Interview: 30 June 2014

TRACK 1

00.00 Interview identification

01.17 MOTHER AND FATHER born in SAMOA. Met in Wellington, moved south as part of migrant workforce for freezing works. SISTER born in Wellington. Key is a first generation New Zealander, raised in GLENGARRY.

02.00 FATHER born in village outside APIA. MOTHER born an hour’s drive from Apia. Came to NZ for work opportunities. Father immigrated when he was 16. Fathers BROTHER HARRY already in NZ. Father worked in Rotorua labouring, went into NZ army fought in the MALAYAN WAR 1954-57. Then met his wife when he returned to NZ.

02.50 Father’s brother a teacher, head boy at Auckland Grammar, worked at Parliament as press secretary. Then came to Invercargill to work at the freezing works. KEY FAMILY lived in BLUFF, then in EYE STREET, then moved to CONWAY CRESCENT. House already built, but relatively new. Moved 1967.

06.50 Earliest memory was birth of younger brother getting Key kicked out of his cot and room so not happy with new baby.

8.10 CONWAY CRESCENT HOUSE L shaped, Back door, laundry and kichen at one end, toilet, bathroom, three bedrooms at back and lounge. House now made square, extended, two lounges. Bedrooms very small. Had to share room with brother until sister went to university.

10.00 GLENGARRY remembered. Could run as far as he wanted, as no fences. New sections, could run to Yarrow street until bumped into a house.

12.00 CUL DE SAC – dead end part, there were nine houses, occupied by families with children consisting of: SMITHS with three girls; SIMPSONS with two children; MCKAYS with five children; FROSTS with three children; KEREAPAS with twins, a boy and a baby; GORDONS with boy and a girl; PAULGRAINS with four children; TAUS with three children; ARCHERS with two children.

End of Track 1

TRACK 2

00.10 Best friend Michael Tau – friends long before school age. All walked to school together. Grew up in the crescent for ten years, played outside. Showed how to throw and catch a ball together, fought together, kept friendships together.

02.00 Kareapas moved to Australia for work in 1980s. Met up with them ten years ago when they returned on holiday. One child wanted to become a policeman, and one a teacher in Australia, but refused to revoke his NZ citizenship to do so.

03.45 Everyone’s house was open. When one child got lost, found five houses away asleep in another child’s bed. Were allowed to wander as far as they could see the dining room window. One family had a whistle to call family home.

06.25 Diverse families – Samoans, North Island Maori, Europeans, Gisborne based Maori, Cook Island, Tongan, Dutch.

08.00 When older, Key’s responsibility to teach younger kids when he was older – how to throw a ball etc. Before he was involved with basketball, mad on Hockey – made NZ hockey team at 11 years old. Nephew and son play hockey.

11.00 School days – kids on street scattered through different age groups so developed different friendships, but after school hung out with Conway Crescent kids.

12.30 Best friend Michael Tau saved him from the school bully.

13.30 Michael like a brother, Key there just after Michael’s first son born. Fantastic life growing up with Michael and his brother Harry. Michael now living in Australia, every time he comes home they get together. Michael a body builder.

End of Tape 2

TRACK 3

00.50 Attended LITHGOW INTERMEDIATE and CARGILL HIGH SCHOOL together, hung out during teen years. There for each other for milestones.

02.00 Attended a lot of CHRISTIAN YOUTH RALLIES and CHURCH. Raised in Samoan belief system, required to go to church 52 weeks a year. Walked to GLENGARRY BAPTIST CHURCH and attended Sunday School. Given 20 cents to put in collection plate, and $2 to get Sunday bread on the way home. Just the kids went.

08.00 FATHER worked at GLENGARRY PUB on Friday and Saturday nights, including making sure that Maori and Island boys didn’t damage pub. Tired from working late so didn’t go to church. MOTHER worked as a domestic.

08.25 20 to 30 people went to GLENGARRY BAPTIST. Church going reinforced belief system while growing up. Attended youth group at GLENGARRY BAPTIST, then ROSEDALE CHAPEL, GRACE STREET CHAPEL which had a basketball court.

