Conan Gray Concert
Conan Gray’s Wishbone Tour kicked off its last leg in Auckland over the previous weekend, and while it was a rocky show back, he brought all the noise to Spark Arena. Earlier in the day, Conan posted a story on his Instagram with an apology to the fans who would
The Forgotten Side of Stoicism
If you’ve spent enough time on social media engaging with self-improvement content, you’ve probably encountered Stoicism at some point. This content is usually accompanied by marble busts of Marcus Aurelius, short-form gym content, and edgy quotes about discipline. The message is clear: don’t complain, don’t let your emotions control you,
Folk-tales And Artistic Methods Of Framing Fear
Fairies have shrunk over the years both in size and scope. It was only from the 14th century and onwards that the term began to narrow in definition. Before that ‘fairie’ was used to describe a collection of different creatures such as gnomes, sprites, dryads, banshees and all manner of
The Corporation that Conquered Nations
When we think of the British conquest of India, we often imagine it as a series of red-coated British soldiers marching across the subcontinent, conquering India much in the same way as they did elsewhere in the world. We often talk of the British conquering India, but this phrase hides
THE FINNISH LINE #3
Written by Martta Tikka About Rhythm / Rytmitajuttomuudesta Now that I’ve been in New Zealand for over three months, I’ve had to admit to myself that I’m a bad dancer. I blame my home country for that. I found out that Kiwis have this thing called Jump Jam. One of
The Finnish Line
Written by Martta Tikka After a careful consideration I have come to the conclusion that Finnish people don’t feed each other nearly as often as they should. During these past weeks I’ve learnt just how easy it is to get people to show up if you promise you’re going to
Doco Filmmaker Kez on Travel, People, and Stoke
Kieran Hodges, interviewed by Toby Brockelbank Toby interviews Kieran Hodges, Kez, who he’s been lucky enough to meet. Known in the local skate community for filming down in Palmy, Kez went from building film sets in the UK to travelling the world making documentaries. We discussed how skating relates to
WHAT’S THE BUZZ CUZ?
BEFORE THE MISSIONARIES MADE IT WEIRD Let’s talk about sex. Yep, we’re going there. It’s actually kind of funny how surprised people can be when you tell them our tipuna were getting it on. As if sex arrived in Aotearoa post-colonisation or something. Sex was already a pretty normal part
He reo mo ake ake – A forever language.
Written By Kata Roberts I think back to a time when te reo Māori was being pushed out of our schools, our workplaces,and our everyday lives. I think back to 1972. I imagine standing there, among thousands of Māori, watching our voices make their way toParliament. I wonder what it
MORE THAN A KETE
The stories, skill and knowledge woven into raranga Raranga has always been practical. Our tīpuna used what was around them to make the things they needed. Harakeke could become kete for carrying and storing things, muka could be used for clothing and cordage, and raranga was used to make whāriki
Te Ao o te Kaituhi
Written By Nadia Solomon Kei te kōrero Māori koe? Kei te tuhi koe i te reo Māori? He maha ngā tūpono mōu. Ka rongo pea koe ki te mahi o ngā kaiwhakamāori, he matua tērā mahi. Mā te mahi a ngā kaiwhakamāori, e whānui ai ngā mōhiotanga o ngā mea
THE HEALING POTENTIAL OF OUR NATIVE FUNGI
What happens when Māori research looks at healing through a different lens? You might have looked at our $50 note and noticed the striking blue mushroom sitting beside Sir Āpirana Ngata. That mushroom is Entoloma hochstetteri, a native species found in Aotearoa. It is more than just a cool design.
