MONEY IS EXTREMELY TIGHT RIGHT NOW. MANY NEW ZEALANDERS ARE DOING IT TOUGH. SO THE LAST THING ANY OF US NEEDS IS TO BE SPENDING UNNECESSARILY. BUT TELL THAT TO GOOGLE. THE SEARCH ENGINE IS CONSTANTLY TRYING TO TEMPT US WITH ADS WE DIDN'T ASK FOR... OR DID WE? IT'S GETTING CHILLY IN THE MORNINGS, EH. MM, SURE IS. I THINK IT'S TIME TO BUY SOME TOASTY SLIPPERS. MM. THERE'S A SOUTH ISLAND COMPANY HERE THAT MAKES SOME REALLY COOL SHEEPSKIN ONES. GOT TO KEEP IT LOCAL, RIGHT? YEAH. GOOD ON YOU, BOSS. OH MY GOD. I COULD BUY AN INFLATABLE SPA POOL. OH, WHAT? I CAN GET 33% OFF DOG BEDS. YOU DON'T HAVE A DOG. 84% OFF A MASSAGE GUN. I MEAN, THEY'RE PRACTICALLY PAYING ME. NO, NAH. NO, COS, NO` OH, THAT'S SOME GRUNTY NOSE-HAIR CLIPPERS FOR 11 BUCKS. (CHUCKLES) BOSS, JUST HAVE A MOMENT. TAKE A BREATH. SLIPPERS. SLIPPERS. SLIPPERS. SLIPPERS. AND WE'RE JOINED NOW BY MARKETING EXPERT IAN HOWARD. GOOD TO SEE YOU, IAN. WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THESE ADS? THEY'RE RELENTLESS. THEY ARE RELENTLESS, YEAH. I MEAN, YOU KNOW, ANY TIME YOU'RE ON THE NET, THERE ARE THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF BUSINESSES THAT WANT ACCESS TO YOUR WALLET, FUNDAMENTALLY. IT'S LIKE WALKING INTO A, YOU KNOW, MASSIVE MARKET, AND, YEAH, EVERYONE WANTS YOU TO BE SPENDING WITH THEM. SO THEY'LL THROW ADVERTISING AT YOU UNTIL YOU SPEND MONEY WITH THEM. AND THAT'S NEVER GONNA STOP. IAN, HOW DOES IT WORK? WHY THOSE PARTICULAR ADS? YEAH, I MEAN IT'S INTERESTING. SO IF YOU THINK OF SOMETHING LIKE GOOGLE, THEY BASICALLY SCRAPE AS MUCH DATA AS THEY CAN FROM EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO ON THE INTERNET, AND THEY CREATE A PROFILE OF YOU AS A CONSUMER, WHICH THEY THEN SELL TO THEIR ADVERTISERS. SO EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO, EVERYTHING THAT YOU SEARCH, NO MATTER HOW PRIVATE, GETS LOADED INTO THIS ENORMOUS KIND OF THREE-DIMENSIONAL PICTURE OF WHO YOU ARE AND WHAT YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN BUYING, AND THEN FUNDAMENTALLY, BRANDS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO THEN BID. THERE'S THESE KIND OF AUCTIONS THAT RUN IN THE BACKGROUND. EVERY TIME AN AD IS SERVED TO YOU ONLINE, IN THE BACKGROUND, THERE'S THIS KIND OF` IN MICROSECONDS, THIS AUCTION WHERE GOOGLE SAYS TO EVERYONE, YOU KNOW, WHO WANTS ACCESS TO THIS PERSON'S EYEBALLS? PEOPLE PUT A BID IN. THIS IS ALL DONE, OBVIOUSLY, AUTOMATICALLY THROUGH TECHNOLOGY, AND WHOEVER PUTS THE HIGHEST BID IN WINS YOUR EYEBALLS. SO THAT'S THE ADVERT THAT IS SERVED UP TO YOU. SO, YEAH, IT'S PRETTY COMPLICATED. AND THERE ARE THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF BUSINESSES ACROSS THE GLOBE