Area is vibrant and colourful
Stella Cattle, 75, Manurewa Local Board member, lives in Wattle Downs
How long have you lived here and where are you originally from?
I came to New Zealand on holiday in the mid-1970s from the United Kingdom to visit my late sister. I loved it so much that I returned the following year to live in Manurewa.
Give me three words that come to mind when I say ‘South Auckland’ and why did you choose these three?
Diverse, challenging, and vibrant. I saw the diversity when I was doing citizenship ceremonies in Manukau. You see faces of people from everywhere. There’s amazing colour and vibrancy. It really struck me how lucky we are to have that diversity in this area. It’s challenging because people have perceptions about other people and ethnic groups. It’s vibrant because you can go to concerts at the Auckland Botanic Gardens or Nathan Homestead and see so much colour. We’ve got Diwali, Chinese New Year, the Lunar Festival and Waitangi Day.
Where’s the best place to buy dinner in the South?
Volare Italian Restaurant and
Be proud of who you are. It’s very easy to doubt yourself, particularly if you come from what’s perceived to be a lower income area. Just look at all the wonderful people from South Auckland who have achieved so much. Living in this area is amazing. The challenge is that people from South Auckland get knocked all the time. They have to be strong to get over that.
What’s one trial or struggle that you’ve overcome?
Being a solo mother of two young children in a new country. I had never been on my own before. I’d had my parents, my ex- husband, and I learned so many things. It scared me because I had no one to bounce anything off. It’s an immense challenge bringing up children on your own. It made me aware how hard it is for many people.
Is there a particular place in South Auckland you like going to or that you’d recommend to tourists?
The Auckland Botanic Gardens [in Manurewa]. It’s a beautiful, peaceful and serene place. I like walking around there and going for a cup of coffee with family and friends. There’s so much going on with people walking dogs and children playing but you can still find a place to get away from it all.
If I was Auckland’s mayor I’d …
Sort out the transport and litter problems. We’ve got to educate people that when they drop litter someone else has to pick it up. When I first came here I noticed how clean it was. There was no litter or graffiti. The Manukau Beautification Charitable Trust is doing great work in this area. The traffic problems can be fixed but it will cost money and we have to be prepared to pay for it. We have to get infrastructure ready before we start building houses.
Who is the Kiwi you admire most?
Helen Clark comes to mind. I had a bit to do with her when she was Prime Minister. I didn’t agree with all of her policies but what you saw was what you got. She’s honest and upfront and she’s a woman who made it possible for other women to say ‘I can do this’. If she said she was going to do something, she did it.
When I’ve got a few free hours I like to…
Spend time with family and friends, garden, read, and create cards.