12.10 Parents still live in Conway Crescent house, just as mother and father’s houses remain the same in Samoa. Importance of putting down roots. Father has a good garden in Conway Crescent.

End of Track 3

Track 4

0.00 In Samoa, still go to the family home on their own land. Wife has lived in different houses, but Key feels that his home is always 97 Conway Crescent. When parents die, would try to buy that house, because it is the family home and Glengarry is where the roots are.

2.55 Parents rented before house bought – different to owning a house.

3.20 Glengarry going through a rough patch – remembered those times but these people were neighbours. Teenagers, walking to and from games. Lithgow Street – Dad’s ethos was to talk to everyone. Met lots of different people with different upbringings and belief systems. Brothers supported each other. Always felt safe.

6.10 Undesirables – treat with respect and they will treat you with respect, POLICE OFFICER or GANG MEMBER. Glengarry had MONGREL MOB and BLACK POWER, but eventually they left town. House burnt down where COMMUNITY GARDEN is now. Knew lots of gang people.

8.00 BLACK POWER were in a house two doors from ASCOT SCHOOL – community asked them to leave and they did.

8.23 Had a call from a friend in Wellington whose brother was involved in CRIPS gang, asked Key to get involved. Gang house on LITHGOW EAST. Had to deal with a dog on the property – kids cooking (illegal) stuff on the range. Rescued friend’s brother.

11.30 Life in Glengarry is what ONCE WERE WARRIORS was based on. Also had a friend who was a SKINHEAD.

12.30 1993 – GRANDMOTHER died, and had to go to Samoa quickly. MOTHER’S NIECE died and mother went to Wellington. Returned after two weeks and letterbox had been broken. Sorted it with the GANG HOUSE next door. Also sorted it with gang which resided at the house where the community garden stands. End of Track 4

Track 5

00.30 Invercargill’s perception of Glengarry – when young, never knew what the rest of Invercargill was like as a comparison. Thought what happened in Glengarry happened elsewhere. When worked in AUCKLAND, told people he liked being a small town boy.

2.30 Drank at the GLENGARRY PUB, drank at the AVENAL PUB. Didn’t read the newspaper, so didn’t know much about outside events. Glengarry was his ‘hood’ and he was proud of that. Everyone knew the family. When son was being raised in the same neighbourhood, had to let everyone know whose family he belonged to.

4.45 Knew that boys from SOUTH INVERCARGILL were also tough.

5.30 Always feels safe. SISTER has always taught in Glengarry. CHILDREN go school there. Children to go parents’ place after school, and would be picked up from there. So also growing up in that neighbourhood.

6.30 Glengarry can be judged by state of houses – now well maintained with bigger fences. Some ex- Council houses are owned by North Island investors who don’t maintain them – less kept. Lyon Street now looking shabby. State houses empty.

9.15 Future of Glengarry – good working to bring community pride in to the area. Appreciates the MARKET DAYS, dedicated group of people.

10.25 Disappointed didn’t get a photo of the OLD BUS STOP before it went - iconic. Climbed up on the ROOF TO PLAY HAND BALL. SHOE SHOP, TWO DIARIES – used to be thriving. Late nights Thursdays but didn’t go to these.

12.40 Helped with CENSUS in Glengarry just before earthquakes - wanted to know what was going on in the community.

End of Track 5

0.10 Worked at LASERS. Met lots of different people during that work. Ability to use his mouth helped in negotiations with people. Glengarry helped him how to engage with people.

3.25 Need to walk a mile in someone else’s shoes. Share moments of memory, school or sports, something in common to connect. Glengarry showed him how to do this.

4.20 Maori HUI – had to whakapapa – ended up speaking about mountain in Samoa, body of water Pacific Ocean, marae was mother’s kitchen table. Rooted in Glengarry.

6.00 Very passionate about Glengarry. Learned lots.

End of Track 6