NOW WHO BASICALLY WANT YOU TO SPEND WITH THEM. FASCINATING. IT MUST BE A VERY HARD PLACE TO COMPETE IN, ESPECIALLY FOR LOCAL BUSINESSES. YEAH, I THINK THAT'S THE THING. WE FORGET HOW SMALL WE ARE HERE. YOU KNOW, IT'S A MARKET OF ONLY FIVE MILLION PEOPLE HERE. SO FOR YOUR MA AND PA BUSINESSES ON A HIGH STREET, YOU KNOW, SOMEWHERE IN NEW ZEALAND, SUDDENLY TO BE COMPETING WITH THE LIKES OF TEMU AND SHINE AND AMAZON, WHO HAVE BILLIONS AND BILLIONS OF DOLLARS, YOU KNOW, HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN MARKETING BUDGET ` TO SUDDENLY BE COMPETING WITH THEM FOR, YOU KNOW, YOUR SHARE OF WALLET, IT'S REALLY, REALLY DIFFICULT, AND I THINK WE RUN THE DANGER IF, UM, YOU KNOW, IF WE'RE NOT CAREFUL, THAT EVERYONE JUST BUYS FROM GLOBAL MARKETPLACES AND WE END UP SORT OF LOSING ANY NEW ZEALAND RETAIL FOOTPRINT AT ALL. SO, IAN, WHAT CAN WE DO? IS THERE ANYTHING WE CAN DO? YEAH, NOT THAT MUCH, TO BE HONEST. I MEAN, AS A CONSUMER, THE BIGGEST PIECE OF ADVICE IS JUST BE CONSCIOUS OF NOT GETTING DISTRACTED. SO IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT YOU KNOW YOU WANT AND YOU KNOW WHERE YOU WANT TO BUY IT FROM, JUST IGNORE ALL THE ADVERTS. SO WHEN YOU'RE PUTTING IN THAT SEARCH, YOU KNOW, FOR A PAIR OF SLIPPERS OR WHATEVER IT MIGHT BE ` I THINK IT WAS IN THE LEAD-IN ` UM, YOU KNOW, IF YOU KNOW WHERE YOU WANT TO BUY THOSE SLIPPERS FROM, YOU KNOW THE TYPE OF SLIPPERS YOU WANT, JUST GO TO THE SEARCH RESULTS THAT ARE MOST RELEVANT TO YOU AND IGNORE THE CHEAP OPTIONS. IT'S THE SAME AS WHEN YOU GO INTO A SUPERMARKET. IF YOU KNOW YOU WANT TO BUY, YOU KNOW, A POT OF YOGHURT, IGNORE THE SPECIALS ON APPLES AND ON TOILET ROLL AND WHATEVER ELSE, YOU KNOW THE BIG 'BUY ONE, GET ONE FREE' OFFERS. JUST WALK IN AND GET THE THINGS THAT YOU WANT. IT'S NO DIFFERENT NOW ON THE INTERNET. SO, YEAH, THE THING THAT MOST PEOPLE CAN DO IS JUST FOCUS, REALLY. THERE ARE SOME OPTIONS WITHIN GOOGLE WHERE YOU CAN ACTUALLY GO TO THE GOOGLE AD PERSONALISATION SETTINGS. YOU'LL BE ABLE TO FIND THAT` IRONICALLY, YOU CAN ACTUALLY GOOGLE IT TO GET THERE. UM, AND WITHIN THAT, YOU CAN TEACH GOOGLE THE THINGS THAT YOU'RE INTERESTED IN, THE THINGS THAT YOU'RE NOT INTERESTED IN. THERE'S VARIOUS OPTIONS THAT KIND OF SAY, SWITCH OFF ADVERTISING THAT LOOKS LIKE THIS. NOW, GOOGLE ARE A BIT SOFT ABOUT EXACTLY WHAT THEY'RE GONNA DO WITH THAT. THEY DON'T PROMISE THAT IF YOU SAY YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE ADVERTS FROM A PARTICULAR TYPE, THEY'LL STOP SERVING THEM TO YOU ENTIRELY. THEY JUST SAY, WE'LL ENDEAVOUR TO DO OUR BEST TO MAKE SURE YOU SEE LESS OF THEM. OK, SO THE MORAL OF THE STORY, BASICALLY ` IF YOU WANT THE SLIPPERS, GO TO THE STORE. WELL, GO TO THE STORE OR, YOU KNOW, PUT YOUR SEARCH IN FOR YOUR SLIPPERS AND GO WHERE YOU THOUGHT YOU WERE GONNA GO AND JUST IGNORE ALL THE NOISE AROUND IT. THANKS, IAN. BEST OF LUCK WITH EVERYTHING. KIA ORA, JEREMY. THANKS VERY MUCH. CAPTIONS BY SAM BAKER, FRANK GORE AND KITTY WASASALA. