arts, culture, and lifestyle of dunedin and otago, in the south island, new zealand issue one: september 2014

Down

in

e d i n Maga z i n e

inside this issue: dr. Graeme Downes, the verlaines, arts festival dunedin, professor kevin clements, sophie morris, sophie sparrow, our local food, jason ross & habitate, good earth cafe, the kiwi green man, and a snapshot trip around the otago peninsula

Springtime in Dunedin

Botanical Gardens, Dunedin Photo Credit: Caroline Davies ©

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Dunedin is one of the world's great compact cities, and Otago one of the most beautiful regions.    Our coastline is one of the last vestiges of natural wilderness shared by appreciative visitors and precious wildlife.    Where else on the globe can we witness the majesty of a Royal Albatross in flight, their protected and cherished chicks on the ground, or the emergence of one of our rare Yellow Eyed Penguins from a pounding surf at sunset: and all of that only thirty minutes drive from the centre of the city.  Our mountains, forests, and valleys give a rare glimpse of pristine landscapes still left on earth, and our agricultural industry provides us some of the best food in the world.   Dunedin’s Saturday farmer's market must be one of the best in the Southern Hemisphere.

Our city is renowned for its heritage buildings, Botanical Gardens, and the beauty of our harbour. We can take lovely drives to walk magnificent beaches on both the Otago Peninsula and West Harbour harbour-sides.

Stunning South Island landscapes made famous as Middle Earth, are just an hour’s drive inland. Dunedin and indeed Otago are home to renowned artists, novelists, poets, singers, songwriters, legendary bands, theatre, dancers, athletes, inventors and innovators, and a population that cares for and deeply appreciate this precious place and its people.  Our local Marae's are inclusive and welcoming to visit. Otago University and Otago Polytechnic attract brilliant scholars and researchers from dozens of countries to teach and study.

I am pleased to be introducing "Down In Edin Magazine": a visual quarterly journal reflecting how special and precious our place and its people are. We are all very lucky to be living here.  The ambition of “Down in Edin Magazine” is to highlight all that is special about our city: The sources of inspiration, solace and beauty that we are fortunate to have all around us.I trust we will all enjoy this magazine as it celebrates our place in the world.

A Word From The Mayor

Dave CullMayor of Dunedin, September 2014

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Welcome t o Ed i n !

Otago Peninsula: Photo Credit Caroline Davies ©

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Kia oraWelcome to the f i rs t i ssue o f

Down In Edin Magazine!

Otago is a region situated on the East Coast stretching inland in the lower portion of the South Island of New Zealand, also known as Aotearoa - Land of the Long White Cloud. Its resounding beauty is worth making a song and dance about. Otago’s people, often quiet about their ingenuity and talents offer a rich texture to this gorgeous landscape. Down In Edin Magazine is celebrating the gifts of beauty and creativity we are fortunate enough to experience. When my husband and I first arrived in Dunedin, I couldn’t help but think this beautiful place could be considered an Eden, even the name of our city reflects a similar sound, depending on one’s accent of Down In or Dun. A few years have passed since our arrival, and the interpretation still stands. During that time I have come to fully understand what a truly amazing place this is.

When asked why we settled in Dunedin out of all the places we had to choose from in New Zealand as well as Australia,

it came down to this: We love the dynamic weather, the extraordinary landscapes, the wildly poetic beaches, the penguins, seals and albatross are a delight, dolphins and whales will visit the beautiful harbour on occasion. We have majestic snow capped mountainscapes, night skies as clear as a bell just outside of the city gleaming with stars and galaxies we couldn’t reach in a lifetime. We have the privilege of being able to see the Aurora Australis on occasion, rivers, lakes, forests, fresher air than most cities around the world, a lively music scene along with a great recording studio, a vibrant and creative visual arts scene, great theatre, libraries, museums, top class restaurants, cafes, a fabulous university, a community that cares about its environment, and an added bonus a strong permaculture community. After living in and spending considerable time in vastly populated cities, peak hour traffic doesn’t even exist here. There are brilliant people, inventive people, creative people, and friendly people. Our local politicians will have a cup of tea with you and share their points of view as you offer yours. Dunedin’s heritage architecture is a wonderful legacy and contributes a

fabulous visual and atmospheric appeal in the city and we have the of the best farmer’s markets in southern hemisphere’s That’s just for starters. And that’s what Down In Edin Magazine is all about. There is more here in Otago to experience than the magazine could possibly cover, but we will do our best to honour as much of it as we can!

I am deeply appreciative to all the people involved in this first issue of Down In Edin Magazine. You gave me your trust to do a good job, but the good job is yours, and it is with this deep appreciation I thank you for being part of what makes this a great city and region to live in, visit, or have a good long stay!

Caroline Davies, EditorDown In Edin Magazine, September 2014

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The horizontal format of Down In Edin Magazine is to enable maximum viewing for all electronic devices. Issuu offers a choice of being able to view the magazine as a double page spread or one page at a time, as well as a choice to view full screen which is the best way to view Down In Edin Magazine. There is also a small checkered icon which pulls up a small viewing box so you can see multiple pages and where they are. You will find these buttons at the bottom right hand corner of the on screen layout. Hyperlinks will either be automatic, or a trio of small icons will appear and the “chain link” icon will link you to the email address or web site.

Looking over to Portobello and Hereweka also known as The Harbour Cone from Harwood, Otago Peninsula

Photo Credit Caroline Davies ©

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Graeme Downes ~ The Verlaines ~ What Sound Is This?Page 10

Arts Festival Dunedin ~ A Taste of The Festival, 2014 Season

Page 20

Professor Kevin Clements ~ Peace, Justice and CompassionPage 28

Sophie and Sophie - Superb SopranosPage 38

Sophie SparrowPage 39

Sophie MorrisPage 42

Our Food Network: Up Close and LocalCatching Up With Andy Barratt

Page 49

Jason Ross, Habitate, PermaculturePage 54

Good Earth - Good Life ~ Jill Guy & The Good Earth CafePage 60

The Kiwi Green Man ~ Kelly Lindsay and The Green Man Brewery

Page 62

The Otago Peninsula ~ A snapshot trip around the PeninsulaPage 64

I n T h i s I s s u e

Please like our FaceBook page

FaceBook ~ Down In Edin Magazine

Contact the Magazine and Contributors at:

downinedin@yahoo.co.nz

All works, stories, articles, photographs cannot be reproduced without permission of authors and photographers. Please contact the Editor at Down In Edin Magazine for any queries. Copyright Down In Edin Magazine © 2014 All rights reserved.

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The Otago Harbour and Peninsula: The View from Harwood

Photography: Caroline Davies ©

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Contributors:

Photographers - Caroline Davies, Eric Winquist, Pauline DurningWriters - Caroline Davies, Pauline Durning, Koren Allpress

downinedin@yahoo.co.nz

Otago Skyscape: Photo Credit Caroline Davies ©

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Dr. Graeme Downes

Poet

Composer

Educator

and

The Verlaines

There’s a kaleidoscope of sub genres in the world of “rock” to describe musical styles. If you are from New Zealand, or have a strong interest in global music you will probably have heard of the legendary “Dunedin Sound” that emerged during the early eighties. The Verlaines were, and still are a strong part of the foundation of this signature sound from Dunedin. Dr. Graeme Downes feels this is “a pretty true description” of where their music is placed in the scale of things.

Creativity is not about standing still, boxed in and predictable though. The Verlaines move through and around just about every facet, nook, crook, and cranny of rock music in their own way that you can imagine.

The common threads that connect this venerable band’s music over the years are Graeme Downes, poetry, and a rather sophisticated construction of musical composition.

What Sound Is This?Story & Photography of Graeme Downes, Caroline DaviesPhotography The Verlaines @ Kings Arms, Erik Winquist

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What sound, what sound is this?A hymn for our protection?

A lament for a failed resurrection?A psalm to our naked imperfection?Peel back these clothes, this skin

Look at the state we're inWe're not so different as you might think

We're on the brink of the same abyssFace to face or side by sideBravely veil ing how petrified

We really areThe sound is this

Of the lives pervertedDiverted from places no-one 's heard of

The sound is this

Words lost for answersNo second chances

The blind leading the blind the whole wayBecause the master of all the dancers

Has got so much on his mindHe's got nothing to say

A bit of back tracking:

Graeme Downes thought about it for a moment as I’m delving into his musical past with an enquiring look on my face. “It had a bit to do with we all had shitty gear... but really had a lot more to do with the construction of the song - it was not normal.... there was no normal pigeon hole to put it in. To be in the Dunedin Sound club you had to be able to do certain things... you had to be able to make form malleable to your purposes, freely invent structure for every song, more or less, and if you couldn’t do that then you were just a band from Dunedin. American commentators like Karen Schoemer(New York Times) who I subsequently met, and Evelyn McDonnell (New York’s Village Voice), had commented on it back in the day and described it as ‘finding a way to pull pop apart and put it back together again in ways no one ever considered’, and it just happened.

You have to imagine how it was here back then... hardly any connection with the outside world, not many bands toured here, we were only 18 and you couldn’t get in the pubs to see anyone until you were twenty. We had one video show that ran for two hours every Sunday night and it would take three years for a new record to get here as we only had one pressing plant in Wellington.

So we were basically a bunch of kids in Dunedin killing time entertaining ourselves and were each other’s audience. Someone would play an interesting song with a new level of sophistication - then someone else would go “ooh, I must try harder”, and it just grew like that. There was no industry here and there was no one telling us we were doing it wrong - we saw the sixties as children and went wow, look at all these weird people, isn’t that great... we want more of that please... “

The Verlaines and Dunedin Sound

Photo Credit, Erik Winquist

The Verlaines performing Hallelujah! The Kings Arms, Auckland

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life’s emotions with a song narrative that tells a story from within.

