Wicked 2 - too many moving parts...

 

I forgot to mention that during the WIPCE conference, I took my elder two to watch the highly anticipated second movie in the Wicked series. I had already (spoiler alert) predicted that the Wizard was Elphaba's father (the writer in me), which my children didn't agree with initially.

Having watched the movie in the city movie theatre, complete with reclining chairs, it was a let-down for me. I missed the amazing songs from the first movie, and I found there were 'too many moving parts', i.e., lots of subplots that took away from the simplicity of the first movie.

I did, however, read that in its first week, it was still a box office hit in the States with many anticipating fans wanting to see whether the second movie would live up to the hype of the first movie. I didn't think so but many others might disagree with me.

Instead, I'm now looking forward to watching the eagerly anticipated third movie to in the Avatar series. I'm really interested in how the storyline will develop as the family moves to another space/place. I'm finding more time to do the things that I enjoy now that the holiday season is just around the corner...

Back home to Aotearoa NZ...

 

It is nice to be back home, with so much to do as we come to the end of the year. I have dinners to attend to, planning for next year and lots of marking to complete.

I also have unpacking to do (firstly) and to catch up on things at work, as we had a major restructuring that was quite a shakeup for many staff.

The pic shows the airport arrival area when we have cleared the transit area and are moving towards the Duty Free and Passport/Customs area.

The Gateway is quite significant culturally, as a Māori welcoming area symbolic of having a powhiri (Māori welcoming ceremony) that I often observe at work. It also depicts carvings of significant historical or symbolic figures. Sometimes, as you walk through, you can hear the karanga (a special welcoming call of a Māori woman), which is a reminder that we are entering historical Māori land as tangata whenua (people of the land)...

Birthday specials in Fiji...

 

Yesterday was my birthday celebration, and in Fiji, they do it with style! We had a countdown (NZ time), and two younger children made a black forest cake, which was amazing to find in Fiji.

We then all went for a family package massage or facial. Four of us chose the one-hour massage, which was simply divine, especially since I fell asleep during mine while my youngest smiled as she also had a massage alongside me.

We then went shopping in Nadi township, and I was able to pick up a few tapa (material) shirts, except that my beloved wanted what I call an 'ugly' shirt.

After that, we swam in the longest pool in the South Pacific at our Wyndham resort on Denarau Island and had an enjoyable time with a beach ball.

Finally, we got ready for our dinner and fire show just in time for my birthday, and that was so great to be able to see the ocean whilst dining with the family. 

The staff sang me a happy birthday song, and we had birthday cake, which we then gifted to the rest of the staff. We already had cake at home, and I also received another in-house birthday cake gift and a towel set, which was another treat. Really felt spoiled on my birthday.

The fun didn't stop there as we then got ready for Karaoke. I had my song ready: Michael Jackson's "Rock with You". I was number three on the list and danced to the beat.

My husband then sang one of my favourite songs called "Sosefina" except I keep asking who's Sosefina? (an inside joke :). It was an enjoyable time, and there was much laughter as many guests sang but were (a little?) off-key.

The highlight of the night was that our two youngest decided to sing "Kiss me through the phone", and it brought the house down with their dance moves and antics. It was such a laugh that even the staff were dancing along. It was such a laugh, as they were so loud (and mostly in tune, ha ha), and it was neat that we were buzzing on the way to our rooms and watching the recording.

Gonna miss Fiji as it's our special spot for R&R rest and relaxation, and they never fail to me us feel at home. Lots of families were holidaying here and especially from Australia, although there were a few Kiwis (New Zealanders) too. Vinaka Fiji we will miss you until the next time Lord willing...

Wedding Anniversary Dinner of 24 years together...

 

Yesterday, I went to a church service beside the pool and next to the open ocean that you see in the pic. It felt like a place of serenity I needed to go after a hectic year, and as I neared the end of my nemesis journey with my PhD.

The message of the day was that we were created to do essential things for which we were gifted. Or rather, that was how I interpreted the Fijian preacher's sermon.

I was joined by other New Zealanders and tourists from around the world. It was amazing to see how that moment of quietness was just what I needed to realise the hectic year I had been through.

Now I can just relax, whilst in Fiji, and take a well-deserved couple more days' respite before returning home to a load of marking and finishing the recruiting for next year's class. I'm enjoying our soft approach to enjoying our days with a family massage package this afternoon, before our Anniversary dinner tonight.

These last couple of weeks have been amazingly blessed with many people from all over the world interested in our family bookstall. The picture book sets were the most popular, with many interested in poetry (oops! thought I'd had enough to sell but sold out) and considering to continue selling at our local markets back home too...

Bula vinaka from Fiji with intergenerational family...

 

Bula vinaka from Fiji! Yes, you heard it right, as I'm currently in Fiji with my family of five. Initially, we had six travellers, but our eldest needed to stay for summer school to finish off her law degree.

It's an intergenerational party, with my mum, my beloved, and our three children. I've enjoyed visiting Fiji over the years as I got married there with my beloved and our close family, friends and some who just wanted to come along for the ride.

We are also going to be celebrating our 24th wedding anniversary on the 24th of November and my birthday the following day.

Today I got to spend time at a morning church service by the sea, and it was a real blessing too. It's one of my favourite holiday break destinations as they truly know how to take things easily.

We're considering going to the Spa to have a body massage or facial, and quite possibly a boat ride to a nearby island for a quick, enjoyable trip.

There's definitely so much to do that I don't think there's going to be enough time to do everything and just enough make it enjoyable.

Another reason we're here is to celebrate my thesis finally approved for examination. This is daunting as I did do things a bit origin in not wanting to follow standard academic western thinking paradigms and will soon find out what the three examiners think of it i.e. one from Samoa and two from NZ.

Safeguarding measina a Samoa Presentation at WIPCE conference 2025...

 

It has been a whirlwind week! Firstly, with completing my WIPCE presentation (30 minutes) on Thursday, I elongated my 10-minute presentation accordingly.

The auditorium was packed, which was quite surprising for me, as I had expected only a few people to attend on the last day of the conference, but many were interested in the topic. I took a pic for myself to remind me of the venue, etc.

I was also honoured to be able to share some of my journey in safeguarding our Samoan cultural treasures, and gave some tips from my study journey and also from my work in my Samoan and indigenous communities, supporting our communities in their lifelong intergenerational learnings.

It was my first International conference presentation, so I was pleased and blessed by the many questions asked, especially those who came to see me before and after my presentation to share ideas at our family bookstall. It was quite overwhelming and very humbling.

