Aotearoa New Zealand is land-rich but scale-poor. That is both our blessing and our bind. We have pasture, coastline, geothermal heat, forests, rainfall. What we do not have is scale; not in population, not in capital markets, not in proximity to large demand centres. For generations we made land do the heavy lifting. Refrigeration turned … Continue reading Land-Rich, Scale-Poor
Author: Gurtej Singh
Seeing clearly
Morning mist in a Paris park. Gravel underfoot. A bench damp with yesterday’s rain. I dream I am walking with Jean Baudrillard, the air faintly metallic, autumn leaves arranged like unfinished sentences. Election year in Aotearoa New Zealand, I tell him. Stakes high. Voices louder than usual. He smiles, almost indulgently. “Louder does not mean … Continue reading Seeing clearly
When culture is weaponised
Two Sikh parades in Aotearoa New Zealand were recently confronted with haka performed in an overtly antagonistic manner. These were not spontaneous gatherings or informal street events. Sikh parades are planned months in advance. Permissions are sought well ahead of time from Police, city councils, and transport authorities. Routes are approved, traffic management plans are … Continue reading When culture is weaponised