Te Reo TV - te reo Maori for absolute beginners!

Image: http://www.pinnacle.org.nz

So you wanted to learn te reo Maori at school but they didn't teach it then or it was considered a 'minority subject'? Maybe you did learn when you were younger but these days lack interaction. Or maybe you've just emigrated from Greenland and dig the haka! The good news is that soon you will be able to turn on Maori Television each night and learn the easy way, at home.

TOKU REO premieres on Maori Television on Tuesday March 31 at 8.00 PM. The series will screen Tuesdays to Saturdays in this regular time slot and is a teaching resource that has already taught te reo Maori to tens of thousands of absolute beginners. “When the opportunity came up to make a show that teaches te reo Maori, it felt like the right time to do something,” says executive producer Quentin Hita, of Kura Productions. “A pre-requisite for me was that the learning be absolutely robust, but to buy in that expertise, or to buy a learning framework was cost-prohibitive. I was literally trying to solve the problem in my office when I turned to a bookshelf, and saw Te Kakano by John Moorfield. I thought, why re-invent the wheel?” Te Kakano is part of a series of books, study guides, tapes and other teaching resources known collectively as Te Whanake, widely used in tertiary institutions around Aotearoa.

The studio-based show uses presenters as teachers, with field footage and graphics to support them. Each episode has been developed and honed by PhD students at AUT. The format used is in three parts – grammar, vocabulary and activities.

Could be a 'must watch' and kia ora to that!

TOKU REO premieres on Maori Television on Tuesday March 31 at 8.00 PM. The series will screen Tuesdays to Saturdays in this regular time slot.

Just purrrrrrrfect...

Says make up giant M·A·C: “she has been a fashion icon for 34 years, has lived in London, is currently a tourism ambassador for Japan, and while her obsessive fan base may be 7-34, there’s no question that she transcends age and generations...” Add to that her “edgy side and celebrity following that would intimidate any Hollywood actor” and who do you have? That pop culture phenomenon known simply as Hello Kitty, of course! A source of inspiration to many beyond the local kindy since her birth, Kitty has in the past had artists from around the world (including French fashion designer Jean-Charles de Castelbajac and American graffiti artist Ryan McGinley) contribute pieces to a exhibit of Hello Kitty-inspired subversive art, whilst local star Kate Sylvester was one of a select few international fashion glitterati asked to design an outfit with her in mind for M·A·C ‘s star-studded New York release party. The little lady represents the desire in all of us to be both innocent and mischievous, and the new Kitty-inspired collection from M·A·C gives plenty of scope to explore the aforementioned and all that lies in between.
Alongside the make up, the M·A·C artistic team have created Hello Kitty Kouture, a very exclusive, limited edition luxe accessories line glittering with Swarovski crystals that includes a plush doll, charm bracelet, makeup mirrors, a brush holder, makeup bags,
and a tote that’s printed in a Pucci-esque pattern among other items. It’s hard to pick my favourite piece to include here, so I’ll leave you to feast your eyes on this beautiful campaign image shot exclusively for M·A·C by the legendary Nick Knight… Miaow!

Sneaky Squizz: Top 5 Models That Have Shot Exclusively For Black Issue 10 That We Are Rather Excited About

Issue 10 of Black Magazine is less than 2 months away so plenty of the magazine/book has been already been shot and we're excited to say, we have some world class models in store - all commissioned by, and shooting exclusively for, Black Magazine in Auckland, Sydney, New York and Paris.

Here's 5 from the upcoming issue:

Cover Girl: Ali Stephens - Models.com rating Number 15 in the world.

Kim Noorda - Models.com rating Number 30 in the world.

Dree Hemingway - Daughter of Mariel, great-granddaughter of Ernest

Georgia Frost - former teenage IT girl gone brunette

Cover Boy: Vinnie Woolston - NZ's hottest male model from Raglan (Rags).

Coming soon...BLACK 10!

Get Your Own Goji On

Golly gee, look at them Goji...