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ COPYRIGHT ABLE 2024 YOUTH SOCIAL WORKER, JAY GELDARD, ASKED 100 KIWI CHILDREN IF THEY'D RATHER BE CALLED A DICK OR RECEIVE A COMPLIMENT. A STAGGERING 70% SAID THEY'D RATHER BE CALLED A DICK. JAY SAYS THAT IS A CLEAR EXAMPLE OF NEW ZEALAND'S TALL POPPY SYNDROME, RESULTING IN OUR KIDS NOT WANTING TO STAND TALL FOR FEAR OF BEING CUT DOWN. HE'S OUT TO CHANGE THAT MINDSET ONE SCHOOL AT A TIME. DROP INTO A ROWLEY SCHOOL ASSEMBLY, FEEL THE FRIENDLY VIBE, AND YOU'D BE HARD PUSHED TO BELIEVE THAT THIS WAS ONCE A SCHOOL ON THE SKIDS. THE LAST 10 YEARS HAVE BEEN VERY ROUGH FOR THE SCHOOL. HIGH TURNOVER OF STAFF, PRINCIPALS. THAT'S 10 PRINCIPALS IN 10 YEARS. ROLL'S DROPPED RIGHT DOWN TO ABOUT 76 CHILDREN IN ABOUT 2019. UM, AND WE'RE ON THE REBUILD. GRAEME NORMAN'S BEEN HERE FOUR YEARS NOW ` LONG-SERVING. HE HEARD ABOUT 'E TU TANGATA' AND WAS AN EARLY ADOPTER. IT'S A TOOLBOX FOR TEACHERS AND KIDS. # E TU TANGATA! # SEE YOUR OWN VALUE, SEE YOURSELF AS VALUABLE, AND OTHERS TOO. TEACHING STAFF ARE INTO THE SWING OF IT; GRAEME RECKONS IT'S A GAME-CHANGER. ATTENDANCE HAS DOUBLED, THE SCHOOL IS FLOURISHING. WE SUCCEED TOGETHER AND WE ARE A TEAM. SO WHEN YOU WIN, I WIN. E TU TANGATA'S CO-FOUNDER IS YOUTH SOCIAL WORKER AND FORMER NEW ZEALAND MEN'S NETBALL SHARPSHOOTER, JAY GELDARD. THIS WAS HIS IDEA TO COMBAT TALL POPPY SYNDROME. WHY ARE KIWIS EXPERT AT CRITICISING BUT NOT COMPLIMENTING? AND JAY GELDARD, CO-FOUNDER OF E TU TANGATA, IS HERE NOW. THANKS FOR YOUR TIME, JAY. SO WHY IS TALL POPPY SYNDROME SO ENTRENCHED IN NEW ZEALAND CULTURE, DO YOU THINK? THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. TALL POPPY SYNDROME HAS BEEN A PART OF NEW ZEALAND FOR MANY GENERATIONS, AND IT'S` WE BELIEVE IT'S COME FROM BRITAIN, WHEN WE WERE SORT OF BIRTHED AS A NATION AND THE SETTLERS CAME AND WANTED THIS EGALITARIAN MINDSET TO BE PART OF THIS CULTURE. UM, AND IT'S JUST BEEN HERE EVER SINCE. AND WE NEED TO ADDRESS THIS ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM. SO, JAY, TELL US HOW E TU TANGATA WORKS TO COMBAT TALL POPPY SYNDROME. IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT, TALL POPPY SYNDROME IS 'I CUT YOU DOWN TO MAKE MYSELF FEEL TALLER.' AND SO YOU CAN SEE I'M WEARING A HOODIE TODAY THAT SAYS 'VALUABLE'. IF YOU ACTUALLY VALUE YOURSELF, YOU WON'T ACTUALLY WALK AROUND CUTTING THOSE DOWN