Michael Bishop is an emerging creative non-fiction writer from Hawai'i, here on a Fulbright Fellowship to write about sacred ground and legal personhood in Taranaki. We talk about rock-climbing, astronomy and a mega telescope that sparked protests in Hawai’i. And Mike reads his ‘Surf lessons’.

Mikaela meets up with Mere Tari Sovick, founder of Melanesian Women Today, at the 7th Melanesian Arts & Culture Festival in Port Vila, Vanuatu. Mere remembers her Taranaki boarding school days and host families in Eltham and Ōpunake. Haus Storian literary fest’s Ketty Napwatt, Rebecca Tobo Olul-Hossen, Elsie Nalyal Molou and Busi Vasconcellos read their poetry and microfiction.

Gallery Pātea artists are taking over our ARTSpace in November! Gabrielle Belz is showing a student exhibition at Gallery Pātea and Johnny de Painter talks about his art, music and animated film. You can check out ‘BOB Interdimensional Wool Courier’ from Don’t Panic Pictures which won the Best Incredibly Strange Award in the 48 Hours film competition online.

Dunedin-based Leina Isno is a champion of Aotearoa’s first Bislama Pilot Language Week in November. Mikaela caught up with the NZ Red Cross delegate and writer at the 7th Melanesian Arts & Culture Festival in Port Vila, Vanuatu, and enjoyed kava & poetry at Alliance Française with Leina Isno, Anna Naupa and Catherine Malosu-Lessa.

The art students at WITT Te Pukenga Art and Design Taranaki are preparing for their End of Year exhibition. Jodie McEwan, Courtney Bisset-Yandle and Becci Phillips talk about their process, inspiration and designs. Music by art teacher Mark Raymer and his band À la Poupée and the Chine-Collés.

Jeweller Rachel Lambert in Ōkato talks about her love of combining precious metals with deer antlers, mother of pearl and gifted materials.

Skilled woodworkers Phil Taylor, Wayne Brunton and Dave Richards talk about MenzShed’s kaupapa of learning, sharing and supporting members’ wellbeing. Check out MenzShed’s exhibition in the ArtSpace in October!

Taranaki-born Nicola Kāwana performs in the award-winning show UPU in New Plymouth in October. We talk about acting on TV versus the stage, about gaming voice-overs that went viral, and Nicola reads part of a poem by Brandy Nālani McDougall, Hawai'i’s current Poet Laureate.

Mikaela meets up with Dale Copeland at ‘Water under the Bridge’ - a retrospective of 30 years of Dale’s assemblage art at LUMEN gallery - and plays some Gumboot Tango for her.

Taranaki and Aotearoa lost one of its giants with the passing of artist and former art teacher John McLean. This week’s show is a tribute to John and Chris McLean’s artistic legacy, to lives well lived and ongoing creative exploration. The interviews first aired on Access Radio Taranaki on ‘Hit the Trail’ in September 2022.