I had a flamenco teacher from way back that described the experience of what seemed impossibly fast and complex footwork, with each beat clearly heard, and in ‘compas”, ( timing and rhythm) like getting on a fast train and just going with it. It took me years and years of hard work and faith that one day I could get a ticket for that train ride. When I finally caught the train and left the platform, it wasn’t about the speed, clarity and accuracy seeming impossible, I found myself, for want of a better way of describing it, spontaneously shifting into a kind of altered state - lucid, clear, and yet a feeling of travelling with everyone else doing the same thing, along with a lot of emotional charge powering the train ride.

P o e t a n d C o m p o s e r

Graeme Downes is a performer of rock star calibre.I know he would prefer me to not mention or even suggest “rock star”, that’s not where Downes is intentionally coming from. Commercial recognition is not his goal, and would probably put a damper on his creative freedom. He cares about the lyrics and music. Downes is a seriously talented composer with a following to be found all over the world that appreciates his gritty, complex, musical forms with poetic lyrics, often cynical, painful, and insightful - working out

Photo Credit, Erik WinquistPhoto Credit, Erik Winquist

Graeme Downes and Tom Healy Stephen Small, Graeme Downes, Darren Stedman

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Time itself felt like it had shifted. What once seemed impossible morphed into an understanding that the foundation work had been done, and I could relax, trust, and just do it from that point on. I understood this to be the same, or at least similar to “being in the groove”. After watching two live performances of The Verlaines, this is what I think Graeme does. His speed with guitar is incredible, and you can hear every note clearly. Clarity, precision, intention, emotion, energy in motion, and audience’s enthusiastic response - comes from a lot of practice and trust that with enough time, focus, and playing you hit the “groove”. These elements didn’t matter in the early days of The Verlaines, but if you keep on playing its going to happen - you get really good at writing, composing, playing, performing... Downes is a fabulous performer without being flashy about it - he just does it - he’s tapped in to that something extra. This is what I mean by “rock star” calibre, and not to be confused in any way with a fizzy Pepsi sponsored pop icon.

Downes has had a life long appreciation and study of classical music. He carefully composes and orchestrates most of his songs note by note, in a similar way to a classical composer. Downes’ doctorate was called something like Mahler, Progressive Tonality and 19th Century Antecedents. “Mahler is a pretty good songwriter and in many respects is picking up from where Schubert and Schumann left off. He’s one of the first moderns, one of the first surrealists”. Graeme’s favorite classical composers on the day I asked and subject to change are “Brahms, because he wasn't Wagner, and Beethoven, he was himself and didn't compare himself to anyone.”

Graeme Downes with bass player Russell FlemingRecording Potboiler at Albany Street Studios, Dunedin

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Above: The Verlaines performing at Sammys, Dunedin February 2014Left to right: Tom McGrath - Keyboards, Darren Stedman - Drums,

Graeme Downes - Lead vocals and guitar, Rob Burns on bass

Photo Credit: Caroline Davies

Downes has been the constant spine and front man of The Verlaines from the beginning. The Verlaines have really been like an extended family and even more so with the re-issue of “Hallelujah Live” with Jane Dodd and Robbie Yeats back on stage. The last time they played together was about ’86 or ’87. Darren Stedman has been the drummer since 91 or 92, Rob Burns The Verlaines’ bass player, and more recently Tom McGrath on keyboards.

A couple of links below to tune into The Verlaines: 95bfm presents In Session: Recorded at Roundhead Studios, Auckland

Nov 17, 2011C.D. Jimmy Jazz and Mefound on You’re Just Too Obscure for Me

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vyyad_u7W7A

Dec 20, 2011 Joed Out from You’re Just Too Obscure for Me

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C8bZN_FBrUc

P l a y i n g a t S a m m y ’ s , D u n e d i n

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‘What are you going to do about it? How are you going to get as good as her? Well she (Lorde) read a thousand books by the age of twelve.. how much reading do you do?’ If you want to write you need to read, and unfortunately kids, its not just reading literature, its also reading music. If you are a poet/composer then you need to teach yourselves how to read twice. You need to be a literature buff and a musical buff to know all the myriads of tricks that everyone uses... that’s what culture is - a big storehouse of tactics ... you need to know what they are. I could give you a text, it might not look like a song text, but how are you going to map all that to music? Really really good songwriters do that brilliantly! If you’ve only got a few tools in your toolbox, that’s how many different types of songs you can write, but if you’ve got all the tools, there’s no limit, there’s no text that you can’t find the musical analog to. Its the 10,000 hour theory really. If you keep reading and writing and thinking and studying and keep your mind working all the way through it just regenerates itself.

I’m using Lorde’s album as a teaching tactic this year, and why not, her album is great, her songwriting is fantastic, her lyric writing is top rate, and it’s done incredibly well! So how did she do it? Well, from what I’ve read, that’s how she’s done it. She reads - heaps - and it shows.”

Dr. Downes steps down as Head of the Music Department of Otago University in December at the end of a three year stint.

“Being Head of the Music Department has been challenging, and really good. It does a lot to help you grow and mature. It has also increased my sixth sense of awareness of knowing when to nip things in the bud. It seems to be a pretty happy bunch of people - no one is good at everything, so you delegate, and things get done that way. For next year, I’m going on study leave for the first semester - studying and have an orchestral concert on February 28th with the Southern Sinfonia at Dunedin City’s Town Hall... one of the best halls in the world for sound and acoustics.... then its back to teaching...”

“I have a new lecture: “No Read No Write - End of Story” a tactic I’m using with songwriting students this year who’ve had their ass kicked by a seventeen year old.”

E d u c a t o r

“its a poet’s job to interrogate the familiar... are we really so sure about this?” G.D.

Photo Credit, Erik Winquist

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Taking off with f lying nun records and a pocket guide tour of a l i fet ime of work

“Roger Shephard of Flying Nun Records from Christchurch started the company just as a hobby really. He thought “wow, these bands in Dunedin are good, and if I don’t record them no one else will”. Our first double EP with Flying Nun - “Dunedin Double” was largely recorded with Chris Knox’s four track. Chris wanted to do it independently so no one else would mess with it. This gave us a lot of freedom. We really had no idea about recording at that time. One of the other bands on ‘Dunedin Double’ “Sneaky Feelings” had a lot of gear, we didn’t, so we drove up to Christchurch to record. Sneaky Feelings recorded their part of the album in about four hours, and ours in about three and a half. David Pine mixed it up in Auckland - we didn’t know what mixing was either, but it came out alright - the album sold pretty well and we got some decent reviews. Back then we were up against U.S. and U.K. cultural icons and we felt that anything coming out of New Zealand wasn’t comparable, but we grew in increments. “

“We had the three songs on the Dunedin Sound EP and then we came out with “Death and the Maiden” single, and then we did a five song E.P. “Ten O’clock in the Afternoon”. We were getting enough attention so we could tour up and down the country and made a reasonable amount of money. We saved up enough to make “Hallelujah”, our first proper studio album, which was the one we played at Sammy’s earlier this year. Flying Nun was taking off and did a compilation album called Tuatara which got a lot of attention in the UK and Europe.

Roger was a pretty good A&R man, and by that time when a Flying Nun album came out you would go to the shop and buy it - record collectors trusted the label to put out good music, and most of it was.

I was an undergrad student while I was doing these things doing a Bachelor of Music with Honours that took four years, and then I did a PhD after that.”

Photo Credit, Erik Winquist

Photo Credit, Erik Winquist

Graeme Downs, Robbie Yeats, Jane Dodd

Jane Dodd, Tom Healy

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“We went to the States for a tour in 89, and went back around ’91 and ’93. We signed with Slash Records (a subsidiary of Warner Bros) in Hollywood in about ’91 . We did two albums with Slash, one was with Joe Chiccarelli. We didn’t really sell enough units, so we came back here, licked our wounds, and made another record in Dunedin instead with Tex Houston. Flying Nun had been gobbled up, so we went through Sony Music - we made a pretty good record - its like the forgotten Verlaines album, and has some really good songs on it.”

Making a record with Joe Chiccarelli is no small feat. Chiccarelli is highly revered as an engineer, producer, and mixer. At my last count he had won ten Grammy Awards. He’s made records with Frank Zappa, Alanis Morissette, White Stripes, The Strokes, U2, Boy & Bear, Jason Mraz, My Morning Jacket, Morrissey, Elton John, Rufus Wainwright, U2, Beck, Etta James, Jamie Cullum, and Tori Amos amongst scores of other well known artists.

Tex Houston is based in Dunedin and described by NZ Musician Magazine as “Engineer Extraordinaire” as well as a great mixer and mastering engineer. He’s highly regarded in the recording community in New Zealand. Houston is considered one of the best.

“We then kind of went separate ways, I went up to Auckland and made a solo album, then came back down here and started teaching on the contemporary rock degree in 2000. I wrote dribs and drabs of songs during that time. I was setting up a whole course and didn’t have a lot of time. I was working my tail off to get it up and running, then in 2006 or so our bass player Russell said why don’t we make a record - so we did.

We recorded it at Albany St Studios. It’s alright, although we have better production gear now. What was really good about it though was after analyzing it I got back on track, and since then I’ve been writing an album every year or two.”

I’ll sit down in January during our summer holidays and write an album. It takes ages to record them, that’s where the time is.

We’ve done four albums since then. Every album has been better than the last since about 2007 and we have a double album coming out next year recorded at Albany St Studios in Dunedin engineered by Stephen Stedman that will also be released on vinyl. I think this is the best one of the four although I’m very fond of a lot of the songs on all of them. Ten studio albums is a pretty big milestone!”

http://theverlaines.co.nz/

http://www.flyingnun.co.nz/artist/12/show_group

Discographyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Verlaines

Eric Winquist - The Verlaineshttps://www.flickr.com/photos/28153032@N02/

sets/72157638683376795/

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...”On a riverbed, under a gibbous moon, sleeps a drunkardHis contented belly swollen

Content that there's no laughterCos the river's long since been stolenWhile the dreams that he's devoured

Still cry out to their owners, the tall clayTheir ongoing bequest

To the dispossessed, the mourners and the lonersBut everywhere around him

The roots seek out new storesThey'll bring it to the surface

And by morning they will drown himThe sound is this

Words lost for answersNo second chances

The blind leading the blind the whole wayBecause the master of all the dancers

Has got so much on his mindHe's got nothing to say.”

