Call Out - 10EAD Memoir

If I fail Electronics this semester it's because of Mrs Nua. I wouldn't be missing out on the valued information that is Electronics if it wasn't for the "subtle" pressure to post something. But anyway, this is a memoir we were assigned to write for English Ad. (Language may slightly offend. But probably not. So this very sentence is wasting your time. Okay go read now.)

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He stood there.  Watching.  I stood there.  About to crap my lavalava. "They probably locked him up," she says. "Dad will be outside" she says.  I didn't dare to even gulp, let alone move.  There was no way I was risking anything, especially with him. 'Pleeeeaaaaaaaase Lord.  I'll do it another time. Please, just not now,' I internally cried. 'So this is it.  This is how it ends.  A church carpark. Alone.' I allowed myself one shaky breath out.  'Lord please don't let me die like this." As if hearing my pathetic plead, the malicious bastard practically galloped towards me.  'Why thank you Universe!'

Stupid tears begin to blur my vision, ruining my staunch appearance.  I tightened my buttocks in a weak attempt to stop crying.  'Why did I have to walk down? I'm a girl, I'm not meant to even be walking around at this time.'  While I stood there feeling sorry for my self, Mr. I'mMeantToBeLockedUp encircled my pathetic excuse of a defensive stance.  I contemplated calling for help, but if anyone was to hear the faintest of my plea, it would be the minister.  Then again he would probably be so engrossed in the new X Factor episode to hear.  

Sniffing the air, the fat lump of hair's attention recabrilated to a corner of the carpark, where some small rodent crashed about.  I don't think I'd ever been so thankful for rats before.  Hope now present, but still miniscule.  With his back now turned to me, I took this opportunity to attempt a sprint back home. Back to those ghastly two people.  Feeding me false information, practically endangering my life. My mum and brother.  I dared to step backwards, the heel of my jandal slapping against the cold rubble. 'No one will even see you,' she says, 'just wear the jandals' she says.  The sound echoed through the carpark, not really helping my case.  At all.

Any form of hope diminished the milli-second his ears perked up.  He whirled around charging full speed at me. Barking, teeth bared, eyes burning - the works. I screamed pathetically when I realised I was basically going to die.  I hadn't even been in a school production yet.  I heard him whimper but didn't bother to stop, he was probably just trying to trick me. Another whimper and I dared to glance over my shoulder, out of breath.  I was shocked really.  No, not that Caesar had now sat watching me intently, and not trying to kill me. Someone had stopped him.  The world no longer had the possibility of suffering the grief aspect of my amazingness being absent.

My minister called out, smiling and patting the dog,

"Call out next time!"

Where I Am From

Where I Am From from SchoolTV on Vimeo.

Recently in my Social Studies class, we've been focusing on migrants and immigration regarding New Zealand.  Our task was to create a project showing where you/ your ancestors have come from, why they've come etc. regarding immigration in any medium.

I chose to create a movie based on my grandparents, (you know seeing as I'm all techy and stuff...)

I particularly enjoyed creating this movie as it actually gave me a better understanding of why/how my grandparents got to Auckland/NZ. It has certainly given me an even higher of the respect I already have for my grandparents, simply hearing about all the issues that happened along the way.

Huge credit to my grandparents for making the decision to move for their children, let alone agreeing to be interviewed for this.
Thank you, I literally wouldn't be here without you.❤

Glen Innes.

In English we have been reading Karlo Mira's poem : Octopus Auckland. The poem recognises the daily antics of each suburb in Auckland and her feelings towards it. Our job, was to create our own 'tentacle' to what we see in our suburb.

In Glen Innes

The road is littered with awkward sized ‘islands’

Decorated by the green taro leaves

The paint faded people movers run them over

The elderly ladies run out of their state houses yelling at the passer-byers

The T.C students laugh too loud at the sight

On their way to the library

The walk staunchly

Scaring off the other schools

Passing their friends aunty

In her woollen socks and grandson’s nike sandals

She sips from her dollar 'Starz' drink

And hums the familiar Tongan tune

Sang at the church on the corner, that was meant to be a house

We pass it every Sunday

The kids yell out things in Tongan

I see them sometimes when I walk to the train station
At the bakery
The same one my Papa used to buy potato tops from
The same one we go to after school.
My friends ask where my church is.
The one on the corner, I tell them.
The blue one.