We received an email yesterday from Glucina, Kevin that is. Kevin lives in Matakana, the rapidly growing market garden region north of Auckland. It seems that Glucina Nursery are ensuring that the average gardener can grow their own Goji plants in their back yards by making a number of plants available to selected garden centres around Aotearoa.The extract of the berry from the plant is said to boost immune systems, control blood sugar, prevent eye problems and even help children to grow. Worldwide demand for the little red Himalayan miracle berry is such that the berries, and various extracts of, are rather expensive to procure. As the recession/depression truly starts to bite, grow-your-own/organic will increasingly become a smart option for anyone interested in their own health - and being able to pay the rent/mortgage/man. Makes great sense/cents/our inner-selves feel better!

Goji gardening now!

Plants available retail throughout NZ at :
Mitre 10 Mega, Oderings nurseries, retail garden centres and The Potting Shed at Matakana.
Or commercial enquiries to: gluc@xtra.co.nz

Strings Of The Dead - Tankian & APO

Feel the phibes!

In a Jazz-Coleman-esque way, Serj Tankian, the former System Of A Down frontman who impressed mightily at the Auckland Big Day Out will join forces with an orchestra - The Auckland Philharmonic Orchestra. Together they will perform the Elect The Dead Symphony. This orchestral take on Tankian's debut album will also invigorate several unreleased Tankian tracks. This seems as enticing as Serge looks 'mad organist' because the APO are excelling as a collaborative force, slotting a number of succesful collaborations behind them. Expect a "psychedelic, classical, surrealist" interpretation by Tankian - who will score in a musical way. Respected NZ composer John Psathas will arrange the music. Elect them now...

Tickets are only $99 to $120 a pop via 0800 Buy Tickets.

Elect The Dead Symphony - Serge Tankian & The APO
Monday March 16
Auckland Town Hall

Wayne Quilliam Exhibition - Canberra

Watching Kevin Rudd on the tele last night it was hard not to like the man. As a global statesman and Australia's leader his genuine grief over the devastating fires in Victoria, and his open disgust at the people who started some of the fires, was refreshing and humbling at the same time. Then again, this is the only Australian Prime Minister to say 'Sorry' to the tangata whenua of the land for the displacement policies which caused so much damage for so many years. To mark 'The Apology', prominent Aboriginal photographer Wayne Quilliam will curate an exhibition of photographs taken on the day. Quilliam says 'the work is a reflection of peoples emotions representing the essence of the day which is why I titled it More Than A Word.

More Than A Word will be opened by Kevin Rudd at Parliament House, Canberra ACT on 13 Feburary 2009

Jogger's Delight - The New Phoenix Foundation video

Had an eventful jog lately? One of those ones where you're singing a song as you run along on a bright summer's day and you come across things. You know; low slung Pohutakawa branches, people picnicking, knights you need to slay with the sword you just happen to have on you, people you have to rescue from small hand-made pens, passing, rolling 44 gallon drums you need to jump, people on stuffed cows and a large plastic horse you must mount in one jump...you know the usual thing. No? Taika Waititi knows all about it. The filmic genius may have already created the video of the year with his latest creation for The Phoenix Foundation's 40 Years. Not only is it clever and very, very funny but the video shot near Wellington, on a warm summer's day, stars Taika himself as the jogger in the one take wonder. Priceless.

La Coacharacha

Ladies and gentlemen, may I present .... Coachella.

Morrissey. Leonard Cohen. Crystal Castles. Band Of Horses. Michael Franti. Hercules And Love Affair. Gang Gang Dance. The Cure. My Bloody Valentine. The Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Peter Bjorn And John. Antony And The Johnsons. Lykke Li. The Kills. The Horrors. Shall I go on?

If I was blowing out candles today, I know what I'd be wishing for. Daddy, I want to go to Coachella now! You can keep your goddamn golden goose.

See for yourself at www.coachella.com

The Big Easel Backstage.

We published a story about Belgian fashion artist Jarno Kettunen in Issue 4 of Black Magazine with the belief that Jarno's conceptualised backstage paintings of couture and top level European fashion shows and collections would soon see the artist reaping accolades and rewards for his talent. He had originally approached us with an idea to run 6 pages of illustrations he would make backstage at Chanel...

Dear Grant Fell,

Many thanks for your interest.

Today the director of 'De Rode Loper' has been discussing with the Belgian representatives of Chanel and they will present our project and the magazines that are interested to Chanel in Paris. Now we just have to hope that Chanel will take it. I will keep you updated!

Thank you again and have a great weekend.

