Kiwi Yarns

This week, we meet Toitū te Tiriti spokesperson and Auckland Law School academic Eru Kapa-Kingi.Eru became the face and voice of Hīkoi mō te Tiriti, which saw more than 50,000 people descend on Parliament late last year to demonstrate the unity of Māori and Tangata Tiriti, and to oppose the Treaty Principles Bill.It was a historic moment - one that many New Zealanders, myself included, were extremely proud of - and it marked a changing of the guard, with the emergence of a new generation of young Māori leaders.Eru reflects on what it was like to be part of this shift.

Today’s guest has a job that, on the surface, many would describe as a "dream job" and say, "oh, how lucky!"While there’s no denying that the titles “travel blogger,” “travel writer,” and “travel photographer” have a certain allure, Abigail Hannah’s backstory is truly fascinating.Born in Aotearoa, Abigail spent most of her childhood growing up in rural India, a place that felt like home. She later returned to New Zealand alone to begin her studies, and was diagnosed with depression some months afterwards.Abigail shares her experience of navigating one of the darkest periods of her life, and how falling in love with New Zealand - by reconnecting with nature - changed the course of her life.

He holds the record for the highest ever ODI score for New Zealand, and over a 13-year international career, he represented his country in 367 matches. He is also New Zealand’s all-time leading T20 run-scorer.Yet Martin Guptill reveals that he had little say in how his international career ended - it was almost as if he was “ghosted” by New Zealand Cricket.Now, he's taking time to process and reflect on what was a remarkable career, and insists he still has plenty more cricket left to play.Guptill offers a fascinating insight into the 2019 Cricket World Cup semi-final and the now-infamous final - with the emotions surrounding both still clearly evident.Throughout it all, his family has played an integral role - something he says he is grateful for every single day.

Rebecca Gibney is everything I’d hoped she’d be – and more.If I say Packed to the Rafters, Halifax f.p., The Flying Doctors, Sensing Murder – you say Rebecca Gibney.Rebecca Gibney – and I don’t think you can refer to her by just her first name – has been a fixture in film and television for over 40 years, working across both Aotearoa and Australia.And while she celebrated her 60th birthday last year – making it clear that her foot is still very much on the throttle – Rebecca Gibney was honoured with a thoroughly deserved Hall of Fame Logie: a lifetime achievement award recognising her exceptional career.

I've known Ali Mau for 13 years. We first met when I started working as a producer on Q+A at TVNZ, and she was the host of Fair Go.She took me under her wing, taught me how to do piece-to-cameras, and has been a mentor and dear friend ever since.Like many others, I did not know about the abuse she had suffered as a child until I read her book.It is confronting and brave, and by the end, it hit me in both the gut and the heart.But what it - and this interview with Ali - shows is a strength beyond words.We also explore her career, her passions, and an incredible story about her competing at Horse of the Year.*Warning: this episode discusses sexual abuse

Samantha Hayes was just 23 when she became the presenter of Nightline - the country's youngest presenter at the time.Since then, she has cage-dived with sharks without the main part of the cage (wild), brought the Mongrel Mob and Black Power together for an interview for the first time, and been in most Kiwis’ living rooms as co-anchor alongside Mike McRoberts on ThreeNews.2024 was tumultuous, to say the least, for Sam. She was dealing with the end of her relationship with the father of her two children when the very public and shocking announcement of Newshub’s closure came barreling through. Sam also lost a very dear friend in 2024. As you’ll hear, these are all things she is processing while learning to navigate a new life - whilst still maintaining utter professionalism and storytelling as she now presents the news solo for ThreeNews in its relatively new format with Stuff.

Today’s guest is Silver Fern number 151, Courtney Tairi.The former netball international and award-winning broadcaster was born and raised in Sydney, but, in her own words, her whānau and blood are Kiwi. Tainui is her tribe, Waikato is her river, Maungatautari is her mountain, and her subtribe is Ngāti Korokī/Kahukura.Courtney has just left Sky Sport after ten years, stepping out on her own as an independent wahine in media.She also shares the monumental change in her life after completing full immersion kura.

Today’s guest works in a space that, I’ll admit, I am not remotely close to being an expert on.But when I heard Charlotte Hill, founder of True North, speak at a women’s event late last year, I was intrigued enough to open my mind and learn more. And what better way to do that than right here on Kiwi Yarns!Human Design claims to provide insights into energy dynamics, decision-making, and life purpose, with the goal of helping people better understand themselves.This episode is a fascinating discussion, and even if this isn’t typically your sort of thing, I encourage you to give it a listen. I think there could be a lesson in there for everyone!

Mike and Joelle Legg have over a million followers on every social platform they’re on and are loved worldwide for their funny, relatable marriage content.They met at a flat viewing 19 years ago, have two boys, and recently swapped the hustle of Tāmaki Makaurau for a quieter life in Whangamatā.Joelle opens up about her experience with postpartum depression and the vital support Mike provided, while Mike reflects on his transition from owning Auckland’s Boxing Alley gym to becoming a full-time content creator - setting a goal to make a viral video every day!But with social media playing such a big role in their lives, how do they protect their kids from screens?

Artist, illustrator, and designer Dick Frizzell is one of New Zealand’s most recognisable artists, with a ginormous back catalogue (I don’t know if you call it that in the art world) of famous works spanning pop art, stunning landscapes, commercial illustrations, and even school journals.We explore all things art, from Dick's journey to finding his place in New Zealand’s art scene to his soon-to-be-released book, Hastings: A Boy’s Own Adventure - a memoir he describes as a nostalgic love letter to his hometown of Hastings in the 1950s and ’60s.