Captions by Ngaio Abrahamson. Edited by Ashlee Scholefield. www.able.co.nz Captions were made possible with funding from NZ On Air. Copyright Able 2015 CHILLED MUSIC West Lynn wraps around this group of Edwardian shops on the outer edges of Grey Lynn. It's now notoriously pricey and very trendy. However, it wasn't always this way. 60 years ago, the well-to-do deserted this area for their quarter-acre dream, and it was inhabited by students, migrant communities and the arty types. That arty edge still pervades the area, and the Polynesian churches stand as a testament to that time. CHILLED MUSIC CONTINUES I'm Australian-born Chinese, third generation. I always considered myself a 'meat pie, pavlova, fish and chips' kind of girl. But since I've become a mum, I realise that my core values are very deeply entrenched in my own unique cultural mix. Allow me to introduce you to some other diverse people who give West Lynn its very unique feeling. We'll meet an artist from the UK who's been inspired by his family's creativity. I think of myself as a British painter. In fact, when I had my recent show at Orexart, um, Rex told me that somebody came in and said, 'You can see this` this painter is British. 'You can see it in the work. You can see it in the colour palette. You can see it in the sensibility.' An asylum seeker traces his journey from Afghanistan. I said to my mother, 'This is the time which, if we stay any more, 'probably we will killed by the government.' So I started to flee. A man born in Italy shares the secrets to a real Neapolitan pizza. It's just tomato ` crushed ` the right one, um, from Naples. Then, uh, mozzarella, which is NZ-made. Fresh basil, extra virgin olive oil, Parmesan. That's all. And a long-term local resident shares some social history with the new generation. With the gentrification there is changes, but at the same time, um, this place has been so staunch about not losing its cultural heritage, not forgetting that this was a migrant pathway. I'm Lynette Forday, and this is my neighbourhood. AMBIENT MUSIC I moved to NZ when I was 16 to join the Royal NZ Ballet Company, and I made my debut on Shortland Street 20 years ago, and just recently I revisited the character of Grace Kwan. During those intervening years, I would have to say that I haven't seen a huge groundswell of Asian faces in the media. I personally think that NZ is still struggling to come to grips with the changing face of society. Nearly 100 years after his grandmother left NZ for the UK, Matthew Browne has returned, inspired by his grandmother's love of the arts. My name's Matthew Browne, and I opened Browne School of Art in September 2013, as an independent, serious school for aspiring artists. My grandmother, when she, um, had gone to England in 19` about 1929 ` and my father was born in 1930 ` around 1931 she decided that she would go to art school, uh, at the Slade, in London, which is one of the big art schools. Prior to that she'd been at Canterbury in the South Island, where she'd met my grandfather. And she lived down in the Franz Josef Glacier Hotel, I think, which has since, I think, burnt down. And she lived there and painted. And painted a lot of landscapes for tourists, a lot of, um, mountains, uh, the glacier, uh, and they were very popular, and so then she started to make some into posters. And then she continued painting all through the '50s, where her work started to kind of change a bit, from oil painting landscapes and portraits that started to become more abstract, and then she moved into acrylics and started to do some pouring of paint, which was quite pioneering for its time. FUTURISTIC MUSIC I think of myself as a British painter. I do think of myself as a British painter, and in fact, when I had my recent show at Orexart, um, Rex told me that somebody came in and said, 'You can see this` this painter is British. You can see it in the work. 'You can see it in the colour palette. You can see it in the sensibility.' Probably, Matthew... It would be` It would sit` It would, normally. We know that. Good. Yeah. The first painting I sold was to my grandmother. She was, you know, a great supporter and very encouraging. I don't know that she liked my paintings so much when they started to get more and more abstract and minimal. I've called the latest body of work 'Noumena'. An easy example to explain would be that you might feel heat from a toaster, coming through the top ` that's the` that's phenomena. The electricity is noumena ` that thing that you can't have. You can't see it. You can't grasp it. INDISTINCT CHATTER, LAUGHTER So, with the students, I think that they come to the school in the first instance to try and get a sense of... 