Manawatu Conversations

By MPR - Manawatu People's Radio

Local people giving recollections of the past, sometimes opinions of the future. Hear about the lives of people in your local community, where they are from and what they have experienced. Discover ho... more

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FAQs about Manawatu Conversations:

How many episodes does Manawatu Conversations have?

The podcast currently has 375 episodes available.

Manawatu Conversations episodes:

May 28, 2024 Episode 315 - Tania Kopytko Part 1
Tania is involved with a project called “Untold Stories – World War II Displaced Persons Who Settled in Palmerston North”
It is focused on national and local history that is untold.
An estimated 5000 displaced people came to New Zealand between 1949 and 1952 from Central, Eastern and Southern Europe. Many from displaced persons camps from the ravages of WWII and civil war.
The project covers people who came from Belarus, Greece, Bulgaria, Romania, Lithuania and Latvia.
She tells the story of her father who spent time in a Russian Gulag, was captured by Germans and put in POW camps and eventually became a displaced person in the UK.
Many who came to New Zealand went to a camp for displaced people at Pahiatua where they learned the English language and New Zealand culture then placed in jobs.
They filled New Zealand’s need for skilled labour.
Research for the project is difficult because many records are restricted until 2065.
Polish people though have preserved their own history.
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28min
May 21, 2024 Episode 314 - Hospice Part 2
Hospice, Part 2 of 2. It is sometimes difficult getting family together when they may be in other parts of the world.
It is important to have an advanced care plan to state what you want happened if you can’t speak for yourself.
Find out from the patient who is important to them.
Difficult for people who have married several times.
Hospice users cover different cultures and staff are aware of their different needs.
A biography service records and publishes persons biography with photos which can be kept by the family.
Government provides 53% of operational costs. It used to be 73%.
Partnerships and work in the community is where the growth is going to be.
There is an increasing number of older people.
There is a shortage of medical specialists and palliative care nurses. A need to share services regionally.
Hospices are independent but Hospice New Zealand provides advocacy and support.
Since its inception nobody has had to pay for care.
Community fundraising is very important and very successful.
Smoking. Equity and community funding.
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32min
May 14, 2024 Episode 313 - Hospice Part 1
An oral history interview looking at the past and present of Palmerston North and the Manawatū, produced by Manawatū People's Radio with the support of New Zealand On Air.
A movement was started in mid 1980s to establish a hospice in Palmerston North.
Mary McKenna and Dr Garth Wallace were involved from the start and fund raising started.
Palmerston North Hospital not keen to have a hospice but the public were.
Opened in 1991 with eight beds
Purpose - to provide holistic care in the last period of life, to support patients and family.
Acquired and developed the medical superintendent’s house on hospital property at 1 Heretaunga Street, Palmerston North.
Friends of Hospice donate $20,000 every year.
Over 120 staff – mostly part time paid staff and volunteers including community nurses, inpatient nurses, occupational therapists and a chaplin.
A large family support team. They also help with PoA and wills.
Support carers at home and the surviving partner.
Palliative care training is provided for carers, nurse practitioners and other staff.
They keep in touch with GPs
Most people are cared for in their homes – that’s where they want to be.
Patients from Peka Peka in the south to Waiouru in the north and Whanganui to Tararua. Only 27% ever have an inpatient stay and mostly for only a short time.
Care and advice available 24/7
Once cancer was predominant but now 30% of patients have a different life limiting illness e.g. bad heart, kidney failure, motor neurone disease etc
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29min
May 07, 2024 Episode 312 - Mike Lawrence
Late 1880s travel between Wellington and Auckland was train to New Plymouth, ship to Onehunga and local train to Auckland.
First through train using the main trunk line was 1909.
Two trains each way each night – Limited and Express
Mail van on the express transported and sorted mail for stations en route.
Trains had first class and second class carriages and a sleeping car.
Could hire pillows.
Disabled people not catered for.
Frequent stops for refreshments and fuelling steam locomotives.
Limited express train replaced by Silver Star overnight train using diesel locomotives in 1971.
Single and double cabins. Seats converted to beds. Built-in toilet units.
Every carriage had an attendant who would look after passenger needs and serve breakfast on a tray.
Trains had a dining car for evening meals and beverages.
Air travel became more popular during 1970s. Silver Star patronage declined and Silver Star stopped in 1979.
Plans to convert Silver Star to a ‘seats only’ daytime train didn’t work so some carriages were sold to Malaysia.
An oral history interview looking at the past and present of Palmerston North and the Manawatū, produced by Manawatū People's Radio with the support of New Zealand On Air.
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29min
April 30, 2024 Manawatu Conversations 30-04-2024 - Episode 311 - Guy Donaldson Part 5 of 5
College of Education merged into Massey University.
He was not satisfied with the changes. Less emphasis on music.
Didn’t like institutional life any more so asked to take leave for a year and eventually took voluntary redundancy.
Became a piano and vocal teacher working from home.
His wife, Judith, did doctorate on the pressures on music teachers in secondary schools.
He increased his involvement with community music in Palmerston North.
Worked with Anna Leese and Dame Malvina Major
Because of ageing population, there was a change to afternoon or house concerts.
