1 Captions by Julie Taylor. Edited by Jake Ebdale. www.able.co.nz Captions were made possible with funding from NZ On Air. Copyright Able 2017 (POP MUSIC) Te Atatu is 10km west of Auckland, wrapped by three sides of the Waitemata Harbour. I grew up in Johannesburg, South Africa but have travelled widely as a yoga teacher and soaked up many different cultures. So nowadays I like to think of myself as a global child. The beauty of this place has made it so easy to feel at home. Te Atatu has beautiful coastline, busy markets and great parks that bring people out to enjoy all the neighbourhood has to offer. Sharing these communal spaces has shown me what a diverse and passionate group of people I live among. In this episode of Neighbourhood, we'll meet a young woman whose love of reading has inspired her to help kids back in the Philippines. Te Atatu Night Markets is one of the most amazing night markets I've been to as a stallholder. When I came in to set up, they even had a small box waiting for me with books in it. So I had more book donations. So that was great. A woman from Iran shares the poems that speak to her heart. Whenever we have a difficulty, whenever we have a question in our mind, just open the Hafez and that verse is our answer. We'll meet the man that the local Croatian society has recruited to help keep their culture alive. I'm most proud of the unity that's happened to` to` tonight. Have you seen that? Could you feel that? Wow. And a Te Atatu local dishes up a meal that would have made her father proud. So, guys, we are going to be making lemon rice. This is one of the dishes my dad taught me, and it's a dish that he would pull out of his sleeve like a magician every time. I'm Shyam Mathaba, and this is my neighbourhood. (POP MUSIC) I grew up post-apartheid in Johannesburg, but apartheid was more than a distant memory. It still impacted on our lives, even when I was at university. I remember one lecturer one day deciding that he was only going to teach us in Afrikaans. Now, Afrikaans was second, maybe even third language to a lot of the dark-skinned students in his class, so it was quite a provocative thing to do. That experience and others like it inspired me to explore my true identity. Who am I beyond this physical appearance? What is it that makes us all equal, despite our physical differences? Travel and living overseas have been a really important part of that process. But the lessons you pick up as a child at school still leave an indelible mark. (POP MUSIC) I grew up in Benguet, uh, which is a region in the Cordilleras in the Philippines. It's a very mountainous region and surrounded by so many different tropical parts, and I pretty much grew up in a forest over there. Woodland Finds is my small handmade business. So I make handcrafted jewellery out of foraged material, and I combine it with crystals and metal and glass beads. Wherever there's greenery, I just feel like I just switch on foraging mode, and I start looking,... even if I know I have more than enough to work on. (REFLECTIVE MUSIC) Some of the money that I raise from Woodland Finds goes into Project Library as well. Project Library is about collecting books to build a library for Son-Shine Learning Centre. Where I was growing up in Baguio City, there was a kindergarten next door called Son-Shine Learning Centre, and that was also our hang-out place after school. Son-Shine Learning Centre was a really special place for me, cos that's where I learned how to read, and I think that's one of the special things about it too ` is that that was also the first place where I learned how to imagine. We've maintained a relationship with the kindergarten because the principal is actually my mum's eldest sister. Part of the book collection had been damaged during the typhoon. So I was gathering books every time I go to the op shops and just thinking about the school. And... I'm about to cry. (LAUGHS) No, it's just` just a whole... Cos I've seen... I know where` I-I know these` I know where the kids are coming from. Some... There's some really heartbreaking stories. Some children are actually being adopted by the principal because they have nowhere else to go. So just to be able to give access, you know, like, help them to imagine things beyond their current situations. (REFLECTIVE ACOUSTIC MUSIC) Te Atatu Night Markets is one of the most amazing night markets I've been to as a stallholder. (REFLECTIVE MUSIC CONTINUES) I set up Project Library right next to Woodland Finds during one of the first fundraising events that I held, and I ran both stalls at the same time. And when I came in to set up on the first Te Atatu Night Market, they even had a small box waiting for me with books in it. So I had more book donations. So that was great. I was so stoked. It was the first time I've ever tried anything like this, aside from doing my jewellery, and I was just really blown away by the response of the community. The Te Atatu community, they're very helpful, and, um, I'm very grateful. It's, uh` They're really supportive as well, so it's really helped, um, Project Library, you know, to kind of fast-track everything, to be honest. I have about 75 books or more from book donations to Project Library, both from the public and also from the local libraries. I recently talked to the principal, I think, two days ago, and I told her that the box is coming, and she said that she is so excited. I looked forward to seeing the children when, um, I go to visit in a couple of months. But I'm hoping that through giving access to storybooks, you know, they could dream about having adventures. And knowing that there is a possibility and that they could become more than the little-town expectations, I think that would be a massive difference, even if it was just one kid. (SOFT PIANO MUSIC) I've always enjoyed dancing, so yoga felt like another way in which I could express myself through movement. But as I learned more, I came to love the teachings behind the practice ` that we're all souls dressed in