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Yoga - when does appreciation become appropriation? In this two-part series, Voices talk to New Zealand practitioners about the commodification of ancient Indian practice. Yoga - when does appreciation become appropriation? In this two-part series, Kadambari Raghukumar talks to New Zealand practitioners about the commodification of ancient Indian practice. FOLLOW Voices on Apple Podcasts, Spotify,...

Mexico and New Zealand first began bilateral relations in 1973. 50 years on, what does this connection mean to both the diaspora living here in New Zealand and the for Mexico? FOLLOW Voices on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart Radio or wherever you listen to your podcasts. In this Voices episode we look at the significance of celebrating 50 years of bilateral relations between Mexico and New Zealand...

Jess Karamjeet talks to Kadambari Raghukumar on finding comedy through her time in New Zealand. In this episode of Voices, UK born standup comic and screenwriter Jessica Karamjeet shares her story of coming to New Zealand and making her foray into comedy, while managing a chronic health condition. … Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Growing up in Germany, researcher Mirjam Schindler always had an interest in how green spaces shape the way people interact with each other and spaces around them. In this episode, she talks to Kadambari Raghukumar about the future of New Zealand's urban geography. As house intensification is on the rise and measures to increase climate resilience become critical, what does the future of green spa...

In the events in the early 1990s after the collapse of Yugoslavia Vukan Cavor's family to fled to Aotearoa. In this Voices episode we meet Vukan about keeping up his connection to his home country of Montenegro. Vukan Cavor may have lived in New Zealand for almost thirty years, but he's still as connected as ever to his beloved country of Montenegro. He's passionate about teaching Monten...

In Xinjiang, more than a million Uyghurs and Kazakhs have been arbitrarily held in "re-education" camps. In this episode of Voices, Kadambari Raghukumar speaks to people behind a new documentary based on testimony from family members of the detained and survivors of the camps. FOLLOW Voices on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart Radio or wherever you listen to your podcasts. Across Xinjiang, the Unite...

In this episode, we look back at the historical ties between tangata whenua and Indian settlers in New Zealand, through NZOM Professor Edwina Pio's latest research. Professor Edwina Pio's latest academic manuscript, "Aotearoa & Bharat, Māori-Indian" honours historical connections between Maori and Indians as well as more recent families that are Maori-Indian. In this episode of...

In this episode, composer and vocalist Briar Prastiti talks about bridging her two worlds through her music - Greece and New Zealand. Briar Prastiti is the latest Composer-in-Residence at the New Zealand School of Music-Te Kōkī for 2023. The vocalist-composer draws deeply from her Greek background and in this episode of Voices, she talks from the Lilburn Residence in Wellington, about how being Gr...

In this episode, Labour's Ibrahim Omer talks to Kadambari Raghukumar on what the nomination to contest for Wellington Central means for him. In March this year, Ibrahim Omer - a list MP since 2020 - was selected as Labour's candidate in Wellington Central at this year's election. Arriving in New Zealand as a refugee in 2008, Ibrahim rose through the trade union movement and became first...

In this episode, as the conflict in Sudan is driving thousands of people to cross borders, diaspora in New Zealand are trying their level best to help family members reach safety. As the conflict in Sudan drives thousands of people to cross borders, members of the diaspora in New Zealand are trying their level best to help family members reach safety. Since April 15 when fighting broke out between...

In this episode of Voices, Kadambari Raghukumar talks to arts practitioners about the latest New Zealand on Air music fund to support pan-Asian artists and musicians in New Zealand. A new music fund from NZ on Air will soon be open to Kiwi musicians and artists of pan-Asian descent. In this episode of Voices, Kadambari Raghukumar talks to some of the arts practitioners who helped get the New Music...

Each year, hundreds of high school students compete in New Zealand's Race Unity Speech Awards. For many past winners, the awards have been a career springboard. In this episode of Voices, three past winners talk about how the awards help young Kiwis find their voices. "There are many race-related issues New Zealand still needs to address and the Race Unity Speeches are one small part of that...

In this episode of Voices, Filmmaker Hweling Ow talks to Kadambari Raghukumar about her latest play "Not Woman Enough" directed by Sananda Chatterjee. Malaysia-born Hweiling Ow is best known for her horror films that've got millions of hits online, and last week she turned her eye to theatre with Not Woman Enough which was directed by Sananda Chatterjee and presented by Proudly Asian Theatre...