Best regards,
Jarno

Chanel turned down his request but in the year since much has changed. Here is Jarno painting Jean Paul Gaultier backstage at his show recently, and above - his realisation of the Chanel concept for the Chanel RTW SS 09 collection. Mission accomplished...

Dr Who. Please Come. With Tardis. Now...

We're not really fans of the iconic British 'doctor' but we'd sure like to borrow his tardis and zoom over to Cappa Docia sometime this evening. The sandstone wonderland, hidden in deepest, dustiest Turkey is quite possibly the most unique habitat on Earth and the only one that looks like sand whipped into crusty lemon meringue-esque towers. How fantastic...

Ok. We'll fess up. We didn't know this place existed until we saw a National Geographic at the optometrists today, but now we're obsessed. If anyone from the Turkish National Tourism board is reading...we're keen!!!


Here is the offical site, written in a thick Turkish English yet still somehow informative. Apparently there are a number of quality hotels built into the sandstone and the hot air balloon rides sound perfect.

SHOW'n The Way

Todd Lynn project on SHOWstudio

Anyone who has happened to notice that we have updated the sections on the right of this page may also have noticed that we have put SHOWStudio at the top of our links section. This Nick Knight-driven venture is all class. Say no more. Check it for yourself...

8 Inches Of [Computer] Love

OK. Time for some unabashed gadget-gushing!

Just as you may be a glass half full or glass half empty person, so may you be a Mac person or a PC person. For many years the PC geeks guffawed at Apple's perceived slowness and lack of processing power. For just as many years Mac users didn't care. PC? What's that? Pathetic Computer? Poor Cousin? Petty Crime? In recent years the difference between the two platforms has narrowed to the degree that both seem to have each other's attributes. However, in the field of design, user-friendliness, and sheer cool factor Apple has tended to lead the way. Until now.

The Sony VAIO P Series is, at 8 inches, pocket-size - yet bigger than the plethora of hand-held/mobile devices, and let's face it there are Blackberrys and IPhones everywhere to do that job. No the lovely P Series is big enough to be a laptop or notebook but small enough to slip into your jacket's inside pocket. It has all the bells and whistles, Sony's cross-media connectivity and it looks hot.

The VAIO P series notebooks will be in stores from Fenruary 2009 with an RRP of $1,699 (hard disk drive, models VGN-P13G) and $2,299.95 (solid state drive, models VGN-P15G).

The Black Rock of Varvatos

Here at Black Magazine there are a number of fashion and style signatures that we simply cannot go past, or refuse to avoid. The effortlessness of black and the conceptual integration of rock'n'roll influence for example. Every now and then we come across a collection which ticks quite a few of our boxes at once and the John Varvatos, Fall/Winter 2009 collection on show in Milan last week most certainly does. The palette is dark, moody and elegant and the silhouette is chic and sleek, and somehow, we just felt like we were looking at a Black Magazine editorial on a runway. The collection clearly heralds the arrival of a new John Varvatos era.

The John Varvatos Fall/Winter 2009 runway show took place Tuesday, January 20th 2009 at Chiesa sconsacrata di San Paolo Converso, Milan, Italy.

Ship Of Fools, Sculpture Anchored In Gulf

Fletcher Vaughan's Ship Of Fools

At last. A good reason to go to Waiheke Island that isn't of the jazz festival, wine festival, dance party at a vineyard, hope-you-make-the-last-ferry ilk. The Headland Sculptures On The Gulf exhibition is more than likely the most impressive outdoor sculpture exhibition yet staged in New Zealand with works from 26 sculptors and artists on display. The 2009 exhibition is the fourth in a series which began in 2003 and has quickly become a drawcard on the island. What better way to see art than to wander around the gentle island cliffs perusing the artworks framed against the Hauraki Gulf. We are particularly excited to see that Fletcher Vaughan, whose work appears in the latest issue of Black Magazine, is an entrant this year with a work entitled Ship Of Fools.

Headland: Sculpture On The Gulf, Waiheke Island, 2009
Friday 23 January - Sunday 15 February
Exhibition opens 9am - 6pm daily for 3 weeks only

Word Of The Week - Euphonious

euphonious \yoo-FOH-nee-uhs\, adjective:

Pleasing or sweet in sound; smooth-sounding.

