holidays?

School is over and summer has began, but the weather doesnt seem to agree so much.
Its been long days inside recently, and today being the first sunny day in  a while, so im going to
make the most of it, as soon as i finnish writting this.
Our flat has undergone some serious changes in the last few weeks. Tom has moved into another flat just down the road with some friends, and Aaron has moved back to the Waitakere. Bosun is heading off to Australia very soon for a short while. Adam has moved into Toms old room and Gavin is moving in to Bosuns.
Adam found a kitten in the Trade and Exchange, and now little Belladonna is making herself at home, mostly inside his bedroom. Slinky is taking sort of well to the transition of sharing some spaces with a 7 week old kitten, and although theres been plenty of hisses and fate-full stares, no paws have been thrown as of yet. We are all making sure that Slinky is recieving the extra love and attention shes craving right now, and im sure it will all fall into place, sooner or later.
Now that school is over i am sussing out getting onto the Artist benefit, in hope to be put onto the short buisness corse. Then i can tax my life away!
I want to be able to screenprint full-time, and hopefully start up an online independent shop,  but it is proving to be much harder than one anticipated, as the financial backing is litrally impossible to find.
Hopefully my meeting next thursday with a Pace co-ordinator will work out in my favor.
Our internet is down at the moment... the wire has been burnt through, so there are no current photos as of yet.
A big hug, kisses, and plenty of thoughts go out to those loved one who left Aotearoa to go back to Canada a year ago yesterday..... xoxoxoxoxooxoxoxo
when i get our internet back up, ill post up some photos.

Take back the Night 06

Take back the night went down quite well.
We set off in Aotea Square with speaches from HomeBirth, Radical youth, Sexaul assault education and AAFS. A beautiful song was sang just before the raffle was drawn. 3 prize packs where given out, a c.d with inspiring femayl lead music, a selection of artwork by Me and Aaron (a member of the AK Pro-fem mens group), and a t-shirt for the event. We managed to raise $60 for womyns refuge, which will be sent off very soon. I had to do an on the spot speech for AAFS, and although it was very scary and all i could notice was the quiver in my voice, everyone assures me it was truely inpiring and a good start to the march... (but maybe they just want me to feel better.)
After the group took off up Queen Street, me lulu kerian and travis headed off to set up the workshops in Myers Park. The cops happened to be waiting for the march further up the road, blocked off queen st and hassled a few of the protesters, because they were recognizable... The march kept heading on the planned route and the cops tailed behind liking the thought that they had it all undercontrol... then out of nowhere, the police demanded the group be silent and walk in SINGLE FILE down the road, past a hotel where a confrence was being held (i wonder what confrence? and why they were not interested in hearing about Sexual Violence?)
The group came walking into Myers Park to a round of applause by the people who had already gathered for the workshops... the police headed off and the workshops began.
The womyn had a good discussion based workshop, talking about the issues which effect us, and how great it is to feel comfortable in Myers Park after dark. the rain started to drizle, and as the men ran off for shade under the trees, we sat there... not letting anything stop us for sharing those liberating few hours together.
The discussion went on and turned into a music/percusion circle, and as the groups departed, we headed off to my house to celebrate MZ and Elianas b-day, and the end of a stressful few months.
hope you like the photos... more to come when i get sent them from the others.
thanks Jon for the photo documentation.

So much to do, so little time...

its 6.30 am, and i only JUST finnished the assignment i have to hand in at 9.
Ive been up all night, and im on the biggest coffee buzz of my life! I dont drink coffee to much... it tends to makes me jittery, but who could refuse the dumpster goodness of 100% Organic Aotearoa plunger coffee?

Take Back the Night is 3 weekends away and it seems that mores being added to the agenda than being crossed off!
So many deadlines, its hard to keep up!

It was nice to talk to Danny Vegas earlier in the week, its been too long. Thanks for putting a much needed smile on my face brother. Im glad everythings going well for you... i can't wait to meet up in Canada like we planned. All of that should be getting done in the next month, so expect an email with dates soon.... and i BETTER see your smiling face on arrival, or i will be MOST disappointed! :D
I'll post some photos soon, like i promised.

TAKE BACK THE NIGHT 06 AKL

AAFS (Auckland Anarcha Feminisit Syndicate) has organised another TAKE BACK THE NIGHT on October 28, at 7pm, in Aotea Square.
TAKE BACK THE NIGHT is an event opposed to Sexual and Domestic violence. We are hosting the event around halloween, to emphasize the persecution of womyn throughout time.
A witch theme is being incorrporated into the event as a symbolic gesture of standing against the oppresive persecution of Womyn healers and Natural Midwifery.
We are hosting a Rally, March and gender workshops for both Womyn and Men. Free food is going to be distributed at the Rally.
please forward this message to anyone who you feel would be interested.
We hope to see you there!

some photos from TAKE BACK THE NIGHT 05 AKL

Womyn at the rally

Mens Workshop in the Park.