What Sound Is ThisLyrics and music by Graeme Downes

andWhat Sound Is This

Also on i-Tunes: The Verlaines - “Untimely Meditations”Released March 26 2012

What Sound is This?April 2009 from the short film Eden

Written, Directed, Produced by Rebecca Tansley

http://sfo.org.nz/films02.html

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It’s tempting to describe the 8th biennial arts festival Dunedin from 10 - 19th October as “a heaven of art and culture”. That’s what I was thinking when I began researching the artist’s works involved for the 2014 season.

Be prepared to be taken far far away into other worlds of power and beauty where your senses are expanded and your heart brightened with pure inspiration. Feel moved, uplifted, and mesmerized as gifted artists from all creative disciplines gather together and grace us with their hearts and souls.

The whole city revs up and wraps itself from Port Chalmers to Macandrew Bay in a massive concentration of world class talent. Artists from New Zealand, China, Taiwan, Belgium, Australia, Ireland, United States and Tonga, to mention some, will be performing and sharing their art forms in venues from The Town Hall, Regent Theatre, The Mayfair, Fortune Theatre, St. Paul’s Cathedral, Olveston House, to art galleries such as The Milford, The Artist’s Room, Gallery De Novo, Bellamy’s Gallery, our museums and libraries - to name a few.

Photography previous page KAHA Atamira Dance Company by Lewis Mulatero

Article compiled by Caroline Davies

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World Premiere of Gao Shan Liu Shui - High Mountain Flowing Water “Wu Na, one of China’s most accomplished young players of the guqin, plucks this ancient seven string instrument with a touch that awakens its great subtlety and refinement. Her collaborator is Gao Ping, a new generation composer and pianist who has carved a formidable reputation in New Zealand as an exciting and energetic force in contemporary music making.”

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Festival Director Nicholas McBryde,Marketing Manager Gillian Thomas and Production Manager Gwen Macready are the core staff making this gem of a festival tick .

The participants in the Festival are searched and researched on a continual basis shared Nicholas McBryde, founding Director of the event, “ Sometimes it can take up to 4 years to secure a gig because of dates and availability, and other programme balancing that has to be considered. This is a full time job for the Director – to solicit and to vet ideas from around the world that might work for a Dunedin market. The Festival is approached all the time by artists, agencies and performers looking for an opportunity to participate in this Festival.”

The Otago Festival of the Arts was established in 1999 with its inaugural Festival in 2000. This impressive eighth season is now under a new brand as “arts festival Dunedin”.

Look out for the Festival’s catalogue around town for full details. You’ll be able to pick one up in public spaces and places such as libraries, art galleries, cafes. You can also go online to Arts Festival Dunedin web site for detailed information as well.

A wee taste From The Festival: On previous pages 20 & 21The Atamira Dance Company - leaders in Maori contemporary dance. “Atamira’s explosive performance will appeal to a wide audience of dance lovers, whanau, and those who want to experience a high quality live performance filled with beauty, mana, and power.”

Dunedin composer Anthony Ritchie’s latest opera This Other Eden is being presented as a world premiere as Opera Otago’s Season of the World at the Mayfair Theatre. “This great New Zealand story has all the ingredients for gripping music-drama, romance, war, jealousy, manipulation, spirituality, clash of cultures and Kings and Chiefs.”

Above: New Zealand’s celebrated Tim Finn’s performance event Tim Finn - White Cloud. A unique show crafted with playwright Ken Duncum and filmmaker Sue Healy.

Above: Modern Maori Quartet - Described as “The creative love child of Prince Tui Teka and Flight of the Conchords.”

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From previous page: Tim Finn - White Cloud is a performance event of poetry and music “where the alchemy of observation, photographs and journals, story, and song deliver a potent celebration of family, ancestors, and what it means to be Pakeha growing up in New Zealand in the 50’s and 60’s.” Tim Finn, along with his brother Neil created one of New Zealand’s most successful and acclaimed musical acts, Split Enz.

Also from previous page: Modern Maori Quartet are playing at the Glenroy Auditorium. “Maaka Pohatu and his bandmates, Matariki Whatarau, Jame Tito and Francis Kora are all trained actors who got together to make their own show flaunting their fantastic singing voices. With their Howard Morrison-esque sound, the Quartet has its roots in the popular Maori show bands of the 50’s and 60’s, while also keeping themselves firmly in the 21st century with their easy banter.”

Image on left “Beyond brings a bold new vision to contemporary circus, a blending of bodies, light, sound and skills; a place where acrobatics and movement meld into a seamless whole. Circus performers explode onto the stage creating an alternate reality where mind-boggling acrobatic feats are sometimes muscular, sometimes lyrical and sometimes just plain funny. A sophisticated circus for grown-ups who are still wild at heart and an absolute winner for kids.”

Above: Beyond - Circa Australia is described as “Ridiculously charming... outrageously skilled... breathtaking” by The Guardian, UK.

Images and description of performances courtesy of arts festival Dunedin

http://www.artsfestivaldunedin.co.nz/

continued over page

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No Holds Bard (image on left) starring New Zealand’s Michael Hurst “in an adventure in the Shakespearian afterlife. He has created an extraordinary piece of physical theatre featuring tights, schizophrenia and blank verse. No Holds Bard has enjoyed sell-out seasons throughout New Zealand and had a triumphant season at the 2013 Edinburgh Festival. Playing for four nights at the Fortune Theatre.”

Strike: Between Zero and One (image on page 21) is music and visual performance on an epic scale. Inspired by ancient and modern rhythms - from tribal beats to dubstep, this brilliant work is the creation of New Zealand composer John Psathas. Presented at the Regent Theatre, this show will begin and end with a Big Bang. Expect wild instrumentation and Strike’s signature charm, intimate moments will draw you in - the epic finale will blow your mind.”

http://www.artsfestivaldunedin.co.nz/

Above: No Holds Bard presented at the Fortune Theatre. “a tsunami of a performance... A breath of fresh Shakespeare air and a comedic head-bashing all in one!” Edinburgh Spotlight

Sophie Morris, is performing her recital “Sophie’s Choice” Wednesday 15th October at Olveston House as part of the “Olveston at Six” series.

Photo Credit for Sophie Morris: Caroline Davies

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Moving Sound from Taipei and a highlight of many WOMAD Festivals around the world blends musical traditions from Taiwan, China and other Asian countries. “The result is unique and often haunting. Singer Mia Hsieh with her band, utilizes traditional Chinese instruments and melodic themes, combining them with modern compositional concepts and spirited experimentation produce music that is joyous, evocative, and enchanting.” This will be a beautiful evening in St. Paul’s Cathedral.

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“Non Violence

Is An

Imperative, Not An

Optional Extra”

It didn’t occur to Dr. Clements, Director for The National Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies at Otago University to situate New Zealand’s first centre of peace in Dunedin. “I initially thought it would be better in Wellington, closer to the hub of power, but in fact, that serendipitous choice, because of the positive response from Otago University, was very useful and ultimately a good choice because it meant that we were able to be away from the politicized world of Wellington, as well as the commercialized world of Auckland. Establishing a Peace Centre somewhat disconnected from the hubs of commerce, industry, power, and government became an unintentional good choice on a cosmic level.”

Professor Kevin ClementsPeace, Justice, and CompassionThe National Centre For Peace and Conflict Studies,

Otago University

Legacies and VisionariesPhotographs and Story: Caroline Davies

Professor Clements writes a regular blog: “Peace Musings”

http://kevinclementspeaceandconflict.wordpress.com/

A legacy from visionary Dorothy Brown, who wanted to combine her concern for education and learning with her concern for peace and justice, resulted in a proposal for the development of a Peace and Conflict Studies Centre in Aotearoa. The Trust’s initiative generated a positive response from Otago University which enabled the National Centre For Peace and Conflict Studies now in residence at the University to become the first Centre of its kind in New Zealand. This was Dorothy Brown’s last project and service to the world - a gift of Peace, Justice, Compassion, and Love, willed into existence by renowned peace maker Professor Kevin Clements. A collaboration between enlightened and caring souls.

Professor Kevin ClementsDorothy Brown Memorial Lecture

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“We came to a place spatially and strategically peripheral that has turned into a centre of excellence around Peace and Conflict work. You don’t have to go elsewhere to bring the world into Dunedin. At the moment we have 22 different nationalities represented in our student body. This is partly because we have reasonably good scholarships, but we also have an international profile. If you are doing something that has a ring of integrity and authenticity to it then it attracts people from all over. We have students from Africa, the Middle East, Asia, North America, Europe and so forth, so we have a very broad and global student body. That I think is a real strength. “

I was also curious about the workings of the Centre. NCPACS has a faculty that is not only interested in an academic perspective on the world but is also interested in changing it. “That’s an important part of our project here. All my staff have some normative intent to do this work. None of us

are content to live and work in an ivory tower. We want to do research that has the possibility of generating s o m e p o s i t i v e r e f o r m , transformation, and change.”

An element Dr. Clements is very keen on is nurturing a peaceful pedagogic community so that students who come here know they are not coming into another ordinary academic department. “They are coming into a community where we try and eliminate the distinctions between faculty and students as much as possible. We also understand teachers are as much learners as the students, and the students are as much teachers as learners. Influences from people such as Paulo Freire play into our work a lot.” Paulo Freire, author of ‘Pedagogy of the Oppressed’ calls traditional pedagogy the "banking model" because it treats the student as an empty vessel to be filled with knowledge, like a piggy bank, and argues for pedagogy to treat the learner as “a co-creator of knowledge”.

