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As New Zealand heads into a truncated baseball season, a Taiwanese big hitter (pitcher, really) is leading the charge. Liz Garton heads out to a pre-season practice to meet Cola Yeh New Zealand's baseball season usually starts about mid-October, but after a winter of Covid-19 disruptions there's a lot of uncertainty about how it will roll out. Subscribe to Voices for free on Apple Podcas...

In this episode of Voices, three Aucklanders originally from the US talk to Kadambari Raghukumar about their views on the upcoming election in the States. Subscribe to Voices for free on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Radio Public and iHeart Radio or wherever you listen to your podcasts For Ian Hoffmann, Ira Munn and Maya Henderson watching the election campaign unfold in their home country, t...

Helping teach children this ancient language with roots in Mesopotamia are a group of passionately protective custodians both young and old in Wellington. Produced by Kadambari Raghukumar. Helping teach children this ancient language with roots in Mesopotamia are a group of passionately protective custodians - both young and old, in Wellington. After a long hiatus of Covid-19 lockdowns, Assyrian l...

After waiting out two Covid-19 lockdowns the 21st national tournament for this Japanese martial art that's growing in popularity, finally took place this month. Produced by Kadambari Raghukumar Martin Lee has been practicing the martial art of Kendo for over 20 years. The traditional Japanese style of fencing with a two-handed bamboo sword was derived from the fighting practices of the Samurai who...

A close contender to Sushi for Japan's national dish, turns out Kiwis too have a soft spot for ramen - the iconic bowl of soul. Produced by Kadambari Raghukumar Ramen. Few things beat this steaming bowl of soupy, noodle-y goodness on a cold night. A close contender to Sushi for Japan's national dish, it turns out Kiwis too have a soft spot for this iconic bowl of soul. After the lockdown, it...

A Singaporean New Zealander is working on this country's first Asian Cabaret. Voices finds out what that will look like. Produced by Liz Garton The woman writing New Zealand's first Asian cabaret is planning a new and possibly confronting look for the genre. Listen to Amanda Grace Leo on Voices Subscribe to Voices for free on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Radio Public and iHeart Radio or...

Malian-New Zealander Boubacar Coulibaly reflects on the significance on the latest coup in Mali in August 2020. 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. For Boubacar Coulibaly these are days that bring back several memories. In 1989 when he immigrated to New Zealand to...

What do you do when you're faced with approving of a loved one's decision to end their life? A Holland-born New Zealand resident shares her journey. 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. "For Mum there was no other option. She would have died in pain or lonely....

When it comes to mobilizing helping hands at this south Auckland gurdwara, there's no dearth of volunteers. 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. Each Wednesday and Sunday, the Takanini Sikh Gurdwara sees hundreds of cars driving into its gates to pick up free food...

During the alert level 3 lockdown, a group of blood donors didn't back down from stepping up to help. 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. Lovedeep Sharma is pretty cheerful for someone with a large needle stuck in his arm. It's 6pm on a Monday and he's a...

A restoration studio in Auckland has been drawing on the skill of people from different arts cultures to help preserve and restore Kiwi antiques. 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. In 1944, Karangahape Road in Auckland became home to a unique hospital that opened...

With the sentencing of the gunman is due to start in Christchurch, Widows of Shuhada's writer and producer, Lana Hart, catches up with some of the widows. We talk to some of the widows of the Christchurch mosque attacks of 2019. The sentencing of the gunman is due to start in Christchurch next week. Widows of Shuhada's writer and producer, Lana Hart, catches up with some of the widows as the...

Drawing from their personal experiences and childhood, two chefs help further the social cause of an Auckland-based restaurant pop-up. Produced by Kadambari Raghukumar. https://www.facebook.com/RadioNewZealand/videos/322066729224291 Subscribe to Voices for free on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Radio Public and iHeart Radio or wherever you listen to your podcasts. Each Wednesday, the Everybody...