Nā te ētita
by Brianna Waka E ngā hau e whā o te ao, nō mai tata, nō mai tawhiti, tae noa mai ki tēnei pito o Nukutawhiti, tēnā koutou, take a photo, tēnā koutou katoa. Mauri ora you magic people sitting with these kupu now. We’re sliding headfirst into the busiest, most
Editorial – Issue 19 2025
By Toby Brockelbank & Mykhaylo Tevkun Stake and Destroy Most of the reason I was stoked on this job was to write about the skate scene, share cool shit I thought was going down in our world of grinds and flips, and convince at least one of you readers to
Editorial – Issue 18 2025
Holding the power of being your opening thoughts to this week’s issue, I am giving you a list of (some of) my favourite films and why you should most definitely watch them (after reading this issue): 1. Juno (2007) This is the best romcom ever, and don’t let the genre romcom
Editorial – Issue 17 2025
When Toby asked me if I’d like to write the editorial for a ‘newspaper’ theme, my first thought – and words – were ‘Yea, sure.’ And then once I’d left the office and was halfway down the motorway, I was thinking to myself… What the fuck will that look like?
Editorial – Issue 16 2025
Ruby I’m a history nerd. A world war junkie. An obsessor of origins. A know-it-all-about-America. Like seriously, I have a permanent space on my arm dedicated to the JFK assassination. I’m constantly seeking historical context; the who, the what, the why. But that’s not what draws me in. It’s not
Editorial – Issue 15 2025
Admit It, Geeks Run The World Geeks, freaks, nerds and tweaks, welcome to Nexus’ Geek Culture, where I’m sure you’ll find something in these pages to tickle your deepest geeky fancies and fantasies. Somewhere in these delectable pages to come, I’m sure you’ll find something that speaks to you, whether
Editorial – Issue 14 2025
Sex n Drugs I’m really excited for this week’s issue as it gives me an opportunity to share my story to people who have or are going through the same thing. Maybe some people can relate, and I can tell you some things I’ve learnt. When I was 12 living
Editorial – Issue 13 2025
The Future Is Female As you flip through the pages of this issue of Nexus, one thing is clear: to celebrate women is to celebrate possibility, perseverance, and the power behind shaping our ever-changing future. Let’s start with something big: dismantling the patriarchy. It’s a term we hear a
Editorial – Issue 12 2025
Love Beyond Borders Two years into my twenties, after a stretch of being single, I found the kind of romance I had only dreamed of. It was sudden, intense, and different from anything I expected. I fell in love for the first time in New York City, abruptly and fervently.
Editorial – 2/09
We’re back! Happy September everyone- I hope you’re ready to get on with the rest of the semester and kick ass with the rest of your uni work. I want to use this space for two things, and I’ll start with a little how-to guide on staying on your game
Editorial – 5/8
Last week was magnificent. It was epic. It was an absolute dream. It was a legendary tale I’ll tell my kids one day. It was *insert every other good adjective*. Why, you ask? Not because of the Olympics, no. But because of you. Shoutout to the readers who manifested for
Editorial – 22/7
A lot has happened in the time between the release of our previous issue and this one. Football didn’t “come home”, Trump is talking about unity, and Daemon Targaryen had an explicit dream about his mum (?). Somehow, only one of these things surprises me (and it isn’t the last
5 Sporting Moments of 2026
Unlike a lot of this magazine, sports don’t really have best and worst moments. The reality is the best moment for Spain was the worst for Argentina. The only genuinely guilt free moment was probably number one on this list. So here are what we consider to be five sporting
10 Best People of 2026
10. Bad Bunny The fact that Turning Point USA programmed a counter-show for the Super Bowl shows you exactly how great Bad Bunny is. In a time of political divide, he delivered an entertaining performance highlighting love, diversity, inclusion and just good music. But because he did it in Spanish,
50 Worst People of 2026
50. Sydney Sweeney Word count: 40 | Writer: Ruby Another year, another offensive ad from everyone’s fourth favourite Euphoria cast member. She’s not supporting eugenics this time, but she is setting women back 50 years by stripping down and saying ‘sports’. Sydney, let’s be real, it’s time for a new
5 Worst Games of 2026
5. GTA 6 (covering our asses) – We’ve done this dance with Cyberpunk, Fallout 76, Starfield, Mighty No.9, Duke Nukem Forever, Concord… Wolverine… 4. Beast of Reincarnation – The experience is like decorating a Woolworths vanilla cake with gold flakes and chocolate ganache – visually more exciting than its contents.
