By Gail Brown, wife of US Ambassador Scott Brown. For the next blog in the
Pacific Women Leaders series, I met with Nora Swann, Designer for the
Pacific Fusion Fashion Show . “I’m creative, flamboyant, loud, and fun. That’s me,” Nora Swann declares when asked to define her personal fashion style. She loves to visit op-shops to buy different patterns and textiles ...
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By Public Affairs Section | 24 September, 2018 | Categories:
Art & Culture, Business, Connecting with Kiwis, News, Pacific Women
| Tags: #PacificWomen, Gail Brown, Nancy Elizabeth Thompson, Nora Swann, Pacific Fusion Fashion Show, Pita Nikolas Taufatafua
If there’s one person you can count on to throw a party and pull together a crowd, it’s Nicole Rex. She has been involved in numerous Pacific and community events across Auckland and Wellington, including the Polynesian and Pasifika Festivals. Born in New Zealand, her large extended family is Niuean. Her grandfather, Sir Robert Rex, ...
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By Public Affairs Section | 31 August, 2018 | Categories:
Art & Culture, Connecting with Kiwis, Culture, News
| Tags: Niue
By Public Affairs staff, U.S. Consulate Auckland. The high-energy, Hawaii-based Island Breeze team recently wrapped up a two-week cultural exchange tour of New Zealand with the support of the U.S. Embassy in NZ. While here, they highlighted the amazing culture of our 50th state, Hawai’i, and our shared Polynesian heritage – making stops in Auckland, Tauranga, ...
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By Public Affairs Section | 10 April, 2018 | Categories:
Art & Culture, Connecting with Kiwis, News
| Tags: 123rd Regatta of Turangawaewae, art, Auckland, cultural traditions, fashion, Hawaii, Island Breeze, language, Pasifika Festival, Rotorua, Tauranga, Waikato
Admiral Harry Harris, along with Ambassador Scott Brown, New Zealand Minister of Defence, Hon. Ron Mark and Chief of the New Zealand Defence Force, Lt. Gen. Tim Keating participated in a mauri stones ceremony at the site of the United States Memorial, which will be installed at Pukeahu National War Memorial Park this year. The ...
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By Public Affairs Section | 5 March, 2018 | Categories:
Art & Culture, Connecting with Kiwis, Culture, History, News, U.S. & New Zealand
| Tags: Admiral Harry Harris, Ambassador Brown, PACOM, Pukeahu National War Memorial Park
By Gail Brown, wife of US Ambassador Scott Brown. For the next blog in the
Pacific Women Leaders series, I met with Ana File-Heather, owner of Red Door Coffee Bar and Unique Island Streetwear. Ana File-Heather is desperately trying to hire a new barista. She owns the Red Door Coffee Bar in Rarotonga, Cook Islands, but, ironically, coffee isn’t ...
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By Mike Cousins | 19 January, 2018 | Categories:
Art & Culture, Connecting with Kiwis, News, Pacific Women
| Tags: Ana File-Heather, Gail Brown, Pacific Women Leaders, Red Door Coffee Bar, Unique Island Streetwear
By Gail Brown, wife of US Ambassador Scott Brown For the next blog in the
Pacific Women Leaders series I met a fearless young woman, Ema, who has spent her professional career working in the criminal justice system in my new found home of New Zealand’s capital city, Wellington. Ema is serious about delivering justice and she has ...
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By Public Affairs Section | 27 October, 2017 | Categories:
Art & Culture, Connecting with Kiwis, News, Pacific Women
| Tags: #PacificWomen, Breakthrough Centre NZ, Ema Piutau, Gail Brown, New Zealand Department of Corrections, Pacific Women Leaders, Samoa
By Public Affairs staff, U.S. Embassy Wellington. On 26 September 2017, the Embassy’s Deputy Chief of Mission Sue Niblock hosted a reception for the LGBTI+ Community in her residence in Wellington, to show the embassy’s solidarity with the New Zealand Rainbow community. In her inaugural reception in the country, the DCM reiterated the State Department’s ...