AROUND YOU. AND SO THAT'S ALL WE'RE DOING WITH E TU TANGATA IS HAVING CONVERSATIONS AROUND KO WAI AU ` WHO ARE YOU? AND CREATING A CULTURE WHERE WE VALUE OURSELVES, BUT ALSO THOSE AROUND YOU WHO MAY LOOK DIFFERENT, SOUND DIFFERENT AND THEY TOO, LIKE YOU, ARE VALUABLE. JAY, HOW MANY SCHOOLS AND PRESCHOOLS HAVE ADOPTED YOUR INITIATIVE? SO WE LAUNCHED ABOUT 2 OR 3 YEARS AGO, AND WE'VE HAD ABOUT A THOUSAND EDUCATORS JUMP ONTO OUR RESOURCE KETE AND ENGAGE WITH ALL OUR DIFFERENT VIDEOS AND PUBLICATIONS. WE HAVE OVER ABOUT A THOUSAND EDUCATORS WHO ARE PART OF THAT. AT THE MOMENT, WE ACTUALLY ARE ABOUT TO GO THROUGH AND ASK SCHOOLS, ARE YOU IN? ARE YOU MEMBERED SCHOOLS OF E TU TANGATA? BECAUSE IT HAS GONE SO WELL, IT'S GONE VIRAL THAT WE ACTUALLY DO NOT KNOW THAT ANSWER. SOME SCHOOLS ARE SINGING THE SONG, THAT WON SONG OF THE YEAR, SOME ARE READING THE BOOK THAT AGAIN BECAME A BESTSELLER. UH, SO WE'RE ACTUALLY ABOUT TO GO OUT AND FIND OUT HOW MANY SCHOOLS, BUT, UM, I ACTUALLY CAN'T GIVE YOU AN ANSWER ON THAT, BUT I'M EXCITED TO FIND OUT, AND I'LL LET YOU KNOW SOON. JAY, WHAT DOES IT COST THEM TO HOP ON BOARD? WELL, WE HAVE GIVEN IT AWAY FROM THE VERY BEGINNING, AND IT'S BEEN A BIG PART OF OUR HEART AS FOUNDERS AS WE WANT TO GIVE THIS AWAY. UM, AND SO WE'RE NOT TRYING TO PUT A PRICE ON THIS. UM, IF PEOPLE WANT EXTRA SUPPORT THAT WE WILL HAVE TO LOOK AT WHAT, SOME SORT OF CHARGE THAT'LL BE, BUT IT'S NOT ABOUT MAKING MONEY. IT'S ABOUT SHIFTING THE CULTURE AND HELPING SCHOOLS ADDRESS THIS ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM. YOU'VE HAD SOME HIGH-PROFILE HELP SETTING THIS UP AND SUPPORTING YOU. YEAH, I HAVE THIS UNCANNY ABILITY TO SIT NEXT TO PEOPLE ON THE PLANE OR IN THE KORU LOUNGE WHO ACTUALLY, UM, ARE QUITE WELL-KNOWN KIWIS. SO WE'VE GOT PROBABLY OVER 30 WELL-KNOWN KIWIS ON BOARD. AND I THINK IT'S BECAUSE WHEN WE SIT DOWN AND CHAT, IT'S ACTUALLY QUITE PERSONAL FOR EVERY SINGLE KIWI, UM, NO MATTER IF YOU'RE FAMOUS OR NOT, THIS IMPACTS ON ALL OF US THE WAY THAT WE SEE OURSELVES, THE WAY WE SEE THE OTHERS AROUND US. AND SO I REALLY BELIEVE THAT THESE PEOPLE HAVE JUMPED ON BOARD BECAUSE WE NEED TO SHIFT THIS CULTURE. WE'VE GOT NOTHING TO LOSE BY TRYING TO ADDRESS THIS SYNDROME, WHICH HAS BEEN A SICKNESS IN OUR NATION FOR SO LONG. NOW, MANY OF OUR VIEWERS, JAY, WILL RECOGNISE YOU AS THE FORMER GOLD SHOOT FOR THE NEW ZEALAND MEN'S NETBALL TEAM. YOU'RE A VERY TALL UNIT. UNFORTUNATELY, YOU'RE STANDING THERE BY YOURSELF, SO WE DON'T REALLY GET ANY PERSPECTIVE ON HOW TALL YOU ACTUALLY ARE. YES, WELL, HERE'S MY WIFE WHO'S THE ALSO THE CO-FOUNDER OF E TU TANGATA. SO IF THAT GIVES YOU A PERSPECTIVE, I AM 6.8ft AND SHE IS 6.5ft. BEAUTIFUL