5 Best Games of 2026
5. GTA 6 (Pre-emptively) – 12 years in the oven, surely Rockstar can’t miss. 4. 007 First Light – It’s not Goldeneye, but it will do. 3. Resident Evil 9 – A great new instalment in this legendary saga! I really like how much the gameplay changes when you switch
5 Worst Movie of 2026
5. Moana – Homer waited 2700 years for his sailing epic to get a blockbuster live-action adaptation, Disney barely waited 10. Have some fucking patience. 4. Michael – Oof, you know it’s BAD! Ow! Shamone! 3. Masters of the Universe – Who was this for? 2. Melania – We don’t
5 Best Movies of 2026
5. Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma – Gillian Anderson as some weird lesbian horror fanatic and a transgender air vent? Sign me up! 4. Coyote Vs Acme – The irony of this movie being about corporate injustice when it almost didn’t make it to theatres. Tight comedic writing,
5 Worst Television of 2026
5. Malcolm In The Middle: Life’s still unfair 4. Off Campus – Another shitty romance novel has been made into another shitty romance show, this time with a serious lack of marginalised people. This show could use some woke propaganda. 3. Ryan Bridge Today This show has lowered the standard
5 Best Television of 2026
5. Adults (season 2) – Comedies are back, and this time it’s made Gen Z humour palatable. 4. One Piece (live action) Season 2 – Not just a great adaptation that keeps the eccentric heart and story of the original whilst softening some of the characters garish elements (Sanji) –
5 Worst Trends of 2026
5. Calling things chic – Are your ballet flats and Brazil t-shirt really ‘chic’ or have you just succumbed to the illusion that your algorithm is somehow unique and reflective of your ‘true spirit’ 4. Hobbytok – Just stop. You’re ruining hobbies for everyone else. Honestly, most of the people
5 Best Trends of 2026
5. Imported cigarettes – 20 dollars for a pack of Marlboro golds? Uhm, yes please! Yummy! 4. Aura Farming Battles – At least they are outside making friends 3. Vandalizing National Party signs – Just like a flag can only represent freedom if that freedom includes the ability
5 Worst Albums of 2026
5. Reality Awaits – The Strokes: This album is disappointment in a fucking CD case, we deserved better. 4. Music, Fashion, Film – Charli XCX: Honestly, Charli slayed so hard with Brat that everything else she makes is mid. 3. Daughter From Hell – Gracie Abrams: As a species, we,
Still Kickflipping in Gaza
An Interview with Rajab Al-Reefi by Toby Brockelbank Nexus have been working on this interview since July as, “Communicating with the outside world is extremely difficult, because electricity is unavailable, the internet is very weak, and sometimes it cuts off for days”. We are very grateful and proud to announce
Turn a Place to a Playground: Skating Across Kenya
Skitty interviewed by Toby Brockelbank Nexus are stoked to share our interview on the Kenyan skate scene and some of the crew’s recent mish skating across Kenya, from Nairobi to Lodwar – that’s over 700 km on a fucking skateboard! We reached out to the Skateboarding Society of Kenya (SSK)
News From Uganda Skate Society
An Interview with Gose Gerald by Toby Brockelbank and Patrick Kigongo Photography credit: Tommy Hatwell @tommyhatwell Nexus are super stoked to have talked to Gose Gerald of Uganda Skateboard Society again. If you follow skating, you’ve probably seen them in the news recently as their super unique park has been
Skate Ukraine, A Year Later
An Interview with Mykhaylo Tevkun by Toby Brockelbank Nexus are super grateful to have sat down with Mykhaylo Tevkun of Skate Ukraine for another interview. If you haven’t seen last year’s interview, Something Solid to Stand on, check it out. Mykhaylo and I decided to focus this coverage on what
The Girls Skate Crew of Nepal
Interview with Girls Skate Nepal by Toby Brockelbank Photos by Tirtha Lawati (@tirtharabinlawati) Nepal has been in the news lots recently, for the recent floods which Girls Skate Nepal described as “devastating for many communities in Nepal” – there will be suggestions by the crew for supporting disaster relief at
MADE TO BE WORN
Who decided Māori fashion was only for special occasions? There is this idea that Māori clothing and adornment belong in a particular category: something traditional, something formal, something you wear when the occasion calls for it. But Māori fashion has never really been that simple. We make things to wear.
