Saturday Morning for Saturday 13 November 2021

8.10 Little Amal: the giant puppet that walked from Syria to COP26 

After walking more than 8000 kilometres across Europe, a puppet named Little Amal took the stage at COP26 in Glasgow to raise awareness of the plight of refugee children and the effects of climate change. 

Little Amal gained plenty of attention on her journey. Travelling a route similar to that made by refugees for many years, the 3.5-metre tall puppet was pelted with stones by far-right protesters in Greece and received a papal welcome in Rome.

Amir Nizar Zuabi is the artistic director for The Walk, which was produced by Good Chance Theatre Company. The child himself of Jewish and Palestinian refugees, Zuabi was inspired to dedicate his theatre career to the refugee experience.
 

8.35 Dr Doug Wilson: antiviral pills and the future of mRNA vaccines

Dr Doug Wilson is a medical academic author and our regular correspondent from the other side of 80.

This week he returns to discuss Pfizer’s new oral antiviral drug for use against Covid-19. Paxlovid is intended to be taken after Covid symptoms develop and promises to prevent severe hospitalisations by 89 percent. Meanwhile, Britain has become the first country in the world to approve a similar drug, Merck's molnupiravir pill. 

And in the wake of the success of messenger RNA vaccines against Covid, trials are underway for an HIV vaccine. Dr Wilson says the protease inhibitors and development in mRNA present significant opportunities for new cures for HIV, cancer, malaria and even the common flu.

 

9.05 Dame Jane Campion: the power of the filmmaker

Twelve years after releasing her last feature film, trailblazing director Dame Jane Campion has emerged with revisionist western, The Power Of The Dog. Based on the 1967 novel of the same name by American author Thomas Savage, the film is set in Montana but was shot in the expansive plains of Central Otago.

Known best for her portrayal of the female experience, The Power of the Dog is the first Campion film with a male protagonist, played by English actor Benedict Cumberbatch. 

It’s already being considered a frontrunner for best picture at next year’s Academy Awards, having scooped Best Director at the Venice Film Festival. In October Campion was also awarded the 13th Prix Lumière, one of French cinema’s top honours. 

The Power Of The Dog is in cinemas now on limited release ahead of streaming on Netflix from 1 December. 

9.30 Chris Szekely: taking a deep dive into the Turnbull collection 

Alexander Turnbull spent the greater part of his life - and his inheritance - growing his library, acquiring books, manuscripts, sketches and other materials relating to life in New Zealand.

At the time of Turnbull’s death in June 1918, the scale of his collection far surpassed those of other collectors of the time. Following his bequest to the people of New Zealand, the Alexander Turnbull Library was opened two years later.

Published to mark 100 years since the establishment of the library, Tu Kupenga celebrates the history of Aotearoa New Zealand through 101 fascinating objects within its collection. Co-author and chief librarian Chris Szekely shares some of these objects and their stories.  
 

 

10.05 David Farrier: examining conspiracy culture in New Zealand

Thousands of protesters marched on Parliament earlier this week with a mixture of motives on display. While some were protesting lockdowns, vaccines, and vaccine mandates, others used the opportunity to fly Trump flags or express anger about the use of 1080. 

Members of Parliament commented they had never seen so much security around the Beehive, but is it a sign of things to come?

Journalist and filmmaker David Farrier has spent the last few years diving down conspiracy theory rabbit holes - from QAnon to anti-vax chaos - and writing about them for his online newsletter Webworm. He joins the show to discuss what protests like these signify and where it’s all going.

10.35 Tu Neill: presenting a window into a Japanese whaling village

Ayukawa is a remote village that sits on the southern tip of the Oshika Peninsula in northeastern Japan. Once a prominent whaling town, the decline in demand for whale meat coupled with the devastating impact of the 2011 earthquake and tsunami has seen work dry up and the town's population steadily decline.

Five years in the making, Ayukawa: The Weight of a Life was co-directed by London-based filmmaker Tu Rapana Neill and his former tutor Jim Speers from Elam School of Fine Arts. Taking neither an anti-whaling nor pro-whaling stance, the film presents a window into this small town and aims to give a Western audience an insight into a world not often seen.

Ayukawa: The Weight of A Life is screening in Wellington as part of NZIFF. Head over here for details.

 

11.05 Playing Favourites: Moses McKay and Amitai Pati of Sol3 Mio

Operatic pop trio Sol3 Mio have just released their first album since their 2018 record. Entitled Coming Home, the new album is packed with well-known songs the trio have performed many times over the years, but never recorded - including tracks from the likes of Roy Orbison, the Bee Gees, John Legend, Leonard Cohen and more.

Coming Home was recorded over three days at Roundhead Studios in Auckland, and sees the trio take a more stripped back approach to their music - recording some songs in just one take. With group member Pene Pati still in France, Moses McKay and Amitai Pati join the show to play a few favourites.

 

Books mentioned in this show:

Te Kupenga
Edited by Michael Keith and Chris Szekely
Publisher: Massey University Press
ISBN: 9780995143173

 

Music featured on this show:

25 Years
By Jonny Greenwood
Played at 9.05am

Cut me Off
By Pashtag
Played at 9.30am

Poison
By Joy Crookes
Played at 10.35am

To Love Somebody
By Sol3 Mio  
Played at 11.05am

If
By Bread
Played at 11.20am

Heart Don't Stand A Chance
By Anderson .Paak
Played at 11.32am

Used to Love U
By John Legend
Played at 11.40am

Greatest Love of All
By Whitney Houston
Played at 11.50am