WAHINE. SO THAT GIVES YOU A BIT OF A PERSPECTIVE. THAT IS ONE OF THE GREAT ALL-TIME GULLIVERS GOING ON THERE. NICE TO SEE YOU JAY. THANKS FOR COMING ON THE SHOW. AWESOME. THANKS, TEAM. TALK SOME MORE SOON. E WHAI AKE NEI ` COMING UP ON SEVEN SHARP, THE NEW ZEALAND COMPOSER ABOUT TO HIT A CAREER HIGH NOTE. PLUS... I HAVE NOW BECOME THE MAD FEIJOA LADY OF RAGLAN. HOW A LOVE FOR FEIJOAS TOOK A KIWI ACROSS THE WORLD IN SEARCH OF PERFECTION. THE TASTY DETAILS IN JUST A MOMENT. # HEY JUDE NAU MAI, HOKI MAI. WELCOME BACK, NICE TO HAVE YOU WITH US. A NEW ZEALAND COMPOSER HAS HIT A CAREER HIGH-NOTE WITH ONE OF HIS WORKS BOUND FOR THE WORLD STAGE. FRASER BREMNER WROTE 'BLACK TEARS' ABOUT THE COUNTRY'S COLLECTIVE GRIEF FOLLOWING PIKE RIVER. AND NOW THE PIECE, AND THE STORY, WILL TAKE CENTRE STAGE IN THE U.K. HERE'S CAROLYN ROBINSON. (PERCUSSIVE DRUM BEAT) FRASER BREMNER HAS A PASSION FOR PERCUSSION. (UPTEMPO DRUM FLOURISH) THE MULTI-INSTRUMENTALIST COMPOSER IS FEELING DECIDEDLY UPTEMPO BECAUSE ` DRUM ROLL ` MUSIC HE COMPOSED IS HEADED FOR THE WORLD STAGE. STILL PINCHING MYSELF. (CHUCKLES) A LOT OF MY MUSIC THAT I COMPOSE IS BASED ON FACT, AND I LIKE WRITING THINGS ABOUT THINGS THAT HAVE ACTUALLY HAPPENED. (BIRDS CHIRP SOFTLY) CALLED BLACK TEARS, HIS ORCHESTRAL PIECE IS ABOUT THE AFTERMATH OF THE PIKE RIVER MINE DISASTER. I EVEN REMEMBER WHERE I WAS, YOU KNOW, WHEN... UM, YOU KNOW, IT WAS OVER THE NEWS ABOUT THE FIRST EXPLOSION. I WAS ACTUALLY SITTING IN MY FLAT AT` UH, WHEN I LIVED IN WELLINGTON. I WAS SITTING IN MY FLAT ACTUALLY WRITING OTHER MUSIC. THE AFTERMATH WAS JUST PURE GRIEF. UM, I MEAN, IT'S` THE DISASTER ITSELF MADE HEADLINES ALL AROUND` NOT JUST AROUND THE COUNTRY, AROUND THE WHOLE WORLD. MELODIES SLOWLY MADE THEIR WAY IN UNTIL EVENTUALLY, FRASER FELT HE'D CAPTURED THE COUNTRY'S MOURNING IN MUSIC. A CORNET, UM, PLAYED CORRECTLY, CAN HAVE QUITE A HAUNTING SOUND. AND THAT'S WHY I RECKON THAT, UM, THAT INSTRUMENT IS PERFECT FOR THIS PIECE OF MUSIC. THE PIECE OF MUSIC IS PURE` JUST GRIEF. SIX YEARS ON, AND IT'S BEEN SELECTED BY THE U.K'S TOP BRASS OF BRASS. DR BOB CHARLES, WHO'S PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST WELL-RESPECTED BRASS BAND CONDUCTORS IN THE WORLD, SAID THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO USE BLACK TEARS IN THEIR PROGRAMME AND THEN FOUND OUT 24 HOURS LATER THAT THE PERSON WHO'S GOING TO BE PLAYING THE SOLO IS JAMES FOUNTAIN, WHO'S THE PRINCIPAL TRUMPET OF THE LONDON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA. AND I THINK MY JAW JUST BASICALLY HIT THE FLOOR (CHUCKLES) AS SOON AS I READ THAT. ALONG WITH DRUMS, FRASER'S ALSO CAPABLE ON KEYS, BOLD AT BRASS, AND A CONFIDENT