"She combines alliteration and deft word choices with the grace of an oral storyteller, creating euphonious and precise sentences that are perfect for reading aloud."
-- Amy L. Cohn, "Children's Books", New York Times, March 10, 1991

Or perhaps:

"It was strange to observe the Fijian leader Frank Bainanarama perched above the parade. In name, so euphonius. In nature, so erroneous"
--My Life As A South Pacific Reporter, Wolfgang Schultz, 2008

Knight Light, Knight Heat

The Lights of West Moreland

Who is your Light In Shining Armour? Find out yourself at Simon James Design. Or Backhouse Interiors, Staple, Decode, Native Agent, Port Chalmers Design Store or Whiteroom. These simple, sexy and ultimately wearable-like-your-embarrassing-uncle-at-a-party lamps are otherwise known as the David Moreland designed Knight Light - in black and white

You can buy these from David direct or go here.

Katherine Mansfield, Society

Katherine shows her snazzy hairstyle, side-on, early last century.

New Zealand's greatest writer Katherine Mansfield has been honoured today with the announcement of the establishment of the international Katherine Mansfield Society. The influential modernist writer inspired a fundamental shift in the way writers in New Zealand and most notably abroad, put pen to paper. The Society, anchored by a pantheon of literary leaders including Emeritus Professor Angela Smith of the UK and Emeritus Professor C. K. Stead of NZ, is chaired by Emeritus Professor Vincent O’Sullivan who says the K.M.S aims to educate:

“Katherine Mansfield’s influence is still being felt by writers and readers today, and we want to ensure this recognition continues. The Society will work to ensure Katherine Mansfield is on school and university curricula in New Zealand and overseas and aims to establish a Mansfield memorial in her home town of Wellington. We will also be creating a biennial Katherine Mansfield Society literary scholarship – a Rhodes scholarship for literature as it were – for work in the modernist sphere.”

This is good news for the emerging Mansfield-inspired writers of the world, but the online presence of the K.M.S as a comprehensive resource for all things Katherine, may just be the icing on the cake. It includes images, literature on Mansfield and downloadable versions of all her short stories. Membership options range from a 'donation' to a 'student/unwaged' membership of 15 pounds a year right up to the champagne club-level three-thousand-six-hundred pound Life Membership.

Still, we wonder. Will the Society explain the Mystery of Maata?

http://www.katherinemansfieldsociety.org

Erdmann Masterclass

Erdmann shot from the latest Crash Magazine, Paris

Hello, hello, it's good to be back...after a week shooting with Robert Erdmann and crew here in Auckland. Like a photographic whirlwind, Mr Erdmann, assistant Chek and master H&M artist Eric Gabriel flew into town, took over Kingsize Studios and whipped up two world class shoots. It was fascinating to watch a photographer of Mr Erdmann's level operate and even more fascinating to see the quality of the creative collusion between the Americans and our own Black Magazine crew; fashion director Rachael Churchward, fashion editor Atip W and assistants Ant Gratten, Dan Max and Phil Grindle. To see it, you will have to wait until Black 10 goes on sale at the end of March, with, again, a boy cover by Robert Erdmann - but this time featuring our own male model king Vinnie Woolsten - and between 24 and 36 pages of undeniably the best fashion and photography to appear in Black Magazine yet.

To get an understanding of the level and quality of Robert Erdmann's work go here to his agency site. This is his arty site.

Robert Erdmann and crew stayed at New Zealand's fashion forward Westin Hotel which they described as 'world class'.

Gran(d) Torino

For a long time now - too long, of course - I've been wanting to spend time visiting the elderly in their nursing homes. I'm assuming they'd want my company, of course, but I think there's nothing sadder than being alone, and to be alone when you're old and have so much to share, and deserve such respect and admiration, is the saddest thing of all.

As much as I want to do something nice for the people who may not have friends or family to visit them, I also want to spend time with characters, with people with great stories and even greater wisdom. If I could design the person I'd like to visit, their name would be Walt Kowalski. He's acerbic, he's blunt, he grunts and snarls and by God he says the most hideous, inappropriate things - and yet he is a great man, and completely lovable.

Walt is the character played by Clint Eastwood in his latest directorial effort, Gran Torino. It's a terrible, uninspired/uninspiring title for the best film I've seen in a long time - and that's saying something.