I'm also blessed to know that my well overdue thesis was approved by the wānanga (Māori tertiary higher learning institute) to go to examination. This is such a miracle, as it has given me hope to bring this part of my journey to an end and see where it takes.

This is super exciting, as it's been a 7-year journey (part-time) since 2018, and now I'm awaiting the verdict of three examiners: one from Samoa and two from New Zealand. It's a creative, practice-led thesis, distinct from the usual academic theses, as I wanted to challenge mainstream ideas about what constitutes valid indigenous knowledge and ways of doing.

Let's see if my examiners agree with my approaches as a diaspora Samoan, i.e., one living outside the 'homeland'...

Opening at WIPCE with book stall...

We're finally here at the WIPCE World Indigenous Peoples Conference on Education. It was the opening day with a powhiri (Māori welcome) and a parade of nations with 26 nations represented at the Conference.

We have a family bookstall at the conference, with my family members helping to man it (the white peaks are the roofs).

It has been so interesting with so many people visiting from around the world. I've met with Native or First Nations peoples from Canada, the USA, Hawai'i, New Mexico, Australia, Germany, Kiwis, etc.

It's been interesting to have so many people interested in my books, and I, in turn, encourage many of the indigenous educators or visitors to try making their own and sharing their resources with others as well.

This first day was a full day for me, our eldest and my beloved as we manned the stall from 11am until the Festival closed at 9pm. I couldn't wait to go home, have a bite to eat and also to do some marking as I still have marking to do before going overseas on Friday!...

 

Gearing up for WIPCE 2025...

 

Yesterday evening, I went with my middle child to the compulsory stallholder's meeting in readiness for the WIPCE conference called "Te Ao Pūtahi" Festival.

At the meeting, we were told that with the 3,000+ delegates arriving in the next 2 weeks in readiness for the conference that already it boasts being the largest conference that New Zealand has ever hosted.

In looking at the conference programme, it is jam packed with so many events and offerings to attend. I've already decided on some of the events that I'll be attending but I'm also attending to our stall of selling books and answering any questions that readers have.

We're starting to consider what we'll be packing in for our stall and the different products that we'll be offering as well as checking out what other stalls are offering too.

This is getting really exciting as it's the first international conference type setting that I'll be selling my books at and I'm very grateful to the conference organisers for accepting our application to be present at this auspicious occasion.

I'm also grateful that I have my family there with me as it's a family business. In fact, on the last day of the conference where I'll be presenting, the next day we fly out to Fiji for a bit of R&R after a crazy year and especially with my birthday on the horizon...

2025 Kaitiakitanga conference complete...

 

This weekend has been so busy with our in-house conference with students presenting their models of bicultural practice in supervision.

There were six rooms operating with a speaker in each and we had 31 students presenting a 20 presentation. I was so proud of the many who were able to stand and share their visions.

The mini kava bowl that is on the desk in the foreground was a replica of a very large Tongan kava bowl indigenous story that the speaker wove into her presentation with a gift as a souvenir for the markers.

In fact, there were so many indigenous stories that I was privileged to hear about which both was encouraging and satisfying to learn about.

After the conference we had a conference dinner complete with speeches and a lot of happy and relieved students. I think what was so encouraging for me was the transformations that had taken place during class times from the very start with some hesitancy and then to full confidence in their created models of practice.

As an educator, it's a space that I feel very blessed to be in to support the dreams and visions of indigenous peoples for their families but also in partnership with non-indigenous peoples in being able to work together to make this world a better place...

Conference preparations and lanyards...

Not only am I getting ready to present at the WIPCE conference but am also getting my students ready for their in-house conference presentations this weekend.

That's me busy completing the lanyards today, I mean what is a conference without lanyards right? I think it's supposed to make you feel important and 'official' when arriving at a conference with lanyards so it was really neat to be able to let my creative side go to town.

It's all on this weekend with an opening on Friday morning with each presenter picking up their conference pack with lanyards. 

Then the conference proper starts on the following day, on Saturday, starting with a powhiri or a Māori welcoming ceremony at 8.30 am. A cup of tea afterwards with the first presenters starting at 9.30 am and the last at 3.30 pm.

Each presenter has a 20 min' slot to discuss their model of practice and then there is time for the markers to ask questions or clarify things. Afterwards, the whānau or family including friends whom they've invited to watch their presentation can also make comments and then their time is complete.

For this weekend we are having a conference dinner at 6 pm whereby the presenters are able to bring along a +1 or one other guest and then we have a pre-Christmas-like dinner. Some speeches from the valedictorians will be delivered and then we complete the evening with a poroporoake which includes final comments and a karakia or prayer.

It's going to be a very busy weekend with so much going on so I'm really looking forward to Sunday evening when all is complete and then I can relax and put my feet up for a bit before pacing to the next event...
 

Another books.by/pacific-hibiscus...

 

books.by/pacific-hibiscus

This is another offering as an updated reprint on our online bookstore for Pacific Hibiscus. I'm so 'over the moon' that I'm now able to offer books to overseas readers that are 'print on demand'.

It's definitely a lot easier than having inventory with storage needed. This way it's a lot more easily accessible and cuts out all of the running around for me as an Indie-publisher.

I would be interested to know, for those who do decide to buy online what the experience is as I'll also be testing and ordering some online to see how it is for me.

I'm also considering to also Indie-publish on this website a long-awaited novel that I wrote some years ago for my second master's degree in creative writing with AUT Auckland University of Technology.

It's called "Catch him when he falls" it was initially over 100,000 words a longer novel with different perspectives, but I've since separated the perspectives to have a novel for each one. But that's another story and looking forward to the outcome by Christmas.

Meanwhile, I'm enjoying being able to offer this book online through our bookstore on Books.by and looking forward to adding so much more over the weeks leading up to Christmas. Yet another new journey and looking forward to new opportunities...

books.by/pacific-hibiscus...

 books.by/pacific-hibiscus

We've finally done it! I now have an online bookstore especially for overseas readers who have been asking to buy my books online (oops! not eBooks). I mean real books, and it is a print on demand service which makes it seamless and easier to be sent directly to your mailing address. 

So how it works is that you check on the hyperlink above which takes you to the bookstore called "Pacific Hibiscus". You can then view the books that I have available, only one at this stage with "Maui and Sina" Pasifika play kicking it off. If you decide to purchase, then follow the cues and it will print and send it out to you.

I hope to have more titles to add over the summer as we have a lot of work to do to update some of the books that have been out of print and also to add other details that were missing at the time of the first print.