TŪ PAKARI I TŌ MANA ĀHUA AKE
Tōku tuakiritanga Ka whakato te kākano…. I mua rā nō i tōku hekenga mai ki te whenua. Tīramarama au i te kiko o te rangi, ko tōku wairua e kōriporipo ana i te puna wairua o ngā Rangitūhāhā. I tiro whakararo au ki te mata o te whenua. Kei te
Who, Studying What, and From Where? Stats of our Cohort
By Andrew Lin. Nexus got a nerd to get an Official Information Act request on enrolment demographics here at UoW. Wanna see if engineering really is a sausage fest (it is) and which stereotypes our cohort might defy (a few)? Curious how 7 subjects could make up almost half of
Nexus Interview Amber Clyde – Founder of Girls Skate NZ
Girls Skate NZ is a not for profit who have been running skate lessons for 8 years. The organisation has carved their way into parks all over Auckland and shown how far some funding and some gnar can take you – even supporting Kiwis competitively shredding! What did you enjoy
Active Imagination: How Protests Hold Power.
‘Protest’ falls into the lexical category of both noun and verb. The past participle is not commonly used. We say that we are ‘protesting’ but very rarely do we say that we have ‘protested.’ This is because change and power are both results of ongoing imagination and continual action. The
The Good Shit Has Changed
In today’s day and age, when you step out into the public world, you’re very likely to see an array of people clutching an array of drinks that all have one thing in common: caffeine. You’re probably holding one yourself, whether it’s a hot coffee spewing steam, a cold coffee
When the Attacker Becomes the Story
In the hours following the attack at Berlin’s Christopher Street Day Pride celebrations, the focus of public conversation shifted with remarkable speed. Before many people knew the names of those injured or understood the impact on Berlin’s LGBTIQ+ community, headlines were already highlighting one particular detail: the alleged attacker’s links
Nexus Breaks the News – Issue 18
#FUMBLEOFTHECENTURY No, this isn’t about Penk’s failure to overthrow the government. No, this isn’t about Luxon basically giving TOP over to the left bloc right before they got kingmaker status. This is about your flatmate locking himself in his bedroom after texting “W Tits” to a woman on Hinge. At least
Grow Up and Start a Small Business
Lucky for Rotorua, PM Luxon met with their Business Chamber to discuss the state of the economy for small business owners. Unlucky for said business owners, Luxon had some not so nice things to say. After stating that small business owners need to simply “be adult” when facing rising costs
Winston’s Wignats – NZFirst has a Nazi problem.
In a shock to a surprising amount of people, a senior NZFirst youth figure was revealed to have been connected to far-right messaging networks. Nicholas Newport/Wells, 26, a former Waikato University student, was linked to at least one social media account that repeatedly posted ‘Heil Hitler!’, and which expressed support
India’s “Cockroach” Uprising: How a Meme Movement Shook Modi’s BJP
For the past 12 years, India’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has risen almost unimpeded. Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the party has won election after election and built a governing coalition that dominates India’s Parliament. Over the years, Modi has cultivated an image as a strong leader who doesn’t bend
Nexus Breaks the News – Issue 17
Ariana Grande Fans Piss me off on Twitter: These people are genuinely worse than Swifities. I feel like an insane chud having fights with people on this godforsaken app behind an anonymous profile, but their behaviour is getting out of hand. Winston Peters is a Dick, as per usual. In
CHRISPOCALYPSE NOW
…Or, Our Chrisis II… Or, Ya Feeling Lucky Penk? In Sam Neil’s breakout feature film role, the 1977 political thriller Sleeping Dogs, the New Zealand government slips into a military junta which mutates the country into a Fascist police state that eventually brings in American military advisors with rifles and
Signing of MOU Represents a New Commitment to Disabled Students
On 27 May 2026, a group of disabled student activists gathered in the SUB over pizza and sodas to celebrate the signing of a memorandum of understanding between Te Awa Kōtui Waikato Students Union and the Waikato Disabled Students Association. This small but influential club is dedicated to supporting and advocating for all disabled
Drill baby drill!
