‘O le tagata ma lona aiga, o le tagata ma lona fa’asinomaga.’

‘Every person belongs to a family, and every family belongs to a person’ 

Our neighbors in Mangere have four generations across a two bedroom dilapidated uninsulated house and a skyline shed, and all we hear is nothing but prayer, laughter and singing from them.

It is not so common among white families in New Zealand. Most elect to give Rymans health care obscene amounts of money instead.

Arranged on a stringent east - west axis, with the grand parents in the west and toddlers in the east for obvious reasons. 

An interior of sumptuous kauri and colour, warmth and laughter, these homes resonate with its occupants and simply enjoy the suns movement across the sky.

It’s a long run of sensuous Samoa in semi rural Christchurch.