National Centre for Peace and Conflict StudiesOtago University518 Castle Street

Dunedin

http://www.otago.ac.nz/ncpacs

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“We make a lot of effort to ensure we have a community here. We have lots of pot luck dinners, social events, poster sessions, and presentations to bring everyone together. We create a supportive environment so that people who come into the program will not fail, unless they are absolutely without hope. Our mission is to ensure people succeed so that they realize all their own potential.

We also have a strong desire to be involved in actual practice. An area I want to develop over the next few years. In the last little while we have created a Dunedin based mediation program where we can assist individuals, groups, and organizations that are in conflict with each other to come to an amicable resolution. We have also launched the first Zone of Peace in Castle Street. This is aimed at bringing together all the stakeholders in the street. These include the Centre for Sustainability, the Maori Development Studies Centre, and the Child Care Centre. “

“This Zone of Peace has helped us to think about what it means to turn a street into a community in terms of how we care for and respect each other, and especially what we can learn from each other. The idea is to start from Castle Street and then move on to every other street in Dunedin, and then every other street in the country. We have begun working for intentional peace street by street.

Dunedin City is already a member of Mayors for Peace. The Mayor, Dave Cull, and some of the City Councilors have been quite keen on it because it develops a lot of different methodologies for local peace building. How can we promote peace education in the community? How do we promote peace within the family? How do we support and engage young people? And how do we develop connected and inclusive communities to respect the environment, bring peace heritage and arts together? Its about how we can make this city more intentionally peaceful.

We are also providing a space for students and faculty to do research on the deep sources of violence and division, and get them to think creatively and constructively about conditions needed for peacefulness.”

Addre ss ing the Cu ltu re of Dom inat io n

Dr. Clements has been thinking much about the idea of “domination culture” of late. “This whole idea of domination culture flowed out of Riane Eisler’s work described in her book ‘The Chalice and The Blade’. How do we avoid the excesses of patriarchy, male domination, and dominatory politics? A good way of thinking about how to build peace is from the bottom up, from where you are as an individual. How do you challenge dominatory tendencies within yourself, how do you challenge your own desire to control others and how do you challenge the vestiges of patriarchy or racism which resides inside of you?”

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Dr. Clements continues “If you think about David Cunliffe (current leader of NZ’s Labour Party) and how he was roasted for apologizing for being a man... I knew exactly what he was trying to do. These are very real privileges regarding masculinity. It’s important that we address them directly and intentionally. How do we build peace from where we are both in terms of intimate partner relationships and how do you join larger groups in dealing with structural violence in ways that are mutually empowering? If you look at grievous examples of dominatory politics, such as the recent conflict between Israel and Gaza and see how ideology is lined up behind murderous violence, then the big question is how you might work with progressively minded people to start delegitimating violence, delegiti-, timating patriarchy and expand the total numbers of people capable of saying no to top down terror and violence.

There are two dynamics at work in social dominance theory. One is what we call ‘heirarchy and ideology’ which are the kinds of things you use to justify domination - age, maleness, whiteness, nationalism, whatever it might be. The other one is called ‘heirarchy attenuating’ which is how do you create spaces for different voices, different narratives - the women’s voice, the anarchist’s voice, the voice that wants to live in harmony, the voice that is providing spaces for the poor to speak? In a vibrant social system, there would be a balance between the nurturing and the dominatory challenging voices that place constraints on the others. If there is not a balance, the question is how do we bring them into balance. For example, at the moment there is an appalling imbalance between Israel and Gaza, an appalling disproportionality, with an appalling capacity to inflict pain, suffering, and death on the part of one group against another and doing it mercilessly.”

Pro peace gathering, Hollywood 2003.

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“So how do we keep things in balance, is one part of the question, and the second is how do we make new narratives to replace the old tropes? How do we develop a narrative of sufficiency in relation to corporations and the private sector? How de we develop a narrative of nurturing, support, solidarity and responsibility to each other in relation to our social service institutions like health, education, and welfare - things like that, and how do we develop politics of compassion in environments where the political system is dedicated to privileging & advantaging some while subordinating and disadvantaging others? So that’s another project - how do we develop a new narrative? This is where art comes in! All good art has to have humanistic integrity. Artists are always speaking ‘truth to power’ their idiosyncratic yet vital musical, visual, theatrical, literary truths.”

I’ve often pondered myself “what if” mainstream media offered a much larger palette of peaceful and positive examples of human expression, would our world be a better place for it? I tend to think so. Perhaps it’s similar to “we are what we eat”, a healthy diet normally equates to a healthy body, and so it goes with what we feed the mind.

Life’s Influences: The Choices We Make In Life, and Why

Curious about how we get to be ourselves, what influences from the inner to the outer combined make us who we are, I asked Dr. Clements for some insight on his own pathway of peace.

“There is a strong, powerful, family influence here. I think the fact that my father was a conscientious objector fated me to be a lifelong peace worker. He went through a lot of personal deprivation & suffering, and spent three

years in detention which was a big weight on his shoulders after the war as conscientious objectors were subject to a lot of post war opprobrium. I think my father’s detention legacy gave me an appreciation for fairness and justice. Then there was the sadism on the part of teachers in primary & secondary school. I was constantly beaten at secondary school. This was common during the fifties in schools in New Zealand and Australia. I remember early on feeling discomfort at the way institutions were far from peaceful and often - certainly for boys schools - quite coercive & violent.”

love

courage hope

“My father was a prison chaplain, and on occasion prisoners would come and work in our garden. I would sometimes talk with them and realize what impossible environments they were born into. Many had been beaten as children, they had no positive nurturing, their stories of personal abuse were appalling. I can remember thinking there was an injustice in the way in which the world dealt cards to people. I remember as an adolescent thinking about the whole business of suffering and pain, and how unfairly it was allocated. These were formative moments. Then there was the familiar stimuli - opposition to nuclear testing, opposition to nuclear war, trying to do something proactive around developments and justice on an international level. I coordinated a large international campaign here called ‘One Per Cent Action for International Development’ way back in the 1970’s. This was aimed at NZ meeting its 1% targets for International Development Assistance. I’ve always been suspicious of security agencies and things like that and led the opposition to the Security Intelligence Service Amendment Bill and was on the Canterbury Council for Civil Liberties.

So I’ve always combined my peace interests with human rights, civil liberties, and a strong justice and fairness perspective.

My life and career have been largely unplanned. Everything I have done in life has prepared me for the next stage. Valerie and I went off to the Quaker United Nations International Office in Geneva. I took two years leave, and that was a break from academia. I realized then there was a whole other world out there and I could work in that world, so things took off from then on. When I came back from Geneva I had an opportunity to work with the New Zealand delegation to the 1985 Nonproliferation Treaty Review Conference and that gave me a good sense of how bureaucracy and decision making worked on things like arms control and disarmament . I came back to New Zealand during the antinuclear period & I was actively involved in that with Helen Clark & others. After that the Peace Research Centre came up at the ANU in Canberra and that seemed like an interesting opportunity. Then John Burton who was one of the Founding Fathers of the new field of Conflict Resolution suggested I go to

Washington and so off I went.

Each phase has been a preparation for the next. It almost seems as if there has been some “destinarian dimension” to it. I haven’t been pushing at doors, they just seemed to open and I’ve waked through them to whatever opportunities have presented themselves.”

Professor Clements on introspection: “It’s funny how you lapse into semi religious language when you are talking about life. Its interesting how people become a source of “grace” or a source of inspiration. Looking back on my own life, it has been very profoundly shaped by what others have given me. I often wonder exactly what value I have added anywhere. I must have added something because people have been willing to entrust organizations and projects to me but my biggest achievements have really flowed from bringing the right sorts of people together around sets of common problems.

My big regret when I look back on my life is how obnoxious I was in my twenties when I thought I knew everything. I was so persuaded by the rectitude of my own opinions and ideology. Now I regret that I wasn’t

able to think less dualistically and more in terms of multiple truths. I think a consequence of aging is that you become more conscious of multiple ways of understanding the world. Each one embodies its own particular truth. What tended to happen in my youth was I would gravitate to people who would by and large share my own prejudices, world views, and biases, and the rest of the world becomes negative “other” rather than an other that needs to be attended to and listened to with as much openness and time as possible.

Retrospection and Lessons in Life

Opening the mind and heart... A process...

The big challenge of aging/saging is how to keep yourself open to multiple perspectives and be more generous towards others? Aging gracefully means learning how to handle your diminishments, make sense of your life in the company of others and see others through ‘adolescent and curious’ eyes. To do this well is a vital part of successful education and a commitment to life long learning!”

Not surprisingly, shortly after this interview the New Zealand Peace Foundation honoured Dr. Kevin Clements with the 2014 Peacemaker of the Year Award - an award his own father, Reverend Clements, the first Director of the Foundation, helped create over 40 years ago.

For more information on NCPACS:

http://www.otago.ac.nz/ncpacs

and

Kevin’s Peace Musings:

http://kevinclementspeaceandconflict.wordpress.com/

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I came across this piece by His Holiness The Dalai Lama and it seemed a fitting companion for this story on Dr. Clements - Man of Peace, Justice & Compassion

NEVER GIVE UP:Never give up;

No matter what is going on, Never give up. Develop the heart;

Too much energy in your country Is spent developing the mind, Instead of the heart.

Develop the heart. Be compassionate;

Not just with your friends, But with everyone. Be compassionate.

Work for peace; In your heart, And in the world.

Work for peace. And I say again, Never give up.

No matter what is going on around you, Never give up.

