2nd Half

Jenny-May Clarkson spent her teenage years hiding her culture. At almost 50, she chose to wear it on her face.

In this episode of 2nd Half, Sir John Kirwan talks with Jenny-May about her moko kauae, the traditional chin tattoo worn by Māori women. She talks about why she chose it, the people she went to first, and what it meant to wear it proudly on national television.

Her mum had been waiting years for this conversation. Her aunty’s only question was, “Why have you waited so long?” And her great-grandmother’s kauae lived on only through the memory of an uncle who used to sit on her lap and run his hand over it.

Then the conversation turns to courage. Jenny-May talks about why, at 52, she has stopped worrying what other people think, and the lesson her son learned jumping off a wharf in Paihia.

“What other people think of you is none of your business. Your business is your business.”

Chapters
00:00 Wearing the markings of your ancestors
00:46 How it changed her
01:02 Hiding her culture growing up
01:43 How do you choose who does it?
02:05 Telling Mum and Aunty
03:41 The backlash and national television
04:18 Designing her kauae
05:40 Her great-grandmother’s kauae
06:36 Choosing her tā moko artist
07:22 Telling TVNZ
07:42 Courage in the 2nd Half
09:37 The Paihia wharf lesson

Follow 2nd Half for more honest conversations about living well in the 2nd Half of life.

Former Silver Fern and broadcaster Jenny-May Clarkson talks honestly with Sir John Kirwan about her 2nd Half: leaving breakfast TV, writing her first CV since school, going grey on national television, and why at 52 she's stopped worrying what people think.From her 83-year-old mum who still scrubs the floors, to burnout, perimenopause with 10-year-old twins, and finding new friends for the next chapter, this is a conversation about all four pillars of the 2nd half: physical, mental, financial and connection.00:00 Intro00:37 Her 2nd half: Mum at 8304:49 Parents, sport and sacrifice06:30 Pivots, fear and the Silver Ferns13:18 Leaving TV and writing a CV18:44 Burnout and the University of No23:11 Going grey: a privilege to age25:40 Her kauae27:34 Not caring what people think31:08 Twins, perimenopause and a pivot32:49 "I'm not a very fun person"34:59 Friendship in the 2nd half

"Sometimes life's ash*t sandwich – the more bread, the better."

Sir John Kirwan on why getting older takes courage. At 60, he started planning his next decade like an athlete, built around four pillars: physical, mental, financial and connection.

This is what 2nd Half is all about.

00:00 Ageing takes courage

01:04 From All Black to the four pillars

02:40 Physical: surfing till I'm 90

03:31 Mental: starting again

04:48 Financial: what is success?

06:00 Connection, and where to start

If anything here brings something up for you, in New Zealand you can call or text 1737 any time to talk to a trained counsellor.