July 3, 2024 • 38 mins
This week’s guest is Māori-Samoan entrepreneur Jordaan Tuitama a.k.a. Creative Taro.
Out of a need for clothes were stylish and able to fit his build, he began upcycling opshop finds. He’s made a side hustle of this hobby, recognising the kaitiakitanga in flipping already worn material that would’ve just been binned. But get a load of Jordaan’s life story. Teen dad, former gang member and thespian.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
It's the flavor podcast network.
Speaker 2 (00:03):
Island Roots Auckland Ways. This one's for the brown brothers
and sisters who want to be one with themselves, their culture,
their identity, their roots.
Speaker 1 (00:13):
This is Island Roots Auckland Ways.
Speaker 3 (00:21):
What's up?
Speaker 1 (00:21):
And welcome to Island Roots Auckland Ways. Hey, Lasa, Hey,
what's up?
Speaker 2 (00:25):
And that's things impersonate.
Speaker 1 (00:35):
A bick and back being ball. You know how we do?
Speaker 2 (00:38):
How where did you get that from?
Speaker 1 (00:40):
People say that because look bloods because every word starts
with the be.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
Okay, well, we don't have any gang affiliations, but do
you know who we do have on the podcast today?
Creative Tara Jordan.
Speaker 1 (00:53):
What h vibe?
Speaker 2 (00:55):
Literally and like just what allegiends?
Speaker 3 (00:58):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (00:58):
Everything about him is just pasthetic.
Speaker 2 (01:01):
Literally vintage app cycler.
Speaker 1 (01:05):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (01:06):
Seller also does some awesome, awesome, awesome money in his
spare time.
Speaker 1 (01:10):
We were just saying off the mic, this guy's multi fested, bro.
He's lived a life.
Speaker 2 (01:14):
He has lived a life.
Speaker 1 (01:16):
And you'll hear more about it right now.
Speaker 2 (01:21):
Welcome back to another episode of Island Roots Aokland Ways,
and we are honored to be joined by the one
that only the Creative King himself You're done, aka created Sarah.
Speaker 1 (01:31):
Welcome to eight.
Speaker 3 (01:34):
Because the mixture you Jordan, but figure would give you
extra because you got.
Speaker 2 (01:42):
I love that. I'm Alissa withth so my appearans are
also very extramet.
Speaker 1 (01:49):
Come through, Jord and welcome to the flavor of Fundy.
How are you going?
Speaker 3 (01:52):
I'm good. Thank you for having me here.
Speaker 1 (01:54):
Of course, you have tricked quite a long way to
be here today.
Speaker 3 (01:58):
Come from Wellie in Newtown.
Speaker 2 (01:59):
Why is there like a because well he's O four.
Is there like an area code for Newtown?
Speaker 1 (02:06):
Oh yeah?
Speaker 3 (02:07):
Oh geez, I mean like a postcode. I don't know.
People just say Newtown.
Speaker 2 (02:11):
Okay, yeah, lame yeah, so it can't be cool like
I love that?
Speaker 1 (02:17):
Oh well, jore D. Every episode we share what we
love about home, wherever you currently love, where you were born,
where ever most feels like home to you. What is
home and what do you love about it? We'll start
off first, and this week I love about home, my flatties.
I love my flat mate.
Speaker 2 (02:34):
I love that for you.
Speaker 1 (02:35):
Kira and Renee, they are queens. I found the flat
actually because Kira I used to do comms with at
aut and so we kind of knew each other. But
I feel like I've gotten to know her better since
living in the flat, and it's just so chill. Like
we were having discussions out in the Flavor office about
me going flatting because this is my first time leaving home,
(02:57):
and so everyone was like, watch out for the dynamics
and like you gotta watch out for this and make
sure you create this roster because people are missing, and
just watch out for this that I don't need to
worry about all of it. It's like living with my family,
to be honest, I love that, and I think it's
because I'm living with brown people. Yeah, truly, that's the
underlying fact.
Speaker 2 (03:14):
Yeah, did you go floating in your twinings? No, I'm
assuming you're not in your.
Speaker 3 (03:21):
Yeah, thank you?
Speaker 1 (03:23):
How old you are?
Speaker 3 (03:24):
Thirty seven?
Speaker 1 (03:25):
What? That is crazy? That's why that's crazy. I thought
the same, and Semi Soulser came up. Se he was
thirty nine, and I was like, I was, yag thirty seven.
How is your thirties late thirties?
Speaker 3 (03:36):
It's cool, Like, so I was a teenage dad, so
I didn't actually have that to go flooding. I needed
their final support and yeah, I was always with my family.
Speaker 2 (03:44):
But.
Speaker 3 (03:46):
Yeah, yeah, like I'm start, I'm doing everything backwards. Yeah,
and that's what I tell my son, Like, you know,
I have my kid first, and I'll work my way
up to get a job and then maybe i'll study.
Speaker 1 (03:57):
Yeah you know I do.
Speaker 3 (03:58):
You own my own house, so that's pretty cool.
Speaker 2 (04:00):
Congratulations.
Speaker 3 (04:01):
Everything's kind of backwards for me.
Speaker 1 (04:02):
But andestions on you are a drip. Yeah. I want
to be like you. And sometimes I've been falling out
to places and bloody twenty three, I look like forty three.
Speaker 3 (04:14):
Wow.
Speaker 2 (04:14):
That one thing about Marin and I. We never look
like we're going to the same event.
Speaker 1 (04:18):
No, never go to pace. Yeah, except radio radio. Well
that's what I love about Home this week.
Speaker 2 (04:26):
What I love about Home this week, I think it's
just money Dealer in general. It's just like a vibe.
I'm from money, you were born and raised, and I
love Rework and I've recently come across some re were
haters and I just don't. I don't need their energy.
We were to sixty seven, Yeah.
Speaker 1 (04:43):
I used to because I'm so patriotic about coming from Mangoity,
you know.
Speaker 2 (04:48):
But you can two things can be true at once. Yeah,
you can be proud of being from a Mangoti, you
can still.
Speaker 1 (04:53):
Enjoy truly, what I will say about rewa vot driving
on Rosscommon Road has to be one of the scariest
things ever.
Speaker 2 (05:02):
Yeah. And also when people drop me off to my house,
I don't drive Jordan, so I have to get rides everywhere.
They always like this is the hood. Like I don't
think people realize, like I actually come from money dealer,
not a nice part of money dealer. I come from
the place where these like potholes that the council can't
be bother fixing, you know, burning rubbish as Jordan with
the way I said, Yes, it's not do be giving that. Yeah,
(05:25):
it's I love forever. What about you children? Do you
love about home?
Speaker 3 (05:32):
Yeah? I guess. I mean I live in Wellingsome, but
home for me is cow. So one of the beautiful
things about cold is the community and the people, but
just the surroundings and the environment. So we've got a forest,
We've got a lake, we've got a river, we've got activity.
Whoa we have a free pools as well, community pools
(05:53):
so that everyone can access to. We've got a beautiful lake,
heated pools.
Speaker 2 (05:56):
Are you being paid by like Calido tourist round.
Speaker 3 (06:01):
It's just such a beautiful community. People are lovely and
my dog is still there. So when I moved to
leave my kidy there, so shout out to comment his name's.
Speaker 2 (06:11):
Comment what a great name, good name.
Speaker 3 (06:14):
He is living his best life and com.
Speaker 2 (06:19):
Do you ever go make him as a comment?
Speaker 3 (06:21):
Yeah, he doesn't really care too much for me nowadays.
You left me here.
Speaker 1 (06:31):
What do you recommend us going to cold?
Speaker 3 (06:33):
Yeah? One hundred? Yeah, yeah, yeah, what is the ticket? Ticket? Dogs?
Speaker 1 (06:46):
What's getting me is the forest get into?
Speaker 3 (06:48):
Yeah, we've got a chance. We've got a beautiful river,
tuttle the river and that leads to like the Tuttle
w Monga, and there's a beautiful waterfalls they called the
Tutle where the falls Instagram like, okay, so that's part
of it. You'd enjoy I love I mean, we could
take you hunting like the boys.
Speaker 2 (07:10):
I can see you hunting. I feel like making.
Speaker 1 (07:12):
I'd love that. I like trying new things. I haven't
done hunting clearly. I can see you out.
Speaker 3 (07:17):
There, rainbow stars just in the forest, knife gun.
Speaker 2 (07:21):
Yeah, are hunting? Boom boom boom? Is it like dear
have a crowd?
Speaker 3 (07:30):
Balls? Yeah? Sometimes it's paste out there to get rid
of those. I mean, then the flip side, so we're
real close to the coast so we can get fishing
as well.
Speaker 2 (07:42):
I like fishing. I like being on a boat. Yeah,
so funny. People will know you best from your vintage
up cycling and selling on Instagram. But I kind of
want to skip ahead the conversation a little bit because
it seems like you're a bit of a sustain ability guy,
like being out in the forest out getting that Kimwana
(08:04):
is your roots in Caledo kind of an influence on that.