If for nothing else, see the 78 year old Eastwood in what may be his last performance ever - and what a performance it is.

No doubt about it

I can't be sure why - in fact I have my doubts (boom boom), but from the poster art and some mixed reviews I was anticipating Doubt to be a slow, excruciating, black and white period piece of a film which I'd appreciate, but certainly not adore. Wrong. Wrong wrong wrong.

Based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning play of the same name, Doubt is a beautiful film, fast paced yet considered, smart yet utterly entertaining. With Meryl Streep and Phillip Seymour Hoffman in the lead roles, I always knew the acting would be incredible but, as always, still managed to be surprised at just how good, good can get.

It all went so fast and left me so enraptured that as the credits rolled and the lights went up, I felt almost as if I'd been watching a short film. It doesn't get better than that.

The Town Bike

The Bike In Town

Ok. So you don't live in town. But you've got a bike. You want to ride to work, play, study, lunch, visit the art gallery etc - but you don't want to ride all that way, shackle your precious cycle to a handy chain-friendly fire-hydrant and turn up dishevelled and sweaty. Oh, your bike needs a little fixing, you are hungry and you need a coffee to boot. So where you gonna go in Tamaki Makaurau?

Bike Central of course. Situated across the road from the venerable K Rd Post Office or at 3 Britomart Place downtown, Bike Central's two locations offer those living in the inner suburbs - or beyond - an opportunity to realistically take the bike instead of the car. In-built shower and bathroom facilities, towels, lockers etc, and the ability to park the bike up for the day plus get a morning coffee/snack means that Bike Central is offering something unique. A sustainable/eco-friendly, one-stop shop that acts like a 'town terminus' or, if you wish to hire a bike and go sightseeing, a 'bike station'.

We love it.

Downtown Auckland: 3 Britomart Place, Auckland. Ph: 64-9-3651768
Uptown Auckland: 305 Karangahape Rd, Auckland. Ph: 64-9-307 0710

Here's the website.

We're Feeling IQONic

A month or so back we were feeling a little chuffed when our MySpace friends total lurched over 20,000 and 100,000 profile views. We have had our MySpace profile since late 2006 and it has been a useful way of communicating with and finding out about fashion photographers, beauty personnel, model agencies, other publications, online communities and the like. It has also had a hand in positioning Black Magazine as New Zealand's international fashion, beauty, arts and culture title among a community of international fashion people. On the other hand for a magazine that doesn't take submissions we receive around 100 finished fashion shoot submission per week - we'd need to employ somoeone full time to reply to them all so we don't.

We have also been present on several other communities and networks for some time - including the London/Paris-based fashion community IQONs. We set our profile up in early 2007 and up until yesterday morning had received about 8,500 'profile views' which was reasonably good given the community is largely populated by fashion professionals like Diane Pernet, Bernhard Wilhelm etc

Yesterday, IQONS named Black Magazine as its recipient of '15 Minutes Of Fame' - in other words, the profile of the day. We were unaware and surprised to discover our inbox full of friend requests this morning and another 8,000 'profile views' or hits over night. We've had another 3,500 since 10 am this morning and it's still going strong.

It's nice to feel loved...thanks IQONS.

Dogue

Canine couture may soon be a thing of the past, with London's RSCPA declaring that doggie dress ups is "humiliating and sends out the wrong message about pet care." I, for one, aren't sold. Yes, it's self indulgent, naff and probably completely unnecessary, but when well executed, it's also cute as hell. 

Enjoy.

Got wood?

As our regular readers are aware, I spend Tuesdays in Newtown at Club Dendy. Please note that I refer not to the club that you pay to join for discounted tickets etc, but instead a club that serves solely as an excuse for my friends to get together regularly and see great films. It doesn't hurt, of course, that I get to choose them. Control freak? I prefer discerning...

Tonight, being Tuesday, I just got home from this week's screening and am buzzing with the pure, unadulterated excellence of Woody Allen's latest effort, Vicky Christina Barcelona.

Now, old Woody has to work hard to get my respect. I adore him as a director - Annie Hall, enough said - but the whole incest thing took a little of the shine off. But with Vicky (may I call you Vicky?) he is one shining, shimmering, sparkling sequin of a man.