Cultural Interaction in Australia (SST Essay)

Ever since they arrived in Australia in 1788, the European travellers looked down on the Aboriginal race.  The first cultural interaction between the two different cultures involved the dispossession of their land and was only resolved a few years ago. The effects of what the Australian government had caused, and the responses of today’s Australian society, is what will be explained in the following paragraphs.

In 1910, the Australian government made the decision to ‘breed out’ the Aboriginal race.  They actually made a plan to get rid of the Aborigines.  This plan consisted of the following six steps:

1. Leave the full-blooded Aborigines out in their reserves to die.
2. Take away the mixed raced children and make them into brown-skinned British citizens.
3. Let them marry the lower-class whites.
4. In a few generations, the darker colour would be bred out.
5. The old reserves could be sold off to farmers and mining companies.
6. The Aboriginal race would cease to exist.

Only steps 1 - 4 were almost executed, but were stopped when the Australian government finally realised that what they were doing was wrong.  The victims of this plan are now called the ‘Stolen Generations’ referring to the young children who were forcibly removed from their families, and culture, never to be spoken of, let alone heard from again.

These children were put into ‘camps’ where they were taught the ways of a British citizen. Most times, the Aboriginal girls would be sexually abused by missionaries, and were seen as a source of slavery or cheap labour. Once the children had reached the age of eighteen, they would be released into the white society, most of them emotionally scarred for life.  Statistics show that an Indigenous Australian is 11 times more likely to be in prison then a non-Indigenous Australian.  They are depressed, because of the loss of family. These issue was resolved by special programmes run in centers for the indigenous people to talk about their actions, and reflect and discuss how these things could improve.  To help try and connect families back together, the Healing Foundation was formed, helping heal families’ losses.

As I mentioned in my introduction, three hundred square meters were taken from the Aborigines for mining companies in 1963.  This affected the Indigenous Australians quite hugely, because they believe that they belong to the land.  They were known for never settling in one place, so when their land was removed, it took a huge part of their tradition with it.  This matter was only resolved in 1971 where the government gave the Aborigines 40% of the Northern Territory of Australia.

In Australia today, we don’t see as many Aborigines as we do Europeans. What we do see today is a lot more half-castes.  Well even more than that, probably quarter-casts, or even eighth-casts!  This could mean loss of culture.  It probably does mean loss of culture, loss of language, of tradition.  It isn’t easy growing in society where you don’t know who you are.  These feelings and emotions the Stolen Generations had to deal with, are now being minimized due to the creation of cultural Aboriginal programmes.  In these programmes, people of all ages are taught the ways of the Aborigines.  They are taught song, dance, language, and the traditional face and body painting.  This has been a very positive affect, as many kids feel more confident in themselves, knowing their culture and traditions.

A National Sorry day was requested in May 1997, but was rejected because the Australian government at the time said that “the blame would be pointed at the current government.” An official National Sorry Day, was held on the 26th of May 1998 and has been celebrated by all of Australia since.  Kevin Rudd (Australian Prime minister from 2007-2013) decided to announce an official ‘apology’ to all the Stolen Generations.  The twenty five minute speech was watched by the entire nation.  Even in the Aboriginal reserves, where special screens and monitors were set up, so all could see and listen. All was forgiven, but it will take time to forget.

Years of resentment have been caused due to the racial tension between the European and Aborigines.  This is a problem that might not be so easy to respond to.  Australia is a multi-cultural country now.  So accepting people will have to be more common now, wouldn’t it?  Yes, Aboriginal people were treated very poorly, but that was in the past, and now Australia is doing everything they can to mend the broken families, and their broken hearts.  The point is, Australia is trying, this shows that they do care.  Why wouldn’t they? I mean, Kevin Rudd could be a sixteenth Aboriginal for all I know!

(This was my essay for my Social Studies assesment.)