different bodies, expressing ourselves in unique ways, depending on our culture. In Africa, we have a term called 'ubuntu', and ubuntu translates literally as 'humanity toward others'. It refers to other humans, but to me, I like to think of ubuntu in a much broader sense, in that we all have the responsibility to care for all of humanity; nature also. Sometimes ideas transcend the language in which they are expressed in. I was born in Iran, Tehran. When I was born, the revolution of Iran had start. And when I started primary school, the war of Iran and Iraq started. All of my childhood was spent going to the shelter whenever they would bombard. Not going to the cinema with our friends, not going to the playground. We arrive in New Zealand one and a half years ago. My husband and I wants to experience better life. First week after we arrived here, it was very, you know, cultural shock for me. Everything was different. I just, uh, walking, you know, beside the beach and some person come and smiling at me and asked me, 'How old your son? He's very cute.' And on` on that moment, I think I fall in love with New Zealand. (PIANO MUSIC) One of the special things I brought here is the poetry book from Hafez. Hafez is a very famous poet in my country. (SPEAKS PERSIAN) We all the time read and recite the Hafez in our house. Whenever we have a difficulty, whenever we have a question in our mind, just open the Hafez, and that verse is our answer. It's` It's a kind of tradition, and all the Iranian do that. I open the book, 'Oh my God, is there, you know, 'a poem about immigration that says I should go somewhere to find other fortune, other future?' And that's enough for me ` I should immigrate. (IRANIAN MUSIC) Tonight is one of the very traditional ceremony for Iranian. Yalda is a very ancient ceremony, and it's the longest night of the year in my country, actually; not here. (LAUGHS) (IRANIAN MUSIC CONTINUES) We celebrate the birth, the beauty and nature, and the symbol of Yalda is the pomegranate, watermelon, some nuts, and we eat these kind of things together and read and recite the Hafez too. I prepare some envelope. Inside the envelope is a verse of the ghazal of Hafez, and I give it to the people, and it's a kind of` giving them a kind of fortune. (SPEAKS PERSIAN) It says, uh, everything goes well, uh, if you live` ...in the future. Yeah, if you live in the God and say pray to God. (SPEAKS PERSIAN) It means that don't trust the others and don't give your heart to someone that you cannot trust, something like this. Everyone can have his own interpretation, so I can understand it in my good way. (CHUCKLES) (SPEAKS PERSIAN) It's about just making friendship. It's very important in our culture to make friendship with others. Every person loves their culture, and we love our culture too. We wanted to get together, and we love to speak in our language, and we love the kids to know about our language, our tradition. It's a kind of best way to transfer the tradition to our kids. (SINGS IN XHOSA) (CONTINUES SINGING) I've known this song since I was a little girl. The' Click Song' it's known as in the west, and it's usually sung at weddings to give blessings to the newly-wed couple. The beautiful clicking of the consonants is very specific to the Xhosa and the Xhosan tribe of southern Africa, and it's made by clicking the tongue against the hard palate. (CLICK!) Though my background is predominantly Zulu rather than Xhosa, I feel very fortunate to have these lovely songs as part of my cultural heritage. (UPBEAT ACCORDION MUSIC) (SINGING IN CROATIAN) My father was a musician. He was a teacher for music, and that's my first connection with the world of music. (CROATIAN SINGING CONTINUES) My name is Goran Katich, and I was born in Zagreb. My home back in Croatia was always full of vibrant happiness; full of music; uh, love. That's what I want to share today with` with my family, with my kids. I was music teacher for 10 years in a couple of schools, and after that, I got invitation from our famous professional ensemble ` folk ensemble ` Ensemble LADO. And I was there for 14 years ` like a soloist and a bit of orchestra. We travelled all around the world, and average was, like, 120, 130 concerts during the year. Everything with LADO was highlight in my life. (HUMS HAPPY TUNE) (SINGS IN CROATIAN) I came in New Zealand, uh, 2008 in September, and I came because a very good friend of mine in the front of Croatian Cultural Society, invite me and my family to come here and to, well, to help to our people how to represent, uh, Croatian heritage here in New Zealand. My friends and family, they were shocked when they hear about our decision. And the decision to change to probably the best life ever, the best job wasn't easy, but I felt honoured to be chosen. (SLOW POP MUSIC) Every year, our club puts on a big concert. This concert is the most important event for all Croatian in New Zealand. For me, that's really very big and heavy responsibility. I have kids in the club, and metaphorically, the kids of the future. I'm very excite and` and happy in the same time, because this is my contribution to all these people who build this wonderful society. (CROATIAN DANCE MUSIC PLAYS, PEOPLE SING) I'm teacher for all these groups, for singing, dancing, and playing instruments. But also I am playing with them. We have three groups of dancers and singers. We have tamburas orchestra ` orchestra with our traditional instruments. We practising every day, all year. (SINGING AND DANCING CONTINUES) I'm composing and I'm writing music for our Croatian society, and that's the best way how I communicate with the old world and with my people, my ancestors ` with my culture. It's really a blessing for us to be able to have you mentoring us and tutoring us every week, so thank you so much. I am most proud of unity that's happened to` to` tonight. Have you seen that? Could you feel that? Wow. I think it's nice when you know how to represent yourself in a society where you're living. We need to be