Here Now

This week on Voices, Umar Zakaria, Wellington-based jazz composer and double-bassist talks to Kadambari Raghukumar about his interpretations of Malay music through jazz improv. As a child, when Umar Zakaria saw the double-bassist play in an army band in New Zealand, he almost immediately knew that was the instrument he wanted to take up. FOLLOW Voices on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart Radio or wh...

Arriving in New Zealand seeking refuge to finally officially becoming one - Kadambari Raghukumar talks to Colombian, Jose Tombe about what compelled him to leave his hometown of Cali. Jose Tombe, 36, worked with vulnerable youth in his hometown of Cali, Colombia. Jose thrived in his work despite knowing that activism and social work is a dangerous vocation in Colombia. Social workers, who in Colom...

Commemorating their golden jubilee this month, Polynesian Panther member Tigilau Ness speaks to Kadambari Raghukumar about the significance of the groups activism over the years. The Polynesian Panther Party was founded on 16 June 1971 in Auckland by Will 'Ilolahia, Fred Schmidt, Nooroa Teavae, Paul Dapp, Eddie Williams and Vaughan Sanft. They were later joined by Tigilau Ness, Lupematasila M...

Amnesty International's report on repression of Muslims in Xinjiang was released last week. Kadambari Raghukumar spoke to the Auckland-based sister of one detainee whose case features in the report. For the past four years, Rizwangul NurMuhammed (Riz) has been seeking justice and answers. In 2017, Riz's brother, Maiwulana, was arrested on charges of separatism - charges Riz denies - and detai...

Artist Claudia Kogachi talks to Kadambari Raghukumar about what it's been like exploring her personal family relationships and dynamics through creative work. Artist Claudia Kogachi talks to Kadambari Raghukumar about what it's been like exploring her personal family relationships and dynamics through creative work. It's mid-morning and Claudia Kogachi is busy wielding her carpet gun in...

An internationally-recruited doctor formerly based in provincial New Zealand, talks about professional isolation and racism that she and others like her face. Produced by Kadambari Raghukumar. FOLLOW Voices on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart Radio or wherever you listen to your podcasts. "We're going to have to address this in a far more systemic way," says Dr Carolyn Providence abo...

More than a year since he became a free man and has been living in New Zealand, Kurdish novelist, journalist and activist Behrouz Boochani talks to Kadambari Raghukumar about decolonial thinking and his life in New Zealand. Follow Voices on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Radio Public and iHeart Radio or wherever you listen to your podcasts. In November 2019, Behrouz Boochani arrived at Aucklan...

This last week of Ramadan Kadambari Raghukumar talks to two women athletes observing the fast during the Holy Month. Mariam Bahar has been fasting during Ramadan each year since she was 9 years old while growing up in Sri Lanka. I meet Mariam at 5am just as she's finishing her sahur or sehri - a pre-dawn meal before starting the day's fast. She's in her workout gear and will start h...

Travel restrictions between India and New Zealand have been loosened but thousands of Indian families are still separated. Katy Gosset hears how the situation has rocked one Christchurch household. There should be three children in this picture but two of them are stuck in India. New Zealand's border closed just one day before toddlers, Nimrat and Tarman Kaur, were due to join their parents i...

In this episode, a 23-year-old New Zealander shares her story - a poetic journey asking questions of identity, harm, and home, while revealing the realities of living as a child in the world's refugee camps. They used to call Bhutan the "Happiest Country in the World," says Shreejana, a 23-year-old living in Christchurch. There was plenty of land, cattle, and crops growing everywhere. He...

What does 20 years of graffiti in Aotearoa look like? One graffiti crew decided to pull together as a collective to create an exhibition that looks at old and new works and the people involved in the scene over the years. Dr Bobby Hung, who is also known as Berst, first started painting graffiti as a teenager and was given a garden wall by his mother, to keep him from tagging on the streets. That...

Since November 2020 thousands from Ethiopia's Tigray region have been caught in conflict and fighting. Produced by Kadambari Raghukumar. Since 4 November last year, conflict and fighting between between the Ethiopian federal government and the Tigray regional government ruling party, Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) has forced nearly 27,000 refugees out of the region of Tigray in the n...

What does celebrating Pride month mean to a former refugee whose journey coming out ended up even shaping their career? Kadambari Raghukumar talks to Ives Rose. Follow Voices on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Radio Public and iHeart Radio or wherever you listen to your podcasts. This Pride month, after a bit of a hiatus from performing, Drag Queen Black Mamba took to the stage once more. While...

