DEAR AUCKLAND, I NEED YOU TO KNOW….IT’S BEEN A WHILE SINCE WE TALKED ABOUT THINGS.THESE DAYS IT SEEMS THAT ROAD CONES AND RATES SEEM TO DOMINATE THE SHIT CHAT WHILE WAITING FOR A 7 BUCK FLAT WHITE ON THE WAY TO THE GRIND… OR THE WORRY OF THE WEATHER WITH THE WONDER IF THE NEXT TIME IT RAINS, WHAT WILL COME. IT’S EASY TO BE ON EDGE, ANXIETY ELEVATES AS WE NAVIGATE THE MADNESS IN THE MOTORWAYS. SOMETIMES I FEEL IT TOO AND WONDER… WHY DO I LIVE HERE WHEN SOMEONE CALLS ME A JAFA, OR WHEN SOMEONE ASKS ME WHERE I’M FROM AND I HESITATE FOR A SECOND... THERES A WANT NOT TO SAY IT AS IT IS AND TRY TO MASK THE FACT THAT ‘I AM FROM AUCKLAND’. BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? IT’S TIME TO FLIP THE SCRIPT. YES, I AM A JAFA—JUST ANOTHER FUCKEN AUCKLANDER. AND THERE'S BEAUTY IN THAT. IT’S ALL THESE FUCKEN AUCKLANDERS THAT MAKE AUCKLAND WHAT IT IS. LET’S CELEBRATE THE SUBURBAN SAMARITAN AND PUT THE SPECIAL SAUCE ON THE SPAGHETTI THAT IS THE JUNCTION, ROADS COMING TOGETHER BUT ALSO PATHWAYS TO THE CUL DE SAC’S IN THE SUBURBS THAT CREATE CULTURAL CONNECTION.’ UN-FABRICATING OUR IDENTITY LIKE YOUR GRANDMAS QUILT, A’INT NO PATCH THE SAME BUT DAM IT FEELS GOOD RUGGED UP IN THERE. NOT JUST A BLANKET OF SAFETY BUT THE TAPESTRY OF CHARACTER, PERSONALITY AND DIVERSITY. AUCKLAND, YOU’RE NOT PERFECT BUT NEITHER AM I, AND NOR IS MY NEIGHBOUR. AND I WOULDN’T HAVE IT ANY OTHER WAY. LET’S DEAL WITH THE SHIT THAT FACES US BUT FOR A MOMENT, LET'S FORGET ABOUT PARKING AND POLITICS AND EMBRACE THE PASSION & PROGRESSION OF OUR POPULATION. WE’RE EACH OUR OWN PATCH, SO LET'S SEW THAT SHIT UP, CREATE ONE AND SNUGGLE UP. IT’S TIME CITY, TO DREAM AND BECOME ONE TEAM. AUCKLAND I FUCKEN LOVE YOU”