(sourced from)

The Dalai Lama Foundation

His Holiness The Dalai Lama came to visit Dunedin in June 2013 and met with Dr. Clements and staff of Otago University.Left to right: Professor Mark Henaghan Law, Professor Kevin Clements, His Holiness The Dalai Lama, John  Ward - Chancellor, Professor Harlene Hayne Vice Chancellor and Sarah Todd PVC International

Opposite page: Long shot of the Stupa situated on Hereweka consecrated by His Holiness The Dalai Lama tohonour the the founding Lama The Venerable Geshe Dhargyey of the Dhargyey Buddhist Centre in Dunedin.

Photography Caroline Davies

Photo Credit Above: Courtesy University of Otago

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Sophie and Sophie - Superb SopranosSophie Morris and Sophie Sparrow are both in their fourth year studying Classical singing at Otago University. They are both beautiful in spirit and heart, and extremely talented. One fortunate afternoon, whilst waiting for a ride home after a meeting on campus, I decided to kill some time in the warm and intimate Marama Hall and watch a lunch time student concert - a double header - by Sophie M and Sophie S. I had no expectations of a grand show, it was a lunch time recital. I’m not a critic ~ I am one who loves music and I was appreciative of a warm and cozy place to wait for my ride and be entertained at the same time. That, in of itself, was all good!

Both young singers will be the first to say of themselves that it takes years of dedication, discipline, practice, and they have a long way to go before they fully

mature in their technique and voices. However, even with that noted, just as they are, their performances were beautiful. I couldn’t help but be with them all the way as each clear and pure note emerged. From the get go of their recitals, they had won me over as an audience. I thought surely they might fluff a note here and there, and if so, I would be there to catch them like a kind and comfy cushion, but there were no off notes, their inner tuning was refined and spot on. I was utterly uplifted and transported out of the mundane world by their beautiful voices.

They were accompanied by Tom McGrath on piano (the same Tom who is The Verlaines’ keyboard player) who was as cool to watch and listen to as Sophie and Sophie. Classical guitarist, Marcus Turner, also accompanied Sophie Sparrow on one of her songs as well.

These two gifted young women with distinctive personalities and styles share a little bit about themselves over the next pages.

Article and photographs by Caroline Davies

Below: Link to lunchtime concerts for the week.http://www.otago.ac.nz/news/events/index.html?category=Music%20%26%20Performance

Left: Marama Hall, Otago University

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S o p h i e S p a r r o w

Where are you from and where did you grow up?I’m from Whangarei and grew up there. I was born in Dargaville but moved to Whangarei at age 2.

What attracted you to Otago University?I came down here because of the renowned singing teachers and coaches. I also had friends Kawiti Waetford and Maia Vegar from up north that were down here and they said that it was an incredible environment to train in singing. The University culture here was also a big selling point as it is a very student oriented city and every thing is walking distance, so no need for a car.

What other subjects are you studying/and or your favorite subjects besides music?I’m also doing a Bachelor of Commerce majoring in Accounting.

What influences in your life brought you to the world of opera?I began singing training at age 8 with Lisa Abbott, I just started out singing musical theatre, folk songs, sacred songs – only light music. I was entering competitions from this age and as you get older the song categories change you and you start singing harder repertoire such as classical song. At age 14 my singing teacher moved to New Plymouth and I had to make the decision to stop singing or continue with her teacher Joan Kennaway.

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And so I did, Joan was then the influential figure that grew my love for classical/opera music. I sung a lot with Opera North, a non-professional opera choir run by Joan and Rick Kennaway in Northland, and this expanded my knowledge of classical and musical theatre repertoire. When learning with Joan from 14-18years I completed many singing exams with Trinity College London and in my last year of school 2010 I received ATCL (Associate of Trinity College London) with distinction. This was a great achievement and it confirmed my decision to further my training in Classical Voice at the University of Otago. I began training at uni with Isabell Cunningham for 2 years and now I’m training under Frances Wilson from Auckland.

Which roles are you looking forward to singing that you haven’t yet? My dream has always been to sing the “Queen of the Night” from “The Magic

Flute” but that’s a long way from now. It will take a lot more training to get the voice needed for the role. A song that I’ve always wanted to sing is ‘Glitter and Be Gay’ from Leonard Bernstein’s operetta Candide.

Do you have a personal preference for contemporary or classical composers?    I don’t have a preference. I listen to all different styles of music and it always depends on what mood I’m in.

Do you enjoy singing other styles of music? I love musical theatre, jazz, and operetta.

Do you play any musical instruments - which ones if you do?I’ve never learnt another instrument but I taught myself a bit of guitar and piano when I was younger.

I was at a cross roads, I thought I couldn’t possibly sing without Lisa, she fueled my passion and love for music. But she said she had given me all she could and it was my time to move on and learn with someone with more experience.

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What do you like to do for fun when you are not rehearsing/studying/training/practicing?I play hockey for University, I play a bit of badminton and spending time chilling out with my friends. Anything to do with the outdoors is what I want to be doing in my spare time; hiking, running, swimming, camping, the beach, water sports, fishing and I love to travel and the sun. The only problem is that my main hobbies are weather related and as it’s so cold down here a lot of my hobbies have to wait for the summer.

What are your plans after completing this year?That’s still undecided as I still have a year of my Accounting degree to finish but if I do that, I’ll stay down here and continue singing training in my spare time and possibly do some shows.

What is your life's dream in regard to performing/music?My dream is to perform on stage as my

job whether it is in classical/opera, musical theatre, operetta or jazz. The bigger the stage the better!

Are there any thoughts you would like to share about your perspective of the world of music and opera? It’s a long hard road, you have to be committed and really want it. If you perform to your audience and make them feel a part of your performance, the audience will enjoy the show ten million times more. It’s not just about technique, its performance and appearance as well.

Do you have any thoughts to share with aspiring young singers coming into university to study? Work hard, it’s not an easy road. Make sure you have a balance of work and down time, no one can work at 110% 100% of the time. Don’t be so hard on yourself, you’re not going to get it straight away because we’re all still growing and never listen when someone tells you that you should have

nailed the technique of classical singing in a few years. We don’t come into our own until our late 20’s. And finally, trust your teacher and communicate with them, their experiences and knowledge will guide you through but if you don’t communicate with them they can’t know how your feeling or what you need as a student!

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Sophie Morr i s

Where are you from and where did you grow up?I was born and raised in Dunedin by my mother – a Radiologist, and my father – a sports medicine doctor and GP – I grew up in Opoho with my two older sisters and attended Opoho Primary School then St Hilda's Collegiate School. I had a major interest and involvement in music and dancing, studying ballet, modern jazz, ballroom, flute and piano.

What attracted you to Otago University?The great reputation of the classical voice performance programme and teachers and the university as a whole. Also, I had two older sisters who both attended Otago University before

me – one studying Medicine and the other Geography and Science Communication and both had good experiences there. 

What other subjects are you studying/and or your favorite subjects besides music?I'm also working towards a Bachelor of Commerce majoring in Marketing, and am taking Italian classes in my spare time. 

What influences in your life brought you to the world of opera?In 2008 I met opera singer Patricia Payne who began teaching me. She and her husband David really introduced me to the world of opera through their amazing experiences and wealth of knowledge and ignited that passion for me.

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When did you start singing on stage?My first real experience of singing was aged 10 in my first year at St Hilda's when I was encouraged by my parents to audition for the production of 'The Sound of Music'. I was chosen for the role of 'Gretl', the youngest of the Von Trapp family, supposedly because of an “eager young talent” and “innocent looks”. This sparked my love of singing and being on stage, and after this I began singing lessons with Gladys Hope.

What do you like to do for fun when you are not rehearsing/studying/training/practicing?When I'm not rehearsing, training or practicing I really like keeping fit. I trained in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu for many years and achieved black belt in this discipline. I now like to spend time at the gym or going for walks or runs. In the summer I go waterskiing and fishing at Lake Hawea, and in the Winter go snow skiing in Wanaka (I was a member of the Wanaka Alpine Ski Racing Team while at school). I also love listening to music and exploring other genres, as well as

reading and keeping in touch with friends and family.

Do you like playing with other styles of music?I used to sing musical theatre as well as classical before my studies at University and performed principal roles in a number of productions such as 'Tiny Tot' in 'The Wizard of Oz', 'Queenie' in 'HONK!', 'Gertrude McFuzz' in 'Seussical', 'Sharpay' understudy in 'High School Musical', 'Sandy' in 'Grease' and 'Cinderella' in 'Into the Woods'. I still love to sing musical theatre and contemporary in my spare time and would like to have a play around with jazz. 

Do you play any musical instruments - which ones if you do?I played the flute for many years but stopped due to not being able to sing and play at the same time! I play a little piano but would love to learn to play guitar properly.

What are your plans after this year?Right now I’m focusing on completingmy Honours Degree and exploring my

“I have always loved singing, but never saw myself as a singer or having any talent until being chosen to perform in 'The Sound of Music'. I actually had no intention on auditioning but thanks to the persuasion of my parents that worked out pretty well!”

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(continued) my options after this stage. I still need to complete my Commerce degree but will of course continue to sing.

Who are your favorite composers and what are your favorite operas?There are so many wonderful composers and operas it is so difficult to choose! But these are some of my favourites that I would love to sing and if I could ever sing on the world stage it would be an absolute dream.

One of my favourite composers is Puccini – I absolutely love Madama Butterfly and would love to be able to sing Cio-Cio San. Her aria 'Un bel dì, vedremo' is one of my favourites of all time. I have seen the opera performed here by NZ Opera and also saw it in London last year and am totally in love with the role and the opera as a whole. Another Puccini opera I love is Tosca, and I always come back to a recording of Maria Callas singing 'Vissi d'arte' to remind me why I love opera so much. More Puccini I enjoy is La Bohème and would love to be able to sing Mimi.

Which roles are you looking forward to singing?A role I would especially love to perform would be Cleopatra in Handel's Giulio Cesare – I have sung some of her arias and they are all simply stunning. I actually justified buying a singing gown based on the fact that it looked “Cleopatra-esque”!

