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

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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,

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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.

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November Rain  

In the aftermath of 9/11, HST wrote ‘Doom is the operative ethic.’  Anyone that tells you they’ve got the handle on how things are going to go with Iran, with Fuel, with Climate, with A.I – Hell, even with our general election in November — should be treated like a

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The Sydney Sweeny Ad is That Deep 

By now, I’m sure you’ve all seen the new Novig Ad starring Sydney Sweeny, if not, honestly don’t bother.  This ad reinforces every single stereotype about the patriarchy and misogyny in sport: women are an object for sex and men watch tough sports! This ad, promoting Novig’s ‘just sports’ trading

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Nukutawhiti Editorial

He waka kotuia, kāore e tukutukua ngā mimira!  Mauri ora! Nau mai, haere mai ki Nukutawhiti 2026.  He mihi nui ki ngā ringa, ngā reo me ngā mana i whai wāhi ki tēnei putanga.Nā koutou i whai hua ai tēnei kaupapa.  Nei ka mihi, ka mihi, ka mihi!  Not to

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Opt-Out of Voting ACT 

ACT’s newest policy is giving students false hope for cheaper study costs.   Under its proposed tertiary policy, students would be able to opt out of paying Student Services Fees, which currently help everything from our health services to UniRec to this very magazine. ACT argues this would give students more

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Post-irony, AI, and Trust in the Media

Over the past decade trust in the media has declined. I think this has moved beyond postmodern scepticism, so I’ve written a bit about how technology influences culture and reminded you all that we’re getting fucked by AI.  I believe the gap between media’s representation of truth and reality itself

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Toby’s Tips 

For issue 12 I wrote an editorial telling you to use academic jargon and the language of your field of study in your assignments. Here’s more unsolicited advice for writing assignments.  There’s something I’ve noticed to be constant across my assignments, papers, and the fields I’ve studied. Virtually every assignment wants you to apply a framework to

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“I Gotta Put Me First”

The best decision I ever made as someone in their early (to mid) twenties was to stop caring what other people think. And that’s not to say I’m perfect at it but I try to focus on me and only me. I don’t care if my outfits fit the trends; here at Nexus, I write what I want to write. I take uni papers that

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The Difference Between Giving Up and Taking a Break 

University students have become experts at being busy. We juggle lectures, assignments, jobs, internships, clubs, relationships, side hustles, and somehow try to maintain a social life in between. If you’re not exhausted, it almost feels like you’re doing something wrong.  Somewhere along the way, we’ve started wearing stress like a badge of honour.  The advice we’re usually given falls into two

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The Imposition of AI here at UoW 

The following is based on anonymous reports from teaching staff and students, my personal opinion, and a healthy helping of speculation. We cannot find any evidence this is certainly happening; there is no uni statement or policy I could find from a google search. However, if the university is mandating that teaching staff include AI in their

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Editorial – Issue 12 2026

Citing McGall’s recent work – seminal in the intersection of nexus thought and academic meta discourse – this paper outlines strategy for furthering one’s linguistic execution in the context of undergraduate scholarship. Positing a reductive angle, sharpened by a pragmatic approach, this article cuts through the academic noise and offers advice both

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The Politics of Exclusion 

The proposed Definitions of Woman and Man bill seeks to define a woman as “an adult human biological female” and a man as “an adult human biological male” in the Legislation Act (2019). Its explanatory note claims the purpose is to “protect the integrity of sex-based rights” and ensure language reflects “biological reality.”

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Fees Free Scrapped

On Friday the 8th of May New Zealand’s beacon of austerity, Nicola Willis, confirmed what NZ First gerontocrat Winston Peters had leaked on Newstalk ZB, that fees free will be scrapped in the upcoming budget. Our very own iron lady shared that “We will have more to say about this in

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Best Music of 2026

5. Dancing on the Wall – Muna: Lans threatened to kidnap us unless we put this on the list, we have families too yk.  4. Nothings About to Happen to Me – Mitski: Hold space for her, she is beautiful.  3. The Mountain – Gorillaz: WE ARE SO BACK, BABY!

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Good News 

KNICKS IN FIVE  The New York Knicks took home the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy as the victors of the NBA finals, beating the San Antonio Spurs 4-1 and becoming champs for the first time since 1973.    WSU Got A Bakery?! If you didn’t know, the Yellow Bird Bakery opened on the

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News Stories of 2026

landslide – January 22nd: Following extreme rainfall, Mount Maunganui (otherwise known as Mauao) suffers a devastating landslide, destroying both the Mount Maunganui Beachside Holiday Park, and the well-known hot pools. Six people die as the massive amounts of mud, silt, and water engulf the main amenities block, including a well-known Morrinsville

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Recipe: Salad

Basic Salad that’s actually really fkn’ good.   Playlist: Something summery and fun. Santeria by sublime, in too deep by sum 41 and californication by the red hot chilli peppers are a good start.  Ingredients:  Method: 

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Maybe the Movie Doesn’t Have to Be Like the Book 

There is perhaps no more terrifying sentence to say in a room full of English students than: “I liked the movie better than the book.” You can practically hear the collective gasp. Somewhere, an academic is clutching their copy of Middlemarch in distress.  Book-to-film adaptations are often judged on one

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Victor Songs

It’s time to rise and grind, mother fuckers. Trimester B is coming to an end, exams are approaching, and Nexus knows all you chads are in need of a killer playlist to fuel your winning aura. Don’t be a beta, become the alpha you were born to be. 