Over the 18th and 19th of July, party leader Winston Peters stood up at the New Zealand First convention to announce the party’s proposal, if re-elected, is to invest one billion dollars into the exploration of offshore basins in order to extract oil and gas supplies. Peters claimed that this investment was
Nexus Breaks the News – Issue 16 2026
Donald Trump unveils mathematical skills Just over a month after bragging about his flawless cognitive examinations – Donald Trump has announced his intention on running for a Fourth Term in 2028: This is batshit in and of itself, but we’d especially like to highlight the fact that the guy is only sitting his second term right
Use your own intelligence, Professor
There is nothing that makes me lose faith in a lecturer than blatant and ignorant usage of AI. I write this after sitting through a lecture with so many AI generated images on the slides that it truly made me doubt whether the lecturer had even written the slides themself. I’m sorry professor, but
MASTER DEBATERS
Te Piringa Student Events Association and Te Awa Kōtui Waikato Students’ Union are coming together to host an event very creatively named ‘The Debate’. On August 10th representatives from ACT, Labour, National, NZFirst, The Greens, TOP, & Te Pāti Māori will gather in the Pā, putting themselves under the scrutiny of tertiary-aged students the likes of which could be a serious deciding bloc in cities like Kirikiriroa if enough
Roadworks? I sure hope it does!
Since the 20th of January the offramp delivering commuters from SH1’s pothole-laden post-work-and-school traffic towards the Cambridge Velodrome has been closed, not because of any particular work on the ramp itself but because the whole southbound part of the road has been cordoned off, drivers detoured with an excess of
Big Girls Do Cry
Long time no see, Nexus readers. I don’t know how this happened, but I’ve been revived from my year-long slumber to write the penultimate editorial of 2026. There’s a lot of things I could say. I could tell you about the terrible state of the reality TV scene, my current
Love, Lies, and a Concerning Amount of Lab Safety Violations
Rating: -1/5 The Love Hypothesis is the cinematic equivalent of eating an entire packet of biscuits in one sitting: deeply enjoyable, slightly embarrassing, and best not examined too closely. The film follows PhD student Olive Smith as she enters a fake relationship with intimidatingly tall and emotionally constipated professor Adam
Holden’s Growing Up, Unfortunately
Rating: 2/5 Holden Caulfield spends The Catcher in the Rye convinced that everyone around him is a phony, but beneath all the complaining, he is slowly developing something more valuable: worldly intelligence. His wandering through New York becomes an education outside the classroom, exposing him to sex, loneliness, adulthood, exploitation
The End of Oak Street
Rating: 5/5 When I found out that the woman, the myth, the icon Anne Hathaway and his lordship, Jedi Master and Otter Enthusiast Ewan McGregor were the leads in an upcoming film about a random 1970s American-Dream style family getting magically transported back in time to the Jurassic, there was
Elle
Rating: 4/5 After more than a decade since the last film in the world of Legally Blonde, we return with a 1990’s prequel, known as Elle. The show is a comedy-drama, about a 16 year old Elle dealing with her first fish-out-of-water scenario as her family moves from Los Angeles
The Gentleman – Season 2
Rating: 4/5 After rewatching the five-star masterpiece that was The Gentlemen’s first season, I leapt into season two with excitement; Theo James was back as the Duke of Halstead (and arguably more attractive than ever before) with his his work-wife Susie Glass (who has given me a new celebrity crush;
Teenage sex and Death and Adult Sex and Survival.
Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma is the kind of film that appears to announce its intentions through its title: sex, death, teenagers, and a summer-camp setting where all four are presumably destined to collide. Yet beneath its deliberately provocative surface, the film is doing something considerably more interesting.