Mozart is a wonderful composer – I have been learning some of the duets from Cosi Fan Tutte so that would be great fun to play one of the sisters. Another wonderful Mozart role would be the Countess in Le Nozze di Figaro. Another big role I am taken by is Verdi's Aida. I sang in the chorus for Southern's Opera's Aida in 2010 and have always loved it since that.

Those are all pretty heavy roles and require powerful voices. On the lighter side I have sung some of the spirited Ännchen from Weber's Der Freischütz and think this would be a wonderfully fun role, as well as Tytania from Britten's A Midsummer Night's Dream.

“I absolutely love singing, performing and having the ability to bring joy to others. My ultimate dream would be to be able to sing as a full-time career all over the world, therefore seeing the world and doing what I love at the same time.”

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I love listening to Strauss, and this year have been singing some of his Lieder which has been great and a most stunning duet from Der Rosenkavalier. This year I have enjoyed looking at Schoenberg – someone whose music I would have never expected to sing! And have been working on both some of his romantic and more atonal music which has been great fun. I have been lucky enough to have been learning some of Pamina from Mozart's Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute) for a production of Die Zauberflöte – Magic Flute Moments with the Otago University Music Department. I also saw this opera last year in London and I think Pamina would be a wonderful role to play.

Do you have a preference for classical or contemporary composers?Not particularly. I love classical music and have gained much more respect for it and understanding of the depth to it since learning a lot more through my singing studies and studies at university. Some of these are absolute masterpieces and the work of a genius. I am impressed by contemporary classical music which pushes the boundaries – I

Do you have any thoughts to share with aspiring young singers coming into university to study and train?It really takes a lot of hard work and dedication - you need to look after your health and fitness and be totally committed with your learning but if you have a real love for it then you need to take the chance and go for it. We are lucky we have so many great teachers here in New Zealand and need to make the most of the wisdom that is here.

You will meet some amazing people and form special friendships and relationships based on your shared love of singing and performing that I believe will last a lifetime and all over the world as people travel off on their own exciting journeys. With singing you have the ability to bring joy, touch people and share a very special gift. I also believe that through training in singing to this level allows you to learn skills that help with all aspects of life and other fields, so even if it doesn't become a full-time career for everyone these skills can still be carried and utilized.

might not enjoy listening to this so much, depending on the approach but I think some is fantastic and I find it fascinating to learn about. And I definitely love a lot of contemporary popular music and have a super soft spot for folk rock and many other genres so yes, it just has to be good quality wherever it comes from, and obviously we are all drawn to different types of music through our own preferences and what we think is good!

Your thoughts on strong and meaty roles for women in opera? Do you find the roles offered for women satisfying?I think there some great strong roles for women in opera such as Bizet's Carmen who is a brave and stubborn seductress and of course Handel's Cleopatra who is extremely intellectual and powerful. Even if the role might be written for a lighter voice there is still power to this such as Tytania, the Queen of the Fairies from A Midsummer Night's Dream who is a proud and sassy defiant. So yes I think there are plenty of satisfying roles for women, reinforced by the strength, stamina and ability required to perform such roles.

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S o p h i e S p a r r o w Sophie Morr i s46

Springtime Blossoms ~ Otago University CampusPhoto Credit Caroline Davies ©

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Otago Peninsula Photo Credit Caroline Davies ©

Our Food Network: Up Close and Local

Our Food Network calls to mind the essence of “local”. I think of local food as part of the cure for the world’s energy and carbon problems. I think of local food as a system to support the local farmer, the local market, local employment, fresher food without life extension preservatives and processes, and a scaling down of waste. I think of the reduction of oil used to transport food across borders and the world, not that I don’t think we can have treats and specialties on occasion, but for the nitty gritty every day simple unadulterated good fresh health and life giving food, “local” comes to mind. Local Food is intrinsically tied in with the Local Resilience movement and also includes positive and cooperative relationships with neighbouring regions, particularly in times of unpredictable weather patterns.

I’m interested in Otago’s food resilience and awareness movement, so when I noticed there was going to be a Local Food Forum coming up, I was keen to know more about the people and groups involved, what their thoughts are on the subject and wondered if we were on a similar track. There was a diverse group of people attending - The Mayor (Dave Cull), some City Councilors, farmers from permaculturists to industrial size and all those in between - small farmers, organic farmers, large land and stock holders. I couldn’t make the date, but I signed up for their mailing list and finally caught up with Andy Barratt, one of the organization’s creators, for this interview.

Catching Up With Andy BarrattStory and Photographs: Caroline Davies

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It is well worth being on the emailing list sent out by Andy Barratt of “Our

Food Network”! This is one organization that has the intention of

bringing as many individuals and groups together to stay tuned to

what’s happening with local food in the Dunedin area.

Andy Barratt fills me in: “The aim of ‘Our Food Network’ is to bring together the diverse groups of people in the Dunedin and surrounding areas from producers to distributors to consumers by creating a central network. A place of connection, news, knowledge, and information sharing. Two Local Food Forums have been held so far. One was in November of 2012, the other in August of 2013, and a third forum will be held on November 1st, from 11 a.m. to 3pm in the Dunningham Suite at the Dunedin City Library. Those involved in the forums have realized there is a tangible place for a formal network to be established.

There is an awful lot going on with all sorts of groups of various sizes from local to national organizations, from formal to informal, but no real way to make a huge amount of information and data available, so this is where Our Food Network comes in.

Our Food Network is also interested in finding out as much as possible on what is motivating people to be interested in local food. “If we’re going to see local food become more and more central to the way

we live, then we will need to deal with the challenges that lie ahead. Local food has to be a part of the way we think and operate in our lives much more than it is now.

The good thing about local food is when confronted with all of the problems that we face, like peak oil and climate change amongst other issues, local food is something where everybody can be pro active right now, even if it’s a small action, you can be ever so sure that you are not doing any harm. Local food gives us a basic sense of self empowerment, and at the very least, if you are digging your garden you are getting some healthy exercise and probably growing something that is going to be of benefit to you, your family, friends and neighbours. That for me is the motivation for local food.

I came to Dunedin in 1977 from England and there were no supermarkets here at that time. It’s been amazing to observe the cultural change that has taken place over nearly forty years. You can take heart from that, because if it can change that quickly then it can change in another way that quickly as well.

Andy Barratt

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‘Our Food Network’ is open to people from all walks of life, and welcomes the opportunity to discuss different points of view, particularly when it comes to what local food means. It certainly opens up the potential to learn from and understand different perspectives and needs. “I believe Our Food Network needs to be a place with different points of view. For example, if you are interested in local food from the point of view of well-fare (in the proper sense of the word) you aren’t necessarily interested in local food as a means of having a successful business enterprise, they can be completely different things. They can work together but they don’t necessarily do so.

The Network is a place where we can disagree with each other without being divisive. We spent a long time setting out our principles and objectives, and one of those principles is openness to anybody at all.

I think the new venture with the Dunedin City Council looking into food resilience is very important because they can talk to people as varied as the Federated Farmers to the Chamber of Commerce. This enables people to see we aren’t at odds with each other about everything.

We are also very interested in identifying where the gaps in local food are. Two of those are having

more people produce foods at the small to medium scale, and the other how to distribute and sell it. We are slowly building the network, we want more people to be a part of it, and will have a presence at the farmer’s market in the future.”

‘Our Food Network’ has no formal set up per se. It is purely a group of interested and caring people with some vision toward the future who have decided to offer ‘Our Food Network’ to and for our own local community!

Next Forum: November 1st, from 11 a.m. to 3pm in the Dunningham Suite at the Dunedin City Library

For more information on Our Food Network email Andy Barratt at asbarratt@gmail.com

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OUR FOOD NETWORKOur Food Network is based in Dunedin. Its aim is to stimulate the production, distribution and consumption of local food and in that way contribute to the building of a resilient and prosperous community.

BACKGROUND

The Network had its beginnings in two Local Food Forums held in Dunedin, the first in November, 2012, and the second in August, 2013. On each occasion it was evident that there is a broad constituency of interested parties, including home and community gardeners, small-to-medium-scale commercial growers, food distributors, academics and welfare agencies. Equally clear was the belief that there is a place for some sort of agency to convert that considerable energy into a powerful combined force for change. Our Food Network was set up to provide that agency.

PRINCIPLES

• Openness

The Network is open to anyone with any kind of interest in local food. Although it is based in Dunedin, it sets no physical “boundaries” for its operation. It encourages informed debate and discussion about the many issues – social, technological, environmental, political, economic and ethical – concerning local food provision in our communities.

• Sustainability

Like similar groups around the world, the Network sees itself as having a crucial part to play as we strive to adapt to the multiple challenges we face in the twenty-first century. The Network is committed to the belief that a strong local food system is essential to our continued well-being in an increasingly uncertain world.

• Community

The Network is dedicated to the promotion of community as the basis for a resilient society. It is a “grass roots” organisation which embodies the idea of a responsible citizenry.

• Food Rights

The Network believes all people have the right to decide what they eat and that everyone should have access to healthy food that is locally produced.

OBJECTIVES

• Connection

To provide mechanisms for individuals, organisations and businesses to share information, ideas and resources to build a strong, collaborative, local food network.

Our Food Network’s Principles from the Network’s Creators

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To facilitate communication and coordination of local food related activities amongst network members.

To liaise with other local food networks throughout the country.

To share information about local food developments around the world.

• Engagement

To promote conscious participation in the local food system by producers, processors and consumers by encouraging and advertising activities such as positive food procurement practices, redistribution of excess food and easy identification of local food products.

• Production

To support all food producers (from commercial operators to backyard and community gardeners) by helping to break down any barriers to increasing the quantity, quality and diversity of local food products.

• Prosperity

To increase the significance of local food in our regional economy by promoting the interests of businesses (new and existing) involved in the production or distribution of local food on a commercial basis.

• Education

To ensure that we all have access to the knowledge we need to grow, process, store - and value – the food we consume.