I am so glad to finally have this option for readers as it's been quite difficult trying to sort out this part of our book business. As it's a family business with my children and younger sister involved in different aspects of the book process. From drawing or painting covers to re-typing and updating the older books. It definitely keeps us busy.

However, our New Zealand book service still continues with books printed for conference stalls and places I'll be speaking at in the future as I have a few conferences that I'm looking forward to attending in the not too distant future and starting with the WIPCE World Indigenous Peoples Conference on Education next month at Auckland's Aotea centre. 

With so much to do and so little time, please do check it out our new online bookstore called "Pacific Hibiscus" with more to be added in the coming weeks before Christmas. You're also most welcome to add a book review to my Goodreads.com profile too which would be greatly appreciated...

Newest updated cover for 10th Anniversary reprinting of "Maui and Sina" Pasifika play...

 

This last week I've been busy at sorting out the reprints on the 10th Anniversary of Indie-publishing back when it started in 2015. I had a conversation with a representative from Pacific Business Trust on 23rd January in 2015 that so inspired to me to start, and I haven't stopped since (except for during the COVID-19 pandemic).

Three months after that first conversation, I self-published "Sina and the Tuna" as my first picture book and later in the year, my first Pasifika play called "Maui and Sina" that I first wrote back in 1994 in my 20s.

The pic shows an updated version of the cover as I wanted to stay with the original lino that my eldest had carved out. With her permission, I painted acrylics in adding the bright coloured background (to make it pop!) and the rest was history.

I also stayed with the layout as "why change something that isn't broke right?" plus it was in appreciation of my eldest letting me use her artwork when I didn't have anything already set. 

These are some of the books that I'm getting ready for the WIPCE conference stall that I have there at the Aotea Centre in Auckland city where it's held from Sunday 16th November to the final day of the 20th of November when I'll also be presenting at the conference.

I've also since paid my eldest a commission (because I hadn't back in the day - oops!) and she was wonderfully surprised. As I do the same thing when I have permission from my younger sister to use her art for my book covers and a show of appreciation for their artistic artworks.

I'm now considering reprinting the other two books that form a trilogy of my first three Pasifika plays  i.e. "Tagaloalagi" is the second play with "Su'e the lost son" as the final book of the three. My eldest will also be paid commission (in retrospect for the two covers of both books) and will also work on the layout in similar fashion. So much to do in so little time! roll on Christmas...

Preparations for WIPCE conference & stall...

 

It's going to be a busy month, next month with a WIPCE conference presentation, and stall at the conference selling books at the Aotea Centre in the Auckland CBD Central Business district.

One of two books that I'm currently working on reprinting is "Sina and the Tuna" which is my most popular bilingual picture book.

"Maui and Sina" was written back in 1994 and was a popular play that high schools are currently asking for as it is a recommended reading for Year 9-10 Drama set for the new English Curriculum in 2027.

Both books are in the process of preparations for reprints and an updated dedication with the loss of my late father. I know he would have been so proud of my efforts as he attended all the book launches that I had whenever he was in the country or in Samoa. 

I know he was quietly pleased but always wanted me to remain humble about my achievements. Although it was the inspiration of both my parents that I was able to bring my dreams into fruition due to the tenacity that they both had in letting us dream big.

It's also the 10th Anniversary of both books as when I started self-publishing or Indie-publishing as it's sometimes called. In that first year of 2015, I released 5 books in that first year and I strategically wanted to start with "Sina and the Tuna" because that was the first 'tala o le vavau' story from ancient times that my parents first told me. It was an acknowledgement of my parents and my Samoan ancestors. 

In now preparing to present at the international WIPCE conference on the final day with the theme of "Linguistic and Cultural Revitalization through Creative Arts and Media" I'm prepping and looking forward to enjoying the experience and walking in new opportunities....

Rainbow's End Fun times...

 

On the weekend, my youngest went to our local resident amusement park called "Rainbow's End" for their night rides.

We went earlier in the year and just loved it so that when she wanted to go with her friend for a birthday celebration there was no problem.

My favourite ride is still the Log Flume (you can check it out in an earlier blog) where you hop into a hollowed-out log-like structure.

Then it takes you around floating on water with indoor and outdoor scenes. There are also lots of different themes and right at the end there's a long drop. So, you've gotta be careful if you're sitting in the front seat cos you could end up getting wet.

I picked my youngest up after the ride and she'd had a ball (fun time!) with her friend and their family. She's wanting us to go again during the next school holidays, but we'll see cos there's so much going on before Christmas that I'm not sure if we can squeeze it in but you never know!...

Colourful Vans and Colourful Fans!...

 

Yesterday, after some study in my office with my eldest, we left and picked up a bite to eat from a local eatery.

Recently, I had been aware of lots of flags showing up outside homes in front yards, mostly Tongan and Samoan showing national pride or fans' pride. 

This also indicates that there's probably a big televised Rugby or Rugby league match just around the corner.

However, on our way home we saw a group of colourful vans parked up at our local town centre. There were seven in total and each with their own unique colour and parked next to each other as if to make a statement of solidarity. Some were sporting Samoan flags and stickers at the back of their vans showing the car/van club that they belonged to.

We couldn't help smiling in asking where else would you see such colourful vans basking out on a cloudy day? Well only in South Auckland where people can appreciate the colourfulness of our culture and "get-it!" cos not everyone can "gets-it!". 

I think it had to do with a Rugby League game between the Kiwis and Toa Samoa. I only found that out in googling the topic because unfortunately only my late dad and my beloved watch/ed sports and I'd only dip in with the occasional interest.

I also think it's a lead up to next week's match between Tonga and Samoa (googled), and I know when the Tongas have parades and show up to matches, they take it to the next level. So this is probably going to be a lead up to something big. 

It's usually complete with cars driving around of following a leader displaying flags with pride in their respective islands beit Samoa or Tonga. Then there's a lot of honking and loud Island music playing. There's also a lot of cheering and laughing. Yeap! adding a Pacific flavour to our NZ sports...

"Smashing Machine' movie...

 

Last night, I went on a date night with my beloved and thought to go watch Dwayne Johnson's latest movie called "Smashing Machine". It's based on a true story of Mark Kerr who was one of the first USA fighters to make it big in MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) in Japan back in the 1980 - 2000.

My beloved bought some pizza (a first for me in the movie theatres) and a large fizzy which I knew I wouldn't be able to finish and then we settled into our recliner chairs cinematic viewing. Right from the outset there are a lot of fight scenes and although I've watched a lot of male macho movies with fight scenes, this looked particularly graphic.