How did you get into this kind of sustainability mind's it?
Speaker 3 (08:12):
Yeah, so like many I guess Maori. So my mom's Maori.
My dad sawmone and both of them were born in
New Zealand. So the narrative for me was real, I
guess different because my dad had a New Zealand kind
of experience and what that meant for me, I guess
was what I kind of gained economically, I lost culturally,
(08:33):
and so I did. My mom was from oh yoh,
from the side. She's from T three eight wow, shout
out to dark side, so deep, so far, and yeah,
she's she was like her family are like market gardeners.
Do you know that movie Mazion? Yes, yes, so my
(08:55):
uncle wrote and directed that movie. Wow Potato spots because
but we kind of like, yeah, it was kind of
a racist.
Speaker 2 (09:05):
Community with the color bars and yeah.
Speaker 3 (09:08):
So there's a book called No Maori Allowed. My fin
are a big part of that. So connection from our
culture real, and those sorts of things were very real
for us. And then my dad kind of similar brought
up in the Salmon family, but he kind of distanced
and that kind of I don't know, he lived that
worldly life and yeah, and then he married a Maori
(09:34):
lady and kind of, I guess in his own way,
distanced himself from his culture as well. So I came
along and I was like, who am I kind of
reconnecting with both sides, I suppose, And it was through
like and like learning about Pu and Kaue and learning
values and then how it's kind of implemented in our lives.
(09:56):
And that's what influenced the whole fashion thing. It was like, Wow,
I spend so much money on I got all these
I won't name them, but I'll go to the malls,
right and I get yeah, we know the brain Yeah, yeah, yeah,
and so the whole op shopping idea, and then realizing
that all of the best clothes are actually at the
op shop yeah, and really cheap, and sometimes in my size,
(10:21):
which is hard to find.
Speaker 1 (10:23):
So yes, because you're tall and I'm also tall, and
that's hard to find our sizes because all the skinny
so they can look baggy. That's my actual truth side.
Speaker 3 (10:32):
Yeah, yeah, yeah for sure. So that's kind of like
I guess, the the inception of it, and then just
built on from there as I developed and grew to
like more clothes and find more clothes. Wow, this is cool,
and then figured out that actually I could probably turn
this into a business, so started selling clothes that I
was finding and learning about the amount of clothes that
(10:55):
goes to waste. Op shops are crazy. So the current
on Newtown that I connect with every month, they have
to cull, so they actually have to go through their
racks and get rid of a lot of stuff because
they've got a whole stock room that needs to come
out and those clothes goes that goes to the landfall.
And you think about every single op shop in the
(11:15):
country that has to do that.
Speaker 2 (11:17):
Wow, it is like wild.
Speaker 3 (11:19):
Yeah, it's crazy. So that's where the upcycling comes in.
And I was like, man, I need to, well, one,
make me some clothes that fit me. So that's kind
of where the sewing comes in because I wanted to
make my own clothes and then at the same time
it's try and reuse as much as we can.
Speaker 2 (11:36):
I love that. And I also, I mean, it's in
your name one hundred percent, like creative Taro. I feel
like there's no mistaking that you're proud to be like
Pacific and Mardi. It's just like us with our tidle
island roots, orkand ways, Like there's no mistaking. It's like
it's a positionality statement. Don't mess with me on this.
So the fact that you're able to build in like
(11:57):
those cultural values and those culture with into your practice
within your practice is so it's so cool. Did you
start up cycling with the intention to have a business
out of it or were you just like I need
to make clothes that for me or I want to
but of both yeah.
Speaker 3 (12:16):
Yeah. So the finding sizes, you know, closing your size
is very real. So the whole idea around well, just
gonna make my own it's like going to be I'm
going to have the only like shirt I made it.
It's one of one. Yea stunting on everybody out here.
So that kind of influenced that part as well. And
then yeah, the value stuff is really important, just like
(12:39):
the whole reconnecting with your culture.
Speaker 2 (12:42):
So cool.
Speaker 1 (12:43):
What are some of the learnings or challenges that you've
come along the way in this journey.
Speaker 3 (12:49):
There's heaps in terms of business. I think it was
such a great business model because it didn't require a
lot of investment, So a young person out there like listening,
you can actually start today and what I do. So
I had ten dollars with me and my son. We
were in and I had decided that instead of buying
(13:12):
clothes for ourselves, we're going to actually create this and
turn this into a business, build us you know, some
multiple revenue streams, and so we turned the ten dollars
into I think forty wow. And then we just figured
out kind of business acumen I suppose with very little
(13:32):
like investment or capital, having to you know, the risk
of losing all that money. Ten bucks suite as all good. Yeah,
maybe to'll lose that if this, you know, falls down,
but just starting there and then building on it like
starting small and just continually growing and growing. It's probably
one of the biggest things I learned. And then the
importance of social media I.
Speaker 1 (13:52):
Was just about to ask, because that would have been
instrumental in promoting yourself right.
Speaker 3 (13:57):
One hundred percent. Like, and I feel for small businesses
because you kind of if you want to run a
small business, now you also have to be a full
time content creator, truly truly like you kind of you know, yeah,
ruining yourself if you don't. Yeah, almost a certain degree.
(14:18):
So that has been real pivotal, and that's something I
really preach to other people as well, like, make sure
your content's on be authentic, be yourself, make it engaging.
And sometimes it's the most mundane activities that people can
really get into.
Speaker 1 (14:32):
Yeah, that's what you don't expect to.
Speaker 3 (14:34):
Blow it to it. Yeah yeah, And I just sometimes
I'm so like, I'll make hats and they're not selling,
So in my head, I'm like, Okay, how do I
move this? How do I get eyes on this? So
what I'll do is I'll create content that's like comedy based, yes,
and then I'll wear the products and then I'll make
a funny skit or whatever. Get some attention, and then
(14:56):
in the comments people are like, bro, that hats me.
An you come in with the sales, like, hey bro,
it's actually available, follow the link and then it turns
into a sales So, like.
Speaker 2 (15:10):
I think you're hilarious. Like the skits you make and
the reels you make are very, very, very funny. Have
you always made stuff like that on social media? Or what?
Did the light switch flip one day and you were like,
you know what I want to do. I want to
add in a bit of comedy and like my funniness
and my personality to this.
Speaker 3 (15:30):
Yeah. So my roots are actually in performing arts, so
natural progression and like you guys are like like many
Brown people, we're multi with the talents. Yes, so and
then that's where the whole creative tire thing comes in.
I'm not just creative in one aspect. I do a
whole bunch of stuff. Yeah, and just kind of leveraging
(15:50):
off the skill sets I hear, because like I said,
no money, no capital sets to start this business. But
what I do have is my skills. Yeah, so let's
use them so you have vantage. So yeah, that whole
comedy and just trying to be clever with the you know,
I mean, it's an attention economy that we're in, and
how do I get people's attention. So it's either jokes
or you know, pictures of me and a bikini. So
(16:12):
I had to choose.
Speaker 1 (16:18):
Read outdoor and shower.
Speaker 3 (16:20):
Just in the in the beach and the thing. I thought, Yeah,
people aren't gonna like that. I'll do the comedy route.
Speaker 2 (16:27):
Oh I love that. What kind of performing outs? Did
you like? Grow up in church singing?
Speaker 4 (16:31):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (16:32):
So my dad's coal so seven Davin. We do a
lot of singing, not a whole lot of cultural stuff.
But then I also attended people, I know, if you're familiar.
Speaker 2 (16:43):
People no no, no, no, no no, the.
Speaker 1 (16:46):
Iconic people, stuff like Institute of Performance.
Speaker 3 (16:49):
So I was tutored by Sean Coyle, Lady Chadwick.
Speaker 2 (16:52):
And yeah get out.
Speaker 3 (16:56):
So I had that in my bag. So when I
started this stuff was like cool, immediate, let me get
into their bag.
Speaker 1 (17:01):
And okay it's perfect, how peper?
Speaker 3 (17:03):
Yeah, life changing? Yeah, yeah, incredible. Without those people there
that mentored me and kind of took me under their wing,
I wouldn't have had the experiences that I had soon
And that's I guess part of the my son calls
it the law l O creative tires. Yeah you've done this,
done that, like so yeah, I managed to do a
(17:25):
few TV gigs, a few movies, short films okay, yes, yeah,
Like I've been part of the New Comedy Festival, performed
the Herald Theater. I've done all sorts of stuff. I
did ad last year, like someone who still remembers me
ringro can you audition for this ad? We've gone. That's
all good.
Speaker 1 (17:44):
I see paper kids all the time and ads, it's
so good.
Speaker 3 (17:47):
Yeah. Yeah, I saw one of the boys. He was
just in like a corrections ad, and I remember.
Speaker 2 (17:55):
It is wild. I have a background and drama, so
I love I sure do.
Speaker 3 (18:01):
So.