To promote the benefits of producing and consuming local food within our communities.

• Research

To encourage academic study of all aspects of our local food system and make the findings of those studies available to the wider community.

• Advocacy

To engage with authorities at both regional and national level on issues relating to the sustainable production, processing and distribution of local food.

• Social Justice

• To support agencies working to ensure equitable access to food.

• Celebration

• To celebrate the production, distribution and consumption of local food.

To promote or endorse events which enhance our local food culture.

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An introduction to Jason Ross:from the editor: I first came across Jason Ross through trailings of written material fortuitously found at Dunedin’s organic hub and store, Taste Nature. It seemed that every time I needed to know, find, or understand something pertinent to permaculture and growing food in a completely different climate to Southern California, Jason Ross’ information would magically appear at exactly the right time. I had never gardened in a climate like Dunedin’s and was all too aware that even in a relatively small region, there are microclimates within that general environment. I unexpectedly came face to face with Jason one morning whilst shopping at Taste Nature just before my husband and I were about to create our own mini fruit tree orchard. Rather than just go out and buy what we thought might work, we hired Jason to come over for a consultation first so we would have an understanding of what would grow well on our small West Harbour property. There’s nothing so disappointing after getting all excited about buying a new plant, or tree in this case, because you love it and fancy one (or some), only to find that

once you’ve paid for it, planted it and nurtured it a bit, your spot isn’t the plant’s spot. We figured Jason would save us a substantial amount of time and money by identifying for us the best varieties of apple, pear, plum and peach for our often wind whacked clay packed coastal piece of eden we were planning to create. An added bonus was Jason owns his own well established mail order nursery specializing in organic heritage trees and we appreciated having a great source for those right on hand. As well as that, we had Jason and fellow permaculturist Rory Harding over to rescue our 80 something year old plum and apple trees miraculously, but barely, surviving years of neglect, smothered and choking in a thick blanket of voracious ivy and badly in need of a prune from old dead branches. We had hefty quotes given to us from some other tree people who thought it would be much easier and best just to just cut them down. Jason and Rory did a stellar job with a stellar attitude. It was heart warming to see they were not just on a tree trimming or chopping job, but they were there on a mission to save the trees and found joy in doing so. Jason Ross has a calling and we felt lucky to find him!

J A S O N R O S S H A B I T A T E P E R M A C U L T U R E

Jason Ross Above. Habitate: verb. to live in an abundant, beautiful and ecologically sound landscape.

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H A B I T A T E a n d P E R M A C U L T U R EWr i t t e n b y K o r e n A l l p r e s s

P h o t o g r a p h y b y C a r o l i n e D a v i e s

Down In Edin Magazine sent contributing writer, Koren Allpress to have a visit with Jason Ross about his thriving Waitati orchard and nursery Habitate, as well as the importance of permaculture.

“Permaculture is about remembering our place in the world in amongst all the other creatures on the planet and looking for ways to create resilient systems that have long term benefits for the whole environment and all life forms that live within that environment. It’s about designing human habitats within a natural system that serves not only humans, but the landscape, birds, animals and insects as well.”

Jason became involved with gardening in 1997, when he took a year off from art school to go WOOFing (Working On Organic Farms) throughout Australia and New Zealand with his wife Kate.

His connection to permaculture came when he noticed there was an overlap between it, and art, drawing and design, and thought it was worth exploring further.

An aspect of permaculture that sets it apart from other forms of horticulture is its use of design principles. One of these principles Jason spoke about was using biological resources to try and find a biological solution to a problem, instead of one that consumes resources.

For example, if you were to plant a hedge around your garden instead of building a fence, the hedge would provide more benefits to the garden than just wind shelter, shade, or privacy it may also provide fruit, flowers, or food for bees. The trimmings from the hedge may produce mulch. Each element of the garden design must serve multiple functions.

The principles come from the shared knowledge that has been garnered from looking at existing ecosystems, observing how they work, and knowing that each has an intricate web of connections to other ecosystems while co-existing. Jason Ross ...”I enjoy the relationships gardening fosters with all living things; minerals, plants, fungi, bacteria,

insects, animals and people...” continued over...56

This page: Low growing comfrey as background page fill:Comfrey is a great fertilizer, the flowers attract bees and other beneficial insects, acts as a weed suppressant and is a hardy ground cover in shade or full sun.

Habitate also utilizes moveable chicken pens so much of the 0.6 Ha benefits from the chickens’s assistance with weed control, composting, helping to keep bug population balanced, and providing fresh organic eggs.

Habitate’s pip fruit trees and berry plants are certified organic with Organic Farm New Zealand

Above: Sally Beckett part of the Habitate team, harvesting seasonal greens late Sunday which are in Taste Nature first thing Monday morning.

One of the main focuses of Jason’s business Habitate, is to help people design their own permaculture gardens and orchards. He says it is frustrating to see well intentioned people plant trees that will not work well within the environment they are living in, and as a consequence the trees are unnecessarily “propped up by chemicals.”

Many apples sold in the supermarket are reliant on sprays, and are sold because they look marketable. “Whereas, when growing fruit from heritage trees, you may have an apple that looks like a potato but tastes incredible.”

During the industrialisation of agriculture, some of the nutritive value of food has been lost. Heritage varieties have proven to be much higher in antioxidants and flavonoids.

“Heritage” fruit trees were grown “naturally” (what we call organically today) by local growers from time immemorial. That is, before the onset of visual appeal primarily used in modern day marketing trends to sell in supermarkets.

Jason and others from the forward thinking and environmentally minded

community in the Blue Skin Bay area have recently created an open orchard of heritage fruit trees in Waitati. Although it takes a few years for them to mature and bear fruit, if planted appropriately for their area, and established correctly, fruit trees will give of themselves for decades. This is not only thinking about a community’s immediate needs, but also leaving a legacy of true abundance for future generations as well.

Ross says “the difference between an open orchard and a community garden is that even if the group who initiate the open orchard project move on, the orchard will continue to flourish and provide fruit for the area. A community garden requires constant attention and will stop producing food if it is left untended”.

The Waitati open orchard has about 65 heritage fruit trees in public spaces throughout the village that everyone is welcome to eat from. The group has adopted some existing trees, and planted new ones also. This includes apples, pears, plums, seedling apricots and feijoas planted in the best microclimates for each variety.

Jason adds, “you don’t have to grow your own food to think permaculturally. You can start by thinking about how you can engage with the people who grow food, such as those at farmers markets. You are voting with your money. There are food producers you can give your money to who are going to degrade the soil and eco systems, and there are food producers who are going to act in a way that will be beneficial to eco systems, growing food in a way that enhances the environment. It’s important for people to connect with the natural world and to have a sense that nature and the earth will sustain you when you take good care of it, which in turn, will take good care of you!”

Jason has a National Certificate in Landscape and Production Horticulture (Level 4 Advanced),

Certificate of Permaculture Design and Bachelor of Fine Arts.

http://www.habitate.co.nz/

Find Habitate’s fresh seasonal salad, parsley and coriander at Dunedin’s Taste Nature

http://www.tastenature.co.nz/

Opposite or next page: Habitate, nursery and organic farm. It is just at the end of winter, yet the farm is still yielding a healthy variety of fresh organic salad greens for Taste Nature.

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All in life is about relationships. One very important one is the one we have with food. Food feeds not just our bodies. How we relate to it and experience it affects how we feel in our hearts emotionally. Food feeds our souls through memory, it can lift our spirits and affect how we respond to what’s happening around us everyday while on this good earth.

For a heart-warming food experience I love to sit in the cozy courtyard of THE GOOD EARTH CAFÉ on Cumberland Street. They serve a variety of mostly organic and very deliciously scrumptious breakfasts and lunches seven days a week that are very much enjoyed by all those who eat in the inviting family-feel Good Earth environment.

It’s the people that make the place. Owner Jill Guy, her amazing chef Roz and the multi-talented staff at the café, provide an excellent service. Jill says that she feels grateful for the team she has. What each worker individually brings to the work they do and the way they perform their daily tasks is what ensures high customer satisfaction and that’s why business is thriving.

GOOD EARTH ~ GOOD LIFE

Photographs and Story by

Pauline Durning

Above: The Good Earth Cafe 765 Cumberland St, North Dunedin

Above: One of Dunedin’s and much appreciated colourful murals, creates a cheery atmosphere in the courtyard at the Good Earth

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THE GOOD EARTH team, proudly present a creative evolving menu featuring a range of fresh, seasonal produce ensuring you experience all that food can be. It’s tasty, attractive, satisfying and good for you.

I asked Jill how she found the place and her hard-working skilled staff. Her story about how the café came about is one of uncanny synchronistic events. The university supported her with the development of the beautiful building they occupy. The support from the community and other foodies was overwhelming. They were encouraging and freely offered advice. They seemed equally keen to see Dunedin benefit from another like-minded service that contributes to healthy living and to the Dunedin community.

As for her motivated friendly staff Jill says, “They find us!” Like-minded people would arrive just when she needed them almost gravitating to her instinctively. This is a place with high expectations where a person can work with integrity and feel their contribution is valued.

THE GOOD EARTH CAFE practice recycling and all the food scraps go either to feed chooks or pigs or to the compost heap. These and other good practices are just part of the teams ethos in support of a cleaner more sustainable lifestyle. Jill and her team hold high regard for “the good earth” in more ways than one.

I suggest you call in. The building is beautiful; the people friendly, helpful and keen to make your day through good service and excellent food. THE GOOD EARTH is about people. A service provided for our mutual benefit. The team is there for us and their efforts come to nothing if not enjoyed by us the customers. Gratitude works both ways. That’s what a healthy and positive community is about. That’s Dunedin. Enjoy!

