The mighty west

Karanama Ruru is a te ao Māori and youth affairs reporter for Stuff who grew up in West Auckland.

OPINION: My childhood can be summed up in one memory – driving along West Coast Rd with the sound of west Auckland’s own Blindspott’s Phlex on the radio as the sun shone above us on a summer’s day in the year of our lord 2007.

I put on my Oakleys as the gel from my spikedup hair melted in the sun.

Teenagers (and adults) would roll around the streets of Glen Eden in 2004 Subaru STi’s playing Linkin Park, Metallica and/or Limp Bizkit out of beat-up speakers as families would head out to the west coast beaches.

Growing up in West Auckland in the 2000s brought a number of good memories, particularly around community and nature.

I also, however, remember the police cars, sounds of domestic violence and later on, shootings.

West Auckland is one of Auckland’s most naturally beautiful areas. From the large communities of Avondale to the rolling hills of the Waitākere Ranges, to the west coast beaches, there is something for everyone.

I grew up in the suburbs of Glen Eden and Oratia, about a 25-minute drive from the CBD out west, however the environments often couldn’t be any different.

What are concrete structures in Auckland Central are trees out west, what is a $6.50 flat white in the city is larger and cheaper out west, and what is people dressing in designer-wear to pop out to the Auckland waterfront is people showing up to Henderson mall in their pyjamas.

I wouldn’t have it any other way.

A LAND OF DIVERSITY

I grew up in a suburb that ended up as a melting pot of people from all backgrounds, ethnicities and cultures – where the famed Hoani Waititi Marae stands, the Masjid e Bilal Mosque and Independent Samoan Assembly of God church are located just three minutes down the road. Just walking down the street I grew up on had multiple smells of different foods and spices around dinner time – and the data backs this up.

According to 2018 Census data, in the three local boards that make up West Auckland (Henderson-Massey, Waitākere Ranges and Whau) 28.7% of people identify as Asian (compared to 28.2% in wider Auckland), 18.3% as Pacific Peoples (compared to 15.5% in Auckland), and 13.9% as Māori (compared to 11.5% Auckland).

As a kid, I was constantly exposed to different peoples of different identities, something I 100% agree is a privilege.

WESTIES

The te ara dictionary defines the term ‘‘Westie’’ as ‘‘a male working-class Pākehā, who is macho, lawless, and lacks taste. Westies are often identified by their mullet haircut – short on the sides and long at the back.’’

However, the inner Westie can come out of anyone, I believe, no matter how you identify.

The Westie subculture places emphasis on casual dress, heavy rock music and cars – essentially our take on the ‘‘bogan’’.

In my opinion, the Westie is a fine specimen: as a child and teenager I would admire the DBdrinking champions as they rode around in their Nissan Skyline chariots. Their mulleted hair would blow gracefully in the wind as their Oakley sunglasses and DC cap protected their weathered eyes.

While not all West Aucklanders are like this, many certainly were.

The Westie is not just a get up, it’s a way of life. It inspired the West Auckland-based drama series Outrageous Fortune, one of the most popular shows in New Zealand history.

I still remember the first time I heard Rage Against the Machine out of someone’s car speaker, as they cruised around Parrs Park – and it is still something I listen for to confirm the culture is alive and well.

THE CHALLENGES

There were, and still are, however, challenges to living on the ‘‘west side’’.

Glen Eden is now, unfortunately, an area now largely known for the 2021 incident that saw the death of a man who claimed his house had been firebombed before being shot by police.

It was an incident that shocked a community. The site was blessed, and has remained empty since – a solemn reminder of a horrific day.

This has not been the only stint of violence in the region.

While much of it can be attributed to historical neglect and racism, crime out west was a constant for me growing up. Police cars, assaults, domestic violence and drug use were common.

West Auckland was also one of the epicentres of a synthetic cannabis abuse outbreak.

Although I was fortunate to be raised in a family that didn’t need to deal with anything like that, many were not so lucky.

I no longer live there, having moved due to the unwillingness to commute to work every day, but I do still enjoy heading back out there not only to see family, but also to take in the memories and nostalgia of a place I will always call home.

This is a Public Interest Journalism funded role through NZ On Air