'their own practice as it grows, what potential might they have.' It needs to be a little bit more punctuated by the kind of practice that you're using all the way through it. So I think, you know, some parts` Need to be a bit stiller? Some parts need to be` be a bit more specific. I'm concerned that it should be a really well-regarded and really well-respected school and that it's not, um, casually seen as a kind of entertainment venue, uh, in the way that, possibly, some other places might be, where they're more to do with hobbies. It's much than a hobby, and I treat the students as serious practitioners, 'and I think they make work that responds to that.' Giving it a push to use in part of here so that it changes its pace from here to here. Just so that it doesn't end up looking like` Based on the same colour > but maybe just subtly changing? > I think he's a superb teacher. That's evidenced by the fact that most of us have been with him for years, actually, and have just kept coming back for a little bit more, you know, little bit more of a fix. Teaching, um, rewards me, and I've` it rewards me because I know that I'm helping people to enable their lives to have a greater degree of richness. So they come` people come looking for something. Maybe they don't know that painting is going to be the answer, but sometimes it is, and on those occasions, I see people grow and I see them blossom, as people and practitioners. MELLOW MUSIC My father was an extraordinary man. He was a real fusion of the East and West. He was a jackeroo, which is the Australian equivalent of the cowboy. He spent his days droving, which is riding horseback, rounding up cattle in the outback. That was until his mother fell ill, and she made him promise that when she passed away, he would return to run the family dairy. This absolutely broke my dad's heart, and it made him determined that he would support me in following my dreams. MELLOW MUSIC CONTINUES Here at the RSC it's appropriate to pay tribute to those who made sacrifices for the future generations. West Lynn has always had a strong connection to the Pacific Island community, and there's one man who's determined that the stories of the past will be passed on to the future generations. I think I'm of a generation that has attempted to be those radical priests who serve our people, but in different ways. I stand on a picket line with unionists, and I'm really proud of it. I'm with the gay, lesbian, transgender community. I celebrate that they take us to a whole new part of our humanity in a positive, loving, caring way. Rather than using ignorance, fear, to perpetuate what really needs to be committed to getting the best for our people. So, um, I'm a Presbyterian minister. I'm proud of being a` a religious geek ` misunderstood, probably not very liked. PIPE AND DRUM MUSIC PLAYS Grab a poppy, people. Excellent. Welcome. I grew up in West Lynn, Grey Lynn, Ponsonby. I assumed that I had a normal childhood. What I would discover when I did my university years was that it was a low income, working class. And yet to me, it was the best place to grow up in. I didn't know that these were low rentals, uh, very poor housing. Uh, what I saw was that, um, everyone grew up with Chinese, Indians, uh, working-class Pakehas, Dalmatian that were coming over from the Cold War, and so you had this amazing group of mixture. I think the Grey Lynn RSC is like a cornerstone and marker of the development of Grey Lynn. With the gentrification, there is changes, but at the same time, um, this place has been so staunch about not losing its cultural heritage, not forgetting that this was a migrant pathway. And so it is, with 100 years on, we gather to once again be that community of Grey Lynn that celebrates, honours and remembers who we are and where we are going as a nation today in 2015. Mum and Dad loved education. Mum and Dad told us, you know, when we were young they were telling us from the word go, 'You're going to university. You're going to do these things.' And then we would be naughty and ask why. And then they would tell us, you know, um, my dad came here for university. My mother came here to be a teacher. So there was a very clear line of history, expectation. I thought` I had the arrogance to tell my parents, oh, you know, psychology was the answer. It was gonna answer all the theological cosmos, uh, the universe and its meaning. And here I am sitting here in front of you, a Presbyterian minister, and um, yeah, no, it's a humble walk, and it's a humble walk that's been built upon, uh, really good people. REFLECTIVE MUSIC The urban Pacific history would not be complete without acknowledging, um, the Polynesian Panthers. And, um, you know, I'm one of those grateful, uh, Polynesian Panther homework students, uh, that loved hanging out with them, cos it was cool. And yet at the same time I had access to Black writers. To me, it was just fantastic. And what an amazing urban history that a lot of Pakeha NZers are so unaware of, and they should be proud of, because whilst it's uncomfortable in one way, but in another way, it tells you what a beautiful country we are. It tells you what a country that has to look at the warts and everything and has the courage ` it's got the