Speaker 2 (18:01):
I love when I see people doing things that are
not connected to the performing arts entirely using that background
because for me, I mean, first of all, every job
requires acting, so it's it's great to have in my
in my back pocket and your repertoire and my repertoire,
but also the skills that studying drama or getting a
(18:23):
drama degree gave me like second to none. Like obviously
there's the lame, like walking around in a circle tending
you're an animal. There's those exercites that maybe probably don't
want to read ass this, Yeah, but like the people
skills and the confidence it gave me insane next level.
Speaker 3 (18:41):
I think too that one of the underrated things about
performing arts and acting in particular is the understanding of
human behavior. And when you have to kind of reenact
or be become a different person or a character, understand
their history, their backstory and whatnot, you actually start to
learn about other people, yes, and like you look at
them and what's what's the behind their behavior? And it
(19:06):
kind of comes from acting as well, like understanding your
roles and your character and the story plot and what
we're trying to achieve it. And I've kind of taking
that into like youth work as well. It's like, man,
this kid's playing out what's the behavior, what's the backstory
of this character? So it's a huge teaching performing. Okay,
he's on I m dB.
Speaker 1 (19:26):
I just.
Speaker 4 (19:32):
You know, so you should have goodness. It's crazy look
here on my camera.
Speaker 1 (19:44):
Wow wow, wow, I saw powerlifting as well.
Speaker 2 (19:57):
Yeah, yeah, your son is right, your law goes crazy.
Speaker 1 (20:03):
Oh jeez. Okay, So Jordan, we've had a few Samui
guests on the show recently and everyone has different experiences,
of course, but we want to know from you how
was that blended upbringing with both cultures.
Speaker 3 (20:16):
Wow. Man, that's such a I guess complex question in
a way. Yeah, Like I kind of touched on or
form with Mum and Dad. They were they like said,
Dad speaks pigeon someone, it's hilarious and it comes out
of nowhere sometimes. So he didn't speak it to us
(20:36):
in the house growing up, and then Mum doesn't call
it with it either, So kind of navigating that space
and identity wise was kind of tricky as well, because
Dad was taking us to church and I'd sit there
and local when they I was up there and talking
and I like my game to hell. But then I'd
(21:00):
go to the Madai with with my nanny who would
take me to poke around White Cottle and same thing.
I'm listening to the fight corded or listening to kut On'
what are they talking about? I'm going to go down
to the species and play down the room. So that, yeah,
that was quite tricky, hard to navigate. And then you're
dealing with that kind of external stuff at school as well,
(21:21):
like because I'm brown presenting and you know that comes
with some stereotypes that comes with some attitudes and behaviors
and how you're treated. So yeah, navigating that was kind
of tricky. So what I actually attached myself to was
like pop culture, so movies that I grew up with,
music and hip hop and arts was kind of became
(21:44):
my identity in sports as well. So yeah, Maldi and Salmon,
those kind of areas are also strong as well, Like
we're great performers, we are great athletes, we're great orators
and storytellers, and kind of my entry pointed to my
culture was through those kind of mediums, I suppose. So
(22:06):
Mum was funny. Mum was a hilarious Maldi girl from
and she like, let's be honestly out here being racist,
as my old man is like, ah, these moldy And
then there's like kind of dynamics, I suppose, but at
the same time realizing how very similar, yeah, at the
(22:27):
same time and finding those connections and beautiful things. But
my grandfather, beautiful man, man of very few words, but
he would always tell me how proud he was to
have Maori grandchild like grandchildren, and it.
Speaker 2 (22:41):
Was really cool.
Speaker 3 (22:41):
I was like cool because I couldn't have deep conversations
with him because he didn't speak very much English. So
I was just like he was always telling me, how proud,
and he's got these money, so maldi kids, you know,
like yeah. And then my grandmother who's from she just
she's she's gangster. She was just what, Yeah, you tell
(23:05):
them anybody you're someone like cool, Like you know, I
carry my grandfather's last name as well, Tweetmas, and you're
always very proud of that.
Speaker 2 (23:15):
I love that. That's really special.
Speaker 3 (23:21):
I mean even my name Taru, like Tarro is my
street name. It was actually my tag name when I
was a young fellow, so like even kind of with
my culture. Everyone said, I was like, you know, man,
you're huge, like as a kid, like you're a big bro,
like you're eating all the taro and that's kind of
the name come from something.
Speaker 1 (23:40):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (23:40):
Yeah, so tar became a hurt. I don't tag anymore guys,
So counsel, it wasn't me.
Speaker 1 (23:51):
So yeah, Jordan, you recently completed the course and the MAI,
So what has your real learning journey been?
Speaker 3 (23:58):
Like funny, it's hilarious, and because you know, you're kind
of dealing dealing with your trauma and your issues in
life and you're navigating the spaces and you're taking that
step into your culture and learning your language. I've gained
so much confidence because I've managed to make friends who
are just incredible orators and speakers, and they've given me
(24:23):
really great advice. So when it's coming from the likes
of these types of people, making yourself look silly or
not know things is okay. And they've told me that
it's normal. Break you don't know what you don't know.
Soon just make sure your consistencies there, you're keeping at
it and you're kind of implementing it in other areas
(24:44):
of your life as well. So, yeah, that journey has
been funny. That's why I said it's funny. It's real funny.
My dad actually speaks more Maldy than he does someone
really yeah, he out here is being so like, Yeah,
it's been it's interesting and just at home and my
(25:07):
both my younger sisters went through Kohunga and they're both
actually quite proficient, and and you got me who went
through mainstream, and I was the experiment because I was
I'm the eldest, okay, So that was the one that
they didn't know what to do.
Speaker 2 (25:22):
For the best.
Speaker 3 (25:23):
A lot of mistakes with it, I suppose, but yeah,
just trying to figure it out and just being vulnerable
enough and confident in what you don't know. Yeah, it's
been real key for me, Like having the confidence to
be like, actually, I don't know what you're talking about,
and you please explain it to me, because sometimes you
tell you the next to your classmates, they're actually thinking
(25:44):
the same thing, but that mum wise their shame that
they hold and of not wanting to ask just in
case they look silly. Yeah it looks silly, man, All good.
Speaker 2 (25:55):
Yeah, maybe that's something we need to take on.
Speaker 1 (25:58):
Looks silly looks, silly looks.
Speaker 3 (26:00):
Embrace the silliness.
Speaker 1 (26:02):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (26:03):
I feel like because I work in a bilingual community hub,
my to deal Maldi proficiency is a lot higher than
my young and a sawhat. And I feel like I
am allowed to look sillier learning to deal Mardy because
I'm not Mardy. You know, there's a less of an
illness because they're like, oh, we don't expect the salmon
girl to you know, be amazing at to deal Mardy.
(26:25):
That's fine, But then I feel so much pressure when
it comes to going to like Simonie language classes where
I'm like, oh my god, I don't know how to
pronounce my peeth very well, and you know, all of
a sudden, it's a lot more stressful, but we need
to embrace the sillinesses.
Speaker 1 (26:40):
It's such a good point. Yeah, there's less pressure about
speaking a language that's not yours your own.
Speaker 2 (26:47):
Did you ever feel more connected to one side of
your culture than the other growing up? No, okay, yeah,
I love.
Speaker 3 (26:53):
That interestingly, So I got taken everywhere in the car,
so I'll be going to all the different like church
events and family events on my som one side, and
then my sisters would be with my mom's side doing
all the Maori kind of stuff. But the intersect was
always there, like we yeah, but.
Speaker 2 (27:15):
Really, yeah that's great. That's not often the narrative.
Speaker 3 (27:18):
For a lot of I think. Yeah, Like to be honest, though,
I was. I was out on the streets as well though,
like from for real, Yeah, like it was there sarmon Maori,
but I was also out here trying to do other things.
Speaker 2 (27:31):
Other things.
Speaker 3 (27:35):
Yeah, that kind of identity crisis thing there, and like
identifying is something completely different. It was real, Like I
literally remember being in primary school with the ambition and
goal to become a gang member. Wow, Like that was
the goal, and that was what I had kind of
attached myself to for a very long time, so that
(27:58):
I guess it wasn't there for me because I had
something else, Yeah, and attached myself to this thing over here,
which was very present around me in my life. Like
my parents did really well for with what they had,
but the environment that we were in ourselves was not
the greatest. And so my influences and role models weren't
at the what I They weren't at the church, they
(28:21):
were out on the street. And so that's who I
gravitated towards and that's kind of been the the I guess,
the turning point for me to become a youth worker.
That's how that started as well. So I had to
turn away from the gang.
Speaker 1 (28:34):
And what got you out of that?
Speaker 3 (28:37):
My best friend who I grew up with was murdered. Yeah,
you'll stabbed to death. I'm yeah, that's all good. So
part of what I do is kind of in honor
of him and saying you're you're not going to wasteless life.
So he was only fourteen at the time, so I
was young, so that when that happened, you come to
a crossroad and you have to look yourself in the
(28:57):
mirror like is this actually worth it? Like what are
we really fighting for here?