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By Public Affairs Section | 30 September, 2017 | Categories:
Art & Culture, Connecting with Kiwis, Deputy Chief of Mission, Former U.S. Government Leaders, News
| Tags: Auckland Pride Festival, Deputy Chief of Mission, LGBTI, New Zealand Queer Film Festival, New Zealand Rainbow community, Rex Tillerson, State Department, Sue Niblock, Wellington Pride Parade
By Public Affairs staff, U.S. Embassy, Wellington. The U.S. Embassy was proud to once again support Auckland Council’s ‘Matariki Festival’, celebrating and highlighting the traditions and significance of the Māori New Year. Our very own state of Hawaii also celebrates a mid-winter New Year, Makahiki, welcoming a new year of bountiful harvest. While historically Māori ...
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By Public Affairs Section | 30 July, 2017 | Categories:
Art & Culture, Auckland, Connecting with Kiwis
| Tags: Craig Halbmaier, Halau O Moana Nui A Kiwa, Māori New Year, Matariki Festival, Te Kora Kora Street Festival
By Public Affairs staff, U.S. Consulate Auckland. On Wednesday, May 17, 2017, the Auckland Writer’s Festival launched once again, a multi-day event celebrating the achievements of many award winning authors from New Zealand, the United States – including Man Booker prizewinner Paul Beatty, and young adult author Jennifer Niven – and many other nations. In ...
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By Public Affairs Section | 28 May, 2017 | Categories:
Art & Culture, Connecting with Kiwis, Culture, News
| Tags: Alfriston College, Auckland Writer’s Festival, Jennifer Niven, Man Booker prizewinner Paul Beatty, U.S. Consul General Melanie Higgins
Each March a celebration of the rich history between Hawaii and Aotearoa descends onto the Hawaii Village at the Pasifika Festival in Auckland. Since launching the Hawaii Village in 2014, we continue to support the Hawaii Village Committee members who work tirelessly on a striking two day display of Hawaii arts, culture and food. This ...
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By Ola Thorsen | 19 April, 2017 | Categories:
Art & Culture, Auckland, Chargé D’Affaires, Connecting with Kiwis, Deputy Chief of Mission, Events, First People's Connect, News, Public Affairs, U.S. & New Zealand, Youth Outreach
| Tags: Hawaii, Maori, Northland, Pasifika Festival, Samoa
The latest
Wahine Toa post by By Nancy Gilbert, wife of U.S. Ambassador Mark Gilbert. Libby Hakaraia is a trailblazing journalist, author and filmmaker, broadcasting New Zealand’s culture and cinematic stories to the world. A masterful auteur, Libby pioneered New Zealand’s first international indigenous film festival – Māoriland Film Festival. I visited this gifted storyteller in her ...
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By Ola Thorsen | 17 January, 2017 | Categories:
Art & Culture, Connecting with Kiwis, First People's Connect, News, Success Stories, Wahine Toa
| Tags: Ambassador Gilbert, Maori, Maori Women Leaders, Maoriland film festival, Nancy Gilbert, Ngāti Raukawa ki te tonga, Ngāti Toa Rangatira, Te Atiawa, Wahine Toa Project
The latest Wahine Toa post by By Nancy Gilbert, wife of U.S. Ambassador Mark Gilbert. Our next Wahine Toa feature is Rukumoana Schaafhausen from Ngāti Haua. Her ardent desire to help her community, her church, and her Māori people is central to her story as the longest standing trustee for Waikato Tainui Te Kauhaunganui Inc, ...
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By Ola Thorsen | 21 December, 2016 | Categories:
Art & Culture, Connecting with Kiwis, Culture, First People's Connect, News, Success Stories, U.S. & New Zealand, Wahine Toa
| Tags: Ambassador Gilbert, Kiingitanga, Nancy Gilbert, Wahine Toa, Waikato Tainui
By staff in the Public Affairs Section, U.S. Consulate Auckland. Sewam American Indian Dance was founded by award winning dancer and educator, Eddie Madril to bring the music, arts, and culture of Native American dance to audiences around the world. Specializing in the dances of United States Plains Indians, Sewam Dance has performed across the ...
