Fun fact about me, I genuinely like people - all walks of life. Being an extrovert I am charged by human interaction. A couple of months ago, I signed up to be the new Market Coordinator at the Waiheke Ostend Market which is perfect because it’s like throwing a party every week. This market has been going since 1975 and this year we celebrated our 50th Anniversary.

I wanted be part of this market was to engage more with the community. Since I’m from the city, I think it would be a good idea.

Going into it I did feel a little wary because in our small Island community of 8000+ residents there have been some epic feuds - I get it, some people just can’t get along.

Since February I have learned a lot about our community, there are tonnes of incredibly sweet people here. I have met the island elders, the local buskers, the candle stick makers, clairvoyants, fashionistas, retired punks, and industrious hippies.

We have had some legendary stall holders who have been there for a long time.

I like the way there are people who don’t book but will show up every week to the same exact spot, and the socialites who gossip next to the entrepreneurs that create the most incredible local businesses.

Amongst colourful bunting we have food stalls and fresh produce. Nestled between them are community stalls and fundraisers. If you’re a bit broke, you can set up a blanket and clear out some household items. There is something for everyone.

We like to encourage kids to enterprise, we give under 16 year olds a $5 stall holder fee so they can sell their books or toys. Some have even started selling their own slime products. There is a kid who sells 3D printed models, amazing.

The other week there was a group from the local high school selling jacket potatoes in the hall kitchen for their business studies class. They called themselves the Spud Boys and made a sign with some vivid and an old cardboard box. I hung up some bunting for a pop of colour. It’s nice doing little things like that, small acts of manaakitanga.

In this melting pot of a market my job looking after everyone is quite a big task. I am following in the footsteps of Jill and Penny who have been part of the market for decades. I think it’s one of those places you just commit your life to, maybe its a vortex? A place that naturally allows people to gather.

The reserve itself is part of a network of green belts that were established and protected by I.S.L.A.N.D. INC who, in 1975, decided to hold a market to create something fun for the community to participate in.

50 years later, here we are. Still rising before the sun, head torches on, marching around the reserve with ‘Dogs on Leads’ Signs and guiding people within the correct parameters around the footpath and on the grass.

It’s a big morning and I’m happy to do it. I like seeing the first rays of the sun and the brilliant colours that emerge in the sky for that small window in the morning. It just feels good.

So, what is with the title? “Tautoko The Buzz (or else)”? Is it a threat? Is it supposed to be funny? What does it have to do with the Waiheke Ostend Market?

Well Dear Reader, to put it straight: I had to deal with an actual racist the other day. At my workplace, doing my job. Because of it, I’ve decided to leave this job.

I totally forgot that we also harbour the same festering wound as everywhere else. Most of the time the presence of ignorant people on the island is not really worth thinking about because we have such a large population of lovely humans here.

It is so disheartening when we see what is happening around the world. Our phone feeds are laden with fresh colonial atrocities that echo the same violence of the past few centuries.

At home we have a government who keeps slicing off as much of Aotearoa as they can while the rest of the country bleed at the bone. Christopher Luxon has a batch here, which isn’t great news. I even heard that Cameron Slater is here too, very bad news.

So yeah, I encountered an actual racist who did his very best to undermine my existence and make me feel like I don’t belong here. Unfortunately for him, during the time the abuse took place, I was the Waiheke Ostend Market Coordinator.

The story begins following another sunrise ataahua. On this particular morning, I found myself chasing after middle aged man with two huge unleashed dogs who were simultaneously taking very large dog dumps on the back lawn of the reserve. Ironically they were doing it right next to two signs that say ‘DOGS ON LEADS AT ALL TIMES’.

In hindsight, I should have probably known this guy was going to be difficult but as a Virgo woman I don’t like it when rude people don’t follow the rules.

