Category: Hanga | Create

Emily’s Letter to her Brother, Rico

Dear Rico,

Hey. Hope you’ve been alright. Thanks for writing to me. You’re right, it is the first time in years since I’ve heard from you. The advice you gave me in your letter really helped me. I still get annoyed when they argue at night though. You know Michael and lisa, right? Our half-siblings, they’re helping me. I’ve been to some shelters and even slept at my friend’s Darren’s house, when dad gets drunk. To be honest, I still feel like I’m on a boat and going around in circles, not gaining anything, only losing what is so cose to me. Wish Grandma was here, she would understand. Rico, I aslo wish you were

Ballet in a Box Performance 2023

It was a sad rainy day today but we were all thrilled and excited for what was yet to come. At 9:30 am we went down to the Due Drop Events Centre in Manukau and waited outside the theatre. To kill the time, my friends and I played a game called “So Makalo”, and most of St Patrick’s students ended up joining in and playing. About 30 minutes later, we went inside the theatre and were shown our seats.  The theatre was massive, it was everything I thought it would look like. It had a big red curtain, with so many seats. Anyways, the show started with a RNZB (Royal New Zealand Ballet) employee explaining the rules and what was going to be performed. There was no photography or filming permitted. There were three pieces of the show, showing examples of Classical Ballet which has been around since the 17th century and Contemporary Ballet, which grew popular in the 1980’s. The performers were very unique and showed the story in their movements and their expressions. It took about an hour until it finished, and we were all stoked about our experience, because for most of us it was our first time in the theatre, especially the little ones. I think they had a great experience. What surprised me is how the dancers could stand on their toes, and I surprisingly learned the difference between Classic and Contemporary ballet. I never knew what Contemporary Ballet was, which also surprised me. Anyways, I had a great time, learning about ballet and having fun.

 

 

 

 

 

Sacrament of Marriage

The Sacrament of Marriage is a vocation/commitment that one makes, devoting their life and their love to their spouse to serve them, care for them. One the things we learned about is the cycle of Marriage, and we were tasked with creating an example of a Marriage cycle.

The Wish

Walking down the alley, I find myself rummaging through the bin for food. My weak, wrinkled hands scrape against the metal of the bin. I find orange peels, apple cores and a half eaten muffin. I struggle to swallow the muffin, but force it down my throat. I sigh. Another day, another struggle. I wait outside the shop. Hours pass. I chech the time inside the shop. The clock reads 3:00pm. I keep waiting. I look at thetime again. My eyes squinting at the clock, it reads 6:00pm. I walk around town. At that moment, I stumble across a large, white fountain. I scoured my pockets of my ripped pants. I find a coin and kiss it. I walk over to the fountain, my feet aching as I step on cobblestones. I don’t care. I close my eyes as I reach the fountain and toss the coin in the gleaming water. The coin plops as it sinks to the bottom. I stay there for a moment, saying a little prayer to myself. I walk back to where I stay when I hear a familiar voice. Looking back, I spot my friend. We hug each other and have a little conversation. I tell him how I am struggling. He was upset. He asked me how I would feel if I came and lived with him I said “it’s ok, I’m alright”. He insisted. I couldn’t believe it. My eyes filled with tears and I felt joy. That was when I remembered my wish for a better life.

Letter to Prime Minister Jacques Chirac

Iorana Monsieur Jacques Chirac,

 

My name is Teva Gabilou

I come from the island of Moorea

I hope this letter finds you well.

I write to ask you whether you could stop testing nuclear bombs at Mururoa Atoll. I know it is an uninhabited island, but I think you are unaware that when you are testing your H-Bombs, the wind carries the radiation across to the other islands which affects te mau taata no te fenua iho, our men and women, especially te mau tarii, our children. The children, who were swimming in radiated waters, developed mainly skin and thyroid issues. We can’t have safe or clean drinking water when you are testing nuclear bombs. 

Please consider this and I hope you do something about your Nuclear bombing.

 

Sincerely,

Teva Gabilou