Umm hey - communities - CALM DOWN

Julia from Henderson

Umm hey - communities - CALM DOWN - please, thank you
kudos and respect West Wave Pools & Leisure for closing for 2 weeks
part of wider closure of Auckland Council
– love being a New Zealander – from NZ
– out west – we have an *awesome* community- really really special
so community – Henderson, Te Atatu (where I live, where I socialise – where I go every week) and – everywhere in between – please, please, please CALM DOWN
listen to the *experts* - "weak" virus - washing hands with soap will kill it - CALM DOWN - please stop panic buying - CALM DOWN - only vulnerable - elderly & immunity compromised need worry - normal healthy adults are fine (and experts say kiddies are fine, don't seem to be catching it) - just please, people CALM DOWN
we're KIWIS - not Americas - they are led by drumpf - we are self reliant
- PLUS - we have awesome leadership (whatever your political persuasion - personally I'm neutral, chose each election) - the whole world is jealous of our leadership - seriously
Oh and LISTENING to the elderly today - 'we have been through worse' - the war - polio epidemic - great depression - we are KIWIS - we can get through this - TOGETHER!
we were talking - some of us at west wave - after we found out - closing for 2 weeks - about how this was a great *opportunity* for a fresh start - for the whole world - a time out - a reboot - a rethink about our lives and our choices
(yes very deep and meaningful - its also very very typical - have had many great deep and meaningful conversations with the wonderful community members at west wave - part of greater community 'out west' - lets BE the wave - create positive ripple - create change - through this *opportunity*
BE the change we want to see in the world - we've done it before - this is WHO WE ARE
New Zealanders - WE LEAD THE WORLD - this is WHO WE ARE - as a nation, as a people - time and time and time again - look at the *people* on our money - who they are - what they represent
Sir Edmund Hillary
Kate Sheppard
Sir Āpirana Ngata
Lord Rutherford of Nelson
Sir Ed – how did he do this? WITH Tenzing Norgay– “we stood on top” (not ME - *WE* - who else but a kiwi would say this)- and spent the rest of his life helping the Nepalese people – who he was – what he did – helping others, humble and modest
there is no photo of Hillary at the top – no – only of Norgay - when Norgay offered to take Hillary's photograph Hillary declined—"I motioned to Hillary that I would now take his picture. But for some reason he shook his head; he did not want it"
Kate Sheppard – not only were we the first – 1893 – we had been almost there, *almost* there - for years and years - 1869 the fight officially started - 1878, 1879 and 1887 we were almost there..
MOST countries – women didn’t get the vote until after world war 1 – USA – 1920! (African-American woman – and men – not until the 1960s – some would argue with voter suppression there, still an issue in 2020!)
Sir Āpirana Ngata – yes women got the vote in 1893 – Maori men already had the vote – why – because they earned it, they earned the respect, the mana – read the work done by James Belich – watch his series the New Zealand Wars -
Sir Āpirana – a lawyer, a politician, a statesman, skilled orator – a leader - also known for his work in promoting and protecting Māori culture and language –
Rutherford – do you know what they call him in the history of science –internationally “father of nuclear physics” not just nuclear physic – quantum physic – international *respect* from scientific community for who he was and what he did – his work was the foundation for so many others..
– now nuclear has a bad reputation – New Zealand – we are nuclear free – remember that – that fight – who we are
Welfare state -we led that “from the cradle to the grave” -
Healthcare – we led that – before UK NHS (America, love them – but they can’t do this – why are we looking to them for our behaviour?
ACC, Industry Training - I could go on and on...

oh and the whole TP thing - started in China - people were using it as face masks - so that's how that started - so calm down - stop panic buying, stop panicking, please - calm down and LISTEN to the *experts* and their advice
WHO WE ARE – KIWIS – all race, religion, shapes, size, colours, genders, identity, backgrounds… ALL WELCOME
KIWIS – been having this discussion over and over again – in west wave – all over ‘west’ community – with some tangata whenua – (some, not all – many peoples, many voices)
you come here, you are a kiwi
you come here -you are welcome, *encouraged* - to keep your culture – makes us more diverse – as a people, as a nation -
(me, kiwi born and bred – generations – also proud Irish citizen (long story..)
keep your culture – ALSO adopt OUR culture – be a kiwi –
be a kiwi – live by our rules – no matter where you are from
be kind
be considerate
be thoughtful to and of others
be respectful
be grateful
take care of each other – our community – our environment
be helpful

oh and GET OUT OF THE WAY OF EMERGENCY SERVICES

(that’s just my rules – for me – if you agree – fine – if you don’t – all good)

– no matter where you are from – who you are – haere mai – welcome HOME

Look out for each other – for our community - respect
Kiwi attitude – find the positive
great *opportunity* for a fresh start - for the whole world - a time out - a reboot - a rethink about our lives and our choices
BE the change we want to see in the world - we've done it before - this is WHO WE ARE – as kiwis

'out west' - lets BE the wave - create positive ripple - create change - through this *opportunity*