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.
Editorial – 8/07
As I was writing this, the waves of Kamala beach were crashing in front of me, and I was torn between abandoning Nexus, and keeping my job (just kidding… kind of!). The water was so clear, and the weather was finally nice and sunny. I could have been swimming that
Editorial – 20/5
The people spoke and asked for option one, which unfortunately means that everyone who didn’t pick that has to read my rambles about power-scaling… or do you? I would love to talk to you about how there is no way Gojo could beat Hashirama (bffr), however I have decided that
Editorial – 6/5
I have been sitting at my computer for two days with absolutely no progress. I have written so many first sentences and paragraphs, but I can’t seem to finish them! So, I decided to add all of my starters here for two reasons: one, you can decide which piece you
Editorial – 8/4
Can we all collectively agree that the red sports house in school was the fucking best? I recently saw a TikTok talking about school sports, and so many people were gassing up the red house. Why? Because we were fucking on something. When I was in primary school in Australia,
Editorial – 25/3
This week has simultaneously been the BEST week for Nexus ‘24 and the WORST week for me, and here’s why: The Nexus writing crew is here and ready to go! I was already lucky enough to be working with the most legendary design team, but now we have four absolutely
Editorial – 11/3
I have a serious question for all of you. I was watching The Babysitter (2017) last night, and there was the question of who to put in a five-member inter-galactic dream team. I want to know who you guys would choose in a team to fight a star war (hehe),
Editorial – 26/2
It doesn’t seem right to be claiming this space as my own. For the past two years, I have worked with Jak, and it feels weird to be succeeding him in the editor’s position. Well, I suppose all there is to do is say thank you. Thanks for being awesome,
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,
Cosplay (Pros and) Cons Newbie to Experienced
Sarah: Semi-retired cosplayer The first time I ever cosplayed it was 2019, and I still cared about the MCU. I walked into Tauranga Armageddon in an incredibly hodgepodge crimson coat and bodice knowing full well that the cheap curtain fabric wasn’t particularly accurate to the Scarlet Witch costume I had tried
Beating Endo
By Maya Trotman Nearly every evening I would be sitting on the couch with a heat pack on my stomach holding painkillers with a glass of water ready. One evening, the worst pain of my life arrived. I was in the bathroom, scared, because now I knew this wasn’t normal,
Popping Pills
Prescription Abuse and The Pharmaceutical Black Market Unlike most of our writers who spend their time writing on Substack or Wattpad, turns out someone had a friend outside of our writer’s room. Some friends have different struggles to you, and some struggles have more stigma, consequences, and are harder, if
Embracing Kinks
Destigmatising Desire and Navigating Consent Sexuality is a vast, colourful spectrum, and kinks, unconventional sexual interests or practices are a vibrant part of it. Yet, despite growing conversations about sex-positivity, many kinks remain shrouded in stigma, misunderstanding, or shame. Destigmatising kinks is not just about making sex more fun; it’s
God Says Justice, Not Desire
Polygamy in Islam through the eyes of a young woman Having grown up in a Muslim home, I was taught that Islam is a religion founded in justice, mercy, and balance: A faith that champions the rights of women, protects the vulnerable, and demands fairness in every aspect of life.