Reduced audiences restricted Regent Theatre to downstairs only.
Ballet can attract larger audiences because it is more visual.
What is now concert music was initially music found in churches or amongst the wealthy royalty of Europe.
Brass band music and aspects of choral music were related to the working class.
Chamber music is considered elitist.
Some children these days have a very short attention span but there are exceptions.
He has the luxury of being able to work with young people to support their personal growth and musical growth.
Has a five year old student who is the very best of his piano students.
To succeed, a musician needs personal characteristics such as stamina, self-discipline and resilience.
Music therapy is important for older people. “Music goes deeper into the soul than does speech”
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29min
April 23, 2024 Manawatu Conversations 23-04-2024 - Episode 310 - Guy Donaldson Part 4 of 5
An oral history interview looking at the past and present of Palmerston North and the Manawatū, produced by Manawatū People's Radio with the support of New Zealand On Air.
...more
29min
April 16, 2024 Manawatu Conversations 16-04-2024 - Episode 309 - Guy Donaldson Part 3 of 5
Was the founding head of music at Awatapu College. Employed in second year of college existence. College’s culture was equality for all. Non streaming. Became Assistant Dean.
Left school teaching to focus on piano playing and teaching. Set up his own piano teaching practice mainly after school and Saturday mornings.
Marriage collapsed.
Abandoned private teaching and became an English teacher at Palmerston North Girls High School.
Shifted to Auckland and started a piano teaching practice in Remuera and part time music teacher at Sacred Heart College.
Was appointed the vocal trainer for Leonard Bernstein production called Mass and played in the orchestra with the Auckland Symphonia.
Returned to Palmerston North and took a position at the teachers college.
Music scene in Auckland too big. He was a small cog in a big wheel.
Family life suffered because of ambition to succeed in work. Marriage broke up.
After an overseas trip came back to Palmerston North Teachers College and worked with Graham Parsons, Morva Croxson, Fleur Stark, Robert Hoskins and Jenny Boyack.
Money was available for a very liberal education.
University and college training did not prepare upcoming teachers adequately for real life classroom teaching.
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28min
April 09, 2024 Manawatu Conversations 09-04-2024 - Episode 308 - Guy Donaldson Part 2 of 5
While at Canterbury University it was suggested he take up secondary school teaching.
Decided to be a teacher of English and French but was persuaded to drop French and take music.
Started teaching at Rongotai College in Wellington where he was eventually in charge of music. Teaching boys songs often descended into chaos.
Met his first wife who was also on the staff of Rongotai College.
Was in charge of the Bach Choir in Wellington for one year before Roy Tankersley took over as music director.
Decided to resuscitate his piano playing so had sessions with Maurice Collier who he had previously met at Whanganui Collegiate. Maurice lived near Taihape.
Moved to Palmerston North to Freyberg High School. Became involved in the Operatic Society then took up a position with the Palmerston North Choral Society.
Also taught at Awatapu College.
Wanted more time to focus on piano so resigned from Awatapu College and became a private piano teacher in the 1980s,
His wife was a teacher at Linton prison.
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28min
April 02, 2024 Manawatu Conversations 02-04-2024 - Episode 307 - Guy Donaldson Part 1 of 5
Well known in Palmerston North music scene.
Raised in Whanganui. Interested in drama but had a speech impediment so took up piano.
Didn’t have a piano at home so practiced on other people’s pianos.
Started piano lessons when at intermediate school. Eventually got a piano.
Went to Whanganui Collegiate as a day boy and met a piano teacher, Maurice Collier.
Piano teaching was not part of school curriculum so parents had to pay. Was a duck out of water because most boys played sport.
Spent most of the first term in hospital with peritonitis.
Was school prefect during his last year at school and was required to cane other boys which he didn’t like.
Went to Canterbury University where Maurice Till was a piano tutor.
Focused on doing a BA in English. Music was part of BA. Sang in university choir. Also had to do chamber music.
While performing at the Ngaio Marsh Theatre the piano caught in the rising curtain and lifted it off the floor.
He owns an electronic keyboard but won’t use it for performances. The acoustic piano offers a greater range of colour and variety of sound. He prefers a grand piano.
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28min
March 26, 2024 Manawatu Conversations 26-03-2024 - Episode 306 - Group discussion, Easter and Christmas
Group discussion, Easter and Christmas
Suggested that Easter is a bigger Christian festival than Christmas.
Easter chocolates, hot cross buns, Sunday roast lamb.
Some people have no meat on Good Friday. Fish is ok.
Easter not mentioned in schools because of diverse religious groups.
A big change in Easter shopping hours in recent years.
Christmas – a trend towards a more easily prepared Christmas lunch so everyone can participate in pre-lunch socialising. Barbeques and salads.
In years gone by – Christmas pudding with coins in it.
Christmas cake. Carols. Crackers.
In northern hemisphere, Christmas breaks up the monotony of long, cold days.
Brass bands travelling around the neighbourhood on the back of trucks playing Christmas carols.
Christmas lights in London. Snow on English roads melted by spreading salt which caused rust in cars.
Presents from parents for children in pillow cases when they woke on Christmas Day but other presents under the Christmas tree for opening later.
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28min

FAQs about Manawatu Conversations:

How many episodes does Manawatu Conversations have?

The podcast currently has 375 episodes available.