Passing – Nella Larsen
Rating: 2/5 This novel, written back in the modernist era, is one of those gems that says a whole lot more about society than you’d ever think possible. It dives into the startling reality of coloured women who are white presenting, which isn’t a topic we see much of in
Love Island Season 8
Rating: -1/5 It’s got to be said; Love Island is never going to be a super good show with everything you need to settle in and watch something with quality. HOWEVER, I have to admit that this season did give us some gold wrapped up in the many, many episodes
Legally Blonde
Rating: 5/5 Warning: this review contains spoilers I am very biased towards this film, which is definitely going to show in this review, but that’s just because I am absolutely in love with it. Legally Blonde did something very few films were capable of and still are, which is creating
Adults season 2
Rating: 2/5 Alongside a brand-new pilot episode, Adults made a grand return with season 2. I went in with so many questions: what’s happening with Paul Baker and Issa, are Anton and Paul Baker together now, will Billie ever get a job? This season wasted no time getting back into
Sterling Point
Rating: 5/5 Released just last month on Prime Video, Sterling Point is an effortless teen drama that includes comedy, mystery, and one-too-many Camp Rock 2 references. Born from the brain of Megan Park, an actress turned screenwriter, the tv show stands out against the current wave of Gen Z focused
Kōrero Mai – Issue 10 2026
I’ll just come right out and say it. If there were no extra financial support for education, I would not be attending university right now. Many tauira don’t have the luxury of a safety net or financial stability. Many come from homes that don’t have an extra $20 to spare. Back in the dark ages, in
Kōrero Mai – Issue 7 2026
Tauira Māori on campus Māne (Monday) Tūrei (Tuesday) Wenerei (Wednesday) Hoki atu ki tō kāinga – Just go home Nā Elyse Rahiri Only a quarter of the way through the year and already most of us are feeling a bit pau te hau. Getting back into the swing of study can be overwhelming and even worse if you have people pleasing tendencies, don’t say
Kōrero Mai
Tauira Māori on campus Tūrei (Tuesday) Wenerei (Wednesday) Taite (Thursday) Te Waiora – Rā Hākinakina | Gate 2b – 4:30 pm Reo Māori Phrases of the Week Kia ora koutou! Here are some useful everyday Reo Māori phrases to help you talk about holidays, whānau, and what you’ve been up to. COLUMN I tōku whānau tokorua ōku kuia, noho tahi ai. Arā, ko tōku kuia a toto nei, me te kuia o tōku ngākau. Ko te rongo o te aroha, kāore i rerekē. He tirohanga Māori tēnei. Ahakoa te momo aroha,
Kōrero Mai
By now you’ve probably heard we’ve got a new name. We’re still WSU, but now we also carry our ingoa Māori, Te Awa Kōtui. This didn’t happen overnight. WSU has been working towards an ingoa Māori that truly reflects us and our tauira for a long time, across multiple boards. I also want to acknowledge the presidents, vice presidents, VP Māori, and life members who contributed
He Kura Tūroa
Kia ora, my name is Anaia Rua, and I am from Ngāi Tūhoe & Ngāti Awa. In the following piece, I reflect on the profound connection shared between Aotearoa and our relatives from Hawai’i during the “He Kura Tūroa” wānanga. He Kura Tūroa: Relatives Across the Pacific He ahurea te taiao, he taiao te ahurea. The environment is the culture, the culture is the
Tikanga: Does It Evolve in a Modern World?
A question I heard recently has been sitting with me: can tikanga evolve in a modern world? It came up during a kōrero between a group of tauira, and it sparked a lot of reflection for me about what I’ve been taught and how I understand tikanga today. For many people, tikanga is
Tauira Māori on campus
There’s a strong Māori presence on campus and plenty happening this week, from Cultural Hour to weekly wānanga and study spaces. If you want to meet other tauira, build your reo, or spend time in a Māori space between classes, there are kaupapa running across campus. Keep an eye on… Te whakahiapo – Maori law students association – @te_whakahiapo
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