CONDUCTOR. MY DAD WAS, FOR MANY YEARS, THE CONDUCTOR OF THE LOCAL BRASS BAND. AND SO, UM, I SUPPOSE YOU CAN SAY WE DIDN'T HAVE MUCH SAY IN THE MATTER AS TO WHETHER WE WERE GOING TO DO MUSIC OR NOT. WHEN HE'S NOT MAKING MUSIC, HE'S MUTING IT. THE BREMNER FAMILY MAKES SCHMUTZ. IT'S A DEVICE THAT YOU JUST PUT IN THE INSTRUMENT ` IT TAKES ABOUT 80 TO 90% OF THE SOUND OUT, SO YOU CAN PRACTICE AND NOT ANNOY OTHER PEOPLE. (PLAYS SOFTLY) AND WE SHIP TO ABOUT 35 COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD, AND WE'RE RATED AS ONE OF THE TOP BRASS PRACTICE MUTES IN THE WORLD. BUT NOW THE BREMNERS HAVE ANOTHER IMPRESSIVE EXPORT, AND THEY COULDN'T BE PROUDER. WELL, THIS PIECE OF MUSIC IS THE BEST THAT FRASER HAS WRITTEN. IT IS ABSOLUTELY OUTSTANDING AND IT SHOWS THE EMOTION THAT WENT WITH THE, UH, THE PIKE RIVER DISASTER. OH, WE'RE EXTRA PROUD OF HIM. AND BEING A MUSICAL FAMILY MEANS THEY CAN PLAY IT. (PLAYS SOMBRE, ACHING MELODY) (PLAYS SOMBRE, ACHING MELODY) (PLAYS SOMBRE, ACHING MELODY) YOU KNOW, EVERY TIME WE PLAY IT, WE THINK ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED. (PLAYS SOMBRE, ACHING MELODY) FRASER HOPES THOSE WHO LOST A LOVED ONE AT PIKE RIVER WILL ALSO GET TO HEAR IT. THIS PIECE OF MUSIC WAS, YOU KNOW, WRITTEN WITH THE FAMILIES IN MIND. THERE'S A LOT OF AMAZING, TALENTED COMPOSERS IN NEW ZEALAND AND A LOT OF US DON'T ACTUALLY GET OUR STUFF PLAYED ON A WORLD STAGE. SO TO HAVE THIS, UM, THIS PIECE OF MUSIC BEING PLAYED ON A WORLD STAGE IS SOMETHING PRETTY SPECIAL. I WAS ACTUALLY GOING BACK AND ACTUALLY DOUBLE CHECKING THE EMAILS, ACTUALLY MAKING SURE THAT THIS IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING, YOU KNOW. YES. AS WE HEAD INTO NEW ZEALAND MUSIC MONTH, ANOTHER KIWI'S GOING GLOBAL. TIME TO SOUND THE TRUMPET. (MOURNFUL CORNET MUSIC) THIS IS DEFINITELY THE HIGHLIGHT OF MY CAREER. (SOMBRE, ACHING MELODY) THAT SOUNDS ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL. NOW YOU SAW FRASER'S DAD TREVOR IN THE STORY. HIS BROTHER DAVE IS THE PRINCIPAL TROMBONIST FOR THE NZSO; HIS OTHER BROTHER MARK IS A HIGH-FLYING TRUMPETER IN THE QUEENSLAND SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA, AND MUM BETTY TINKLES THE IVORIES. TALENTED FAMILY. WHAT A FAMILY. IMAGINE LIVING NEXT DOOR TO THEM. YOU WOULD LOVE TO BE A PART OF THAT FAMILY. I REALLY WOULD. RIGHT NOW WE ARE IN THE TAIL END OF FEIJOA SEASON ` A FRUIT FROM THE GUAVA FAMILY THAT MADE IT'S WAY FROM SOUTH AMERICA TO NEW ZEALAND MORE THAN 100 YEARS AGO. AND WHILE MOST OF US MIGHT LIKE THE FRUIT, ONLY ONE WOMAN HAS EMBARKED ON A DECADE-LONG QUEST TO KNOW EVERYTHING THERE IS TO KNOW ABOUT IT. HERE'S LUCAS DE JONG. WE'VE TOLD STORIES