Bred in South Auckland

1. Bred in South Auckland Glenn Colquhoun

2. Basic Information • It is a four stanza poem without any rhyme. • It is part of a collection of poems dealing with identity.

3. Stanza 1 • I drive a car that is falling apart. • There is a bog in the body. • There is rust in the doors. • Occasionally it does not have a warrant. • Sometimes I sleep in large rooms full of people. • I eat too much fried bread. • I am late to meetings. • I go to housie. • My nose is flat. • I say Raw-tore-loo-uh. • Some people think I am a bloody maori, The first 3 lines are about the poor state of the car ,implies poverty. Refers to sleeping on a marae Reference to poor diets. Physical description.

4. The last line uses low level swearing (“bloody”) to outline the stereotype. • All written in first person- who is the ‘I’?

5. Stanza 2 Lines 1 + 4 are about education. Implies that Pakeha are educated. I have been to university. I have a student loan. I photocopy my tax returns. Most mornings I read the newspaper. I make lists of things I have to do and like to cross them off. I cut apples into quarters before I eat them, Then I cut the pips out. I put my name on things. I listen to talkback radio. I use EFTPOS. Some people think I am a typical pakeha. Lines 3 + 5 imply Pakeha are organised people. Line 10 implies they are up with technology.

6. The last line is written properly. Using “proper English”. Not derogatory. • Still in first person- who is “I” ?

7. Stanza 3 First 3 lines imply Asians are bad drivers. • Last week I drove into a red light, • I did not slow down at a compulsory stop, • I changed lanes on the motorway and did not use my indicator. • When I was a boy I went to see Enter the Dragon, • I took one lesson in kung fu. • My parents made me do my homework. • My brother gave me chinese burns. • I like beef and pork flavoured two minute noodles. • I light incense when the house smells. • Once I dug a garden. • Some people think I am a blasted asian. Asian Influenced movie. Reference to Asians being hard working and brainy. Reference to market gardens.

8. Last line again uses low level swearing “blasted” to outline the stereotype.

9. Stanza 4 When I was a boy I learned to swear in Samoan. I went to school in Mangere. I played rugby in bare feet, Sometimes I shop at the Otara markets. My family come from overseas. I used to work in a factory. Once I helped cook an umu. When it is summer I wear a lavalava. I drink pineapple juice. I like to eat corned beef. Some people think I must be a flaming coconut. South Auckland is predominantly Samoan and Maori. ‘ Mangere, Otara. Line 3 implies both poverty and tradition. Factory work is a low- skill level job. lavalava= traditional dress. Lines 9+ 10 are products of Samoa.

10. The last line uses a derogatory reference to Samoans to outline the stereotype.

11. “I think I am the luckiest mongrel I know.” • The last line of the poem resolves the issues of who is the “I”. I is the speaker and the speaker is all of the qualities of each of the stereotypes- a mongrel or mixed breed. Not one specific race. • Being a mongrel means he gets the best bits of each culture.

12. Themes: Identity and the importance of not judging people based on stereotypes. • The ‘mongrel’ reflects the multicultural nature of NZ society.