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By Mike Cousins | 1 November, 2016 | Categories:
Art & Culture, Youth Outreach
| Tags: Eddie Madril, Native American culture, Otonga Primary School, Pakuranga Heights School, Rotorua High School, Sewam American Indian Dance
The latest
Wahine Toa post by By Nancy Gilbert, wife of U.S. Ambassador Mark Gilbert. This month I’d like to introduce Kiri Nathan, an elegant mother, fashion designer, Māori female leadership and youth advocate of Ngā Puhi and Tainui descent. She has developed an internationally-recognized brand –
Kiri Nathan – a high-end fashion label with a Māori heart and ...
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By Mike Cousins | 27 October, 2016 | Categories:
Art & Culture, U.S. & New Zealand, Wahine Toa
| Tags: Aulii Cravalho, Beyonce, Demi Lovato, Kiri Nathan, korowai, Maori, Mariah Carey, Moana, Nancy Gilbert, Wahine Toa
The latest
Wahine Toa post by By Nancy Gilbert, wife of U.S. Ambassador Mark Gilbert. The next Wahine Toa feature is Rachel Taulelei. Rachel’s Māori heritage and advocacy for young entrepreneurs, women in particular, are among her most passionate inspirations. Business savvy, and an innate gift for innovation have led to extraordinary success —first as an entrepreneur ...
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By Ola Thorsen | 23 August, 2016 | Categories:
Agriculture, Art & Culture, Business, Connecting with Kiwis, Culture, First People's Connect, News, Success Stories, Trade, U.S. & New Zealand, Wahine Toa
| Tags: Environment, Nancy Gilbert, New Zealand, Rachel Taulelei, Wahine Toa, Wahine Toa Project
The latest
Wahine Toa post by By Nancy Gilbert, wife of U.S. Ambassador Mark Gilbert. The Ngāti Rārua iwi in the upper South Island is known for its strong female leadership, beginning with the women that the iwi was named after Raruaioio and Raruatere. Generations later their legacy holds true as they introduce a current female leader, Olivia ...
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By Mike Cousins | 15 July, 2016 | Categories:
Art & Culture, Connecting with Kiwis, First People's Connect, Wahine Toa
| Tags: Burnham Military Camp, Central Otago, Iwi, Maori, Māori culture, Meke Māori Excellence Awards, Nancy Gilbert, Ngāti Rārua, Olivia Hall, Raruaioio, Raruatere, Renaissance Māori Art, Wahine Toa
By Davy Fogler, U.S. Embassy Wellington.
As an American living abroad, I am always looking for ways to integrate into the community, and I have always loved singing – so what better way that to join the leading symphonic choir in Wellington! I became a member of The Orpheus Choir of Wellington in July 2015, ...
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By Mike Cousins | 15 April, 2016 | Categories:
Art & Culture, U.S. Embassy Wellington
| Tags: A Sea Symphony, Orpheus Choir of Wellington, The Lion King, Vaughan Williams, Wellington Zoo
On March 11 we had the privilege of holding a reception at Camperdown in honor of the
9/11 Memorial and Museum , with representatives visiting Wellington from New York. With over 80 guests representing countries that lost citizens on September 11, 2001, and representatives from New Zealand’s first responders, we shared the story and role of the memorial and ...
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By Mike Cousins | 1 April, 2016 | Categories:
Art & Culture, Connecting with Kiwis, Culture, News
| Tags: 9/11, 9/11 Memorial and Museum, 9/11 Memorial sculpture in Christchurch, Christchurch Metro fireman, Wayne Hamilton
Last week Nancy Gilbert hosted the Et Alia Art Group at Camperdown for a luncheon to share and discuss the
Art in Embassies ‘Iconic Images’ exhibition. Nancy gave a history of the Art in Embassies program and the process behind their theme of iconic images of her home and host countries. She shared her favorite pieces with the ...