ABOUT THE BIG AND THE SMALL... A LITTLE FEIJOA GOES A LONG, LONG WAY. ...ABOUT THOSE WHO EAT THE SKINS. (RETCHES) ...AND THOSE WHO EAT THEIR NEIGHBOURS'. YOU CAN FORAGE FRUIT OFF STREET TREES ON THE GRASS VERGE OR THE BERM. BUT NOBODY HAS EVER TOLD THE WHOLE STORY. THE STORY OF THE FEIJOA. DO YOU LIKE FEIJOAS? (LAUGHS) OF COURSE I DO. GREAT! OVER 10 YEARS, SHE'S TRAVELLED THE WORLD. I HAVE NOW BECOME THE MAD FEIJOA LADY OF RAGLAN. BUT HER GUAVA JOURNEY BEGAN WHEN SHE WAS JUST A CHILD. IT'S QUITE A POWERFUL SMELL, RIGHT? IT IS, YEAH. WHAT DOES IT MAKE YOU THINK OF`? FEIJOAS. YEAH, I KNOW, BUT DO YOU` (BOTH LAUGH) DO YOU GET THE CHILDHOOD FLASHBACK THING? SCENT-BASED MEMORIES ARE MORE LIKELY TO FORM EARLIER IN LIFE, LIKE IN CHILDHOOD. AND SO KIDS EATING A WHOLE BUNCH OF FEIJOAS, IT'S, LIKE, PERFECTLY DESIGNED TO KIND OF ENCODE THIS MEMORY OF, LIKE, THE FIRST TIME THAT YOU SMELLED IT. AND I LIVED OVERSEAS FOR 12 YEARS AND WHEN I WAS AWAY AND I FINALLY MANAGED TO GET HOLD OF A FEIJOA, IT WAS THIS KIND OF LIKE, REALLY POWERFUL, NOSTALGIC MOMENT. AN IMPORTED FRUIT WAS HER SYMBOL OF NEW ZEALAND. AND SO SHE SET OUT TO ANSWER THE QUESTION, WHY ARE WE SO OBSESSED? I JUST GOT CURIOUS AND I STARTED LOOKING INTO IT'S HISTORY. EVERY LITTLE QUESTION I HAD SORT OF SEEMED TO LEAD TO A NEW, SUPER INTERESTING RABBIT HOLE. HER JOURNEY TOOK HER TO SOUTHERN BRAZIL. IT'S KIND OF LIKE THE EVOLUTIONARY CENTRE OF ORIGIN FOR THE FEIJOA. MOST OF THE GENETIC DIVERSITY IS IN THIS KIND OF FOREST IN BRAZIL. THEY TOOK ME TO AN ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE WHERE THERE WERE THE REMAINS OF THESE PIT HOUSES, WHERE PEOPLE THAT LIVED A THOUSAND YEARS AGO AND ALL AROUND WERE LIKE HEAPS AND HEAPS OF FEIJOA TREES. SOME OF THEM WERE EVEN KIND OF IN LINES. IT'S LIKELY THAT THESE PEOPLE WERE EATING FEIJOAS LIKE, A THOUSAND YEARS AGO. SHE MET WITH THE FEIJOA-LOVING PEOPLE OF URUGUAY AND PARTIED AT COLOMBIA'S FEIJOA FESTIVAL. I WENT TO COLOMBIA FOR THE FESTIVAL OF THE FEIJOA ` LA FESTIVAL DE LA FEIJOA. LIKE, FOOD STALLS AND FRUIT FOR SALE. AND THEY WERE SO EXCITED TO HAVE ME THERE. THEY MADE ME DO A COOKING DEMONSTRATION, AND THEN I ALSO GOT TO BE THE CELEBRITY JUDGE OF THE FEIJOA DESSERTS COMPETITION, WHICH WAS TOTAL HIGHLIGHT. OVER YEARS, SHE MET THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE GROWN ALONGSIDE THE FEIJOA. WHY DO YOU ESPALIER THEM LIKE THIS? LEARNING ABOUT GROWING TECHNIQUES AND THE SCIENCE BEHIND THE STRUCTURE THE MAIN ONE IS METHYL BENZOATE, AND THAT'S LIKE THE KIND OF FEIJOA SMELL THAT A FEIJOA LOLLY IS FLAVOURED WITH, BASICALLY. IT'S QUITE A RARE COMPOUND, SO IT'S, LIKE, MAINLY IN FEIJOAS, IT'S IN THIS SPECIAL ORCHID