Ōtautahi Christchurch January 13 Newsletter

Tarras airport

Image from https://www.tarras.org.nz

There have been lots of letters in the paper and a column by Joe Bennett (against airport, but not from a climate perspective), so the issue has been attracting much interest from Chch citizens. CCC voted to delay their letter of expectation to the board of Chch Airport. The CCC will be voting on this at their meeting soon: maybe 28 Jan or 11 Feb and there will be a chance to speak against it again. Contact us by email or via Facebook to get involved.

Karakia, networking

A karakia for us to learn

We’ve decided to put a karakia in the newsletter, for us all the learn and have a turn at leading it. This one is from this website which has very useful stuff about how to use karakia as tauiwi. The karakia was written by Scotty Morrison and appears all over the Internet and Social Media. It is labeled as safe for learners and has been taught nationwide – yet strong.

‘The Planet is our Valentine’ – 14 February networking hui to discuss Climate Commission’s report

We are planning a networking event in mid February for climate and allied groups – hopefully Sunday 14 February. We hope to use Kate Shepherd House at 83 Clyde Rd near Uni, which is now open for bookings. (Aiming to channel the activist energy stored in this historic building!)

We want to connect with other activist organisations in Ōtautahi working on climate justice and related mahi, to put together a common response to the report and draft emission budgets that the Climate Change Commission will release on 1 February.

If your organisation wants to take part, reply on this email or contact Ben [email protected].

E Tū Vigil at CCC continues and will extend to ECan

David’s at the CCC (Worcester Blvd side) 9.45am – 2.30pm each Friday. He is emulating Greta and bearing witness. He finds it good for outreach and as a public face for the climate movement. There were 12 there at lunchtime on the most recent Friday. He’s there in the name of E Tū 4 Future.

Herbicide wars

We have had a message from Anaru MacDonald in Marlborough asking about XRŌ experience in campaigning against council herbicide use. Torfrida will follow up with him and also other groups (eg. in Auckland and Greening The Red Zone in Ōtautahi) to swop notes and work together on the no-spray issue. Contact Torfrida [email protected] if you’d like to get involved.

Coalgate, water and ECan

The Coalgate mine expansion is back in ECan’s court, so we’re planning to hold vigils outside ECan, starting Friday 22 January 12.30, to keep our concern in front of the staff and councillors.

Water issues are relevant too. Ngāi Tahu have taken a legal case against the Crown over the state of Aoraki waterways and we are exploring how we can support them.

As with CCC, one of XRŌ’s key aims this year is to keep reminding ECan that they declared a climate emergency in 2019 and now they must act on it!

Are you someone who likes keeping an eye on local council affairs? We could use your skills and interest to keep tabs on what is happening in both CCC and ECan – reply on this email or contact Torfrida 021 107 3937 [email protected].

Singing for Our Lives Choir

Co-leaders Valerie Wycoff and Christopher Musgrave invite you to consider joining us, or inviting us to sing at your next action. We have some online learning resources if you’re eager to start now! We plan 9 rehearsals this year – come as often as fits with your other activism.

2 – 4 pm Saturdays starting 6 March and then 10/4, 1/5, 12/6, 3/7, 7/8, 4/9, 2/10, 6/11

Donation requested $20/$10 or what you can afford – we want to support you to get your voices heard where it counts!

39 Nursery Road. ROOM 6 Philipstown Community Hub, Phillipstown

For more details phone: Valerie 021 295 3979 or email: [email protected].nz

The Talk – restarting Friday 5 March

We want to re-start the first Fridays as a way of reaching out to the public about XR and inviting people to join us. We’ve done this in the past with ‘The Talk’ – a summary of the climate & eco crisis and XR’s response to it.

But it can be gruelling for 1-2 people to do it continuously. So we are thinking to break the talk into pieces, with different people responsible for each part.

It’s also been important to ensure a space for the people attending to share their emotional reactions to the crisis – the truth mandala exercise is useful.

We plan to start on Friday 5 March, but practise sooner. Ben, David, Fay, TC, Rebecca and Jo are interested. Let us know by reply email if you are interested in being part of this.

We’re also keen to offer The Talk to other groups and venues – let us know if you think your organisation may be interested.

Men’s Group

The last Action Circle meeting happened to be all guys and discussion turned towards setting up a men’s group within XRŌ, looking at dismantling patriarchy alongside the decolonisation mahi. If you’d like to explore this, contact Michael [email protected].

Rebel Sisterhood

This gathering of XR women arose out of the national hui and we want to keep it going locally as a low key supportive activity. There’s a national Zoom meeting on Thursday 28 Jan at 6pm – 7.30pm hosted locally at Julie Thompson’s place. We’d love to see you – contact Julie at [email protected].

“Kiss the Ground” – film showing this Friday at WEA

350 Christchurch is showing this excellent US documentary from 2020 on regenerative land use: Come along for a great film, followed by discussion over snacks. Facebook event.

Decol tauiwi group

This informal group has been meeting at 6.30pm before 7pm Heartbeat, but now plans to meet by zoom or messenger to organise film showings and other activities. If you’d like to get involved, contact Jacinta [email protected].

Coal Action Network Aotearoa needs you!

CANA is a small nation-wide powerhouse of information, supporting actions on coal and fossil fuel all over Aotearoa. Members include Rosemary Penwarden, Adam Currie, Tim Jones etc.

We’re looking for an Ōtautahi coal action enthusiast to join this lively group. The commitment is to a fortnightly Zoom call with them (and there’s a face to face hui coming up in Southland in March). A great opportunity to deepen your knowledge of the coal scene with some massively experienced activists. Interested? Contact Torfrida [email protected] or 021 107 3937.

Samba drumming!

Anyone out there with aptitude for drumming? Ben wants to see it happen. Hey, we’d all like to see it happen again – it is such a buzz and an essential action tool! Let Ben know if you can help – [email protected].

Comms comms comms…

Facebook, Signal, Messenger, Email, Text, Mattermost, Zoom… even face to face human contact!

How do we keep in touch, so no-one’s left out but also so we don’t drown in stuff to check?

Tor and Abdallah put their hands up to find out what’s happening at XR national level and come with some ideas and proposals to discuss at next Heartbeat on Friday 22 January.

Wanna join us? We’d love to hear from you – call Tor 021 107 3937 or reply on this email.

Orientation Week Clubs Day at Uni

11am – 2pm, 23 Feb. Who’s keen to fly the XRŌ flag there? Reply on this email or Facebook etc

XRŌ Hui?

The last couple of years XR Ōtautahi rebels have spent an autumn weekend together at Staveley camp. Should we do it again? Or should we have a local day/afternoon hui?

We’d love to know your thoughts – reply on this email or facebook etc

Alternative Aotearoa Hui

This is being held in Auckland (and zoom livestream) sometime in March, no date set yet. XR Aotearoa has been invited to present.

The AA hui last year was a very exciting gathering of activist organisations – check out the first 2 talks by Laura OConnell Rapira of Action Station and Efeso Collins in this livestream.

Next Heartbeat – 22 January 7pm – 9.30pm at WEA.

XRŌ Action group usually meets every Wednesday 6.15pm at WEA – contact Michael 021 0264 7594 for info on date for the next meeting or check our XRŌ Facebook event page.

In love and rage
Torfrida and Dave for XR Ōtautahi Christchurch

Anyone who’d like to donate to our XR Ōtautahi Christchurch group can do so at Kiwibank: XROtautahiChristchurch, ac. number 38-9002-0331592-07