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How did Pedro Ilgenfritz go from accounting to clowning? He talks to Voices producer and presenter Kadambari Raghukumar about his love for acting - and a growing theatre mask collection. Pedro Ilgenfritz went from counting to clowning in his career and has never looked back since. While studying accounting as a 20-year-old in his hometown in Brazil, Florianopolis, Pedro discovered acting. Listen t...

How did a stint in the army lead Canterbury scientist Hussam Razzaq to wanting to change lives through research? He spoke to Kadambari in this week's episode of Voices. How did a stint in the army lead Canterbury scientist Hussam Razzaq to changing lives through research? He tells his story in this week's episode of Voices. In 1986, Hussam Razzaq had just arrived back in his hometown Baghdad,...

How does being a master distiller and Honorary Consul come together when your country is being ravaged by war? Kadambari Raghukumar talks to Oleksandr Kirichuk in this week's episode of Voices. Oleksandr Kirichuk is a master distiller, sailor and the Honorary Consul of Ukraine in New Zealand. On most days, he's busy distilling and bottling his vodka, whiskey and rum at his fully solar-run dis...

Inter-ethnic prejudice and discrimination were the subjects on the table at a recent online hui attended by a collective of New Zealand creatives and activists. Organisers and participants of the hui talk to Voices about highlighting and tackling these issues via honest dialogue and reflection. Inter-ethnic prejudice and discrimination were the subjects on the table at a recent online hui attended...

Nigerian-born Aucklander Esther Olatunbosun has taken her sweet tooth to the Dubai World Expo. One of just three young chefs chosen to represent New Zealand, she has big dreams and one heck of a pav. The breathless promotional videos promise a "celebration of human brilliance" and "a making of a new world", but for chef Esther Olatunbosun, Expo 2020 in Dubai is a place to make...

Zimbabwe-born saxophonist Thabani Gapara talks to Voices producer and presenter, Kadambari Raghukumar, about his journey over the years and how storytelling has been so central to his work, particularly with his recent EP. Zimbabwe-born saxophonist Thabani Gapara tells Voices why storytelling is so central to his music. FOLLOW Voices on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Radio Public and iHeart Ra...

In this episode, we're talking football, inclusivity, visas and the opportunities to play in an amateur league when you're an immigrant in New Zealand. Kadambari Raghukumar talks to Waiheke United and players from other clubs affected by the foreign-player regulation. Kadambari Raghukumar meets amateur football players feeling shut out by New Zealand regulations. Listen to the story FOLLOW Voices...

Growing up in a farming family in Zimbabwe, scientist Emmanuel Chakwizira talks to Kadambari Raghukumar about the differences in crop culture literally, and his work here in Canterbury. "The biggest shock coming here was seeing forage brassica fed to animals. It's for human consumption where I come from, all of a sudden you come here and see a paddock full growing for animals" laugh...

Myint Aung San talks to Kadambari Raghukumar in this Voices episode about his dreams to change the refugee experience in camps by changing the way they're built. "I'm trying to tackle a problem. It's a way to create a sense of belonging, remove that sense of alienation and use their skills." Listen to this episode of Voices Auckland based architecture graduate Myint San Aung, i...

In this Voices podcast, botanist and associate curator at the Auckland Museum, Yumiko Baba, shares her long-standing love for a particular native tree. Produced and presented by Kadambari Raghukumar. "They're beautiful plants. The flowers are fringed, like a tutu, a ballerina's costume" Detail is the biggest deal for Japan-born Botanist Yumiko Baba; and one New Zealand native t...

in 2022's first episode of Voices, writer Shriya Bhagwat talks to Kadambari Raghukumar about exploring patriarchy and challenging stereotypes through her debut play, Kamasutra Chronicles, stalled twice before it finally premiered this month. "There's a lot of misunderstanding around what it actually is! " Writer Shriya Bhagwat talking about the ancient Indian manuscript, the Kamasut...

2021 was yet another year riddled with Covid-19 lockdowns, endless queues for MIQ spots and families separated by border closures. As the year draws to an end, we look at what this year has meant for immigrants in Aotearoa. 2021 was yet another year riddled with Covid-19 lockdowns, endless queues for MIQ spots and families separated by border closures. As the year draws to an end, we look at what...