The March up Queens Street.

3 posters for TBTN 06

Take Back the Night 06 and more...

Take Back the Night 06 is in the
organising phase and a date has been made.
Auckland Anarcha Feminist Syndicate is bringing back the action which brought us together.
Take Back the Night (also known as Reclaim the Night) began in the 70's, when womyn took to the streets at night with candles, demanding "the right to move freely in their communities at day and night without harassment and sexual assault".
This movement spread
rapidly throughout the world and
events where being held in city after city.
Take Back the Night 06 is being held on Sat Oct 28, at 7.30pm at Aotea Sq, Auckland.
There will be a rally, march and workshops for both womyn and men.
This year AAFS is using the same
theme as last year, "Tremble Tremble, the Witches are Back". We believe that persecution of womyn throughout the centuries is washed over at this time of year (halloween) and it is so important to bring awareness to a cause which effects us all, each and every day.
More information about Take Back the Night 06 will be posted closer to
the date, and we hope to see as many
people there as possible.

Photos from Auckland, Take the The Night 05

Photos have been posted by the request of Jon and Emily, who i shared a wonderful Skype conversation with on Saturday afternoon. It was a bit crackly, and the feedback of my voice was more than distracting, but it was free none the less, and just hearing the voices of friends who are so far away is too good for complaints!
So here you cats go.... some photos like you asked.
There not all recent, some are a few months old, but i will take ALOT more just for you folk!
they are listed from newest - oldest. hope you enjoy!!

Ruth



Slinky likes to sleep in the strangest of positions


Slinky by the fire


Kerian


Kerian again


Ruth Plays on the new piano


Ruth and Slinky by the fire.


Slinky and Ruth cuddling up in the morning... slinky loves
to be tucked in, with her head exposed, of course!!


Ruth works on the front garden.


Ruth, planting a strawberry plant, which saddly got
drowned out by the week long storm which hit the
next week.


Slinky playing at new flat... she had only just started getting
used to fast moving objects, which explains the timid pose...
she used to run away so fast if any thing was moved in her face,
but now she loves her toys, she even carrys them into the room
when she wants to play. i cant wait to capture this in a photo!!

Greatings from Aotearoa

Hello, and welcome to a little window into our life.

This blog is basically our way to stay in touch with all our friends and whanau. A way to stay in contact with our local community when we travel, and an out-reach to those all over the world.
We are currently situated in Auckland, Aotearoa.

I (Ruth) am an artist, currently studying screenprinting.
I make and sell t-shirts/clothes/patches etc. from home, and sell them at any given opportunity (festivals, shows, online, to friends and family). Its so hard to find cheap clothing which is not constructed by slave labour, so i feel very strongly about creating affordable garments from the bare essentials.
Me and goodfriend/flatmate Bosun are in the process of setting up an Auckland Based Distro called SkullBucket Distributions.

Kerian (also known as Kman) is a musician. Talented in all arenas, he owns numerous amount of different instruments, and plays many different styles and genres. At the moment, Kerian is currently studying Herbal Medicine, hoping to start a correspondence course, focussing on more traditional methods and practises of learning.

SlinkyMalinky is the beautiful feline who joined the whanua in
October 2005.
SlinkyCat was residing under the house we were living at in Auckland Central. It turns out she had made an escape from a local dairy and took to our back patio quite nicely. After being fooled for a few months it turned out there was not just 1 mystery cat, BUT 3!!! This beautifull kitten who was only 8 months old had given birth and was pregnant again!! And her beautifull kittens were the same size as she, so as you may tell, we was a very small kitty.
Good friends from Auckland Animal Action found new homes for the little kittens, and Slinky saddly gave birth to 1 stillborn kitten, in November 2005.
This is when we moved to our current location.
Me and Slinky had made a strong connection, and the flat we were living in was ending due to the sad (and often tearing breaking) departure of Jon Emily and Eabha.

And that brings us to were we are now.
Me and Kerian are both gaining knowledge in hope to start a life for ourselves.
A life for our family which does not realy on Western commodities, and Slinky is soaking up the life of luxury. From Alley cat to warm bed, she is much happier and healthier now than she has ever been before. And much calmer around new people.