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By Ola Thorsen | 30 March, 2016 | Categories:
Art & Culture, Connecting with Kiwis, Culture, East Asia & Pacific, Events, Former U.S. Government Leaders, News, U.S. & New Zealand
| Tags: Art in Embassies, Art in Embassies program, Barack Obama, Nancy Gilbert
By Mara Hosoda, U.S. Consulate, Auckland Mana moana (“the power of the ocean”) was especially strong this month, connecting Kanaka Maoli (native people from Hawaii) to their Maori and Pacific cousins in Aotearoa. The U.S. Embassy and Consulate are proud to support and be a part of the many Hawaiian exchanges that occurred in March. ...
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By Public Affairs Section | 24 March, 2016 | Categories:
Alumni, Art & Culture, Auckland, Business, Child and Family Matters, Connecting with Kiwis, Consulate General, Events, First People's Connect, Former Ambassadors, Travel & Tourism, U.S. & New Zealand, U.S. Consulate Auckland, U.S. Embassy Wellington
| Tags: Ali’i Kalani’opu’u, Arts Envoy, ATEED, Duke Kahanamoku, Hawaii, Kanaka Maoli, Kenneth Makuakane, mahiole, Mana moana, Pasifika Festival, Paula Fuga, Star Gossage, Ultimate Waterman Challenge, Waianae, Zane Kekoa Schweitzer
Ambassador Gilbert opened the 7th biennial
Shapeshifter exhibition in Lower Hutt on February 25th. The outdoor sculpture exhibition is on in the Civic Gardens until March 20th and includes 50 pieces by Kiwi artists. The opening event was attended by around 250 guests including Friends of the Dowse (Hutt City’s art museum), city councillors, local MPs, members ...
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By Mike Cousins | 25 February, 2016 | Categories:
Art & Culture, Culture, News
| Tags: art, Courtney Johnston, Et Tu Sculpture, Greg Thomas, Mayor Ray Wallace, Rotary Club, sculpture exhibition, Shapeshifter, Shapeshifter exhibition, The Dowse, U.S. Ambassador Gilbert
By a Frank Sinatra fan, Malcolm Hopwood. When Frank Sinatra sang You Make Me Feel So Young, age disappeared and only the message of love and vitality remained. So it’s hard to imagine that “Old Blue Eyes” Frank Sinatra is 100 today (Saturday, December 12). He remained young and vital throughout his performing and recording ...
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By Mike Cousins | 12 December, 2015 | Categories:
Art & Culture, History
| Tags: American jazz, Come Fly With Me, Frank Sinatra, Hoboken, New Jersey, Old Blue Eyes, You Make Me Feel So Young
Guest blog post by Rachel Harris and Jonathan Gee. As burgeoning business leaders move into the world, bridging the gap between one generation and the next is of vital importance. The State Department was proud to fund and support the Tuākana Youth Mentoring Program run by NGO Leadership New Zealand and the Fulbright New Zealand ...
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By Mike Cousins | 8 December, 2015 | Categories:
Alumni, Art & Culture, Business, Connecting with Kiwis, Former U.S. Government Leaders, Public Affairs
| Tags: Ambassador Gilbert, Barack Obama, Claire McQuilken, Guy Ryan, Jonathan Gee, Leadership New Zealand, Mentor, Mentoring, Nancy Gilbert, Rachael Harris, Tuākana, Victoria University of Wellington, Victoria University of Wellington Students’ Association, VUWSA, Young New Zealander of the Year
By Phil McKenna, Public Affairs, U.S. Consulate, Auckland. You can also help spread the word by linking to and sharing these hashtags on social media: #AMcollection #AucklandMuseum. The Auckland War Memorial Museum has a proud history of making its collections available beyond the walls of the Museum itself. It loans artefacts, organizes traveling exhibitions, and, ...
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By Mike Cousins | 2 December, 2015 | Categories:
Art & Culture, Auckland, History, News
| Tags: #AMcollection, #AucklandMuseum, Auckland history, Auckland War Memorial Museum, New Zealand history, Tudor Collins collection, Tudor Washington Collins, US Servicemen, Warkworth photographer, World War II
By guest blogger, Emily Novak, Pastry Chef at
One80 Restaurant . American, Emily Novak is Pastry Chef at
One80 Restaurant , Copthorne Hotel in Wellington. She has the challenge and privilege of preparing the pumpkin pie for this year’s annual Thanksgiving lunch for the clients of the Downtown Community Ministry, one of our most special events of the year. ...