Jill GuyOwner of the Good Earth Cafe

Good Earth Cafe765 Cumberland Street

North Dunedin03 471 8554

Opposite the entrance to Otago Universityand overlooking the Rugby North GroundPark

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Kelly Lindsay has a passion for creating hand crafted pure beers. He also has a passion for looking into ways his award winning company based in the heart of Dunedin can be more sustainable. Green Man’s Doppelbock Beer, matured with whiskey oak, won the Bronze Medal for excellence at the New Zealand International Beer Awards in 2008, and the company was a finalist in the “Unpackit” Packaging Awards for 2013 in the “Best Packaging” category. The Green Man works hard at keeping his bottles out of land fills by reusing them as much as possible and works with the Dunedin based “Smart Bottles” Company (smartbottles.com) where the glass bottles can be recovered, commercially washed, and reused. The label comes off easily in cold water. Green Man Brewery is as pure and natural as a beer can get, batch brewed according to the Bavarian Beer Purity Law of 1516. The basic ingredients use only water, malt,

hops and yeast. Great news for those who are health conscious and prefer their beer without added chemicals, dyes, sugars and preservatives. Ingredients are sourced from as close as Canterbury for the hops, malt, and yeast and the only imported ingredient is the German malt for their Stout. Green Man Brewery also offers a few varieties of specialty brews with an added a touch of tequila or ginger.

Enrico Gritzner is Green Man’s German Braumeister who has a four year degree from the Doemens Academy in Munich and over 21 years of brewing experience around the world. Kelly started with one brew, and it all grew from there. Now there are six core styles, plus seasonal beers.

The company is expanding. Green Man can be found in stores throughout New Zealand, is just about to be distributed in Australia and looks like it will be going to China as well.

The Kiwi Green ManKelly Lindsay

and His Hand Crafted Brew

Photo credit above and story: Caroline Davies

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Tours of the brewery at 9 Grange Street, just around the corner from the Farmer’s Market and Dunedin Railway Station, are held on Saturdays. You need to book, so call at least 24 hours beforehand.

Kelly Lindsay and Michael Koch can be found on the upper platform at the Saint Andrew Street end of the Otago Farmer’s Market each Saturday come rain or shine.

http://www.greenmanbrewery.co.nz

A recent addition to the Green Man’s company is a delicious and as pure as it can get hand crafted liqueur “Simply Devine” created by Michael Koch. These special liqueurs are made with a sensitive and respectful understanding that what nature offers us already can’t be beaten by adding preservatives and chemicals. They have been created with a lot of love and care.

Exotic flavours like Rose, Macadamia, and Manuka Honey, as well as Plum, Apricot, Raspberry, Feijoa, and Hazelnut can be found at the Green Man Stand at the Farmer’s Market or directly from The Green Man Brewery shop on Grange Street.

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Overlooking the Otago Peninsula out towards Taiaroa Head from Larnach Castlewhich also boasts beautiful gardens, cafe/restaurant, and excellent accommodations.

http://www.larnachcastle.co.nz/

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The Otago PeninsulaA Snapshot Overview Around the

Peninsulaphotography ad story by caroline davies

On a planetary scale, one might think of the incredibly beautiful Otago Peninsula as a rather small micro dot on the map, but once your feet are on the ground, the places to behold and feel moved by seem vast and endless. My first feeling response to the Peninsula was a romantic one, I felt that the combination of the southern light, the dynamic weather changing from moment to moment, the hillscapes, cliff edged farms dotted with sheep here and there, black swans, penguins and albatross in their chosen habitats, with the unruly wind constantly invigorating and cleansing the air, were all part of this feeling as well as panoramas quickly changing from bucolic to wild and rugged. Then there was the night sky, the sunsets, the weather beaten rock formations, a tempestuous cold ocean rolling and heaving up from Antarctica to meet the shoreline, the constantly changing tides that enable one to walk out into the middle of the harbour and peninsula inlets at times. I was taken by the idea that this jut of land so seemingly small from above has a direct line down to Antarctica. It was “us” with nothing else in between as the crow flies. I loved there was only a big hill, more or less, between our rented holiday cottage where we lived for almost six months and the ice clad continent where the South Pole lay. Some of the landscape harkened back to childhood

days spent on the south coast of New South Wales in Australia where my mother and I would roam about places not too unlike this, leaving my father to his “rock fishing”, his own time of solitude and meditation, to which I would always breathe a sigh of relief when we would find him still there and not washed out to sea by some unforeseen and freak wave. I fell in love with the Otago Peninsula and think it is one of the most beautiful places in the world. Its beautiful in its own way and there is nothing to make a comparison about or feel a preference for anywhere else, it is its own beauty. It is Godzone indeed and that space of being can easily be accessed and felt the moment you stop, take in a breath of fresh air, look at the light and the views, and listen to the tune of nature.

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It is only in a large volumed book, or detailed film that one might be able to fully document the intricate landscape of the Otago Peninsula jutting off the east of New Zealand’s southern coastline directly out from Dunedin. If you visit Dunedin for a quick visit or holiday, you will probably find yourself visiting highlights such as The Royal Albatross Centre at the tip of the Peninsula by the mouth of the Otago Harbour, or stopping by Penguin Place to view the shy yellow eyed penguins late in the evening when they return from a day in the ocean. You might visit Larnach Castle, New Zealand’s only castle, or take a lovely walk through the magical Glenfalloch Gardens. Macandrew Bay is a great place to stop for lunch, and Portobello is where you can find the track to climb the iconic Hereweka and glean wide views of the whole peninsula.

These places are wonderful and worth the time to experience. However, if you like to get off the beaten track and go a little beyond, these photographs are a very small glimpse into the heart of the

Peninsula. Folded into the base of the hills are Hoopers and Papanui Inlets, there are protected low lying wetlands, Allans and Victory Beaches amongst others are stunning, and the dirt covered roads winding their way along the edge of the water and curving up into amazing places like Cape Saunders, The Chasm and Lovers Leap are breathtaking.

If you are visiting Otago for the first time, I recommend you dress with layers. The climate here can change rapidly. A sunhat that won’t blow away with the wind for summer, or a woolly cap to keep your head and heart warm for the winter. The sun is surprisingly intense if you are from the Northern Hemisphere, and if you are a photographer the contrast between light and shadow is far more than you would be used to in many other parts of the world. Always make sure you have plenty of petrol so you can roam freely, and because there might not be a petrol station to find. And always make sure you have plenty of water. There is not always a connection for

mobile phones either, so don’t mind any of that... that is what makes this part of the world still beautiful and a rare precious gem - a place to get away and clear your head, heart and mind. Oh, and it always takes you longer to get where you are going, so give yourself plenty of time to soak up the scenery and vibes of this magnificent place. Don’t forget to check the tides, for it is during low tide that you will be able to spend the most time on the peninsula’s poetic, romantic and soul stirring beaches.

There are two roads, more or less, that take you from downtown Dunedin to the Peninsula’s end. The high road, and the low road. The high road is Highcliffe Road, and takes you by Larnach Castle, and Portobello Rd, the low road sits snugly along the water’s edge meandering through small villages with cafes and art galleries in Macandrew Bay and Portobello. There is also a cafe at the Royal Albatross Centre. Both are stunning drives.

...continued page 76...

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Otago Peninsula overlooking Allans Beach and Hoopers Inlet on the walk to The Chasm and Lovers Leap

Photo Credit: Caroline Davies ©

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Vistas from The “High” Road Journey

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Portobello Road running alongside Otago Harbour - “the low road” of the peninsula

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Views of Mount Charles, Hoopers Inlet, and Allans Beach from the Hereweka walking trail. Lambing season is sometime from August to October and not all walking tracks in the area are open. Click here for more details

Victory Beach. One of Otago’s stunning beaches. The easy 45 minute or so walk from the parking lot will take you by wetlands, farms, the fabulous geologic formations the Pyramids.

Views of Mount Charles and Hoopers Inlet from the top part of the base of Hereweka.

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Going out to Allans Beach and Hoopers Inlet

Top: Looking back from the road to Allans Beach at Hoopers Inlet and HerewekaLeft: From the road to Cape Saunders, Papanui Inlet

From Allans Beach Rd from Portobello viewing another side of Hereweka71

Papanui Inlet from Cape Saunders Road

Overlooking Victory Beach from Cape Saunders Rd, a particularly moody and poetic late afternoon

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Hoopers and Papanui Inlets with the Pyramids faintlyvisible in the misty background

Farms reaching the sea shore, on the drive to Cape Saundersoverlooking Victory Beach and Papanui Inlet below

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A view looking across to Portobello early morning from the West Harbour

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The last traces of winter as Spring emerges warming the enchanted Hereweka

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continuing from page 66: There are plenty of places to stay. The Peninsula is abundant with B and B’s of all different kinds, prices, and levels. We rented a fabulous holiday cottage, Porterfield’s Lodge for almost six months in Harwood right on the water’s edge whilst we were looking for a house to buy, it had everything you could possibly need and it was close to these precious places off the beaten track. We would drive to the Otago Farmer’s market early every Saturday morning for our fresh food and other supplies, and I was constantly astounded at how fantastic the drive was. The high road or the low road, it didn’t matter, both are as beautiful as can be. All of it is quintessential, breathtaking, New Zealand beautiful!

Good resources for the Peninsula: A couple of places to stay, a trail guide & other information provided by The Dunedin City Council:

Porterfields Lodge in Harwood a fully self contained holiday home on the water’s edge

Hosts Susan and and Neil Johnstonehttp://www.porterfields.co.nz/ld.aspx

Hereweka Luxury Eco AccommodationHosts Anna Moore and Peter Cooke

http://www.hereweka.co.nz/

Otago Peninsula Tracks provided by Dunedin City Council

http://www.dunedin.govt.nz/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/165209/Otago-Peninsula-Track-Brochure.pdf

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Sunset after a storm, the view out to the Otago and West Harbour from the front of Porterfield Lodge

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" Do your little bit of good where you are; its those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world."

Attributed to Desmond Tutu