Coromind

When was the last time you gained some legit life advice from someone 20 years younger than you? I’ve always thought that we (and by we, I mean we middle-aged folks!) have been quick to write off the younger generation. I mean, what do they know, right? They’ve yet to reach ‘adulthood’ and still have all that ‘life experience’ to rack up. But here’s the thing. We have plenty to learn from our rang...

As a proud Māmā to three boisterous reo rua/bilingual māori boys, Waitangi was a given for our rātaka/calendar this year. With the life we choose to live as tangata whenua reclaiming our identity, it was right up there amongst attending the Rangiriri activation/peaceful protest to protect our Mana Motuhake/sovereignty, learning our maramataka (māori lunar calendar) and kōrero māori ia rā, ia rā! (...

We all have different responses to the conflicts and challenges we face. Some people fly through them unscathed; others get bogged down, avoidant, frustrated, tearful or just wish it would all go away. This model, based on Stephen Karpman’s ‘Transactional Analysis’, might help you see your typical response to conflict. www.coromind.nz

I have a photo of myself as a 3-year-old standing beside a dozen large rainbow trout, which of course couldn’t have been caught by one so young, but it was the beginning of my conditioning to become a future catcher of our finny friends. At a slightly older age, I remember my dad waking me at 5 am with a cup of tea and a marmite sandwich to sustain me for the next three hours of trolling trout lur...

The sunlight peers through the palm fronds and lays itself gently all over Belle. Her hair lights up like a firebrand in some places, but sleeps quiet and moody in others. It is evening sun – that wonderful golden glow you sometimes get that blankets everything in a surreal light. The French refer to it as ‘L’heure entre chien et loup’ or ‘the hour between the dog and the wolf’. Sometimes known as...

Every day, the same endless white canvas engulfs the science district. The mundane environment reminds me of the similar monotony that has leached its way into the minds of all its occupants. The once vibrant and creative district destined to lead the world to a brighter future has instead fallen away, spiralling into the lifeless, passionless glumness that it is today.  All the hope that had once...

I’m Jessie Macaw, a born and bred local from Tairua. Growing up as a kid in the Coromandel, with creativity and imagination fuelling my days, later led me to a career in graphic design. I had always been a doodler who loved art, but it wasn’t until I discovered intuitive painting 10 years ago that my paintings started heading in a direction that felt authentically me.  www.coromind.nz

Coromind Editorial - Issue 15, 2024 www.coromind.nz

Coromind Magazine Issue 15 Full Audio Version www.coromind.nz

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 c...

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 www.coromind.nz

Coromind Editorial - Issue 14, 2024 Read by Lana Garland www.coromind.nz

Coromind Magazine Issue 14 Full Audio Version Read by Anusha Bhana, Fabian Roberts, Lana Garland, Leonardo Magri and Ross Liggins www.coromind.nz

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 www.coromind.nz

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 www.coromind.nz

“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 ww...

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 www.coromind.nz

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 Wo...

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 Jul...

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, l...

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 www....

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 www.coromind.nz

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 www.coromind.nz

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 www.coromind.nz

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 www.coromind.nz