This is the tale of two American women who travel to Barcelona - the free spirited Christina (Scarlett Johansson) who dreams of "a counterintuitive love" and is unwilling to settle for safety, stability and a white picket fence, while Vicky (Rebecca Hall), the yin to Christina's yang, is engaged to a man whose Pantone colour would be an unassuming yet irritating beige named Doug.

Enter Juan Antonio (Javier Bardem) and his passionate, sultry, sexy saucy confronting incredible ex wife Maria Elena (Penelope Cruz) - the kind of woman that I hope to be, even when wielding a gun.

It's this intensity, this ferocity that makes Vicky Christina Barcelona such a truly fabulous film. I can't help but think of the inspirational quotes that dot graduation speeches and greeting cards alike - be bold, live the life you've imagined, go confidently in the direction of your dreams et al. Vicky Christina is a two hour testament to exactly that, and in my books, a must see.

Olivia's Got It Covered

Olivia Hemus, one of our favourite local photographers is back from her overseas soujourn and starting to add some quality work to her book. She has recently shot for Anthem Magazine in the US and this hot cover for Frankie Magazine. Olivia will be shooting for Issue 10 of Black in the coming weeks. Here's her website.

Robert Erdmann To Shoot For Black Again, In NZ

Robert Erdmann shoot from Black Issue 9

Roll on next week. The last issue of Black Magazine ran two covers, a boy cover and a girl cover. The boy cover and a 16 page shoot inside was photographed by Robert Erdmann, one of the fashion/photography world's biggest names. Check out his Felix Management site here to get an idea of the scale of Robert's repertoire. We were chuffed to have him shoot exclusively for Black Magazine and figured that, given his schedule, it might be a while before he would shoot for us again. However, this week he is flying into Queenstown on a commercial campaign and next week he will shoot with our Fashion Director Rachael Churchward here in Auckland for the next issue of Black. We're feeling rather excited!

She's Out, Out On The Street - Glam Canyon

"She's out, out, out on the street" sang Alistair Riddell in the eponymous chorus for Out On The Street in 1974. Riddell was the lead singer of New Zealand's one and only original 70's glitter rock band Space Waltz. He was our first androgenous rock star - all Bowie and Roxy Music meets Split Enz - which is not surprising given Space Waltz also included Eddie Raynor, and Paul Crowther. But I digress. We received an email on our MySpace site yesterday from Katja Hentschel, a London-based photographer and fashion eye who also populates the nicest places in Berlin. Her blog Glam Canyon is not about 70's glitter or glam at all but delivers a fabulous mix of Euro street style and vibrant at-the-party party pix from 2009 and beyond. Here is a selection of images from Glam Canyon to encourage the bookmarking of her blog - not least to see some of the excellent street fashion on offer in Berlin and London - last week.

Happy New Year - The End

Bag Raiders, in the Modular mix

Hey there! Happy New Year to all and sundry - we hope your break was of the good kind. Firstly a big congrats to our lovely Deputy Editor Helene Ravlich and partner Jooles Clements and a big kia ora to Wolf Milan Clements who arrived on Monday.

We have a number of thematic and editorial plans for BlackLOG this year, as we do for Black Magazine itself so stay tuned to the BlackLOG. Black Issue 10 - a landmark issue - is on sale late March and it will be a large bundle of Black goodliness.

In the meantime great news this week from the Sohomo people. Modular Records, one of the it-est (is that a word?) music labels in the world is planning a series of bi-monthly parties in Aotearoa entitled The End. Some of the bands on the Modular roster include Cut Copy, The Presets, Ladyhawke, Muscles, Wolfmother, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Robyn, Soulwax, Van She, The Klaxons, The Avalanches, The Bang Gang Deejays, Bumblesbeez, Chromeo, Colder, MSTRKRFT, New Young Pony Club, Leave Them All Behind, The Whitest Boy Alive and Tame Impala. You get the drift, hot, now, danceable - it's a who's who of electro grooviness.

The Sohomo partnership in this country can only add a touch of class to the whole thing. Headliners are The Bag Raiders, the Sydney dancefloor and remix kings whose impressive debut ep featured the seminal single (and delightfully named) "Fun Punch".

Should be special. Bring on The End.

27th Feb @ Good Luck - WGTN
28th Feb @ Cassette Number Nine – AKL