Coromind

Coromind Magazine Issue 14

Full Audio Version

Read by Anusha Bhana, Fabian Roberts, Lana Garland, Leonardo Magri and Ross Liggins

I'm Sebastien Pan, a film and television composer, musician and artist. I’ve been calling Whitianga home since 2015, but my roots trace back to the eastern landscapes of France. Oui, oui.

Even if my main interest since childhood is music (and Chardonnay), art has always been…

Read by Fabian Roberts

Coromind Editorial - Issue 14, 2024

Read by Lana Garland

One enlightening oldies experience in my life is having been involved with Whitianga Continuing Care. My Dad moved there from Auckland in 2003 after a quadruple bypass (one of the less enjoyable possible consequences of growing old), and later, some mini strokes which left him able to understand what he heard, but unable to speak and put sentences together. He would laugh at my stupid jokes, but couldn’t say “Hi Ross.” So…

Imagine you are going through your late grandfather’s garage and you find a small enamel potty, a weird electric bed warmer, a very rusty saw and a gum spear. Now, you went to the local museum recently, to drop off some other things – your school magazines, some pencils from Palmer's Sweet Shop and a couple of A&G Price patterns – and you noticed some beautifully displayed logging saws, like this one of Grandad’s. You could take everything to the Seagull Centre, or the tip, but no, you decide to take it to the museum …

Read by Lana Garland

Award-winning hip-hop artist, producer, youth mentor and Māori ambassador Tipene Harmer (Ngāti Kahungunu) is a force to be reckoned with. For the past three years he’s resided in Whitianga, but now he’s moving back to his home region Te Matau a Māui Hawkes Bay, so his whānau can reconnect with their iwi, and he can be closer to his son.
I  first met Tipene kanohi ki te kanohi (face to face) in July 2021, when I…

Read by Anusha Bhana

In this third article of the series, I cover the last of the abilities that I have distilled so far from my own journey towards Eldership. I’m sure there are more to come; I’ll keep you posted!

Self-focused abilities: Maintaining a light heart even when feeling sad. An elder can identify a…

Read by Fabian Roberts

“I disagree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.”

I have chosen this famous paraphrase from a biographer named Evelyn Beatrice Hall about her understanding of Voltaire’s thinking on free speech because this is becoming a serious problem in our era, even hundreds of years after the philosopher’s time – so let’s talk about talking, shall we?

Read by Lana Garland

WordSmart's Groundbreaking Approach to Dyslexia Remediation

The initial trial at Coroglen Primary School showed promising results, with students gaining confidence and achieving significant progress in learning letter sounds. The app's innovative approach strengthens verbal working memory, allowing students to engage with stories and improve their letter recognition skills.

Taking the WordSmart programme to Fiji, the app produced remarkable 

Read by Lana Garland

When observing the plumage of a bird, many of us witness nature's artwork and how intricate details shape our fascinating world. Tracy Johnson goes beyond this, creating her art on delicate feathers with an attention to detail that teaches her patience and nurtures an increased appreciation for the environment around her.

Read by Lana Garland

Proud to be Local is our inspirational feature, highlighting homegrown Coromandel Peninsula folks doing wonderful things out in the world.

In this edition: Jason Toia

Read by Lana Garland and Fabian Roberts

Common Ground is a space dedicated to expression. In this edition: Bananes de Mexico by Stella Pennell and photography by Pete May ‘The Flying Kiwi’

Read by Fabian Roberts

Hey, my name is Tamahau. I'm ten and I'm from Waikino. I love sport, especially rugby, skiing and running. Last year I was diagnosed with a severe medical condition that, among other things, affects my vision. Finding out I'm disabled was a huge shock for me and my family, especially when the specialist said my days of playing rugby are numbered. 

Read by Fabian Roberts

How the unique NZ way of life may not be so unique at all!

‘What an absurd statement’ many of you might think. I don’t back down on it. Stepping off a small ATR-72 prop plane in the French Polynesian morning breeze, I, too, was convinced that this was nowhere like ever before, some kind of magical mystery paradise.

Read by Fabian Roberts

Raewyn Helms-Davis Explores Māori Identities 

I am of Pakeha and Ngāi Tahu descent and my marae is at Moeraki. I live at Whitianga on the Coromandel Peninsula and my name is Raewyn Helms-Davis.

Making portraits has always been what I do, an instinctual thing really, and I’ve always been drawn to the faces of Māori as subjects for painting…

Read by Lana Garland

A Glimpse into the Life of a Hato Hone St John Volunteer

Ten years ago, my husband Mike and I were living in Ōtautahi Christchurch with two teenage sons, and I was studying social work. Ōtautahi was a fantastic place to raise children, but we knew once the boys left home we wanted to move somewhere that would offer a different (and warmer) lifestyle.

Read by Fabian Roberts

The heartbeat of any podcast is its audience, and for ALTBAYS Table Talk more than 55% of this heartbeat is female. This statistic reflects the podcast's resonance with women not only engaging with the content but also the intentional inclusion of powerful wāhine as guests and co-hosts. ALTBAYS Table Talk leads by example, amplifying the voices that often go unheard.

Read by Lana Garland

Full audio version of the Coromind magazine,  issue 13

Coromind Editorial - Issue 13, 2024

It’s no secret that the five years I lived in Whitianga changed the shape of my life. I moved in 2012 to be administrator for Mercury Bay Art Escape, a decision that set me on the path to become the full-time artist, author, teacher and speaker that I am today.

I was coming out of an intensive period as director of Morrinsville Art Gallery and shifting to the Coromandel Peninsula gave me...