Speaker 2 (29:02):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (29:02):
And why are we fighting our own Yeah? Yes, So
that was the turning point for me. It happened very young,
So me from that moment on, I was like, nah,
I need to we need to change the narrative and
break these damn stereotypes manly.
Speaker 2 (29:16):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (29:17):
Credits to you for looking in the mirror and you know,
trying to snap yourself out of it because it's hard.
Speaker 3 (29:23):
Yeah, for sure. I guess Crudos to my family actually,
who had You know, my parents are the type of
parents that they showed me what not to do. Yeah,
and they understand and they're cool with that. So some
of the things that I witnessed growing up wasn't great,
(29:44):
but being able to reflect and see the good things
that they also did. And so my nan she actually
went back like early nineties, late eighties, early nineties to
learn to il Maori again and then she became a
kayako at the quonga and then that so that you know,
her decision to do that, I guess impacted in that
(30:06):
trickle down. So my mum made a few good decisions
in life as well, enough for me to be able
to have opportunities. And now it's my teen to you know,
make a few good decisions and life say that my
son and my daughter can have some good opportunities as well. So,
I mean that's what intergenerational trauma is, right, and yeah,
we need it, you know, we actually need intergenerational solutions.
Speaker 2 (30:28):
Yeah, oh I love that. Yeah, breaking those cycles. Yeah.
Do you think being a father is also a huge
motivation for you then?
Speaker 3 (30:37):
Yeah, So I was a teenage dad. Yeah, eighteen was
when I found out I was going to be a father,
and another mirror moment.
Speaker 1 (30:47):
Mirror moment.
Speaker 3 (30:48):
So I didn't do too well in high school and
sport at that time, and performing arts was the only
kind of things I had in my bag and my
kids is so I took the sports routetually, got scouted
at the NRL. I played footy, and then I found
out I was going to have a kid, and I
just had to get a nine to five. You said, ah,
(31:10):
you know what, I need to take care of my
family at the time. He's here, he's in the studio. Man,
I should have just.
Speaker 1 (31:17):
Went living a Monday, no regrets, no regret, no regrets.
Speaker 3 (31:28):
Yeah, so another another mirror moment and then just deciding
again making good choices from then on. Howawa, because the
choices that I make now, like I'm in my thirties,
they're actually going to impact my grandchildren. So I need
to make some damn good ones. And we don't think
about fucker poppa and that kind of waste sometimes. And yeah,
(31:50):
I just want to make sure I make some good
moves now so that my grandkids can, you know, get
that Auckland grammar education could go to those fancy, fancy
schools that out never be able to get into.
Speaker 2 (32:02):
I went to a fancy spancy school. Yeah, I would
recommend round children anyway.
Speaker 1 (32:10):
Yeah, I went to school, and I don't know, we
are would see my children.
Speaker 2 (32:15):
Maybe just at schools in general. Maybe we need to
just overhaul the education system. Yeah, we can take that out.
Speaker 1 (32:25):
So Yeah, eighteen, you're scouted by the NRL, you find
out that you're having a child, and then you go
into a nine.
Speaker 3 (32:34):
To five job.
Speaker 1 (32:36):
Was there like a little bit of your heart that
was just like withering away?
Speaker 3 (32:40):
Yeah at that time, because I kind of had I
was content that my sporting career was over, and that
was fine, all good, sweet airs because that shelf life's
very short anyway. So then the performing arts thing come about,
and you know, I'm getting that the family family text credits.
(33:04):
You're relying on that to be able to get nephies
and formula and whatnot, and then that whole like wanting
to I just needed more money. Man out here being broke,
I got a young family. What could I do to
change this? You know, what's a good decision that I
could make? So I went down the performing arts are up,
moves out to Auckland and rolled to people. Yep, did
(33:27):
a few gigs here and there, made some money. Yeah,
opened up some other doors and avenues as well.
Speaker 1 (33:32):
We are going to move on to our rapid fire
Kim now, but I feel like Alissa should leaders one.
Speaker 2 (33:36):
Okay, So I apologize, Jordan. I didn't know you were
a league guy. I thought you liked every kind of rugby,
So I'm really sorry. But what we've got for our
rapid fire QMU today is a blind ranking of PACIFICA
rugby players. So what I'm going to do is I'm
going to say a name, and there's going to be
five positions like one, two, three, four, five. So I'm
(33:57):
going to say a name and you can put it
anywhere on that five. But you don't know what name
is coming next. So you can either pick based on
like goat status, or you can pick based on like
your favorite player. So does it makes does it make sense?
Speaker 1 (34:10):
Okay?
Speaker 2 (34:10):
Cool?
Speaker 1 (34:10):
Thank you?
Speaker 2 (34:11):
Because? Okay, So the first player Jonah one one immediately Okay,
that's like you've got every other position lf.
Speaker 3 (34:25):
Like Joan.
Speaker 2 (34:27):
Legend.
Speaker 3 (34:28):
He's the greatest player we've ever had in the world.
Speaker 2 (34:30):
Yeah, he's pretty iconic. Okay, first someone rugby player for
the All Blacks, Sir Brian Williams. See do you want to?
Should I tell you what I would put her at?
For me? He's a five only because I'm not of
that era.
Speaker 3 (34:47):
I'm just thinking about paving the way that too, and
that erar.
Speaker 2 (34:53):
It's pretty iconic. Is like in the Rugby Hall of Fame.
Speaker 3 (34:56):
Let me put on four four?
Speaker 2 (34:59):
Okay, you're nice?
Speaker 3 (35:01):
Where else we go?
Speaker 2 (35:02):
Okay?
Speaker 1 (35:02):
Okay, so we've got one four so far to.
Speaker 3 (35:07):
Let me put it at five.
Speaker 2 (35:12):
Maybe two is my fave. Okay, I've got two and
three left?
Speaker 3 (35:19):
Right? Was he your first someone All Blacks captain.
Speaker 2 (35:26):
Oh can you fact chick there?
Speaker 3 (35:30):
Yeah, I don't know who you got next to?
Speaker 2 (35:32):
Something like the last one is pretty iconic.
Speaker 3 (35:36):
Okay, let me put it three.
Speaker 2 (35:38):
You put them at three? Yes, well now I'm scared
of over iconic. Okay. Number five the iceman Michael Jones
easy too easy, too easy to Okay. Since you are
a league guy, though, who's your favorite League player of
all time? Is there a favorite?
Speaker 3 (35:55):
Yeah? There is, I like the biggest fan boy. He
doesn't play anymore. Okay, but like I was advocating for
him all the way through, man, like every step of
his career.
Speaker 1 (36:10):
I've just oh, I think I know who it is.
Speaker 3 (36:14):
It's the reason why I sent my son to Megs.
Speaker 1 (36:16):
I don't think I do think it is absolutely Doggies.
Speaker 3 (36:22):
Yeah, yeah, Dogies Sonny. But Williams, Yeah, he's my.
Speaker 2 (36:27):
He was going to be on my list.
Speaker 3 (36:29):
He's my goat. I was actually waiting for him to
pop up. That's why I can Sonny is like, yeah,
he's allegiance. I don't think we give him enough credit. No, no,
and off the field stuff for sight. I'm talking on
the field only, like what he was able to do.
Speaker 1 (36:49):
Oh, yeah, Jack of all trades, master, incredible, master out
to s b W my favor.
Speaker 2 (37:04):
And how would you make Jordan Rickey.
Speaker 3 (37:09):
You got to win a few in our premierships first? Yeah, yeah,
I mean, what are we talking here, Jordan, come on.
Speaker 1 (37:15):
No, I'm talking looks. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (37:22):
Also Joseph, Yeah, please, my favorite.
Speaker 1 (37:25):
Get into Joseph because I saw him doing an interview
with jerreml Way and I.
Speaker 2 (37:30):
Was like, damn, I saw the interview.
Speaker 3 (37:33):
Too crazy.
Speaker 1 (37:33):
He's moving though.
Speaker 3 (37:34):
I think you know, I want to make a case
for Bunty four. I think you I mean the personality
to go with the I put him.
Speaker 2 (37:46):
Yeah, I wish I knew more. I'm so sorry, guys.
Any other person.
Speaker 1 (37:55):
From the Worst. I think I've interviewed him before at
nine on the What about.
Speaker 2 (38:01):
Sell Harris Tabita?
Speaker 3 (38:03):
Yeah, he is a handsome boy.
Speaker 2 (38:07):
Nothing about the Is he a good player? I don't know.
Speaker 3 (38:09):
Yeah, he's good. He's very good.
Speaker 1 (38:10):
Okay, Martin did well absolutely that game against the Cowboys.
Speaker 3 (38:17):
Regards guys for.
Speaker 1 (38:21):
Sorry, oh gosh, well, Jordane, that's all we have time for.
Thank you so much for coming into Alan roots Aukland ways,
Thank you, guys, And then we have another episode of
Island Roots Aukland Ways, thank you Jordan for coming on,
and hopefully we can go to Colo.
Speaker 2 (38:38):
Sure surely basically an Aird him coming.
