ...
Went swimming this evening as there's a meet at the weekend and I haven't been for a bit. Ended up fighting with a lot of sloooow swimmers - problem with going straight after work is that the local swim squad takes up half the pool and there are only two lanes for swimming properly, and they mark them "medium" and "slow". So you always get a lot of slow blokes who don't want to go in the slow lane but are actually very slow. It's always the women who move, never the blokes.
Jamie Oliver's on TV showing people why junk food is bad by getting Gunther von Hagen to dissect an obese corpse. It's really disgusting. I'm hungry, but I don't think I'll touch that chocolate I bought this evening!
And I took my bike to the shop today to get handlebar extensions fitted. It's an attempt to avoid getting cramped hands when I cycle. The guy also discovered my brake pads were worn through and told me I needed it serviced. Which is an expensive, but necessary, pain. I like the extensions though, they're great. :)
There was an earthquake yesterday - 5.8, 80km deep, quite a long way away from Wellington. About 1.20pm everyone went "ooh, did you feel that?" and a moment later "and that?" Apparently I was the only person in the office who didn't feel it! I wonder if I'm less sensitive to motion or something? It would explain why I don't get travel sick, at least.
Slightly worryingly that's the third biggish earthquake in 10 months - the 6.8 near Gisborne before Christmas, a 5.9 in Hastings last week, and then this one. Luckily they've all been deep, but does this mean we're gearing up for the Big One that we're overdue? Or does it mean NZ's faultlines are shaking off something and we'll avoid the Big One? Still not used to earthquakes ...
Went swimming this evening as there's a meet at the weekend and I haven't been for a bit. Ended up fighting with a lot of sloooow swimmers - problem with going straight after work is that the local swim squad takes up half the pool and there are only two lanes for swimming properly, and they mark them "medium" and "slow". So you always get a lot of slow blokes who don't want to go in the slow lane but are actually very slow. It's always the women who move, never the blokes.
Jamie Oliver's on TV showing people why junk food is bad by getting Gunther von Hagen to dissect an obese corpse. It's really disgusting. I'm hungry, but I don't think I'll touch that chocolate I bought this evening!
And I took my bike to the shop today to get handlebar extensions fitted. It's an attempt to avoid getting cramped hands when I cycle. The guy also discovered my brake pads were worn through and told me I needed it serviced. Which is an expensive, but necessary, pain. I like the extensions though, they're great. :)
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