grateful and thankful to New Zealand, and I think it's nice to show to our people here who we are, what are we doing, what are we celebrating, why are we crying, what makes us laugh. I am proud. I am proud what I am doing here. My mother worked as a maidservant. As a teenager, I was ashamed that she wasn't a doctor or a lawyer, and I hid her from my friends. That type of attitude was very painful to carry. I didn't realise until much later on what a diamond she was ` formed under pressure. My mother is a strongly intuitive, wise and loving woman. The thing I'm most proud of is that she was able to bring me up under testing circumstances of prejudice in South Africa. She never gave up. She fought her battles with occasional tears but always a contagious laugh and trust in a higher intelligence. She's given me a legacy more precious than diamonds. There is this Indian belief that if you're a fifth child and if you're a daughter, parents would have done something really good in their previous life. That's why they get fifth child as a daughter. So my dad and mum and my brothers and sister, they vividly adored me and treated me special. The good luck that Dad says that he had was that after my birth, he had become a contractor. Till then, he was a labourer. So he says, 'You bring the reason that I became more popular as a contractor,' and then he never looked back. He grew and grew and grew. My dad, he came to Delhi at the age of about 17 and he started working in South Indian families' houses, making breakfast, lunch and dinners. And people used to love it, love it, love it, because the people who are South Indians living in North India missed that great, honest food from South. And then from small parties, he went on to doing South Indian weddings, which are over three days, and numbers are not five or 10 or 50 people; it's usually 1000 to 3000 people. My mum used to say that whenever he used to cater, all the ladies used to be in the kitchen looking at` looking at him working. He had biceps, and he used to just wear that singlet. (LAUGHS) And` And they used to drool at Dad, it seems, (LAUGHS) in those days ` all married mummies. (SOFT PIANO MUSIC) The name of my cooking class is Banu's Cooking Classes, and it has SKR in front of it. So it's SKR Banu's Cooking Classes. SKR is my dad's initials. The very reason I'm doing these classes is because, um, I lost him in 2001 unexpectedly, and the grief had gotten to a point that I was questioning my life, saying, 'Where am I going and what do I want in my life?' And I feel that I was destined to be taking his legacy in somehow and some form. So at the start of every class, I would pray to him, and I would say to him, 'All these people have taken a chance on me. Please help me create amazing food, 'ensure you are` you are around to see that it's good, 'and` and make this experience a great experience for all these people.' (GENTLE GUITAR MUSIC) So, guys, we are going to be making lemon rice. This is my` one the dishes my dad taught me, and it's a dish that he would pull out of his sleeve like a magician every time. We always used to have leftover white rice, and again in Indian culture, because we associate food with goddess of food, which is Annapurna, which means you can't abuse it, you can't throw it, and you can't not eat it and make it go bad. So whenever we used to have this leftover rice, Dad would just whip up this lemon rice, which used just a bit a mustard, couple of lentils, few peanuts and a bit of turmeric powder, and then you would put the rice and mix it up; you add the salt and lemon juice. And voila! It used to get ready so quickly. So it was amazing that the flavours that were there. It was always my favourite, and sometimes I used to tell him, 'Dad, could you please make that lemon rice again?' And he would happily do it. This is where they say you can definitely eat with your eyes. Oh, thank you. I'm so hungry. That just looks delightful. WOMAN: It looks amazing. There is a famous saying that when you teach, you learn, and every time you do it, it's just getting better and better, so... And` And teaching is sharing. There's no point taking amazing recipes to your grave. It means a lot to me to see my mum succeed and be happy like this. She feels more content in her life, and she was really missing that before, and now she's just loving it. (GENTLE UPBEAT MUSIC) Thank you all for coming to my home. Thank you for taking the chance on me. May your house be always filled with happiness. May your kitchen be always filled with beautiful ingredients. May you always create amazing food for yourself and for your loved ones. May you always remain happy. Amen. I think Te Atatu is really blessed to be able to have the opportunity to do this, because watching this food be cooked in a home environment and learning it is something that is quite rare. For me, it's` The authenticity of it all is just... I've never experienced anything like it. I really love Banu's company and all the knowledge that she has to share and her wonderful stories. You just picture yourself in India. What would my dad think? I think he'll be very proud of me. And I know that he's with me, and if he would have been here, he would have said to me, 'You bettered me, Banu. I'm proud of you.' I` I` Yeah. It's very nostalgic. It's emotional. I wish he was here. He is. (CHUCKLES) The most challenging thing for me when I first arrived in New Zealand was the weather. It was quite windy for me, so I had to get used to that. Um, on a deeper level, it was being bold and confident when I had just come from an environment that taught me that I wasn't good enough because of my colour. Kiwis don't see colour the same way as where I come from. In fact, in New Zealand, it's easy for me to forget that I look any different, because people aren't focusing on that. And because of that, I really feel at home here. Captions by Julie Taylor. Edited by Jake Ebdale. www.able.co.nz Captions were made possible with funding from NZ On Air. Copyright Able 2017