When Ajaz Patel immigrated to New Zealand at the age of 10, he greeted his Kiwi cousins at Auckland airport dressed in a dinner suit and top hat. 20 years later he made his successful debut for the New Zealand national team. When Ajaz Patel immigrated to New Zealand at the age of 10, he greeted his Kiwi cousins at Auckland airport dressed in a suit and top hat. Over a 20 year period of hard graft...

Bringing her vast farming knowledge from Africa to West Auckand, Olive Minani's organic garden is a cause to go green with envy. Wesley market on Tuesday buzzes with a cross-section of Sandringham's communities and the produce being sold reflects that equally. Olive Minani arrives at the market at 6.30am each week to set up her stall to sell her organic produce. Subscribe to Voices for free o...

As Myanmar continues to be under the grip of the latest coup, we look at the impact of military rule on the life of a former refugee who now lives in Wellington. Produced by Kadambari Raghukumar. Yan lets out a nervous laugh as he begins to recount a childhood memory - not one of playing games or going hunting but rather of real guns and his forced recruitment into the Tatmadaw, the Burmese army,...

After nearly 50 years of military rule, the recent coup of 1 February has brought an end to Myanmar's 10 year experiment with democracy. What has the NZ diaspora been doing in response to the coup and the civil disobedience movement taking place? Produced by Kadambari Raghukumar. Since 1 February Myanmar has been in the grip of a coup staged by the army commander-in-chief Min Aung Hlaing. After No...

The specialist Italian workforce building Auckland's 1.2 billion dollar Central Interceptor have met with unexpected hardships in the past year. Liz Garton heads out to Mangere to meet some of the crew. When Ghella Abergeldie won the contract to build a new waste water pipe for Auckland, they expected it would be just another day in the office. But then the global pandemic struck. Ghella Abergeldi...

For an American scientist in Hawkes Bay, his experience on working with pest management on cottonfields lent itself to research in NZ's orchards. Produced by Kadambari Raghukumar As a Peace Corp volunteer in Malawi, Tim Vandervoet developed a passion for using agriculture and science as a tool for social change - reducing insecticide use through more biological control of pests being one way. Vand...

In Voices this week, we meet the Auckland couple who smashed the Guinness World Record for baking the world's biggest lamington. New Zealand's latest Guinness World Record holders know the sweet taste of success thanks to a massive lamington, weighing more than 2700 kilograms, topped with 200 kilograms of jam, 200 kilograms of coconut and literally buckets of chocolate sauce. Listen to this e...

After nearly 14 years of planting native bush, a massive former dairy farm is now thriving forest overlooking the Kaipara. Produced by Kadambari Raghukumar. In 2006 when Thomas and Mahrukh Stazyk bought the 24 hectare property overlooking the Kaipara Harbour, it was disused and bare pasture land. 14 years later, today, the property is covered in thriving young native bush and bird song is everywhe...

Despite 2000 more seasonal workers due to arrive in New Zealand from January 2021, things aren't looking too rosy according some growers in the Hawkes Bay region. Produced by Kadambari Raghukumar. Jaswinder Singh, Jass for short, has been growing apples and pears for the past 15 years as well as running a labour supply company in Hawkes Bay. He's been struggling to make sure all his clients h...

The first transgender contestant to compete in the Miss New Zealand pageant talks to Kadambari Raghukumar about her journey with identity, gender reassignment and winning the Miss Intercontinental NZ title. At 26, Arielle Keil is the first trans contestant and first Filipina to win the Ms Intercontinental New Zealand title and next year hopes to be competing on the global stage. Subscribe to Voice...

International Au Pairs are becoming a rare commodity in New Zealand as the closed borders mean the outgoing nannies can't be replaced. Liz Garton finds out more in this episode of Voices. Luise Kreisel and Jule Riggers made New Zealand home in 2020, but they could be some of the last international au pairs to do so for some time. Subscribe to Voices for free on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, R...

Two Syrian brothers of former refugee background find a new life in Newtown after discovering some hidden talent. Produced by Kadambari Raghukumar. Subscribe to Voices for free on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Radio Public and iHeart Radio or wherever you listen to your podcasts. On a Saturday afternoon in Newtown, the barberhops are busy. Here at Cultural Cuts, run by Mohummed and Raed Aldan...