The Misunderstanding of Rumpelstiltskin

In my English class, we are learning about storytelling. Our task was to either write an original piece or to rewrite a classic. I chose to rewrite the story of Rumpelstiltskin. The following is my final edit.

Oh blast the evil queen and her wicked ways!  If it wasn't for her malicious doings, I wouldn't be scattered across this overgrown field of barren grass.  You’d think she’d have the decency to at least store my ashes safely in a vase or jar of some sort. But no, here I am disseminated among the beetles and dead worms on Mount Rumpel. You may know me as the man who spun gold for a miller’s daughter, or the man who tried to steal the queen’s first child.  

Not one soul knows the truth about me. After what the king had done, who would?  This king, is my Father.  I was the first royal child and how happy the kingdom was that the king had given birth to a boy.  However, I was not good enough for my father.  'A waste of riches and royalty' peasants complained. Of course no man would want such a hirsute child!  I was born with Ambras Syndrome and Dwarfism.  My birth caused the death of my mother.  It was too much for my Father to take in, so the guards were ordered to take me to the farthest mountain and be left there.  I was to be named so ridiculously so that no one would remember my name. And so, I was named Rumpelstiltskin.   It was against the law to speak of me. I was to be forgotten. 

The kingdom gates were locked, no one was to leave - no one was to enter, despite the annual visit of the king’s friend who was an old miller.  It was 25 years on - the kingdom was falling apart.  The king’s greed had increased so much he became crazy.  Nothing was ever enough for him.  He demanded taxes to rise so high workers were left with nothing but a penny.  

In the wild, I was forced to scavenge for food.  The only option I was left with, was the feculent sewers that ended at the bottom of Mt Rumpel.  The day came when the miller visited, and he had brought along his daughter.  This was the usual time I snuck around the kingdom, as all the focus would be on the miller.  From the sewer drains I watched as they walked together to the castle, all eyes glued on their faded pastel clothes.  Many of the young fellows tripped over themselves trying to impress the passing maiden. 

I was squeezing my plump tush through the rails when I saw a window open in one of the higher rooms of the castle. I crept along the dusty streets of the kingdom and crawled up the staircases.  I finally reached what I thought was a room of wood.  Slowly opening the door, I felt shivers slither up my spine, the miller’s daughter! Much more quickly, I began to close the door until the girl started to cry.  My piliferous ears pricked up and listened to her, “Why, how am I meant to spin straw into gold?!” she sobbed.  I couldn't believe my hairy little ears. I turned back and peeped my head in. “AAAAAAAAH!!!” she screamed.  "What an ugly little troll! Ugh! Be gone! Leave at once! What a hideous sight!"

I walked back out and grumbled, "Well I guess that straw won’t be spun into gold, will it?" "You! You can spin straw to gold!?!?!  Well what are you waiting for!?!?! SPIN!!!"  She grasped the collar of my filthy shirt and dragged me to the spinning wheel. "My existance is depending on this!! NOW SPIIN!!!" I rubbed the back of my neck and asked, "What will you give me?" "What will I give you?! What do you mean?” she laughed “Oh, I suppose I could spare you some straw and you shall spin your own gold."  I sat for a further few seconds.  "SPIN FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!" she shrieked, and in one swift motion, her necklace of stones was removed from her neck and heading towards my bearded face. I dodged the piece of jewellery and quickly got to work.

The night was reaching its' end when I had finished.   I sat there awkwardly expecting a compliment or reward of some sort.  "Um, maiden?  Where shall I slumber?"  She looked dumbly around the small room. "Why, there is no need to rest!  The morning is dawning, now leave! The king must think I have spun this on my own! But if you see that my father and I have not left by midday tomorrow, return to the palace, or I shall take your life. Now go!"

I did as I was told to, and returned the next day as they had not left yet.  Again I was to spin straw to gold, but this time, the amount was much more immense.  "What will you give me?" I asked.  The girl sighed, "Oh if you MUST have something, let it be my ring! For it is made of the finest gold!"  But I, am no idiot.  Why, it was simply painted silver! But I accepted the offer anyway.  And away I spun.  It wasn't till the next day I had completed the task. I tried to leave. But I was met with a very loud, firm growl as I opened the door.  "You must not leave!”, she yelled, "For the king has plans for me to spin even more!"  Footsteps made their way up the staircase and towards the room we were in. The girl picked me up and placed me in her bag.