courage to own, 'We're doing the changes and we're trying to figure out the best way forward together.' ENERGETIC MUSIC Well, this is it. Uh, this is Grey Lynn. This is Richmond Rd. This is St Paul's College, famous NZ champion college. And of course, we're here to do that lovely walk to honour our Grey Lynn, urban, West Lynn history, our Pacific migration and our people. REFLECTIVE MUSIC This is Grey Lynn Community Centre. Fabulous history in terms of law, the representation of working people, and so, from there came this Grey Lynn Neighbourhood Law Office. There's also a connection to the Polynesian Panthers. How long ago was that? Well, this is back in the '70s and the '80s. This is when we've got the dawn raids on, this is when our people are needing to be represented. Also that connection of` that the Polynesian Panthers were doing legal-awareness classes, and so you see the development of what would become Grey Lynn Neighbourhood Law Office, which then became the standard mark for community law centres in NZ. By us saying, 'It's OK to be me,' we're saying to others, 'It's OK to be you.' 'And, um, that's what I think the Aotearoa story is about.' I think that's what West Lynn, Grey Lynn's about. It's about, um, love, tears. It's about the politics. It's about, um, the fullness of humanity. It's about the fullness of what people have given. GENTLE MUSIC When I came to NZ, I encountered racism. I had an Asian face and an Australian accent. But this isn't the first time I've encountered racism. Growing up back in Australia with my four older brothers, we always felt that we had to be better than anyone else just to be accepted. This produced four very high-achieving brothers but I wouldn't say they've always been at peace with themselves or what they've achieved. I think many migrants and children of migrants are searching for that sense of belonging. Today I'm going to meet a man whose search for a safe place to call home has led him from Afghanistan to Iran to the quiet streets here in West Lynn. I was 7 years when I started the first writing. The calligraphy character is very attractive and very beautiful, especially for a person` for people who can read, who can write, and even the people who can't read and who can't write. And the most of the calligraphy uses beautiful and very nice, lovely poem, which has different message for the people who watching or looking or enjoying to read. Rumi is not only my favourite, Rumi's the` the whole of the world is the most famous and the most loved Persian` Persian poet. Yeah. Rumi, I can say in English, 'Raise your words, not your voice.' When I was at school there was a government, but the government was supported by Russia, and the whole of Afghanistan starting to fight against to the government. There were, uh, nearly 1200 students was, uh, studying at school, but fortunately the school was already empty, but just the bomb dropped on the school. The school was completely destroyed by that, uh, bomb. So when the government lost control, I said to my mother, 'This is the time which, if we stay any more, 'probably we will killed by the government.' So I started to flee from Afghanistan to Iran. I was working in Iran, and there is a small shop like this, my room, and we made it the sign. Making sign is just one part of my job. The other part was handwriting, which is very attractive, uh, for the people. Um, I had many, many regular customers who came, gave me their poem, beautiful poem or sentence, and I wrote, uh` writing that poem and sentence. I wrote calligraphy for the people. That was my last job when I was in Iran. Many, many times the Iran police, uh, searching for Afghan refugee, for Afghan people, and ask me, 'Where are you from?' And when I introduce myself, I say, 'Iranian people from the village or from the... (SPEAKS INDISTINCTLY)' If they knew me I am from Afghanistan, they never let me to continue that job. And most of the Afghan family who lives in Iran, they concern about their future. Actually, they don't have any future. So, my brother support me. My brother` And he was, yeah, invite me. I came to the NZ, and after two months, my son, he came to NZ too. GENTLE MUSIC When I write calligraphy, that time, I feel better. I feel relaxed and its effect to my mind, effect to my psychology. This one is, uh, about love ` how we love other person, how we make love. It's not only about that love, uh, engaged. That's love ` a common love, the love which is the people making closer, making the people closer, making the people lovely, and, uh` and love is the same. I hope I can find a good job. I hope the NZ people` I can introduce my skill to the NZer, which they knew they want to learn calligraphy. If they want, yeah. I would like to continue my job. If I can't, so I would like to continue to work to find another job which I can support my family, my children, and my life can be separate and can be independent and can make a good life. The rest of my life I