Speaker 1 (38:43):
On here, we'll have the lis like the Hunting Legister
were going, well.
Speaker 2 (38:48):
Yeah, we'll make it work.
Speaker 1 (38:50):
Yeah, any excuse to by hunting and fishing
It's the flavor podcast network.
Speaker 2 (00:03):
Island Roots Auckland Ways. This one's for the brown brothers
and sisters who want to be one with themselves, their culture,
their identity, their roots.
Speaker 1 (00:13):
This is Island Roots Auckland Ways.
Speaker 3 (00:21):
What's up?
Speaker 1 (00:21):
And welcome to Island Roots Auckland Ways. Hey, Lasa, Hey,
what's up?
Speaker 2 (00:25):
And that's things impersonate.
Speaker 1 (00:35):
A bick and back being ball. You know how we do?
Speaker 2 (00:38):
How where did you get that from?
Speaker 1 (00:40):
People say that because look bloods because every word starts
with the be.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
Okay, well, we don't have any gang affiliations, but do
you know who we do have on the podcast today?
Creative Tara Jordan.
Speaker 1 (00:53):
What h vibe?
Speaker 2 (00:55):
Literally and like just what allegiends?
Speaker 3 (00:58):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (00:58):
Everything about him is just pasthetic.
Speaker 2 (01:01):
Literally vintage app cycler.
Speaker 1 (01:05):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (01:06):
Seller also does some awesome, awesome, awesome money in his
spare time.
Speaker 1 (01:10):
We were just saying off the mic, this guy's multi fested, bro.
He's lived a life.
Speaker 2 (01:14):
He has lived a life.
Speaker 1 (01:16):
And you'll hear more about it right now.
Speaker 2 (01:21):
Welcome back to another episode of Island Roots Aokland Ways,
and we are honored to be joined by the one
that only the Creative King himself You're done, aka created Sarah.
Speaker 1 (01:31):
Welcome to eight.
Speaker 3 (01:34):
Because the mixture you Jordan, but figure would give you
extra because you got.
Speaker 2 (01:42):
I love that. I'm Alissa withth so my appearans are
also very extramet.
Speaker 1 (01:49):
Come through, Jord and welcome to the flavor of Fundy.
How are you going?
Speaker 3 (01:52):
I'm good. Thank you for having me here.
Speaker 1 (01:54):
Of course, you have tricked quite a long way to
be here today.
Speaker 3 (01:58):
Come from Wellie in Newtown.
Speaker 2 (01:59):
Why is there like a because well he's O four.
Is there like an area code for Newtown?
Speaker 1 (02:06):
Oh yeah?
Speaker 3 (02:07):
Oh geez, I mean like a postcode. I don't know.
People just say Newtown.
Speaker 2 (02:11):
Okay, yeah, lame yeah, so it can't be cool like
I love that?
Speaker 1 (02:17):
Oh well, jore D. Every episode we share what we
love about home, wherever you currently love, where you were born,
where ever most feels like home to you. What is
home and what do you love about it? We'll start
off first, and this week I love about home, my flatties.
I love my flat mate.
Speaker 2 (02:34):
I love that for you.
Speaker 1 (02:35):
Kira and Renee, they are queens. I found the flat
actually because Kira I used to do comms with at
aut and so we kind of knew each other. But
I feel like I've gotten to know her better since
living in the flat, and it's just so chill. Like
we were having discussions out in the Flavor office about
me going flatting because this is my first time leaving home,
(02:57):
and so everyone was like, watch out for the dynamics
and like you gotta watch out for this and make
sure you create this roster because people are missing, and
just watch out for this that I don't need to
worry about all of it. It's like living with my family,
to be honest, I love that, and I think it's
because I'm living with brown people. Yeah, truly, that's the
underlying fact.
Speaker 2 (03:14):
Yeah, did you go floating in your twinings? No, I'm
assuming you're not in your.
Speaker 3 (03:21):
Yeah, thank you?
Speaker 1 (03:23):
How old you are?
Speaker 3 (03:24):
Thirty seven?
Speaker 1 (03:25):
What? That is crazy? That's why that's crazy. I thought
the same, and Semi Soulser came up. Se he was
thirty nine, and I was like, I was, yag thirty seven.
How is your thirties late thirties?
Speaker 3 (03:36):
It's cool, Like, so I was a teenage dad, so
I didn't actually have that to go flooding. I needed
their final support and yeah, I was always with my family.
Speaker 2 (03:44):
But.
Speaker 3 (03:46):
Yeah, yeah, like I'm start, I'm doing everything backwards. Yeah,
and that's what I tell my son, Like, you know,
I have my kid first, and I'll work my way
up to get a job and then maybe i'll study.
Speaker 1 (03:57):
Yeah you know I do.
Speaker 3 (03:58):
You own my own house, so that's pretty cool.
Speaker 2 (04:00):
Congratulations.
Speaker 3 (04:01):
Everything's kind of backwards for me.
Speaker 1 (04:02):
But andestions on you are a drip. Yeah. I want
to be like you. And sometimes I've been falling out
to places and bloody twenty three, I look like forty three.
Speaker 3 (04:14):
Wow.
Speaker 2 (04:14):
That one thing about Marin and I. We never look
like we're going to the same event.
Speaker 1 (04:18):
No, never go to pace. Yeah, except radio radio. Well
that's what I love about Home this week.
Speaker 2 (04:26):
What I love about Home this week, I think it's
just money Dealer in general. It's just like a vibe.
I'm from money, you were born and raised, and I
love Rework and I've recently come across some re were
haters and I just don't. I don't need their energy.
We were to sixty seven, Yeah.
Speaker 1 (04:43):
I used to because I'm so patriotic about coming from Mangoity,
you know.
Speaker 2 (04:48):
But you can two things can be true at once. Yeah,
you can be proud of being from a Mangoti, you
can still.
Speaker 1 (04:53):
Enjoy truly, what I will say about rewa vot driving
on Rosscommon Road has to be one of the scariest
things ever.
Speaker 2 (05:02):
Yeah. And also when people drop me off to my house,
I don't drive Jordan, so I have to get rides everywhere.
They always like this is the hood. Like I don't
think people realize, like I actually come from money dealer,
not a nice part of money dealer. I come from
the place where these like potholes that the council can't
be bother fixing, you know, burning rubbish as Jordan with
the way I said, Yes, it's not do be giving that. Yeah,
(05:25):
it's I love forever. What about you children? Do you
love about home?
Speaker 3 (05:32):
Yeah? I guess. I mean I live in Wellingsome, but
home for me is cow. So one of the beautiful
things about cold is the community and the people, but
just the surroundings and the environment. So we've got a forest,
We've got a lake, we've got a river, we've got activity.
Whoa we have a free pools as well, community pools
(05:53):
so that everyone can access to. We've got a beautiful lake,
heated pools.
Speaker 2 (05:56):
Are you being paid by like Calido tourist round.
Speaker 3 (06:01):
It's just such a beautiful community. People are lovely and
my dog is still there. So when I moved to
leave my kidy there, so shout out to comment his name's.
Speaker 2 (06:11):
Comment what a great name, good name.
Speaker 3 (06:14):
He is living his best life and com.
Speaker 2 (06:19):
Do you ever go make him as a comment?
Speaker 3 (06:21):
Yeah, he doesn't really care too much for me nowadays.
You left me here.
Speaker 1 (06:31):
What do you recommend us going to cold?
Speaker 3 (06:33):
Yeah? One hundred? Yeah, yeah, yeah, what is the ticket? Ticket? Dogs?
Speaker 1 (06:46):
What's getting me is the forest get into?
Speaker 3 (06:48):
Yeah, we've got a chance. We've got a beautiful river,
tuttle the river and that leads to like the Tuttle
w Monga, and there's a beautiful waterfalls they called the
Tutle where the falls Instagram like, okay, so that's part
of it. You'd enjoy I love I mean, we could
take you hunting like the boys.
Speaker 2 (07:10):
I can see you hunting. I feel like making.
Speaker 1 (07:12):
I'd love that. I like trying new things. I haven't
done hunting clearly. I can see you out.
Speaker 3 (07:17):
There, rainbow stars just in the forest, knife gun.
Speaker 2 (07:21):
Yeah, are hunting? Boom boom boom? Is it like dear
have a crowd?
Speaker 3 (07:30):
Balls? Yeah? Sometimes it's paste out there to get rid
of those. I mean, then the flip side, so we're
real close to the coast so we can get fishing
as well.
Speaker 2 (07:42):
I like fishing. I like being on a boat. Yeah,
so funny. People will know you best from your vintage
up cycling and selling on Instagram. But I kind of
want to skip ahead the conversation a little bit because
it seems like you're a bit of a sustain ability guy,
like being out in the forest out getting that Kimwana
(08:04):
is your roots in Caledo kind of an influence on that.
How did you get into this kind of sustainability mind's it?
Speaker 3 (08:12):
Yeah, so like many I guess Maori. So my mom's Maori.