How did a group of young activists in Auckland find the right mentors to help guide them while organising their first rally against racism? Kadambari Raghukumar speaks to the group behind the second Black Lives Matter rally in Auckland. On 14 June 2020, Queen Street resounded with the sound of over 2000 people who came together calling for an end to racism. This second Black Lives Matter rally in...

In this epidode, we're speaking to Filipino comedian, James Roque, on his involvement with the Human Rights Commission's latest campaign - "Racism is no joke". Produced by Kadambari Gladding Subscribe to Voices for free on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Radio Public and iHeart Radio or wherever you listen to your podcasts. People who say there's no racism in New Zealand aren't listen...

After decades spent reporting on Israel-Palestine conflict, Tuma Hazou, the former BBC and ABC journalist has lived in Auckland since the late 1990s. This month, Tuma, 85, finally published his stories from his time as a journalist in the Middle East. Produced by Kadambari Raghukumar. Subscribe to Voices for free on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Radio Public and iHeart Radio or wherever you l...

In today's episode we meet a young couple whose personal journey with Islam led them to their business idea. Produced by Kadambari Raghukumar. It was through discovering Islam that Veronika Edali found herself on a journey that eventually led her and husband Volkan to set up their business designing and selling "modest active wear" - a line of swim leggings, tunics, hoodies and of course...

In this episode, we're talking to one of the recipients of this years Ambassador's Commendation Award from Embassy of Japan in New Zealand. Produced by Kadambari Raghukumar Akiko Crowther is New Zealand's only Grandmaster in Japanese calligraphy - it's a title bestowed in Japan and earned through years of dedication to this very meditative practice. Subscribe to Voices for free on Apple...

In this episode we meet a Nepali Bhutanese woman who came to Aotearoa as a refugee and decided to get behind the wheel and break all moulds. Produced by Kadambari Raghukumar Rose isn't exactly your typical truck-driver - she's small and petite but packs a punch wrangling her Class 4 freight truck. Not quite what she expected to end up doing when she left the refugee camp she lived in for...

In this episode of Voices, combatting challenges of social inclusion through football - we meet a team in Auckland that's switching things up for the win. Produced by Kadambari Raghukumar. "It's the world's game. It's called the beautiful game because it can bring countries and bring people together." Hone Fowler is a man on a mission - to make football accessible to all a...

The Waikato refugee and Muslim community lost one of its prominent leaders, Ismail Dirye Gamadid, to Covid-19 last month. We look at the legacy of his life. Produced by Kadambari Raghukumar. The Covid-19 pandemic claimed Waikato's much-loved and prominent refugee leader last month. Ismail Diriye Gamadid passed away in Mogadishu, Somalia on 25 May after a three-week struggle with Covid-19. He...

Melana Khabazi's love affair with dance helped the 26-year-old Russian discover her spiritual home half a world away from where she was born. Melana Khabazi's passion for dance has seen her travel the world and helped her find her place in it - Aotearoa. "I think dance is amazing and an outstanding way of expressing yourself. The plan wasn't to go and stay here, the plan was to stud...

A Filipino photographer's new life in Aotearoa was turned around after he discovered a new way to grow connections with community and land. Produced by Kadambari Raghukumar "When I started growing, it was crazy how my neighbours started reacting. I started to make a lot of friends with them. I had passersby saying thank you for growing these sunflowers!" I had 30 sunflowers extending the...

Raising funds to help those in need during Ramadan can be even harder in lockdown. That certainly isn't stopping three people from across the world who call New Zealand home. Produced by Kadambari Raghukumar Lockdown and Ramadan make for a very unusual combination. The month of Ramadan is distinctly marked by gatherings - for prayers, the cooking and sharing of meals at the end of a long day of fa...

141 years ago on 14 May, the Leonidas arrived in Fiji - the first ship carrying indentured workers from India. Reflecting back on that day, what significance does that painful history hold for the community navigating challenges of their unique identity as Fiji Indians? Produced by Kadambari Raghukumar 'Girmit Day' is marked on 14 May each year by the Fiji Indian community in New Zealand...