can stay, and I can feel better than before. MELLOW MUSIC Harvest Wholefoods has been here for as long as I can remember. It's a survivor of a time when West Lynn was the epicentre of the alternative lifestyle. Now it's coveted by the affluent foodies. Food for the Chinese is incredibly important. Any major celebration or event, there will be copious quantities of food. My mum told me, 'Spend money on good food first, before you even consider material goods.' Down the road at the Community Centre, every Sunday is home to the farmers' market. Here you can taste cuisine from another culture that revolves around food and family ` the Italians. REFLECTIVE MUSIC Usually once a week we used to have pizza. It was a quick thing to do, and back then, the youngest one, which at the time was me, ran down the many pizza places that there were around. Uh, my name is Luca. Um, I was born in Italy, precisely in Naples, or as we call it, Napoli. I got really good memories about it. That's why I do what I do. I mean, you know, um, the pizza thing is, uh, something that, um` I always wanted to do it. And now it's happened, and I'm doing it, and, yeah, I'm really glad. CHILLED MUSIC I usually make, uh, just a margherita, which is the most famous one. Uh, that way, I can be quick to serve as well. Uh, plus, I really really like people to know where, uh` how the pizza was born. So what we do, uh, basically, we put in the water, and, um, we crush salt as thin as we can. So that makes that easy to mix the water and salt. And we need to mix it till we don't feel it underneath the fingers. Um, if we` if we don't` Very important step. If I don't do this properly, the yeast is gonna die, cos it's, um, fresh yeast. They don't like salt. So I start to mix it this way here. So you see the dough start to pick up. It's just water, salt, yeast, and that's it. And flour, obviously. But probably an important part is time. The dough needs the time to rest. And, um... And, yeah. You need. You` I think you need to like it if you do it often. Uh, and I need a wet tea towel on top, otherwise a crust will form. We don't want that. REFLECTIVE MUSIC Well, this was a present, uh, that a really good friend of ours, um, give to us. And she always looking for, uh, you know, books that resemble Naples and stuff. She always buy for us. And, uh, yeah, this particular one, um, got a lot of talk on the pizza. Plus, this guy here, I actually know him personally. He is very very close to my house, and, yeah, I do remember to go there and, you know, ordering and bring the pizza home. This is another` another street, um, that really close to my house ` actually, the street from school. I could not tell for sure, but this actually look like my mum. ENERGETIC MUSIC Usually I'm every Sunday in Grey Lynn Farmers' Market, which is a place that made us not just sell pizza, per se, but did give us some customer for private function. I did quite a few around the area and, uh` And, yeah, you know, uh, people kind of know me up there, and, uh, it's a very nice environment to bring the pizza there. It's just tomato, crushed, the right one, um, from Naples, then mozzarella, which is NZ-made, fresh basil, extra virgin olive oil, Parmesan. That's all. Another thing about the market is I can keep my price down. I can talk to them, which nowadays is probably missing ` 'uh, relation with people.' 'Uh, you know, too much computer, uh, phone, all this kind of thing. 'Uh, people talk less. 'And there is a lot of my customers, sometimes they come not for pizza. 'They just come` come and say hello and hang out with me, and then they go, you know.' It is a beautiful thing. No sugar in the dough. No animal fat. One kind. One size. $15 only. 'And, yes, you should try some.' See you next week, eh? See you. OK. Bye. The best way to start a Sunday. Mm-hm. No, it was pretty good. I'm` I'm enjoying my life. 'I don't drive a Mercedes, and I don't make a lot of money, but I'm not interested in that.' Um, I'm more interested to` to live a full life, uh, peaceful and as happy as I can be. Yeah. Now I can say I'm pretty happy with my life at the moment. GENTLE MUSIC I've been to China once, when I was 17, with the Royal NZ Ballet Company, and, um, I felt this eerie sense of spiritual belonging. But at the same time, I also felt that I was alienated. Um, I think that many children of migrant families feel that they never quite belong in either place. Growing up, I rejected my heritage ` didn't want to eat the food, didn't want to speak the language. But I'm adamant that my daughter, who is Eurasian and part Fijian, will embrace her culture. She goes to Chinese school twice a week, which she loves. In the middle. (LAUGHS) Today I can genuinely say that I am proud to be different, and that's why it suits me to live in West Lynn, which celebrates diversity. Captions by Ngaio Abrahamson. Edited by Ashlee Scholefield. www.able.co.nz Captions were made possible with funding from NZ On Air. Copyright Able 2015