My dad sawmone and both of them were born in
New Zealand. So the narrative for me was real, I
guess different because my dad had a New Zealand kind
of experience and what that meant for me, I guess
was what I kind of gained economically, I lost culturally,
(08:33):
and so I did. My mom was from oh yoh,
from the side. She's from T three eight wow, shout
out to dark side, so deep, so far, and yeah,
she's she was like her family are like market gardeners.
Do you know that movie Mazion? Yes, yes, so my
(08:55):
uncle wrote and directed that movie. Wow Potato spots because
but we kind of like, yeah, it was kind of
a racist.
Speaker 2 (09:05):
Community with the color bars and yeah.
Speaker 3 (09:08):
So there's a book called No Maori Allowed. My fin
are a big part of that. So connection from our
culture real, and those sorts of things were very real
for us. And then my dad kind of similar brought
up in the Salmon family, but he kind of distanced
and that kind of I don't know, he lived that
worldly life and yeah, and then he married a Maori
(09:34):
lady and kind of, I guess in his own way,
distanced himself from his culture as well. So I came
along and I was like, who am I kind of
reconnecting with both sides, I suppose, And it was through
like and like learning about Pu and Kaue and learning
values and then how it's kind of implemented in our lives.
(09:56):
And that's what influenced the whole fashion thing. It was like, Wow,
I spend so much money on I got all these
I won't name them, but I'll go to the malls,
right and I get yeah, we know the brain Yeah, yeah, yeah,
and so the whole op shopping idea, and then realizing
that all of the best clothes are actually at the
op shop yeah, and really cheap, and sometimes in my size,
(10:21):
which is hard to find.
Speaker 1 (10:23):
So yes, because you're tall and I'm also tall, and
that's hard to find our sizes because all the skinny
so they can look baggy. That's my actual truth side.
Speaker 3 (10:32):
Yeah, yeah, yeah for sure. So that's kind of like
I guess, the the inception of it, and then just
built on from there as I developed and grew to
like more clothes and find more clothes. Wow, this is cool,
and then figured out that actually I could probably turn
this into a business, so started selling clothes that I
was finding and learning about the amount of clothes that
(10:55):
goes to waste. Op shops are crazy. So the current
on Newtown that I connect with every month, they have
to cull, so they actually have to go through their
racks and get rid of a lot of stuff because
they've got a whole stock room that needs to come
out and those clothes goes that goes to the landfall.
And you think about every single op shop in the
(11:15):
country that has to do that.
Speaker 2 (11:17):
Wow, it is like wild.
Speaker 3 (11:19):
Yeah, it's crazy. So that's where the upcycling comes in.
And I was like, man, I need to, well, one,
make me some clothes that fit me. So that's kind
of where the sewing comes in because I wanted to
make my own clothes and then at the same time
it's try and reuse as much as we can.
Speaker 2 (11:36):
I love that. And I also, I mean, it's in
your name one hundred percent, like creative Taro. I feel
like there's no mistaking that you're proud to be like
Pacific and Mardi. It's just like us with our tidle
island roots, orkand ways, Like there's no mistaking. It's like
it's a positionality statement. Don't mess with me on this.
So the fact that you're able to build in like
(11:57):
those cultural values and those culture with into your practice
within your practice is so it's so cool. Did you
start up cycling with the intention to have a business
out of it or were you just like I need
to make clothes that for me or I want to
but of both yeah.
Speaker 3 (12:16):
Yeah. So the finding sizes, you know, closing your size
is very real. So the whole idea around well, just
gonna make my own it's like going to be I'm
going to have the only like shirt I made it.
It's one of one. Yea stunting on everybody out here.
So that kind of influenced that part as well. And
then yeah, the value stuff is really important, just like
(12:39):
the whole reconnecting with your culture.
Speaker 2 (12:42):
So cool.
Speaker 1 (12:43):
What are some of the learnings or challenges that you've
come along the way in this journey.
Speaker 3 (12:49):
There's heaps in terms of business. I think it was
such a great business model because it didn't require a
lot of investment, So a young person out there like listening,
you can actually start today and what I do. So
I had ten dollars with me and my son. We
were in and I had decided that instead of buying
(13:12):
clothes for ourselves, we're going to actually create this and
turn this into a business, build us you know, some
multiple revenue streams, and so we turned the ten dollars
into I think forty wow. And then we just figured
out kind of business acumen I suppose with very little
(13:32):
like investment or capital, having to you know, the risk
of losing all that money. Ten bucks suite as all good. Yeah,
maybe to'll lose that if this, you know, falls down,
but just starting there and then building on it like
starting small and just continually growing and growing. It's probably
one of the biggest things I learned. And then the
importance of social media I.
Speaker 1 (13:52):
Was just about to ask, because that would have been
instrumental in promoting yourself right.
Speaker 3 (13:57):
One hundred percent. Like, and I feel for small businesses
because you kind of if you want to run a
small business, now you also have to be a full
time content creator, truly truly like you kind of you know, yeah,
ruining yourself if you don't. Yeah, almost a certain degree.
(14:18):
So that has been real pivotal, and that's something I
really preach to other people as well, like, make sure
your content's on be authentic, be yourself, make it engaging.
And sometimes it's the most mundane activities that people can
really get into.
Speaker 1 (14:32):
Yeah, that's what you don't expect to.
Speaker 3 (14:34):
Blow it to it. Yeah yeah, And I just sometimes
I'm so like, I'll make hats and they're not selling,
So in my head, I'm like, Okay, how do I
move this? How do I get eyes on this? So
what I'll do is I'll create content that's like comedy based, yes,
and then I'll wear the products and then I'll make
a funny skit or whatever. Get some attention, and then
(14:56):
in the comments people are like, bro, that hats me.
An you come in with the sales, like, hey bro,
it's actually available, follow the link and then it turns
into a sales So, like.
Speaker 2 (15:10):
I think you're hilarious. Like the skits you make and
the reels you make are very, very, very funny. Have
you always made stuff like that on social media? Or what?
Did the light switch flip one day and you were like,
you know what I want to do. I want to
add in a bit of comedy and like my funniness
and my personality to this.
Speaker 3 (15:30):
Yeah. So my roots are actually in performing arts, so
natural progression and like you guys are like like many
Brown people, we're multi with the talents. Yes, so and
then that's where the whole creative tire thing comes in.
I'm not just creative in one aspect. I do a
whole bunch of stuff. Yeah, and just kind of leveraging
(15:50):
off the skill sets I hear, because like I said,
no money, no capital sets to start this business. But
what I do have is my skills. Yeah, so let's
use them so you have vantage. So yeah, that whole
comedy and just trying to be clever with the you know,
I mean, it's an attention economy that we're in, and
how do I get people's attention. So it's either jokes
or you know, pictures of me and a bikini. So
(16:12):
I had to choose.
Speaker 1 (16:18):
Read outdoor and shower.
Speaker 3 (16:20):
Just in the in the beach and the thing. I thought, Yeah,
people aren't gonna like that. I'll do the comedy route.
Speaker 2 (16:27):
Oh I love that. What kind of performing outs? Did
you like? Grow up in church singing?
Speaker 4 (16:31):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (16:32):
So my dad's coal so seven Davin. We do a
lot of singing, not a whole lot of cultural stuff.
But then I also attended people, I know, if you're familiar.
Speaker 2 (16:43):
People no no, no, no, no no, the.
Speaker 1 (16:46):
Iconic people, stuff like Institute of Performance.
Speaker 3 (16:49):
So I was tutored by Sean Coyle, Lady Chadwick.
Speaker 2 (16:52):
And yeah get out.
Speaker 3 (16:56):
So I had that in my bag. So when I
started this stuff was like cool, immediate, let me get
into their bag.
Speaker 1 (17:01):
And okay it's perfect, how peper?
Speaker 3 (17:03):
Yeah, life changing? Yeah, yeah, incredible. Without those people there
that mentored me and kind of took me under their wing,
I wouldn't have had the experiences that I had soon
And that's I guess part of the my son calls
it the law l O creative tires. Yeah you've done this,
done that, like so yeah, I managed to do a
(17:25):
few TV gigs, a few movies, short films okay, yes, yeah,
Like I've been part of the New Comedy Festival, performed
the Herald Theater. I've done all sorts of stuff. I
did ad last year, like someone who still remembers me
ringro can you audition for this ad? We've gone. That's
all good.
Speaker 1 (17:44):
I see paper kids all the time and ads, it's
so good.
Speaker 3 (17:47):
Yeah. Yeah, I saw one of the boys. He was
just in like a corrections ad, and I remember.
Speaker 2 (17:55):
It is wild. I have a background and drama, so
I love I sure do.
Speaker 3 (18:01):
So.
Speaker 2 (18:01):
I love when I see people doing things that are
not connected to the performing arts entirely using that background
because for me, I mean, first of all, every job
requires acting, so it's it's great to have in my
in my back pocket and your repertoire and my repertoire,
but also the skills that studying drama or getting a
(18:23):
drama degree gave me like second to none. Like obviously
there's the lame, like walking around in a circle tending
you're an animal. There's those exercites that maybe probably don't
want to read ass this, Yeah, but like the people
skills and the confidence it gave me insane next level.