Perhaps it was because in the early days of MMA they were still working out the rules and eye gouging, knees to the head and other moves that were banned in other sports. I particularly didn't like the loud background songs and some of the background music in scenes were so jarring.

Apart from that, I thought Dwayne Johnson's acting was superb, except I couldn't get over the way that they did his makeup prosthetics around his eye area, it just didn't seem right. He showed a lot of vulnerability with crying scenes (oops - belated spoiler alert) and I couldn't help but feel sorry for him with his self-absorbed girlfriend.

At the end of the movie, the actual real-life Mark Kerr has his cameo scene buying his groceries at a shopping place and then leaves in his large twin cab truck. He never recovered from some of his injuries and pain killers was a very real part of his life with addiction.

We came out of that movie feeling a little lack-luster in that the movie in a sense was a tribute to him for how he started in the sport but then through all of the dramas he was going through he wasn't able to reach that pinnacle again - although one of his good friends did. 

I think it's more of a man's movie and that's why I took my beloved with me as sometimes the graphic violence seemed real but too much for my taste. Over all, it's in the middle ground for me and Emily Blunt's acting as the girlfriend was pretty good too. Just not a movie for me...

Chocolate leis and celebrations...

This week, I went with my family to celebrate the PhD scholarship that my beloved received from AUT. It was an interesting event with people from many different backgrounds.

However, before we travelled there, I supported my middle child in making a bunch of what used to be called lolly leis, except that these ones were made out of mini chocolates.

I shared about the history of lolly leis (which I might have already blogged about earlier). I remember as a child, my mother and other ladies would make up lolly leis for those going to Samoa whenever we went to the airport back in the 1970s - 1980s.

It was interesting back then because that was the only place that I would see it. I also remember taking them to Samoa and seeing children enjoying themselves as NZ lollies were a treat back then.

I was interestingly surprised when I took my then young children to a South Auckland primary school and watched as children would go up to pick up their prizes, and their families would go and put on lolly (or chocolate) leis. 

I saw how much my children appreciated this all the way through to high school, where they continued to do so and now at University, they do the same thing with their friends who appreciate it. So we've become something of a machine when it happens. 

It was also interesting to see how much has changed, with Tongan women taking it to the next level with their neat designs akin to weaving. It's not a phenomenon unique only to New Zealand, as I've seen it in videos from Hawaii and the United States, though some people go to the extreme of consuming whole blocks or bars of chocolate. Let's not even get started on the money leis!

Now, it's more about celebration and chocolate; lolly leis have become a symbol of celebration in many Polynesian cultures. The funny thing is that although it is often given to one person, that person then distributes it to other people. It was the same when we went out, and I was given one, and then I passed it out to someone who didn't have one (that's because I had some when making it).

So let's give it up for the lolly/choc/money leis that have evolved and now are in the space of celebration and showing up whenever Pacific peoples are out there. Especially with the cheehoos that I heard my children shouting out when they saw their dad receive the award then added the choc leis!

Irregular gym workouts that work...

 

Yeah, that's me hitting the gym, although it's probably the other way around with the gym hitting me. I'm currently on the go with a lot happening in my life.

I have my first international conference to present at next month in Auckland. I haven't checked out the venue yet, but it's somewhere in the city.

Not my usual go-to, but I'm finishing up some studies, marking my students' work, and getting them ready for their end-of-year conference on the 1st of November.

The gym is a distraction when I take my youngest to swimming lessons during the school year (we take a break during the holidays), but I can squeeze in an hour-long workout.

I hit the treadmill, do a three-set split between two machines or free weights, then quickly do floor exercises and then off for a shower, or go for a swim (float) downstairs or off to pick up some food.

I feel truly blessed to be able to do the things that I do, and I count it as a blessing as I remember the days when I was at Uni, working out at the gym three times a week, and wondering what the future would hold when I left the academy.

Being able to give back in different ways has been a blessing. The books provide me with opportunities to speak at schools and offer advice and encouragement to students in their studies. That's through the volunteer service of "Inspiring the Future, Aotearoa", which I highly recommend, having met some really interesting careers and people who share their stories with students.

I wish I could spend more time in the gym, but for now, the irregular schedule works, and I'm not complaining, as there's still a lot to do before the year ends. Wishing you, the reader, a fruitful end of the year too...

10 Pin Bowling & Family fun...

Last weekend, we went as a family to 10 Pin bowling to unwind and have some fun after a long working week. It was sponsored by my beloved, and we had a great time.

Our local bowling alley had us change our shoes to theirs to keep the polished floors unmarked. The pic shows the two types of shoes they had available, which was quite funny.

We played two rounds, with my beloved winning the first and me winning the second (or maybe not?). However, it was quite a laugh, as the pins sometimes decided to fall down by themselves before we even started bowling!

I really enjoy bowling because it's not as taxing as some sports, and it's a fun family activity with food and happy hour options. I'm not so into the eating as I'd rather eat afterwards, but I also like the music that's played in the background.

It's my go-to when on holiday and also for family fun, although Karaoke has recently become one of my family's fun activities. We have a large speaker with two mics, and we sing along to YouTube Karaoke videos on our TV screens. We have so much fun, and some of the songs are so fun too but that's another blog later...

WIPCE Conference pre-presentation at TWOA...

 

Source: TWOA Māngere campus

It's all happening, and the momentum is building. We have the WIPCE conference next month, with 10 of us sponsored by our workplace of TWOA or Te Wānanga o Aotearoa.

However, before we present at WIPCE, we've been asked to present our work via an online presentation. My talk slot is on the 17th of this month, so I have about another 2 weeks to get it sorted.

I first started on Tuesday by sorting out a draft presentation and then presented it to my online class as an example for them to consider, as they also have to present at our end-of-year conference. 

The presentation was only 10 minutes long, and I was able to complete it in record time, under 10 minutes. However, I spoke at a pace to ensure that all the material was covered.

However, in retrospect, I covered a lot of material, and as a result, I will be revising some of the content, as well as the presentation's look, from an artistic perspective, which needs an overhaul.

I'm encouraged that I'm not alone and that nine others are presenting; however, it is my first international conference of academics and indigenous peoples interested in educational development, and I want to ensure that my discussion is grounded in both.

For the next two weeks, I'll be focusing on ensuring that the information I cover is at its peak and that the presentation looks good (from an artistic perspective), accurately represents me and those I'm representing. Exciting but daunting...

Presenter at upcoming WIPCE Conference...

 

It's encouraging, but a bit daunting, that I'll be presenting at the upcoming WIPCE World Indigenous Peoples Conference on Education, which starts in mid-November of this year.