Language with Julie
Is language the truest representation of a culture? And if not, what do you think is the truest representation? I probably wouldn’t use the word ‘true’ or ‘truth’ in reference to culture, but I am very interested in the belief systems that underpin our cultural practices, how we express those
Kickflipping in Palestine
Skateboarding means the world to skaters from everywhere. Skating is a radical, inclusive, and interconnected community with a philosophy of Fuck You to anyone who tells us what to do, how to live, or where we can skate. It’s a small world in skateboarding but also a spread out one
Stod Smash – An Interview with the Pineja Drummer
I interviewed an old mate from high school who just so happens to drum for Pineja. Super talented, smart, nice, & funny dude, but he supports Chelsea so there’s definitely room to be cooler. Stod got me into Songs for the Deaf & The Strokes so fair to say he’s
Mondo-Motherfucking-Green
Mondogreen are a rad local band bringing a humble, funny, & mellow vibe to the local scene. Lochie & Connor are some gnarly skaters from back in my hometown. When I was learning to drop in, they were the cool seniors who actually knew how to skate. Can’t lie, with
B Tello Tells All – An Interview with the Pineja Singer
Who are you & what are you up to musically?I am a child of the universe + my parents… I am also a musician and DJ based in Wellington. I’m currently in multiple bands as a bass player, singer and guitarist. I have been playing DJ gigs and radio sets
Borderline
Borderline is an indie pop-rock band from Auckland. Members Ben, Matt, Max, and Jackson have curated a funky, idyllic sound that’s both playful and mature. The Kiwi band is currently going global, touring in America and heading to England later this month. How did you find your “sound”?Definitely a mix
An Eye For Music – An Interview with the Janka Volf
@___sarolta (three underscores) @___sarolta (three underscores) @___sarolta (three underscores) @___sarolta (three underscores) @___sarolta (three underscores) @___sarolta (three underscores) I never thought my first year of uni being a bcomm would amount to anything, but other than learning how to manage our laziest writer Joe, I also meet one rad human
There Is No War In Ba Sing Se West Papua
West Papua is one of the most linguistically diverse regions in the world. It’s also home to a breathtaking display of both cultural and ecological diversity, with 80% of West Papua dense with tropical rainforests, surrounded by mangroves, wetlands and alpine central highlands with their marine ecosystems hosting the highest
Parliamentary etiquette is gone. Why?
In bed the other day, I scrolled upon a reel of every stupid thing that has been said in the House of Parliament by the 54th government, and boy was some of it stupid. While yes, a large amount of it was funny, most of it was hugely inappropriate for
ZURU ARE TRYING TO BE ELECTION GURUS
The debate around the topic of election interference reached a boiling point recently with the release of Nicky Hager’s book Dirty Work, a follow-up to the 2014 book Dirty Politics. In the book, which primarily focuses on the movements of Jordan Williams’s Taxpayers’ Union, Hager alleges that ZURU CEO and
Nexus Breaks the News – Issue 23
POSH PROBLEMS A sudden surge in a specific Lake Weed at Lake Karapiro threatens the region’s oft-held rowing events, which is a big concern for the most out of touch and annoying rich assholes that you know. AT LEAST THEY’VE GOT SOMETHING RIGHT, RIGHT? The Waikato region has once again proven to
LABOUR’S LETHARGY
Labour have sputtered out a few new commitments, if you still believe they’re capable of committing to anything. After National came out and announced their intention to break up the supermarket duopoly, Labour has jumped on the Nats’ coattails – after the Nats jumped on the coattails of economists who
Shark hunt begins after fatal Perth attack
A great white shark is being hunted for destruction after a fatal attack at Perth’s Sorrento Beach, reigniting an old and uncomfortable question in Australia: when a shark kills, should the shark be killed? Sixty-three-year-old Greg O’Neill was swimming near the shoreline on Friday when he was attacked. Witnesses reported
City Rail Link opens in Auckland, Hamilton public transport continues disappoint
The City Rail Link (CRL) in Auckland officially opened on Friday, the 11th of September. As a public transport enthusiast, I am absolutely fuming that this occurred when I could not justify going up to Auckland to take a train. The CRL is the biggest makeover to New Zealand’s transport
Nexus Breaks the News – Issue 22 2026
(((SOUTHERN))) LINKS Project Directors Dillon Kelliher and Robert Dol, have proposed a motion to transform a swathe of farmland south of Hamilton into a brand-new suburb development, comprised of 938 residential units across about 46ha. When asked what inspired the suburb, Kelliher said, “Well, I always wondered what Hamilton would
Nexus Breaks the News – Issue 21
AUCKLAND’S CRL… CHRIS REALLY LIKES IT! The people of Auckland were in absolute heat for the opening of the City Rail Link, as evidenced by a fire breaking out on the morning of it’s big day. Nexus can neither confirm nor deny that the fire was a diversion for Chris Bishop
ACT? MORE LIKE ACTT (ACTUALLY CUTTING TE TIRITI)
