Best Siiide

Best Siiide

By @hepsfxSociety & Culture
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Best Siiide episodes

  • Rangi Matamua - Best Siiide - Discovering your own star.
    When was the last time you intently looked at the stars?  Professor Rangi Matamua stops in to talk with us about space, cultural appropriation, schooling, star wars and what the future looks like for Māori.  We navigate how Māori need to be aware of just how protective of our culture and what it looks like to start becoming our parents or grandparents.   Speaking about formal education, I share what I was afraid of and Rangi helps to navigate that space and offers an alternative view that might help a lot of us - especially Rangatahi/Youth, when looking at getting into university.  Being decisive, for a lot of people, is one of life's biggest hurdles. It's not just discovering the who / what / how / when of things which can be hard but also choosing which of those to intently pursue!   Balance turns out to be a theme of our conversation too.
    In terms of legacy / taonga tuku iho, what are we doing to ensure a smooth transition from us to the future generations?  Are we making it easier or harder?   Be sure to check out livingbythestars.co.nz for all sorts of tools and resources on how to navigate the stars, the world and ourselves.
    1 hr 33 min
  • Zane Wedding - Te pū o te rākau / The essence of trees
    Have you ever felt lost?  Not Māori enough? That you're nothing more than your job title?  
    Kaitiaki, Zane Wedding, who slept in a tree for more than 60 nights continuously last year, was arrested after climbing a fence that blocked the Avondale site from being accessed by land stewards.  Whilst his arm may have been broken, his wairua (spirit) has not been.  Here I get to kōrero with the bro, in regards to why saving these trees is so important to the mental health, identity and environment of ALL New Zealanders.  He shares his journey from being homeless at 14 on Aucklands south side and how a connection to the environment, more specifically trees, helped him find his place in the world and how he wants these trees remain so that the knowledge and that sense of connection can be retained.  We exchange Pūrākau (legends) that are evidence, of the scientific thought processes, that pacific people have and their ability to pass these on from generation to generation. Even if you cannot be bothered checking out this episode whanau please head along to the following:
    Sign the petition here
    Follow the Save Canal Road Native Trees facebook page
    And keep up to date with saveourtrees.nz
    1 hr 18 min
  • The Taranaki Retreat - Jamie Allen & Chris**

    How often have you just wished you could pause life for a second to get your shit together?


    TRIGGER WARNINGS: CONVERSATIONS AROUND SUICIDE, DEPRESSION, MENTAL HEALTH AND BEREAVEMENT

    The Taranaki Retreat is a sanctuary for many and a safe haven for more many more. A small piece of paradise within Taranaki offering respite and the chance for people to get away from the pressures of life and go within themselves so they can arm themselves with the tools to then face the world with all its variables.

    Jamie Allen - Father, husband and executive officer for The Taranaki Retreat (amongst many other things) shares his story of walking beside his daughter, Carrie as she faced cancer and then eventually passed in 2012. Jamie says: "The Retreat is about the good stuff : walking alongside one-another - and sharing and dealing with burdens. It is a kaupapa with some fantastic support and energy in our community, and I feel very proud to be a part of it. Most of all, I wanna say - this place is for YOU; for all of us."Jamie shares his journey: dealing with the loss of his daughter and how it lead to the creation of a place that has given soo much to the people of Taranaki.

    Chris - Chris is also a father, husband and former resident of the retreat who is still involved with the beautiful mahi of the place. Chris shares his story of losing a child to suicide and another to a car accident both within 6 months of each other less than 3 years ago. He speaks on how these events have inspired his journey since but not without sharing some of his deepest and darkest moments that he continues to battle through. From feeling like a failure as a father to encouraging every one of us to step into our vulnerable moments and connect heart to heart.

    Contact the retreat here

    Text 1737 to Talk Now

    Text 5626 to contact The Low Down

    To talk to a trained counsellor 24/7 call the Depression helpline – 0800 111 757.

    To get help from a registered nurse 24/7 call Healthline – 0800 611 116.

    Youthline – 0800 376 633, free text 234 or email [email protected] or online chat.

    What's Up  – 0800 942 8787, (for 5–18 year olds). Phone counselling is available Monday to Friday, 1pm–10pm and weekends, 3pm–10pm. Online chat is available 7pm–10pm daily.

    1 hr 2 min
  • Chloe Swarbrick - The system is cooked
    New Year, same ol' shit... well except now we have video!
    Thats right, we've stepped into the future and have finally taken the podcast to include video in it's 3rd season! Kicking off season 3, we catch up with Green Party Aotearoa New Zealand member of parliament and Auckland MP - Chloe Swarbrick.
    Heaps of gold nuggets in this kōrero, if not only to understand politics in Aotearoa a lot better.  Chloe and I both agreed that there will be an inevitable part 2 to this as we didn’t even touch on New Zealand drug reform, her other baby (Chloe talks about her main baby a lot!).  Long time listeners will know that I always ask every guest for their advice on how to approach tough times. Whilst almost none of the guests are mental health professionals, almost all of them are mental health awareness advocates who have been through the wars themselves and can offer insight a nuanced approaches to those situations.
    1 hr
  • Kindness Day 2021
    In this episode I sit down with Matua Mark and Bobby to talk about Mental health and how much Kindness can make a difference. 2020/2021 has been a crazy time for everyone but even without the contributions of Covid-19, contemporary stresses and modern anxiety seems to be spreading faster and quicker than ever. Just google "Mental health statistics NZ" and you'll see it but talk to two or 3 members of your whānau and see what conversations arise. 
    The Taranaki retreat was built off personal experience and continues to function via community ambition: uniting the community together to be part of the creation of a sustainable future, where everyone can be part of the solution.
    Listen in to hear about a new public holiday in the making which aims to encourage people to remember, in times when it's easy to forget that other people have shit going on too, just be kind. 
    Donate here
    35 min
  • Richie Hardcore - Accept the scaffolding