The mobile App is now published, and conference attendees can check out all the keynote speakers and their profiles, as well as workshop presenters like myself, and the many activities and programmes that will be running alongside the conference.

There are many indigenous speakers, presenters and practitioners from around the world. It is also indeed a privilege to be attending, as I, along with nine others from our workplace of Te Wānanga o Aotearoa, will be presenting during the week from Sunday the 16th of November to Thursday the 20th of November, which happens to be the last day of the conference and the day that I'm presenting in the afternoon.

The pic shows an example of the biographical information for each presenter. I chose to write about my indigenous roots in connecting with my parents' villages and my ancestral connections as well.

There is definitely some preparation that I need to make to ensure I'm ready for the 10-minute presentation, which includes 10 minutes for Q&A. That doesn't give a lot of time for information sharing which means that I have to be really pithy with highlights of main points. Wow! roll on November!...

Baron To'a movie...

This week, I had the opportunity to watch a Tongan movie (in English) that was very interesting. I watched it with my family, and we were surprised to find that we enjoyed it as the story unfolded. It was also notable to see an array of actors who were Samoan, Māori, and Tongan.

The premise is about a young man who returns to Auckland after spending time away in Australia. He's supposed to tie up the loose ends in selling the property that was jointly owned by his late father and uncle. However, there's a gang that has taken over the cul-de-sac, and his late father's belt is stolen by one of the gang members.

Interestingly, the uncle won't sell the house until the belt is returned, and the belt happens to be a wrestling belt that his late father earned when he was a wrestler. This story brought back memories, as my household growing up, we were wrestling fans and enjoyed watching Samoans wrestle like the late Peter Maiavea (Dwayne Johnson's father) in the early days of American wrestling. In fact, I remember my dad taking us to the Auckland City YMCA to watch wrestling matches when I was very young.

Anyway, I would highly recommend this movie, as it's shot in Mt Roskill, Auckland, which was immediately apparent to me. When my eldest went to check the movie's location, she confirmed that I was right. There are a lot of fight scenes, so I wouldn't recommend it for the very young, but it has an interesting ending...

Happy Birthday wishes to our eldest...

 

Yesterday, we celebrated our eldest's 23rd birthday with a family lunch. It was neat to have it on the weekend during the school holidays, then we could all attend.

Interestingly, she didn't want to go out for lunch, which was our preferred consideration; however, she wanted to have a shared lunch at home, so we did.

It was interesting to see each family member coming with either drinks, a roast, potato salad, surimi salad, three meats with seasoned rice, along with creamy mushroom sauce.

After lunch, we had a blessing service, she blew out the candles of her cake, and she cut the cake as our dessert (being too full from lunch). We also had a time of affirmations, focusing on two positive things to say about her.

After that, she opened her presents and each person had given her a personal gift. As an artist, she received art supplies, stationery, homewares, candles, and other items. She is currently completing her final year in Law school at the University, as well as recently starting a full-time job.

Afterwards, we had a great time with karaoke. We started with three teams of two people and then sang random songs. We had so much fun that when the birthday girl left with her boyfriend, the rest of us continued singing and laughing until we were all sung out...

Evening Dinner date in the central city...

 

Last night, I had a lovely dinner date with my beloved in the central city, taking some time out amid all the upcoming events until the end of the year.

After dinner, we went for a walk around the boardwalk area, which was approximately 3km long or longer.

The photo features the pool in the foreground, and in the background is the Auckland CBD Central Business District, with the Sky City Tower as the tallest building in New Zealand.

After that, we decided to check out Denny's Family Restaurant for dessert in Town, as my beloved hadn't visited there before. It was located almost opposite the Sky City Tower, and we could see it close by. 

It's great to take time out of a busy schedule to reconnect, enjoy a healthy dinner (non-alcoholic), and then take an even-paced walk around the city by the water - always calming and enjoyable without the crowds. Something to look forward to...

WIPCE Conference 2026 Programme...

I received the WIPCE World Indigenous Peoples Conference of Education 2026 a few weeks ago, but have been so busy with end-of-year classes that I haven't taken much notice.

I've now seen that I will be presenting on the last day of the conference during the Day 4 theme of: Linguistic & Cultural Revitalisation with Creative Arts & Media. The latter of which I am speaking to, but my presentation also touches on Cultural Revitalisation.

It's a little exciting but a bit daunting, as I have many other things to work on, which are priorities for my family, including upcoming birthday celebrations and events. Additionally, I have my teaching class with their end-of-year conference presentations, and I'll be presenting in front of my own colleagues on two occasions.

So there's going to be so much to get through before I even get to the conference. I already have an idea of what I'm going to speak about in my 10-minute presentation. Yes, that's right. It's a 20-minute slot with 10 minutes to present and the remaining 10 minutes for questions and answers.

Sadly, I only just found out over the weekend that I had missed another opportunity to present in Samoa for the Measina conference. This was particularly the one that I was looking forward to, as it is on the topic that I wrote my doctoral thesis on, but that's okay, as I was already inundated with all the work that I'm currently working on, which means that I have to wait another 2 - 3 years before the next round...
 

Beautifully coloured beads...

 

A big shout-out to my eldest, who, having seen my large collection of colourful beads, decided to have a go at making some beaded bracelets and mobile phone beaded decorations.

She had recently visited Sydney, Australia, with her beloved and came back with one as a gift for a younger sibling. It was shiny and beaded, which then gave her the idea of making some.

Well, of course, her friends were most appreciative to receive them, and I certainly enjoyed the two colourful blue-hued beaded bracelets that were gifted to me. 

But alas, they broke because I'm always busy doing something, and they were snagged and broke as a result. There's also a birthday coming up for her, and what do you think of buying? Yeap, you guessed it, a whole lotta colourful beads. 

I remember when I was four (I think I've told this story before), when I accompanied my mum to take my elder sister to start school. She was a year older, and I saw some colourful beads on the floor that I was allowed to play with. However, when we left, I kept dreaming about those colourful beads and couldn't wait until I started school so that I too could play with them too...

Forgiveness? or 'an eye for an eye?...

Every now and then, I take time out with a work colleague to share, read a bible passage and a devotional, then pray. Lately, there have been so many sad shootings that have happened in our nation, in America and wars between countries.

So what can we do about it? But pray. We often underestimate the power of prayer and sometimes even forget that it is a powerful weapon against evil.

Last week, with the shooting of Charlie Kirk, a Christian and political figure whom I had known nothing about until the day he was shot. It was sad to reflect that someone could take the life of another just because they disagreed with their ideas, philosophies, etc.