Speaker 3 (18:41):
I think too that one of the underrated things about
performing arts and acting in particular is the understanding of
human behavior. And when you have to kind of reenact
or be become a different person or a character, understand
their history, their backstory and whatnot, you actually start to
learn about other people, yes, and like you look at
them and what's what's the behind their behavior? And it
(19:06):
kind of comes from acting as well, like understanding your
roles and your character and the story plot and what
we're trying to achieve it. And I've kind of taking
that into like youth work as well. It's like, man,
this kid's playing out what's the behavior, what's the backstory
of this character? So it's a huge teaching performing. Okay,
he's on I m dB.
Speaker 1 (19:26):
I just.
Speaker 4 (19:32):
You know, so you should have goodness. It's crazy look
here on my camera.
Speaker 1 (19:44):
Wow wow, wow, I saw powerlifting as well.
Speaker 2 (19:57):
Yeah, yeah, your son is right, your law goes crazy.
Speaker 1 (20:03):
Oh jeez. Okay, So Jordan, we've had a few Samui
guests on the show recently and everyone has different experiences,
of course, but we want to know from you how
was that blended upbringing with both cultures.
Speaker 3 (20:16):
Wow. Man, that's such a I guess complex question in
a way. Yeah, Like I kind of touched on or
form with Mum and Dad. They were they like said,
Dad speaks pigeon someone, it's hilarious and it comes out
of nowhere sometimes. So he didn't speak it to us
(20:36):
in the house growing up, and then Mum doesn't call
it with it either, So kind of navigating that space
and identity wise was kind of tricky as well, because
Dad was taking us to church and I'd sit there
and local when they I was up there and talking
and I like my game to hell. But then I'd
(21:00):
go to the Madai with with my nanny who would
take me to poke around White Cottle and same thing.
I'm listening to the fight corded or listening to kut On'
what are they talking about? I'm going to go down
to the species and play down the room. So that, yeah,
that was quite tricky, hard to navigate. And then you're
dealing with that kind of external stuff at school as well,
(21:21):
like because I'm brown presenting and you know that comes
with some stereotypes that comes with some attitudes and behaviors
and how you're treated. So yeah, navigating that was kind
of tricky. So what I actually attached myself to was
like pop culture, so movies that I grew up with,
music and hip hop and arts was kind of became
(21:44):
my identity in sports as well. So yeah, Maldi and Salmon,
those kind of areas are also strong as well, Like
we're great performers, we are great athletes, we're great orators
and storytellers, and kind of my entry pointed to my
culture was through those kind of mediums, I suppose. So
(22:06):
Mum was funny. Mum was a hilarious Maldi girl from
and she like, let's be honestly out here being racist,
as my old man is like, ah, these moldy And
then there's like kind of dynamics, I suppose, but at
the same time realizing how very similar, yeah, at the
(22:27):
same time and finding those connections and beautiful things. But
my grandfather, beautiful man, man of very few words, but
he would always tell me how proud he was to
have Maori grandchild like grandchildren, and it.
Speaker 2 (22:41):
Was really cool.
Speaker 3 (22:41):
I was like cool because I couldn't have deep conversations
with him because he didn't speak very much English. So
I was just like he was always telling me, how proud,
and he's got these money, so maldi kids, you know,
like yeah. And then my grandmother who's from she just
she's she's gangster. She was just what, Yeah, you tell
(23:05):
them anybody you're someone like cool, Like you know, I
carry my grandfather's last name as well, Tweetmas, and you're
always very proud of that.
Speaker 2 (23:15):
I love that. That's really special.
Speaker 3 (23:21):
I mean even my name Taru, like Tarro is my
street name. It was actually my tag name when I
was a young fellow, so like even kind of with
my culture. Everyone said, I was like, you know, man,
you're huge, like as a kid, like you're a big bro,
like you're eating all the taro and that's kind of
the name come from something.
Speaker 1 (23:40):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (23:40):
Yeah, so tar became a hurt. I don't tag anymore guys,
So counsel, it wasn't me.
Speaker 1 (23:51):
So yeah, Jordan, you recently completed the course and the MAI,
So what has your real learning journey been?
Speaker 3 (23:58):
Like funny, it's hilarious, and because you know, you're kind
of dealing dealing with your trauma and your issues in
life and you're navigating the spaces and you're taking that
step into your culture and learning your language. I've gained
so much confidence because I've managed to make friends who
are just incredible orators and speakers, and they've given me
(24:23):
really great advice. So when it's coming from the likes
of these types of people, making yourself look silly or
not know things is okay. And they've told me that
it's normal. Break you don't know what you don't know.
Soon just make sure your consistencies there, you're keeping at
it and you're kind of implementing it in other areas
(24:44):
of your life as well. So, yeah, that journey has
been funny. That's why I said it's funny. It's real funny.
My dad actually speaks more Maldy than he does someone
really yeah, he out here is being so like, Yeah,
it's been it's interesting and just at home and my
(25:07):
both my younger sisters went through Kohunga and they're both
actually quite proficient, and and you got me who went
through mainstream, and I was the experiment because I was
I'm the eldest, okay, So that was the one that
they didn't know what to do.
Speaker 2 (25:22):
For the best.
Speaker 3 (25:23):
A lot of mistakes with it, I suppose, but yeah,
just trying to figure it out and just being vulnerable
enough and confident in what you don't know. Yeah, it's
been real key for me, Like having the confidence to
be like, actually, I don't know what you're talking about,
and you please explain it to me, because sometimes you
tell you the next to your classmates, they're actually thinking
(25:44):
the same thing, but that mum wise their shame that
they hold and of not wanting to ask just in
case they look silly. Yeah it looks silly, man, All good.
Speaker 2 (25:55):
Yeah, maybe that's something we need to take on.
Speaker 1 (25:58):
Looks silly looks, silly looks.
Speaker 3 (26:00):
Embrace the silliness.
Speaker 1 (26:02):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (26:03):
I feel like because I work in a bilingual community hub,
my to deal Maldi proficiency is a lot higher than
my young and a sawhat. And I feel like I
am allowed to look sillier learning to deal Mardy because
I'm not Mardy. You know, there's a less of an
illness because they're like, oh, we don't expect the salmon
girl to you know, be amazing at to deal Mardy.
(26:25):
That's fine, But then I feel so much pressure when
it comes to going to like Simonie language classes where
I'm like, oh my god, I don't know how to
pronounce my peeth very well, and you know, all of
a sudden, it's a lot more stressful, but we need
to embrace the sillinesses.
Speaker 1 (26:40):
It's such a good point. Yeah, there's less pressure about
speaking a language that's not yours your own.
Speaker 2 (26:47):
Did you ever feel more connected to one side of
your culture than the other growing up? No, okay, yeah,
I love.
Speaker 3 (26:53):
That interestingly, So I got taken everywhere in the car,
so I'll be going to all the different like church
events and family events on my som one side, and
then my sisters would be with my mom's side doing
all the Maori kind of stuff. But the intersect was
always there, like we yeah, but.
Speaker 2 (27:15):
Really, yeah that's great. That's not often the narrative.
Speaker 3 (27:18):
For a lot of I think. Yeah, Like to be honest, though,
I was. I was out on the streets as well though,
like from for real, Yeah, like it was there sarmon Maori,
but I was also out here trying to do other things.
Speaker 2 (27:31):
Other things.
Speaker 3 (27:35):
Yeah, that kind of identity crisis thing there, and like
identifying is something completely different. It was real, Like I
literally remember being in primary school with the ambition and
goal to become a gang member. Wow, Like that was
the goal, and that was what I had kind of
attached myself to for a very long time, so that
(27:58):
I guess it wasn't there for me because I had
something else, Yeah, and attached myself to this thing over here,
which was very present around me in my life. Like
my parents did really well for with what they had,
but the environment that we were in ourselves was not
the greatest. And so my influences and role models weren't
at the what I They weren't at the church, they
(28:21):
were out on the street. And so that's who I
gravitated towards and that's kind of been the the I guess,
the turning point for me to become a youth worker.
That's how that started as well. So I had to
turn away from the gang.
Speaker 1 (28:34):
And what got you out of that?
Speaker 3 (28:37):
My best friend who I grew up with was murdered. Yeah,
you'll stabbed to death. I'm yeah, that's all good. So
part of what I do is kind of in honor
of him and saying you're you're not going to wasteless life.
So he was only fourteen at the time, so I
was young, so that when that happened, you come to
a crossroad and you have to look yourself in the
(28:57):
mirror like is this actually worth it? Like what are
we really fighting for here?
Speaker 2 (29:02):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (29:02):
And why are we fighting our own Yeah? Yes, So
that was the turning point for me. It happened very young,
So me from that moment on, I was like, nah,
I need to we need to change the narrative and
break these damn stereotypes manly.