I tried to get his attention but he ignored me. As I followed behind him I called ‘Excuse me, are you going to clean up your poo?’. I thought my tone was a bit too stern so I switched to saying ‘Kia ora, Morena’ a bunch of times while he slowly walked around the corner to avoid me.

I thought Kia ora would be nice to say because it means to wish well upon someone’s life force and to offer them a kind gesture as you greet them. Morena is an English transliteration that just sounds softer. I learned recently that English is a language of business and Māori is the language for the soul. It makes a lot of sense why Māori feels so gentle.

But no, he kept walking away down the path trying to leave the reserve. I continued to catch up, and was definitely within ear shot.

As soon as we were alone, he turned around and said ‘Your saying that shit to me because I’m White, eh? We speak English here, despicable!’ I pricked up because of his words, it was my first time hearing such a cliche spout of hate.

So I told him that ‘What is really despicable is that those dogs are your property and you are letting them poo freely on a public reserve’. I felt like a librarian of poos.

He spiralled into some stupid nonsense about how speaking Māori is abusive and so I decided to speak English to him. “Ah Fuck you man, Fuck off! That’s your language eh bro?” I tossed the fingers at him and yelled over my shoulder “Pick up your Fucking Shit!” and now I feel like the girl who grew up in Central Auckland, who went to A.G.G.S (which is where I learned how to stand my ground).

My mum went to Hamilton Girls and she believes girls’ schools are a good place to learn how to be stroppy. What I learned at A.G.G.S. is brutal meritocracy. If you aren’t fighting for the attention of the opposite sex, you actually start trying to earn the respect of your peers or get left behind. We all did our best to excel in our strengths and encouraged each other. There is this certain type of ferocity that follows when you’re constantly validated.

Now, back to the racist guy.

In truth, I knew it was really dangerous to swear at a crazy man. I got out of there as soon as I could. It made me really sad and unfortunately my sadness came out as anger. So I lashed out, and now I am in the process of making sure he never goes to the Market ever again. I’ve done my best to write everything out to lodge a police complaint, and I also wrote my letter of resignation.

Tautoko the buzz or else, get out. That’s my kaupapa anyway.

I’m not really sure how this is going to pan out, it was a short interaction that feeds into a wider societal issue. If we don’t take action against this individual what does it say to others who may have similar views? I originally thought about staying but I know in my heart that I can’t be exposed to something like that again. No way.

Taking action is exhausting. Why should I have to file a police report and trespass this guy? I have to go into meetings and write emails. I just wanted him to clean up after his dogs!

How can the simple gesture of saying ‘Kia ora’ be offensive? It feels like we should be thriving already. We could be spending our time supportong each other and create a better place for ourselves.

As an artist I want to harness this energy and convert it into something useful.

He really thought he could, didn’t he?

I’m working on a song at the moment called Toitū Te Tiriti and after this incident, the premise of this waiata gave me something to hold on to. It will be the first release of my debut album Pikipiki, a body of work that is my way of ensuring that there is a corner of this big beautiful universe where we can be uplifted at any time, any place. Listening to the draft mix has been helping me a lot. (I’ll be releasing it soon!!)

I collaborated on it with my friend Eric Scholes who is part of the Auckland Philharmonic Orchestra. He came up with the brilliant idea to make a piece that has seven string players, otherwise known as a Septet (cool word alert). We are going to play the song in its true form in June during Matariki - more to be announced soon.

In the face of all of the worlds troubles, I can see there is a collective opportunity to counter the bad things with something longer lasting and worthwhile. I want you to know, Dear Reader, that we are all capable of making positive changes. It doesn’t have to be big, just small acts of manaakitanga for yourself and the people around you who need it.

I am choosing to draw energy from my anger because I have no other choice. I intend to be unwavering in my stance because I have a standard to set. I am a mother, a sister, a daughter, an aunty and a friend.

It’s time to make people accountable, I am done allowing people to shrug off bad behaviour.

Time to pick up the shit.

Are you with me?