But then again, that's how wars begin, with people's ideologies in wanting to have power over others. I'm definitely not a history buff, but it's sobering to know that the death penalty could come into effect for the alleged killer of Charlie Kirk.

"An eye for an eye" is an old biblical understanding, but in the New Testament, Jesus preached forgiveness, which is not an easy thing to do. It will be interesting to see how this plays out in the court of the state of Utah, which still has the death penalty, with the whole world watching, but especially sad for his widow, children and family.

The international news has shown how polarising his passing has been, particularly in America, but also in other countries, across the political and religious spectrums. Some were mourning and gathering for nighttime vigils, demonstrations, and walks of support, while others were celebrating, and some even lost their jobs as a result. 

I've also heard of revivals and large church attendance that fills churches to overflowing in some states of America and overseas. I remember how, similarly, in Christchurch, New Zealand, some years ago, a shooter entered a mosque and took the lives of innocent people. He is still in jail, and I remember hearing that the bill for his stay in prison would have easily been taken care of had we had the death penalty.

I often pray to let there be light in the darkest reaches where evil lurks and is willing to kill, steal and destroy in overpowering the vulnerable and the weak. Who abuse and take the lives of innocent children, women, those with disabilities and the elderly, etc. 

We are not helpless, and we do not need to despair, as we do have the power of prayer and can trust in a living God who has our backs and is delighted to welcome us to heaven. Yes, death is the end of our journey on earth and the beginning of another journey in the afterlife. Do not despair and pray!...

 

Panda Mart, in east Auckland...

 

Today, I went with my beloved, his sister and our youngest to a relatively new Supastore called "Panda Mart".

It's an interesting store in Auckland because it is a large store with a wide selection of wares at very discounted prices. 

Most were imported from China, and today, on the weekend, it was packed with shoppers, a day before Father's Day, which is tomorrow.

I appreciate the vast array of products and the numerous options available, unlike some stores that offer only a limited selection of homeware brands.

We mainly bought water bottles to stay hydrated, as they come in a variety of styles and colours to choose from. I also purchased some pens with 8 and 10 colour pens, mainly when categorising things - it really comes in handy.

Looking forward to my next stop by, as I still haven't had the time to really explore the store, but for now, Christmas presents and gifts won't be so hard to source with the addition of new products that they often advertise. Roll on Christmas...

"Inspiring Futures" Careers day...

 

Yesterday, I had the privilege of attending an "Inspiring Futures" event at an Intermediate school, which is similar to a middle school but with only two year levels of Year 7 and 8 students. It reminded me of the Intermediate school I attended many years ago, which I also really enjoyed.

There were about 300 students at the school and I was at a careers event whereby the students needed to guess what five guest speakers occupations were (including myself as an author/illustrator) although teaching is also my job.

It was an interesting morning as I arrived around 8.45am after a 45-minute drive to the school. After we introduced ourselves to each other, I found it very interesting in the careers that we each had, which included:

• an environmental engineer
• an economist at a bank
• a costume hire business owner
• a people-centred designer
• an author/illustrator (me)

We met the teacher in charge of the event, who was also the Deputy Principal, and followed the student councillors into the hall, where half the school gathered in their class rows, which numbered over 100 students.

They were then asked to consider 20 yes/no questions that had been pre-prepared to ask us. The student counsellors chose who got mic time, and these were some of the questions included with my responses in brackets:

• do you work with animals? (no)
• are you a business owner? (yes)
• does your job involve overseas travel? (yes: sometimes) i.e. book launch in Samoa or taking books to sell there, or American Samoa
• does your job involve making something? (yes)

We were taken to the boardroom while students deliberated on guessing the jobs or work involved in each of our roles. We then returned to the assembly hall, and students were given the opportunity to guess each of our jobs/work.

We were all asked to bring along props to assist as clues. They guessed the engineer as he was wearing a high-vis vest. The bank worker, they guessed, because she wore a bank logo T-shirt, but they weren't able to guess her actual occupation within the bank. They didn't guess the costume hire business owner, as she was wearing an amazing overcoat, and they thought that she was an actress or magician. They definitely weren't able to guess the people-centred designer, although they guessed the company that she worked for with her Business logo prop. 

When it was my turn, they guessed that I was an artist based on the markers I was shown, but couldn't make the connection with the laptop (those were my props). I then had to reveal to them my occupation, and then all the clues made sense to them.

We were then dismissed and had a cup of tea in the staff room, where we got to meet other staff members. I also had the opportunity to talk with a Māori teacher, and we recognised mutual acquaintances who worked at the Wānanga where I teach.

After the break, we were ushered back to the hall for group rotations, and I spoke to around 8-10 small groups of students. Some were interested, some were not, some asked some very good questions. It was also nice to meet some Samoan students, and I encouraged them in their studies, as well as other students. 

All in all, it was another neat experience, and I'm also glad that I was able to share a quick backstory about enjoying art and reading books when I was young. I'm glad that all that hard work paid off as I'm able to support others in their learning journeys and encourage authenticity too...

Netflix series "Building the Band" with fave SZN4...

 

One of the Netflix series I picked up while in Bali was called "Building the Band". It was a reality music competition that began with 40 people, all of whom were in a booth and couldn't see each other. They then had to individually sing with the others listening to see if, through voice only, people would choose each other to make up a band.

The interesting thing was that you needed to get at least five votes from the other singers, and some didn't make the cut and had to be sent home. It got even more interesting as there were only six spaces for bands, so people had to be strategic to quickly find a place in a band and then secure it.

Unfortunately, some people missed out and only the first six bands that were formed advanced to the next stage. At this point, they had to learn a song, and in performing it, they would meet for the first time, having originally met sight unseen.

To this end, there was a mixed band called SZN4, and they were my favourite among the boy bands and Girl bands. I didn't really know why they called them bands because they were more groups than bands, as they didn't play any musical instruments, so that didn't make a lot of sense.

Of course, with all reality shows, there are eliminations, and it was whittled down to my favourite mixed band SZN4, a boy band and a girl band. I'm not going to make any spoiler alerts except to say that my fave band came second, although their voices were No.1!...

Visiting Karma Kandara Resort in Bali...

 

One of the interesting 5-star resorts we visited in Bali was the Karma Kandara Resort, situated on the coast of Ungasan, perched on a cliff top with direct access to the beach via a cable car.

It was an interesting experience, described as a luxury resort with a gym, spa, and beautifully designed Balinese-influenced architecture throughout the property.