Later that night we were brought to an even bigger room of straw.  The king said if she was to complete the task, she would be announced the new queen.  She turned the bag upside down, and I tumbled out. She laughed evilly, "Why, if you spin ALL this straw to gold, I swear on my mother's grave I will give you my first child!" She carried on laughing while I got to work.  I finally slipped out of the city and back to my shaggy hut.

It wasn't long at all until the echoes of gossiping teenagers reached my mountain.  She had given birth to a baby boy.  Once I reached the castle, I walked into the realms of the King and Queen and they both were horrified at the sight of me.  "Why! Could it really be?!" the king exclaimed. "You know this man?" she asked him.  "Why, is that you my son? I've been looking everywhere for you!!" he sarcastically announced. I looked at him lamely then looked to the queen. "Where is my promised prize?" I asked. "Why, NO! NEVER! I WILL NEVER EVER GIVE YOU MY CHILD!!!" she screeched.  The king asked her and she explained all that had happened. "I knew you were no good!" and with that been said, he took hold of his torch and within seconds I was set ablaze.

So that is my story.  My name is Rumpelstiltskin, and my ashes have been scattered across Mount Rumpel.  My father neglected me when I was child, as did everybody else.  I was just a man who's intentions were good, but I've been simply misunderstood.

9EAD Assignment : Bizarre Paradise

"The jaws that bite, the claws that catch." Not your ideal catch phrase for paradise. But indeed Jabberwocky is one beautiful, odd planet.  The element of bizarre starts with the planet in general. It's basically an enormous ball of tangled green tentacles weighing in at half the weight and mass of earth. Jabberwocky is also the only planet in the known universe which has a sustainable atmosphere despite having two suns. In order for the planet surface to cope with the prolonged exposure to the sun, the anaconda-like appendages roll over every two hours.

The frumzple is a plant similar to the cactus species on earth. Instead of the flesh inside the cactus, lies rows of 5 cm pearls. At each ending of a cactus branch, blooms a yellow hibiscus holding a much smaller pearl, which is in the shade of a more green sort.

The greatest animal species has been recorded as the bandersnatch. Bandersnatches are aggressive K9-like animals, coated with piliferous manes of black fur.  It shares many similarities with man’s best friend.

Jabberwocky’s source of liquid is what we now call h3o.This is because instead of two atoms of hydrogen, there are 3, meaning the liquid is much more thinner than water. H30 is the result of the planet’s appendages’ movement, similar to our human sweat, hydrating Jabberwocky so it is prepared to endure in the sun for another two hours.

In various parts of earth we humans have adapted to the extreme conditions.  How one survives in the Pacific is very different to how you survive in Antarctica.  These challenges we’ve overcome and lived through for thousands of years.  Our next challenge is whether we can adapt to the planet of Jabberwocky, it’ habitants, it’s flora, it’s fauna and it’s environment.

(Information given is confirmed imagination. Nothing affects our existence. Have a nice day.)

9EAD Assignment : Landing on Jabberwocky

In my 9EAD class, we are studying the planet fo 'Jabberwocky.' Our class has been split up into groups according to which team we applied for. On board the S.S Explorer, there are five different teams which are the navigation team, the wild-life exploration team, the medical team, security and defence, and the  extra-terrestrial group, which I am in. In my team I am the 'indigenous ethics advisor.' There are about 5 or 6 students in each team. During class sessions, our room is sometimes transformed into the ship and our desks are swapped for panels or surgery tables and other things each team needs.  We have just landed and our assignment is to draw what we saw while exploring the planet of Jabberwocky. Here are my 6 snapshots.

Establishing shot of planet Jabberwocky

Close up shot of Jabberwocky plant : Frumzple.

Medium shot of extra-terrestrial.

Extreme close up shot of Extra Terrestrial body part.

High shot of S.S Explorer landing zone.

Low angle of S.S Explorer.