The ACT party have wheeled out another inflammatory policy. Party leader David Seymour announced on Thursday the 10th that, if elected, ACT would pursue ending the Waitangi Tribunal’s contemporary jurisdiction. It would mean that, once all cases lodged before the 1st of September 2008 had been settled, the tribunal would lose
BETWEEN A PAK’N’SAVE & A HARD PRICE
The Greens have unveiled a new policy, proposing the creation of a government-owned-and-run supermarket that they’re calling KiwiMart. The Greens have proposed KiwiMart as an alternative to the Foodstuffs/Woolworths supermarket duopoly also positioning it as competition that’d incentivize chains like Woolies and New World to lower prices. The policy has
Latest poll sees parties seeking Opportunity for redemption
The media over the past few months has reported that Opportunity may be the kingmaker in this upcoming election, but the latest Taxpayers’ Union-Curia poll suggests otherwise. Previous polls put Opportunity at 8%, over the 5% of votes needed to get them into parliament. Both Labour and National would need
The Drama
Rating: 2/5 A24’s The Drama (2025), directed by Kristoffer Borgli, is a razor-sharp satire that skewers modern Hollywood with gleeful abandon. Starring Zendaya as a fading starlet navigating auditions, breakdowns, and absurd industry rituals, the film revels in cringe-inducing cringe comedy – think improvised tantrums and viral meltdowns that expose fame’s hollow core. Its lo-fi aesthetic,
U by Underscores
Rating: 4/5 April Harper Grey is an artpop/hyperpop artist known as Underscores. She frequently collaborates with other experimental pop adjacent artists such as Jane Remover and Danny Brown, whilst having her own unique genre-bending sound that separates her from the rest. Underscores’ latest album U is fully self-produced and feels like her most personal and all-encompassing album
Kokuho
Rating: 4/5 It’s not every day that you watch a movie that, despite its slow pace, absolutely captivates you. Recently, I stumbled across a movie called Kokuho. Directed by Lee Sang-il, Kokuho dives into the world of kabuki theatre and explores themes of artistic discipline and personal identity. But at its heart, it is a universal story
Miyazaki
Rating: 4 For many people in the arts, creation is central to identity. I’m in that group. I put a little bit of myself in everything I do. Consequently, I am a huge fan of Studio Ghibli and the work of Hayao Miyazaki, who is one of the most powerful storytellers I’ve come across. ‘Miyazaki’ by Paris Paloma
Avatar: Fire and Ash
Rating: 2 Because I didn’t look properly at the specifics of the showing, I walked into the theatre and ended up watching the newest Avatar movie in 3D, which wasn’t something I’d done in a long time, and it made the movie’s experience so much better to be sitting there
Malignant
Rating: 4 As an avid horror movie fan, I liked to think I could predict how the story was going to go, but this one really had me stumped, and the reveal had me absolutely amazed. Malignant is an incredible movie about a woman named Madison who is starting to have
Manosphere Madness
Louis Theroux: Inside the Manosphere is a compelling but uneven look at misogynistic online influencers and the young men drawn to them. The film effectively exposes an ecosystem where outrage and insecurity are turned into a lucrative business model, with “manfluencers” selling courses, communities, and personas as much as ideas. It’s most powerful
IT’S FALL.
Time for my bi-annual re-watch of Cartoon Network’s Over The Garden Wall. (Those who are politically correct also watch it in September as the creators intended.) It’s a heartwarming story about two brothers getting lost in The Unknown and slowly losing hope as they draw deeper into the woods, as winter creeps closer, as The Beast draws nearer.
The Australian Grand Prix; A review from a fan
Rating: +3 I flew to Melbourne last week to watch the 2026 f1 season opener in person, so here is my review of how it was run, and what they could improve on next time. The track was busiest for qualifying and race day, and most people caught the tram or walked
Resident Evil Requiem
Ok gang, let’s talk about Resident Evil Requiem. For starters, I’m a big fan of Capcom and have been playing their games for about 8 years now. I was first introduced to Resident Evil 7: Biohazard, and my initial reaction when I started playing it was something along the lines
Debí Tirar Más Fotos World Tour (5/5)
There are no words to describe this event. I genuinely fked myself going to this concert because after this there won’t be any better concert to go to. Benito is a great guy, one of the best people alive, but he fked my life and left me in an existential void. It was an amazing show,
? By Bassvictim.
Propelled to the forefront of the whole electroclash/knitted sweater/no-its-not-indie-sleaze-dont-call-it-that London/New York “scene” with their two 2025 albums Basspunk 2 and Forever, Bassvictim’s Ike Clatman and Maria Monrow have had an open messiness to their image that lands somewhere between Pete Doherty with Kate Moss and the Instagram stories of that highschool couple you’re sort of worried about. Although
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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