    Champion Muay Thai kickboxer turned White Ribbon Ambassador and member of the their Trust, Richie Harcore is a passionate advocate for social change. Professionally he is in demand as a public speaker, personal trainer and fight coach. In his role as an Ambassador and in his professional public speaking engagements he campaigns to prevent sexual and domestic violence and also works as a sexual consent educator. In our kōrero we discuss toxic masculinity, addiction, how fighting helped him growing up and how growing up in West Auckland shaped his life into what it is now. Richie has been a vital part of the White Ribbon Ambassador team and he recently presented to Year 12 and 13 students throughout the Wellington region on a Youth Ambassador Leadership Programme. Richie’s mission is “to help make the world better by supporting people to live their best lives” and he can often be seen or heard on National media speaking about all these issues. **This discussion was recorded in October 2019 when Richie visited Taranaki to speak at an event here. 

    1 hr 39 min
  • Wayne Capper - Te Kaitiaki (The Guardian)
    Wayne Capper (or Caps) was the first Kaitiaki Whenua Ranger for Te Kahui o Taranaki looking after 30 cultural sites (including many Pā) around Taranaki.  In addition to that, the Australian born Māori man shares with us his experience in growing up in a household that took everyone in and how this shaped him as an adult.  From a love of rugby league and community to battles with alcohol and owning his mistakes - Caps’ honest account of his life journey until this point will have lessons worth taking for everyone. Now a father of 7 but a role model to many, Caps reflection of his life bounces forward like the sun off a mirror into a bright and hopeful future for his whānau and community.
    2 hr
  • Dinnie Moeahu - The Big Fighter
    The Big Fighter who became the ambassador for The Little Fighters Trust.
    Entertainer / Business owner turned local politician - Dinnie Moeahu has never been a stranger to controversy and fighting. Since birth (arguably before that), Dinnie has been a part of the battle of standing up to oppression and standing for what is right. Carrying on the batton from his ancestors, Dinnie is running full steam ahead into a generational defining battle, being one of many leaders fighting to establish a Māori Ward.
    Big goals are nothing for Dinnie though - Taranaki Daily News Person of the year, TSB Best New Business of the year, Iron Māori, Iron Man and raising over $80,000 for The Little Fighters Trust are just a few notches on his belt.
    Get your notepad ready, for this is arguably our most quotable podcast episode to date!
    2 hr 4 min
  • BONUS EPIIISODE - Luke McDowall - The Avatar

    I met Luke during a mens mental health walk (for lack of a better term) and was instantly inspired by him - as were all the other walkers.


    At 14 Luke was diagnosed with Transverse Myelitis (Sometimes referred to as T5 Transverse Myelitis). Seemingly out of nowhere, during a school day, Luke went from fine to having a tingly feeling in his legs then to 10 weeks in hospital and then a wheelchair. During this chat, Luke chronicles that journey alongside its many lessons and how oneness and synchronicity guide him everywhere he goes.

    A key phrase that Luke says that sticks for me is "Our bodies are just a part of us but they're not all of us" which stood out for me as I know many people wouldn't see it that way. It was hard to separate his pleasant perspective from the harsh realities that he has had to endure in order to maintain his trajectory.

    Speaking about the elements, spiritual awareness and mental toughness whilst sharing his love for discipline but still having a good time - this chat can only be described as lightly heavy hearted (- I know).

    1 hr 25 min
  • Not your regular Karen - Karen Venables
    Born in Otago and moving to Taranaki, after having travelled the world through culturally diverse areas like Africa and Ngaruawāhia, Karen has been gifted a world view staunchly foundationed in fairness and unconditional love. With a very global world view of society both professionally and personally, we get a front row seat to the initiatives that Karen has been a part of; From being a part of a school that initiates two hours of priming before school starts (exercise, a healthy breakfast etc) to ensuring that an important piece of her hometown was saved (as a prominent member of the Save Fitzroy Golf Club campaign) this lawyer is no stranger to campaigning for change as she joins the fight to changing legislation within New Zealand which discriminates against Māori. She is definitely not your regular, Karen.
    1 hr 41 min

About Best Siiide

From the publisher's feed

A reminder that we are all wonderfully and awfully human, Best Siiide gives you insight, connection and the realisation that it’s ok to be yourself. Hepa guides each conversation with no agenda other…