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By Mike Cousins | 24 November, 2015 | Categories:
Art & Culture, Public Affairs, U.S. & New Zealand
| Tags: Emily Novak, pumpkin, Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving holiday, Thanksgiving recipe
By Raphael Solomon, Public Affairs Intern, U.S. Embassy, Wellington. Beautiful things can bring people together like little else. Sometimes art, music and cultural exchange can be just as important to diplomacy as trade deals and defense treaties. This has been recognized since President John F. Kennedy first formalized the Art in Embassies program in 1963 ...
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By Mike Cousins | 23 November, 2015 | Categories:
Art & Culture, Former Ambassadors, Former U.S. Government Leaders, U.S. & New Zealand
| Tags: Anne Noble, art, Art in Embassies, Art in Embassies program, Barack Obama, John F. Kennedy, Nikki McIvor, Paul McLachlan, Susan Swartz, Wasatch Mountains
Our next Project Connect event is on next week, November 18th at the Auckland University of Technology – details at
the-project.co.nz . The theme…Building Creative Connections. In a world that has moved from finite choice and limited control to infinite choice and total control, how can leaders, innovators, entrepreneurs, brands and organisations engage in a meaningful ...
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By Mike Cousins | 13 November, 2015 | Categories:
Art & Culture, Auckland, Business, Events, News
| Tags: Auckland University of Technology, AUT, brands, entrepreneurs, Facebook Creative Shop, innovators, leaders, Mark D'Arcy - VP and Chief Creative Officer, Project Conference, Project Connect
By Mara Hosoda, Public Affairs U.S. Consulate, Auckland. The United States and New Zealand share a distinguished place on the world stage in producing inspiring female icons, from Rosa Parks and Kate Shepard to Beyonce and Helen Clark. This October we were proud to cohost an inspiration in her own right: Dr Terry Babcock-Lumish, an ...
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By Public Affairs Section | 6 November, 2015 | Categories:
Art & Culture, Education, Former U.S. Government Leaders, President of the United States, Public Affairs, Science & Tech
| Tags: Akina Foundation, Amelia Earheart, American entrepreneur, Barack Obama, Donald J. Trump, Dr. Babcock-Lumish, Eleanor Roosevelt, Frances Perkins, Hillary Clinto, Madeline Albright, Margaret Sanger, Rachel Carson, Renee Richards, Rosa Parks
By Nancy Gilbert, wife of U.S. Ambassador Mark Gilbert. As part of our now well established Wahine Toa series, I traveled to “King country”, home to the Waikato-Tainui iwi and a dear friend, King Tuheitia Paki. Pioneers of
Kingitanga , (a collective spirit to unify Māori tribes under a Māori monarchy) the iwi holds an incredible ...
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By Ola Thorsen | 30 October, 2015 | Categories:
Art & Culture, Connecting with Kiwis, Education, First People's Connect, News, Success Stories, Wahine Toa
| Tags: Dr. Sarah-Jane Tiakiwai, Kingitanga, Ngaruawahia, Waikato-Tainui College
By Caroline Toplis, Public Affairs, Wellington. September was a very cultural month for Embassy Wellington with a number of interesting visitors coming to town. We’ve had stimulating conversations and a peek into the world of New York publishing with Jonathan Galassi; soaring voices and more than a touch of glamor with Renée Fleming; and a ...
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By Mike Cousins | 13 October, 2015 | Categories:
Art & Culture, Connecting with Kiwis, Events, Former U.S. Government Leaders, News
| Tags: Aotearoa, architecture, avant garde., Barack Obama, Boca Raton Festival of the Arts, circus, James Judd, Jonathan Galassi, Julian Hartzog, Lorene Ireland, Lynn Christiansen, Massey University’s College of Creative Arts, Mrs. Gilbert, New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, Renée Fleming, Sean Purucker and David Candelaria, The Adventures of Tintin, The New Republic, The New York Review of Books, Victoria University, World of Wearable Arts, WOW