It was definitely a playground for both the young and old, with a predominantly European patronage, supplemented by guests from other countries. We had the opportunity to speak with one of the local Balinese managers, who had worked her way up through their local office to manage guest bookings, and she gave us a tour of the resort.

She explained that the golf carts were only given for the guests to use, and that the employees had to walk around the resort, which would definitely have kept her fit, as it was a sprawling property with a lot of steps to take to the restaurant perched on the cliff and overlooking the panoramic view of the infinity pool and beach below.

We didn't get to have a meal or drinks there as we were pressed for time to make our next appointment, which was dinner on Queen's Beach. It was a lovely meal with newfound friends, accompanied by mocktails (for me) and a scrumptious seafood platter.

Such neat experiences which encourages us to consider bringing our whole family next time for making many more memories in Bali...

Bali a land of many contrasts...

 

It's so great to be back home in Auckland, as we spent almost 24 hours trying to get back home after our flight was changed.

The pic is at Bali Airport, featuring its curved architecture in the roofing structure and the walkway that people have to follow to reach their cars, taxis, etc.

We certainly enjoyed ourselves, and we hope for a future trip with our children, allowing us to share the experiences we enjoyed with them.

I also learned a lot about the cultural differences and contrasts, for example, the 4-5 star resorts in comparison to the rice paddies and village compounds. The interesting offerings placed in various locations, with larger-than-life statues strategically positioned throughout the island. 

The temples were very interesting, and the numerous spas, Pilates studios, and wellbeing and/or meditation centres, along with the plentiful massage spaces and manicure/pedicure shops. I was also fascinated by the numerous tattoo shops, and when I asked if there were any special Balinese tattoos, I was told that they were influenced by tourism.

There is so much more to discuss, but suffice to say that it was an experience that I think was well worth the trip and also surprising in seeing an indigenous colony being so profoundly influenced by tourism to the point that it must be difficult in the love/hate relationship with what tourism has brought about on their island...

Relaxing during our last day in Bali...

 

Last day in Bali and taking it easy as we woke up to flight challenges from our AirNZ carrier, so we have now changed from a 6pm departure time to 10pm.

We've also changed carriers, originally AirNZ, which no longer flies directly to Auckland, NZ. Instead, it now flies to Melbourne with a 3-hour transit before Auckland.

We were told that it was due to a mechanical fault, so we're happy to change flights. Although it does mean that it will take longer to reach our destination.

That's okay, as my beloved had talked about flying the local airlines, such as Air Indonesia, Thai Airways and Singapore Airlines, which have good reputations for their hospitality on board. Now looking forward to seeing what it will be like flying with Air Indonesia Garuda Airways.

A big thanks to our children for sorting out the booking from their end in New Zealand, as it would have been more difficult for us trying to sort things out on this end. They also arranged for a later check-out time from the Villa that they booked for us, as well as a 3-hour lounge experience to hang out at the airport.

It will be neat to fly into Melbourne, but it will give my younger brother a rest from seeing us, as it's only 3 hours, and we won't be able to go out of the terminal, although we'll see. It's funny that we've been relaxed about the changes as sometimes you just have to go with the flow before saying goodbye to Bali...

Samoa language links with Balinese...

Yesterday, we visited another Bali Beach Resort on the coast, complete with villas and hotel rooms ranging from 1 bedroom to those accommodating many.

My beloved and I had lunch there, reflecting on how it's probably one of the world's top tourist destinations, with people from all over the world, especially many couples.

On our way back to the villa, we were driven by a local Balinese man, and we spoke about how interestingly similar some of the words in our Samoan language were to Balinese.

For example, the first 10 numbers of the Samoan language were very similar, as were the Samoan words for eyes, nose, mouth, ears, hands and also water. It was surprising as it confirmed for me that our ancestral map had travelled through South East Asia, with perhaps links to Bali, to still retain those words over the centuries. This was a surprising discovery that I hadn't been aware of.

This is our last full day in Bali before packing tonight to get ready for our 9+ hour flight back to New Zealand. It's definitely been an eye-opener, introducing me to many new ideas. Today, we're kicking back a bit but still up for a bit of last minute souvenir shopping for those back home and perhaps another 5 km walk, if we're up to it and then to enjoy our final day in Bali...

 

G.W.K. Statute tour in Bali...

 

Yesterday, I went on a Cultural Tour of the 4th largest man-made statue in the world, which is found in Bali. In fact, I was astonished to see it from the plane when we first landed in Bali. I asked around about it, which brought us to visiting it.

There was so much to this cultural tour that it reminded me of PCC or Pacific Cultural Centre in Hawaii. There were different packages to choose from, but we decided to keep it simple and opted for the 10K steps a day on this tour.

The statute is abbreviated and known as G.W.K. or Garuda Wisnu Kencana. It has religious significance as it is the Hindu god Vishnu riding his companion, a garuda.

The whole area must have been a limestone mountain, but unfortunately, most of it was carved away to make this monument and some other large sacred statues that were housed on the property.

Later on, that day, we went out with some new local friends that we had made, and had lunch on a beach called "Queen's Beach". We had a seafood frenzy and came back to the villa feeling very full and happy with the neat conversations we had along the way.

And then we happened on a very good local market at the GWK monument and bought some more souvenirs to take home. It was certainly a neat evening where we had started at 8am in the morning and returned back to the villa after 10 pm. Never a dull moment...

Best of Ubud: Private Guided Tour...

 

A huge thank you to our beautiful children who booked a private tour for us, 'Best of Ubud: All inclusive & Private Guided Tour'. I highly recommend it to everyone (although there is a level of fitness that I'd encourage) as it's all expenses paid (except for any extras you want to pick up along the way).

Firstly, we were picked up by our friendly local tour driver, Kruschev (Russian name after a prominent political leader, Nikita Khruschev, who visited Bali in the 1960s), in the morning, just after 8 am. 

For some reason, I thought we were going to be taken on a bus tour, but this was nicer. He greeted us and gave us bottles of water (although we'd packed and brought our own) as he said that it would be a long drive out to some village locations.

1. Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary: We drove for a couple of hours to the sanctuary, and there were already lots of tourists already there. What I found particularly interesting was that the monkeys were well cared for, with signs in place to remind visitors not to touch them. 

It was a long walk, but we decided to cut it short since we had so many other places to visit. I'd recommend taking good walking shoes, as there's a lot to see, with many international tourists from diverse backgrounds and languages.