Speaker 2 (29:16):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (29:17):
Credits to you for looking in the mirror and you know,
trying to snap yourself out of it because it's hard.
Speaker 3 (29:23):
Yeah, for sure. I guess Crudos to my family actually,
who had You know, my parents are the type of
parents that they showed me what not to do. Yeah,
and they understand and they're cool with that. So some
of the things that I witnessed growing up wasn't great,
(29:44):
but being able to reflect and see the good things
that they also did. And so my nan she actually
went back like early nineties, late eighties, early nineties to
learn to il Maori again and then she became a
kayako at the quonga and then that so that you know,
her decision to do that, I guess impacted in that
(30:06):
trickle down. So my mum made a few good decisions
in life as well, enough for me to be able
to have opportunities. And now it's my teen to you know,
make a few good decisions and life say that my
son and my daughter can have some good opportunities as well. So,
I mean that's what intergenerational trauma is, right, and yeah,
we need it, you know, we actually need intergenerational solutions.
Speaker 2 (30:28):
Yeah, oh I love that. Yeah, breaking those cycles. Yeah.
Do you think being a father is also a huge
motivation for you then?
Speaker 3 (30:37):
Yeah, So I was a teenage dad. Yeah, eighteen was
when I found out I was going to be a father,
and another mirror moment.
Speaker 1 (30:47):
Mirror moment.
Speaker 3 (30:48):
So I didn't do too well in high school and
sport at that time, and performing arts was the only
kind of things I had in my bag and my
kids is so I took the sports routetually, got scouted
at the NRL. I played footy, and then I found
out I was going to have a kid, and I
just had to get a nine to five. You said, ah,
(31:10):
you know what, I need to take care of my
family at the time. He's here, he's in the studio. Man,
I should have just.
Speaker 1 (31:17):
Went living a Monday, no regrets, no regret, no regrets.
Speaker 3 (31:28):
Yeah, so another another mirror moment and then just deciding
again making good choices from then on. Howawa, because the
choices that I make now, like I'm in my thirties,
they're actually going to impact my grandchildren. So I need
to make some damn good ones. And we don't think
about fucker poppa and that kind of waste sometimes. And yeah,
(31:50):
I just want to make sure I make some good
moves now so that my grandkids can, you know, get
that Auckland grammar education could go to those fancy, fancy
schools that out never be able to get into.
Speaker 2 (32:02):
I went to a fancy spancy school. Yeah, I would
recommend round children anyway.
Speaker 1 (32:10):
Yeah, I went to school, and I don't know, we
are would see my children.
Speaker 2 (32:15):
Maybe just at schools in general. Maybe we need to
just overhaul the education system. Yeah, we can take that out.
Speaker 1 (32:25):
So Yeah, eighteen, you're scouted by the NRL, you find
out that you're having a child, and then you go
into a nine.
Speaker 3 (32:34):
To five job.
Speaker 1 (32:36):
Was there like a little bit of your heart that
was just like withering away?
Speaker 3 (32:40):
Yeah at that time, because I kind of had I
was content that my sporting career was over, and that
was fine, all good, sweet airs because that shelf life's
very short anyway. So then the performing arts thing come about,
and you know, I'm getting that the family family text credits.
(33:04):
You're relying on that to be able to get nephies
and formula and whatnot, and then that whole like wanting
to I just needed more money. Man out here being broke,
I got a young family. What could I do to
change this? You know, what's a good decision that I
could make? So I went down the performing arts are up,
moves out to Auckland and rolled to people. Yep, did
(33:27):
a few gigs here and there, made some money. Yeah,
opened up some other doors and avenues as well.
Speaker 1 (33:32):
We are going to move on to our rapid fire
Kim now, but I feel like Alissa should leaders one.
Speaker 2 (33:36):
Okay, So I apologize, Jordan. I didn't know you were
a league guy. I thought you liked every kind of rugby,
So I'm really sorry. But what we've got for our
rapid fire QMU today is a blind ranking of PACIFICA
rugby players. So what I'm going to do is I'm
going to say a name, and there's going to be
five positions like one, two, three, four, five. So I'm
(33:57):
going to say a name and you can put it
anywhere on that five. But you don't know what name
is coming next. So you can either pick based on
like goat status, or you can pick based on like
your favorite player. So does it makes does it make sense?
Speaker 1 (34:10):
Okay?
Speaker 2 (34:10):
Cool?
Speaker 1 (34:10):
Thank you?
Speaker 2 (34:11):
Because? Okay, So the first player Jonah one one immediately Okay,
that's like you've got every other position lf.
Speaker 3 (34:25):
Like Joan.
Speaker 2 (34:27):
Legend.
Speaker 3 (34:28):
He's the greatest player we've ever had in the world.
Speaker 2 (34:30):
Yeah, he's pretty iconic. Okay, first someone rugby player for
the All Blacks, Sir Brian Williams. See do you want to?
Should I tell you what I would put her at?
For me? He's a five only because I'm not of
that era.
Speaker 3 (34:47):
I'm just thinking about paving the way that too, and
that erar.
Speaker 2 (34:53):
It's pretty iconic. Is like in the Rugby Hall of Fame.
Speaker 3 (34:56):
Let me put on four four?
Speaker 2 (34:59):
Okay, you're nice?
Speaker 3 (35:01):
Where else we go?
Speaker 2 (35:02):
Okay?
Speaker 1 (35:02):
Okay, so we've got one four so far to.
Speaker 3 (35:07):
Let me put it at five.
Speaker 2 (35:12):
Maybe two is my fave. Okay, I've got two and
three left?
Speaker 3 (35:19):
Right? Was he your first someone All Blacks captain.
Speaker 2 (35:26):
Oh can you fact chick there?
Speaker 3 (35:30):
Yeah, I don't know who you got next to?
Speaker 2 (35:32):
Something like the last one is pretty iconic.
Speaker 3 (35:36):
Okay, let me put it three.
Speaker 2 (35:38):
You put them at three? Yes, well now I'm scared
of over iconic. Okay. Number five the iceman Michael Jones
easy too easy, too easy to Okay. Since you are
a league guy, though, who's your favorite League player of
all time? Is there a favorite?
Speaker 3 (35:55):
Yeah? There is, I like the biggest fan boy. He
doesn't play anymore. Okay, but like I was advocating for
him all the way through, man, like every step of
his career.
Speaker 1 (36:10):
I've just oh, I think I know who it is.
Speaker 3 (36:14):
It's the reason why I sent my son to Megs.
Speaker 1 (36:16):
I don't think I do think it is absolutely Doggies.
Speaker 3 (36:22):
Yeah, yeah, Dogies Sonny. But Williams, Yeah, he's my.
Speaker 2 (36:27):
He was going to be on my list.
Speaker 3 (36:29):
He's my goat. I was actually waiting for him to
pop up. That's why I can Sonny is like, yeah,
he's allegiance. I don't think we give him enough credit. No, no,
and off the field stuff for sight. I'm talking on
the field only, like what he was able to do.
Speaker 1 (36:49):
Oh, yeah, Jack of all trades, master, incredible, master out
to s b W my favor.
Speaker 2 (37:04):
And how would you make Jordan Rickey.
Speaker 3 (37:09):
You got to win a few in our premierships first? Yeah, yeah,
I mean, what are we talking here, Jordan, come on.
Speaker 1 (37:15):
No, I'm talking looks. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (37:22):
Also Joseph, Yeah, please, my favorite.
Speaker 1 (37:25):
Get into Joseph because I saw him doing an interview
with jerreml Way and I.
Speaker 2 (37:30):
Was like, damn, I saw the interview.
Speaker 3 (37:33):
Too crazy.
Speaker 1 (37:33):
He's moving though.
Speaker 3 (37:34):
I think you know, I want to make a case
for Bunty four. I think you I mean the personality
to go with the I put him.
Speaker 2 (37:46):
Yeah, I wish I knew more. I'm so sorry, guys.
Any other person.
Speaker 1 (37:55):
From the Worst. I think I've interviewed him before at
nine on the What about.
Speaker 2 (38:01):
Sell Harris Tabita?
Speaker 3 (38:03):
Yeah, he is a handsome boy.
Speaker 2 (38:07):
Nothing about the Is he a good player? I don't know.
Speaker 3 (38:09):
Yeah, he's good. He's very good.
Speaker 1 (38:10):
Okay, Martin did well absolutely that game against the Cowboys.
Speaker 3 (38:17):
Regards guys for.
Speaker 1 (38:21):
Sorry, oh gosh, well, Jordane, that's all we have time for.
Thank you so much for coming into Alan roots Aukland ways,
Thank you, guys, And then we have another episode of
Island Roots Aukland Ways, thank you Jordan for coming on,
and hopefully we can go to Colo.
Speaker 2 (38:38):
Sure surely basically an Aird him coming.
Speaker 1 (38:43):
On here, we'll have the lis like the Hunting Legister
were going, well.
Speaker 2 (38:48):
Yeah, we'll make it work.
Speaker 1 (38:50):
Yeah, any excuse to by hunting and fishing
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