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Horoscopes – Issue 23

Aries: You will make a questionable decision this week. Fortunately, it will also be your most entertaining one.  Taurus: Your bed is calling. Ignore it. You have things to do, allegedly.  Gemini: Stop changing your mind. Actually, change it. No, wait. Keep the original one.  Cancer: Someone will hurt your

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An Ode to Winter 

Missing the cold, dark nights? Want to feel the warmth of a lovely winter dish again? Here is the cure to all your post-winter depression:  Ingredients:  Method: 

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Opinion: Self diagnosing just makes you a pick-me 

As someone who fought through their childhood and adolescence with undiagnosed and untreated mental disorders, nothing pisses me off more than some bitch who does this big dramatic sigh and says something like “oh, I’m so ADHD; I get so hyper sometimes”, “omg I’ve got such bad anxiety, my hand

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Peak Depression in a Playlist 

The saddest of tunes in for the most depressed of times. Whether it’s a beer in the shower, or lying in the fetal position, these songs will definitely make it worse. For wallowing in self pity and writhing in emotional pain. It will not get better listening to this playlist,

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Horoscopes – Issue 22 2026

Aries: You cannot fix him, please, for the love of God, leave him alone.  Taurus: Your stubbornness is being mistaken for confidence, so keep going.  Gemini: You have three deadlines, four tabs open and absolutely no intention of addressing any of them.  Cancer: Someone misses you, but unfortunately they have

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Bisexual girls are allowed to have boyfriends- just accept it.

Since pride month has finally ended, it’s appropriate to talk about what’s happening to bisexual women in queer internet spaces at the moment. Since the 1980s, there has been an observable rift between bisexual women that date men and lesbians, which has been recently revived on social media. I sat down with Sonja Ellis, a professor

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The iPad Kids Aren’t Alright 

A New Plymouth primary school has phased out the use of iPads for students in years one to four.  Omata School was one of the first in the country to adopt the use of devices in the classroom, but Principal Karen Brisco is now not so convinced that they are

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Gymfluencers and the Ozempademic

Scroll through social media for five minutes and you’ll find a new body to aspire to. One creator swears by becoming a “muscle mommy,” another insists Pilates is the secret to a lean physique, while someone else claims marathon training transformed their body and life. Alongside these fitness trends come equally viral

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The Tavern – Grassroots NZ Film with Matt Hicks

Sup Matt! Tell us a bit about yourself and your time at Nexus?  I used to write a column called ‘Making living cheaper with Honest Matt’. It was dodgy (borderline criminal) financial advice for poor students. I won columnist of the year for 2012 and got really drunk at House.    Also, that

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Maiki Sherman’s resignation: more than just a controversy

Maiki Sherman has resigned from her role as political editor for 1News at TVNZ.   That’s the headline, but it’s not the full picture. The circumstances surrounding her resignation have been only one part of an ecosystem of muddied waters that now make up the relationship between Parliament, the media, and the New Zealand

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The Rise and Fall of Fees Free

The tumultuous history of deciding who pays for university  The University of Waikato opened in1964, and its students back then had a much different experience financing university than we do today. From 1962 until 1989, the government paid for tertiary tuition fees in full with the state bursary.   As the story often goes, all good things

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Red or Black? 

It’s not much of a secret that online gambling has seen a rise in popularity in the last few years, especially with the younger generation. The technology being offered today means you can gamble from anywhere you can find a connection, anytime you want, on whatever device you’re using. It’s convenient, accessible, and marketed as entertainment suited

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An Objectively Good Jawline – the Dehumanisation of Looksmaxxing

Content warning: mentions of sexual violence, drug use and suicide   The popularisation of looksmaxxing has opened a gaping glory hole in the manosphere – ironically by some of the most homophobic people on the internet.   Looksmaxxing, a portmanteau of ‘looks’ and ‘maximising’, is the idea and practice of improving one’s physical appearance through a variety of

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Metamodernism: The Feeling After Irony 

At some point in the early 21st century, it became clear that the cultural mood had shifted. The ironic detachment that defined late 20th-century art and thought – so central to postmodernism – no longer felt sufficient in a world shaped by climate anxiety, digital hyperconnectivity, and renewed political urgency. Yet a return to

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Amplifying Stripper Voices in Aotearoa: Pole, Politics and Power

Brittle Splits is a 30-something year old Waikato Arts alumni, who wears nipple pasties and fishnet tops onstage (in 9 inch boots) just for fun—and feminist expression, duh. Here, she outlines the mediascape of pole politics within Aotearoa. She recommends strippers to follow (Online only. Do. Not. Stalk.) for equal

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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;

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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.

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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,

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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

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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

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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

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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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