IN THE BRAZILIAN RAINFOREST. AND APPARENTLY WHEN COCAINE DECOMPOSES, IT CAN ALSO GIVE OFF THIS SMELL. AND KATE TRIED A LOT. I'D EVEN EAT THE SKIN ON THIS ONE. YUM` DON'T EAT THE SKIN. (GIGGLES) DON'T BE ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE. IF YOU TAKE A STROLL THROUGH YOUR LOCAL GARDEN CENTRE, THE VARIETIES ARE EVER-GROWING, BUT YOU WON'T FIND KATE'S FAVOURITE HERE. I TRIED A LOT AND TO BE HONEST, THE BEST ONES I'VE TASTED ARE ONES THAT ARE NOT ON THE COMMERCIAL MARKET, THAT NIGEL RITSON IS GROWING DOWN IN TAKAKA RIGHT NOW. HE IS ON THE HUNT FOR THE PERFECT FEIJOA ` THE FEIJOA OF THE FUTURE. THEY WERE MIND-BLOWING. WE'VE COME A LONG WAY FROM THE HUMBLE CRUMBLE. IN SOME OF THE PLACES IN SOUTH AMERICA, THEY MAKE QUITE A LOT OF SAVOURY THINGS WITH FEIJOAS ` TROUT WITH FEIJOA AND PORK WITH FEIJOA. IN URUGUAY, THEY... A CHEF THAT I STAYED WITH THERE ` SHE HAS A BEAUTIFUL FEIJOA CEVICHE RECIPE, BUT I HAVE TO ADMIT I STILL MAKE A LOT OF FEIJOA CRUMBLE. (LAUGHS) NOW 'FEIJOA: A STORY OF OBSESSION AND BELONGING' BRINGS ALL SHE'S LEARNT TOGETHER AND ANSWERED HER BIG QUESTION ` WHY DOES THIS FRUIT HOLD SUCH A SPECIAL PLACE IN OUR HEARTS? SO WHEN SOMETHING DOESN'T STORE WELL, AND YOU'VE GOT HEAPS OF IT, THE ONE THING YOU CAN DO WITH IT IS GIVE IT AWAY. AND SO THEY'VE BECOME THIS KIND OF CONNECTING POINT WHERE PEOPLE TAKE IT INTO WORK, OR THEY PUT A BOX OUT ON THE STREET FOR THEIR NEIGHBOURS. AND I THINK WE KIND OF LOVE THAT. LIKE, WE LOVE THE IDEA OF GETTING SOMETHING FOR FREE AND GETTING SOMETHING LIKE SOMETHING THAT CONNECTS YOU WITH THE PEOPLE AROUND YOU. I'M NOT SURE IF I COULD HAVE DONE THE SAME BOOK ABOUT A TAMARILLO OR, LIKE, ANY OTHER FRUIT, LIKE, I THINK FEIJOA WAS PARTICULARLY RICH IN STORIES AND, LIKE, INTERESTING CONVERGENCES. BUT I THINK MANY THINGS, IF YOU LOOK A BIT CLOSER AND, LIKE, PEEL UNDER THE SURFACE, YOU END UP FINDING ALL OF THESE FASCINATING STORIES AND PEOPLE, YOU KNOW? PEOPLE WHO SHARE` SHARE A LOVE FOR SOMETHING, EVEN THOUGH THEY MIGHT LIVE IN COMPLETELY DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE WORLD AND HAVE TOTALLY DIFFERENT CULTURES. SO SAVOUR IT, BECAUSE AS QUICKLY AS THE GLUT COMES, IT'LL BE OVER. I'M A BIT OVER FEIJOAS NOW, TO BE HONEST. (GASPS) AND TOMORROW NIGHT WE GO DEEP INTO THE KUMQUAT. WE'LL BE BACK IN JUST A MOMENT. ON THE SHOW TOMORROW, THE KIWI SNACK THAT'S JUST OUT OF THIS WORLD. IT'S SO POPULAR IT'S BEING EATEN BY ASTRONAUTS. THOSE WERE OUR PEOPLE TODAY, THAT WAS SEVEN SHARP TONIGHT. MT HUTT RESCUE IS UP NEXT. WE'LL SEE YOU TOMORROW. PO MARIE. CAPTIONS BY SAM BAKER, FRANK GORE AND KITTY WASASALA. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ COPYRIGHT ABLE 2024