Snow in Wellie

Iventured out early this morning and met up with Tom at Memphis. We had a 'summit' meeting about saving Body Positive Wellington. We both agreed on the strategy, and it is necessary to act now. So later today I will post my email to Auckland. This service centre is absolutely an essential part of the   Wellington Positive scene and must be kept standing.

Snow in Karori last night and my new lambskin bonnet from Recycle is welcome as it covers not just my head but all my cold extreme parts up north, mainly my ears!

My beef soup was very well received at Potluck and I have decided I am not going to the Scottish Dance at Levin on Saturday. I am wimping out really, as I know it would be fun, but three hours of travel in toto, and probably three hours of constant dancing where I didn't recognise most of the dances on the program, was too much to consider. So a Saturday night at home, or possibly a movie at the Paramount is my weekend agenda. 

But happily I just heard Jennifer S. interviewed on NZ radio about the last night of Dance tonight at Te Whaea, a must-go, so I hope to make it later. My movie is now cancelled at Nga Taonga!

It's getting close to D-day which I knew would come all too quickly, and Meg has asked me to bring to Oxford an Aussie book, newly published, by Don Watson, called 'The Bush'. Unity has it for $55 but for much less doubtless, in Sydney, so I will have time to buy it en route.

Yes it has arrived, in Karori...these foot prints prove it!

Aussies not popular in NZ...?

..especially this one!

The great Sophie Barthes

Generous Kiwis

And Kiwi activism...

Te Whaea production by Footnote

Great young dancers....Kosta a future star.

Well I got to see one documentary movie at Nga Taonga this afternoon. It was one of a series covering the much denied New Zealand Wars, these being of course when the invading colonials arrived to steal the Maori lands.  There were naturally repercussions in the form of Maori resistance, but the history was obfuscated by warring Maori tribes who were at the same time at odds with each other. Many Maori under the name of 'kupapa' fought with the pakeha side, however they fought under the assumption that the pakeha were helping them fight their own tribal wars - a quaint difference in approach there, but totally understandable now given my knowledge of Maori thought patterns. 

This episode which I saw was about the Taranaki wars, around the area of Whanganui, which I have visited several times. It is a wonderful river and has such history and meaning to the many Maori tribes who used to inhabit its banks. And of course towering all over this area is the magnificent Mt Tongariro which dominates the south-western New Zealand landscape for as far as you can see, with its snow-covered peak. It was a very educational movie and I would certainly like to have the opportinity to see all the others in the series one day.

Now later at Te Whaea I am patiently awaiting a cancellation that Levi has optimistically promised me. The last night is naturally a sellout performance night. Wellington is, without a doubt, a dance-mad city and I am looking forward tonight to another taste of its dance capabilities, and brilliance I'm sure.

Just out of Footnote and they were fantastic....four pieces, totally different, challenging and wonderfully executed by five very talented and dedicated dancers who obviously live for their dance. It was a delightful gift and a new dance experience, spoiled only by the body odour of one of my neighbours who had eaten or smoked something horrible.  It was very off-putting but luckily I submerged myself in my own scent, that of Guerlain. 

Thank you Levi for obtainling me a cancelled ticket!