Auckland's diversity found a new space in the Tāmaki Paenga Hira Auckland Museum this year. Kadambari chats to the people involved in making this a dynamic, community-driven space. FOLLOW Voices on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Radio Public and iHeart Radio or wherever you listen to your podcasts. Auckland has the world's fourth highest foreign-born population and a new space at Tāmaki P...

Bringing Africa to Aotearoa, a film at a time - AFFNZ 2021 From 10 December through to 7 January 2022, the African Film Festival New Zealand deep dives into cinema from across the continent. Some of the team behind the festival spoke to Voices this week. Listen to the full interview here: The African Film Festival New Zealand (AFFNZ) was founded seven years ago by Mali-born New Zealander Boubacar...

Two weeks after moving up from Raglan to Auckland to get busier with his music, Muroki speaks to Kadambari Raghukumar in this episode, about his journey so far as a musician. Muroki is just 20 and things have happened fast for the young Kenyan-Kiwi musician. Moving up to Auckland from Raglan a couple of weeks ago seemed a natural progression, he tells Voices. Listen to the interview FOLLOW Voices...

In this episode, Auckland-based pianist Ben Fernandez, speaks to Kadambari Raghukumar about his journey growing up a very musical family in Mumbai, to arriving in New Zealand to study jazz. After years of climbing the corporate ladder in Mumbai and Goa, India, Ben Fernandez traded it all in for a career in making music instead. "Everyone thought I was cuckoo" he says. He spoke to Voices...

What was life in the Fijian town of Levuka like for two young girls from the Indo-Fijian community? Two elders reflect in a casual conversation switching effortlessly between Hindi, Fijian and English. Produced by Kadambari Raghukumar Two elderly Auckland-based Indo-Fijian ladies, Hajira Khan,78, and Shamsun Naidu, 83, have been having their casual conversations recorded for posterity as they refl...

As Sudan goes through a coup and the dissolving of the transitional government, how does diaspora in Aotearoa feel as two years of hopes for democracy in their home country seem dashed? Produced by Kadambari Raghukumar On 25 October this year, the Sudanese army dissolved the country's transitional civilian government and arrested key leaders. The coup sparked protests across several cities wi...

Everyday New Zealanders will soon be given the chance play a bigger role helping new refugees settle in, thanks to a new Community Organisation Refugee Sponsorship (CORS) scheme that will soon be rolled out. A pilot settlement scheme which allows community groups to sponsor refugees has proved so successful, an extended programme will soon be rolled out. Hisham Al-Zarzour recommends the Community...

Film festival programmer Vicci Ho explains why a career watching movies is harder than it seems and how she picks films to reflect a culture. Vicci Ho kind of fell into film festival programming but has since arranged the line ups for festivals all around the world, from Toronto to Zurich. Now she's based in Wellington and a key part of the New Zealand International Film Festival which launch...

In this episode, Kadambari Raghukumar talks to the Minister for Ethnic Communities, Priyanca Radhakrishnan, along with the Green and National party spokespeople for ethnic communities - Golriz Ghahraman and Melissa Lee respectively. What is the road map ahead for refugee intakes, international students and the Royal Commission huis? Subscribe to Voices for free on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher...

For 165,000 people waiting to become New Zealanders, the government's recent decision to fast-track visas has come just in the nick of time. But what about those who've spent years here working and studying, but still don't qualify? For Devdeep Singh, the government's announcement of a new fast-track residency visa came just in time. "I was almost gone to Canada" said the 27-year-ol...

Workplace Bullying - The Beat Up, Anendra Singh's debut novel, was published earlier this year. During Mental Health Awareness Week, he spoke to Kadambari Raghukumar about what more needs to be done to combat New Zealand's high rates of workplace bullying. FOLLOW Voices on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart Radio or wherever you listen to your podcasts. Listener discretion advised - this story has re...

After her first year of being in New Zealand, Somali former refugee Fatema Mohamed, now considers started a process that could help her restore a long-lost link. Produced by Kadambari Raghukumar. Last year as New Zealand went into lockdown in March, Fatema Mohamed Sugule was only just beginning to slowly adjust to her new life in Auckland. During this year's lockdown she feels more ready to s...

Women's rights have come a long way in Afghanistan over the last 20 years. Will the recent Taliban takeover unravel all that hard work - and worse. Video of the Deputy Head of Taliban's Cultural Commission saying women would not be allowed to play cricket or other sports where they are exposed has sent alarm bells ringing. Listen to Voices on women's rights in Afghanistan FOLLOW Voices o...