|
Amid the pre-World Cup madness gripping the country, the museum’s September LATE event (Thursday, September 1) is debating whether New Zealand can still claim to be a rugby nation.
One of the LATE’s guest panellists Te Ara editor and author of The Hard Man: Rugby and the Formation of Male Identity Jock Phillips says we are not the nation of rugby devotees we once were.
“Over a century ago when the Prime Minister declared himself ''''Minister of Football'''' and people stood five deep to welcome the All Blacks back home, we were a rugby nation. But today when fewer than 50,000 adults play rugby, how can we possibly be a rugby nation – unless that nation is very small indeed?”
In his book Phillips put forward the theory rugby was played by colonial New Zealand men for the intimacy of physical touch that their lonely lives lacked, a view unlikely to be shared by fellow panellist and ex-All Black Grant Fox.
Also on the panel is University of Auckland’s Dr Jennifer Curtin who brings her insights from a recent book project looking at how women have engaged with rugby union over the past 150 years.
Moderator for this LATE debate, Maggie Barry will be asking what’s changed since the men in black first pulled on the silver fern, whether rugby is part of what makes us “Kiwis” and whether the rugby culture still has the same social impact it did 20 years ago?
This month’s panellists won’t be making their predictions for who will take out the Webb Ellis Cup but instead what victory would mean to the country now all these years on from the national elation of 1987.
Smart Talk
Maggie Barry
As National’s new candidate for North Shore, Maggie is the first woman the party’s ever selected for any electorate north of the Harbour Bridge. Her previous career on television and radio spanned three decades and earned the award-winning magazine feature writer the Order of NZ Merit (former OBE) for services to Broadcasting.
Grant Fox
Former All Black and rugby legend Grant Fox served with the All Blacks from 1985 to 1993, as well as being part of the 1987 All Blacks team who had won the Rugby world cup. Believed to be one of the greatest first-five eights, the New Plymouth-born rugby legend has since been on the coaching staff of both Auckland and the Blues, sharing in Auckland''''s NPC triumphs in 1999 and 2002-03 and in the Ranfurly Shield win of 2003. Grant is currently a commentator for SKY sports.
Jock Phillips
Kiwi historian Jock Phillips wrote The Hard Man: Rugby and the Formation of Male Identity in New Zealand in which he put forward the theory rugby was played by colonial New Zealand men for the intimacy of physical touch that their lonely lives lacked. He’ll join the panel in discussing what rugby means in today’s society. A graduate of Victoria University in Wellington and Harvard University, Jock is also General Editor of Te Ara: The On-Line Encyclopaedia of New Zealand.
Dr Jennifer Curtin
A lecturer with the University of Auckland’s Department of Political Studies Dr Jennifer Curtin is currently working on a book project that explores women''''s engagement with rugby union in New Zealand (1840-2012). A focal point for her wider research is comparative gender politics and public policy. She has held roles with Monash University, the University of Canberra and the Australian National University and in her early career spent four years as a territorial solider. Are women an intrinsic part of New Zealand’s rugby nation and if so, what roles are they playing?
Great Music
The Nudge
The Nudge with Ryan Prebble – Guitar and Vocals, Iraia Whakamoe – Drumkit and James Coyle – Piano Bass and Organ has had their sound described as “many fingers in many pies”. Big Nudge Pie, The Nudges first limited edition album was released in August, and is a self-described “concoction of a blues and rock base, with a deep swamp filling, and a raucous party crust”. Since forming in early 2010, The Nudge has delivered blistering performances from the Catlins to Auckland, and opened for Little Bushman, The Black Seeds and Fly My Pretties.
DJ Submariner
DJ Submariner, aka Andy Morton has remixed everyone from Bic Runga to Salmonella Dub, and his solo tracks for compilations like ''''Sideways'''' on Round Trip Mars have resulted in playlist action from high flyers like Mr Scruff and The Rockers HiFi. His musical thumbprint can be heard on albums from Mark De Clive-Lowe (co-producing the ''''Six Degrees'''' album), Dam Native, King Kapisi, Sola Rosa and both Dimmer records. Often part of the Dimmer live band, Andy is also one of the most respected producers in the game.
LATE at the Museum
Thursday, 1 September 2011
Doors open 6.30pm
$20 per ticket (plus $3 booking fee). Door sales available.
www.aucklandmuseum.com
For more images, more information or to arrange an interview with any of the panellists or featured artists, please contact:
Melanie Cooper
mcooper@aucklandmuseum.com
021 899 062 |