2. Tegalalang Rice Terrace: This was an amazing sight to see as the terraces were on a high hill, and tourists are encouraged to walk around. My beloved and I got to take photos with local hats, and then I got to dress up and swing out from a ledge of one of the terraces. It was amazing! but also a little scary. The good thing was that I was harnessed in, especially when the guides asked me to let go! I recommend the swing for the not-so-faint-hearted. We didn't do the whole walk again because it was a long way around, and due to time constraints, we cut it short.

3. Ulu Petanus Waterfall: We went for another long drive to the waterfalls, and it was well worth it. To start, it was 90 steps down (and then you have to come back up). It was a short walk to the waterfalls, where lots of tourists were taking photos with koi swimming happily by. We went for another walk, but it wasn't so great on my shoes since it looked pretty slippery. We then turned back and went back to the waterfall, whereupon I dared my beloved to take a (cool) swim at/under the waterfall, which he did! It was a good thing I brought along a towel as he forgot his!

4. The Amartha Restaurant: After all of that walking, and it was after 2pm, we went to a restaurant and had a late lunch. I had another nasi goreng (flavoursome rice) with a tiny salad, 2 sticks of chicken kebab and a lovely iced tea and fruit. It was beside a rice paddy field with koi fish swimming in a pool beside our table. This was a pleasant rest from our hectic pace.

5. Tirta Empul Temple: This was a very interesting religious and cultural place to visit. I had taken a lavalava for such an occasion, but before entering the temple, everyone had to put on a sarong (I passed with my lavalava) and even men. I had become aware of the new laws that had been passed last month, with the expectation that tourists needed to be more aware of the cultural expectations at these sacred sights. Many tourists participated in the purification ceremony of the holy water. We instead went to visit the local markets there and did a bit of shopping. My beloved loves to barter, so we got some good deals, and for the locals too.

6. Cahya Dewi Coffee Plantation: Our final stop was at a local Coffee plantation. The guide there, called Karmi, took us around and told us a fascinating story about the secret recipe of their exotic coffee, which costs a lot more and is quite hilarious depending on how you look at it. We also got to taste some exotic coffees and teas. In the end, we did purchase one of her 'exotic' coffees, but we couldn't stop laughing over the story. The site was terrific, too, as it overlooked a large forest plantation below the store.

All in all, I would highly recommend this tour to everyone and give rave reviews for our driver, the coffee plantation lady, and the overall experience, which took us to places we would have otherwise missed. Never a dull moment and lots of laughs, steps (for those of us who count steps) as well as beautiful memories and tales to tell of our adventures...

Food, massage and adventures continue in Bali...

 

Here's an example of the local cuisine, and it's just up the road from our villa, which is centrally located to a lot of local shops, restaurants, the beach, clubs, bars, etc.

This particular place is called 'Hog Wild' and their specialty is pork. This was their hot ribs platter with salad and sauces. 

I tried their avocado drink, which was full-on, and it came with roasted corn. Definitely not for the faint-hearted!

Today we have an all-day tour that our beautiful children booked for us. It includes a temple visit, an activity involving monkeys, a cultural centre, a chance to swim, which I'm all ready for, and lunch. But I'll blog on that tomorrow.

It's also safe to say that we had a 60-minute massage and 'oh, my goodness!' I'm sure the masseur was having a full-body workout because it sure felt like it for me. My beloved was laughing, wondering if I could hack it. 

But after giving natural birth to three babies, that was a piece of cake! Still, I could feel the workout on my back the day after, so I wasn't joking about the effort she put in!! You've gotta experience it to believe it! And the adventure continues...

Soaking in the sun in Bali...

 

Believe it or not, I am here in Bali with my beloved. It's a birthday celebration for him, and our children booked an all-expenses-paid holiday at a villa close to the beach, restaurants and amenities.

It's amazing how we were just in NZ yesterday and after a quick 9+ flight, we're now in Bali. Party capital for some, but for us, it's taking it easy for some well-deserved (I say so myself) R&R (rest and relaxation).

We've already been on a morning walk along the beach coast, where there are resorts and villas galore. We also saw many people walking with their dogs and soaking up the hot sun, showing off some impressive tans! I've gotta say. I'm also taking some time to listen to my favourite music and loving every minute of this holiday so far.

We've already been swimming in our villa pool, which was so refreshing, and have been out to the restaurants for meals that have been super cheap and flavoursome compared to some NZ cuisine. Just a quick rest before hitting the road again and checking out some local markets. Just lovin's it...

Travelling to TWOA Hamilton campus for an awards luncheon...

 

During the weekend, I travelled to our TWOA Te Wānanga o Aotearoa campus to support two of my students and another from our campus who received a $6K Scholarship for the Postgraduate programme that I am privileged to teach in.

It had been over an hour, and a year had passed since I last travelled down to support five of my students who had received the scholarship.

We had a lovely luncheon with speeches and tikanga (cultural protocols) Māori, which were so encouraging for the many recipients who received awards. 

Some had Māori or Pasifika backgrounds, and it was beautiful to see them with their family members celebrating together. It was also neat to attend as a kaiako or teacher/lecturer to see them celebrating a significant milestone in studying for the Diploma of Bicultural Professional Supervision.

On the drive back, which was over an hour during peak hour traffic, i.e. the after-school run, I reflected on how I had been blessed with my father's vision and support from my mother to get a 'good education'. 

I've since been able to share that support with many other students over the years, encouraging them to pursue higher education, such as a Master's degree, and some even to the PhD level. It also helps to have a campus that is based on Indigenous Māori values and principles for future leaders...

Candle-making with Frangipani designs...

 

One of the neat things that I've always wanted to try is making candles. Last week, I took some time out of my busy schedule and did just that - make candles.

I've made several since then using 'melt and pour' soy wax, which is a lot easier to work with. I've also created style pieces like this particular candle, nestled as a frangipani, also known as plumeria.

It's one of my fave Pasifika fragrant flowers, which is very prominent in Hawaii but may have originated in other warmer climates and then with seeds transported to the Pacific.

I tested the candle and found that it doesn't leave any soot, i.e. that black residue often left by some candles, and it has a burn time of over 6 hours, so that's going pretty well.

I've also started experimenting with different waxy colours and fragrances, but I'm not yet going all out, as I'd like to keep the design and candle simple at this stage.

The neat thing is that I got to keep this promise to myself about giving it a go, as I remember having a Christmas candle that I received from friends during a Christmas trip to the USA and was gifted with a huge red candle that I kept for years, as it didn't seem to want to burn out.

Now it's my turn to make candles and have them ready as gifts for family and friends. It's also neat to pass it on to someone when they need a 'pick-me-up' so am working on a few ideas and enjoying this space when I'm not marking assignments...