Nowroz Ali first spoke to Voices from Kabul in 2021, while he waited for one of the evacuation flights operated by New Zealand Defence Force. In this episode Kadambari Raghukumar catches up with him, a year and a half after he arrived in NZ. Nowroz Ali Atayee was a former interpreter for NZDF and when the Taliban took over Afghanistan in August 2021, along with hundreds of others, Nowroz was waiti...

The forgotten community of Banaba who were displaced from their homes to the Pacific island of Rabi in 1945, are seeking justice and restoration of their island. Banaba was all but destroyed by over 80 years of phosphate mining by British Phosphate Company (BPC) of which New Zealand was part of. Produced by Kadambari Raghukumar. In this episode of Voices, we meet with a delegation of Banaban peopl...

In this Voices episode, we're talking to volunteers coming together to help the Hawkes Bay's community back on its feet again after Cyclone Gabrielle. A month on from Cyclone Gabrielle ripping through the north Island, volunteers in Hawkes Bay are busy doing whatever they can to chip in and help the community there back on its feet again. In this episode of Voices, Kadambari Raghukumar talks to so...

Professor Bruce Glavovic talks to Kadambari Raghukumar in this episode about natural disasters and why not just a scientific, but a social science perspective is crucial if we are going to adapt and be prepared for more turbulent climate in the years to come. In the aftermath of Cyclone Gabrielle and the flooding in February, we talk to policy adviser and professor Bruce Glavovic about his global...

In this episode, we hear about how a Massey University electronics engineer took his love for robotics to school students in Rotorua. Produced by Kadambari Raghukumar. Kartikay Lal came to New Zealand as a 15-year-old with a pre-existing obsession for all things mechanical - picking them apart, fixing them and learning how things work really. That became a love for robotics when he discovered elec...

How do te reo Maori words find their way in to children's speech in New Zealand and what context do they signify? In a With a new Marsden research grant, two linguists plan to investigate this. Dr Andreea Calude of Waikato University was born in Romania, is a polyglot and a linguist. She has long been fascinated with te reo Maori and in her latest research, along with Dr Hemi Whaanga of Massey Uni...

Gaia Dell'Arriccia left the south of France to research seabirds on Auckland's coastal islands. When Kadambari Raghukumar visits, it's peak breeding season and the Italy-born scientist is busy gathering data about the birds' lives. In this episode of Voices, Gaia tells how life a long way from the Med has been going. Gaia Dell'Arriccia left the south of France to research seabirds on Auckland...

In part 2 of 2 episodes on design and decolonization, we speak to Kerry Ann Lee. Produced by Kadambari Raghukumar. How do you create culturally respective design practices? How do you get past that 'imposter syndrome' when you feel the need to represent your cultural background through your aesthetic as a designer? These are questions that are constants when you come from other cultures...

In Part 1 of 2 episodes on design, decoloniality and culturally safe practices, Kadambari Raghukumar speaks to Dr Diana Albarran Gonzalez on Mexican design and textiles that became trendy in recent years, thanks to Fridamania. The hyper-commercialization of Frida Kahlo's image has seen it being indiscriminately deployed in the form of those very controversial Barbies a few years ago, to socks...

This International Day for Elimination of Violence against Women, Latin American feminists in Auckland spoke to Kadambari Raghukumar about the issues the community faces when it comes to violence against women, in the context of the violent killing of Juliana Bonilla Herrera in Christchurch earlier this year. In February this year, 37-year old Colombian, Juliana Bonilla Herrera was violently murde...

Witnessing a powhiri for some of the Bay of Plenty's newest residents is a pretty special occasion. Justine Murray was part of it all, in this weeks Voices episode. A marae is a place that embodies Māori culture and for new migrants in Tauranga a special pōwhiri hosted just for them was a chance to experience just that. For the second year local iwi authority Te Rūnanga o Ngai Te Rangi and its lea...

Exactly 20 years ago this month, Vivio Ramos decided to make a life in New Zealand bringing with him his infectious love for Cuban dance. He speaks to Kadambari Raghukumar in this episode on growing up in Cuba, studying dance, and making a life in New Zealand. https://players.brightcove.net/6093072280001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6315930632112 Exactly 20 years ago this month, Vivio decide...