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Top of the Lake, This Is The New Zealand Lifestyle
Top of the Lake, the acclaimed New Zealand writer and director Jane Campion’s mini series, has concluded on Sundance channel.
This series is excellent, and should be used as a reference if people ask you what it is really like to live in New Zealand, or when you are asked why you left such a glorious place.
If you’re one of the people taken in by the New Zealand advertising hype and seriously contemplating a relocation to the most remote country on earth, this series is such a gritty, brutally honest depiction of the New Zealand lifestyle for so many people that you need to watch it.
You could, of course, also watch Once Were Warriors, to get an understanding of the under-current of violence in the country, but Top of the Lake gives a far better appreciation of the real day to day issues, including those of the status of women in this small nation, children perpetuating the cycle of violence and abuse, incest, child rape and youth suicide.
New Zealand is a great place to bring up kids, are you sure of that?
There are some quotes from the final reviews:
Salon.com: “]As GJ (Holly Hunter) says, “we’re up in a place called Paradise, but is everything okay? Of course not.”
Hitflix.com: “Throughout, Campion and collaborators Garth Davis and Gerald Lee did an excellent job of making that community a place where I could gawk at the scenery and yet never, ever want to visit.”
Slate.com “I did like how it kind of made sense of the actual biggest mystery of Top of the Lake, which is, as a friend of mine put it, why does nobody in this town care about rape?…talk about a rape culture“
Top of the Lake, The New Zealand Lifestyle Writ Large
Earlier this year we blogged about the UKTV/BBC mini series Top of the Lake, filmed in and around Queenstown and Lake Moke, directed by Jane Campion and Garth Davis the series co-stars Holly Hunter, Peter Mullan and Lucy Lawless.
In the land where fantasy has officially become reality it’s good to see a show which presents Zealand in a more realistic, down to earth way. In this series reality has become fantasy.
The story line of Top of the Lake goes to some very dark places physically and metaphorically as it follows the unexplained disappearance of Tui and the back stories of its main characters.
Tui is a raped and pregnant twelve year old from a small NZ township and the daughter of a local drug lord with psychopathic tendencies. Yes, there are drug lords in New Zealand and teen pregnancy is not just an issue but a big one. NZ has one of the highest rates of teen pregnancy in the developed world and its abortion rates aren’t far behind.
Tui is played by Jacqueline Joe who gave a strong performance in the opening episode.
But the stronger appearance was that of the darkly brooding and often harsh NZ landscape and the people who inhabit it. The sub text is this is a hard place that breeds hard people who mistake hardness for toughness, there is little room for joy in life. Even in Paradise there are snakes in the grass, and the grass is yellow.
The storyline wastes no time in exploring some uncomfortable truths about New Zealand in a very succinct fashion.
In the first scene we are blasted with the taboo subject of youth suicide ( a major problem in New Zealand and the highest for girls in the OECD) teen pregnancy, abortion, child abuse, domestic violence, children having access to firearms, male police officers’ insensitivity to rape victims (Louise Nicholas) casual murder (of an estate agent) by drowning (NZ drownings rates are high with over 100 annually) and drugs. All of which are uncomfortable truths New Zealand doesn’t want the outside world to examine too closely.
“It sounds patronising, but sometimes I feel sorry for New Zealand. We’re a curious anomaly. One day the country is rated as one of the best places in the world to live, most peaceful, best quality of life, best cities to visit, best coastline, best leisure sports. For such a small population, we do incredibly well at certain things and appear, from the outside, to be at one with the environment. Yet, at the same time, there’s high teen suicide and pregnancy rates, high alcohol consumption, high rates of bullying, domestic violence and child abuse.
If New Zealand is such a fabulous place to live, why are we leaving?…” read more on MSN Money NZ
This sort of dirty laundry is best washed in private and New Zealanders are unaccustomed to seeing anything but positive messages about their country, usually set against a backdrop of CGI enhanced scenery reaffirming for them how good it is to live there. Accordingly, we predict there will be a backlash against the series within New Zealand, for being too realistic, too dour and too damn entertaining.
We have a feeling that Top of the Lake is going to be compulsory viewing alongside Once Were Warriors for anyone wanting to get a taste for the real New Zealand lifestyle.
Have you seen the series, what did you think about it? Let us know.
Reviews
News Daily: The Miami Herald
“The pregnancy and the girl’s eerie attempt to commit suicide by walking into a lake are clearly only the tip of an evil iceberg in Lakeside, a gorgeous little mountain town that looks like a resort but is populated mostly with rednecks and loons. The spectrum of social deviancy runs from the nutball inhabitants of a feminist commune full of women fleeing everything from abusive husbands to killer chimpanzees on one end, to murderous pedophiles on the other…Creepy and cockeyed, unholy and unnerving, Top Of The Lake is riveting stuff.”
“It’s a meticulous, lived-in police procedural, a portrait of a specific community, and a look at the pervasive sexism that complicates nearly every transaction between men and women, professional or personal…
Campion’s narrative landscapes are as female in their imagery and concerns as Martin Scorsese’s are male, utterly and unapologetically so; a lot of the situations depicted within them — especially Robin’s interactions with the all-male police force, which constantly strives to diminish her and put her in her “place” even though most of them never think of themselves as misogynists — will resonate powerfully in the aftermath of Steubenville and the related discussions of rape culture and ingrained sexism…”
“Gets beneath the skin by examining the state of isolation at the bottom of the world.”
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Posts about women’s issues in New Zealand
Related articles
- Paradise lost in Queenstown (stuff.co.nz)
- Your Bright New Shiny Obsession: ‘Top of the Lake’ Starring Elisabeth Moss (mamapop.com)
- Maureen Ryan: ‘Mad Men’ Actress Stars In Terrific Jane Campion Mystery Tale (huffingtonpost.com)
Napier Police Warn Parents About Sexual Predator After Third Incident in Three Months
Napier police are warning about the dangers of sexual predators after a 17 year old female was sexually assaulted by a 15 year old youth in Woodhouse Place, Pirimai, at 11.30am on 31 January 2013. It was the third such attack in the areas in as many months.
“The offender was described as a teenage boy, around 15, who had followed the young woman on what she told police was a black BMX-style bicycle.
Mr Lynch said police were now reasonably confident the offender lived somewhere in the immediate area…” more here
The assault happened two days before an 8 year old was raped on Oreti Beach, near Invercargill. A 20 year old male has been arrested in connection with that attack. The week before an English tourist was raped and beaten on the walkway overlooking Owhanake Bay on Waiheke Island. 17 year old Cane Norton Kelland was arrested and charged in connection with the attack.
The attack is following a disturbing trend in New Zealand – that of sex attacks on children and young women by young males.
There have been many violent acts perpetrated by young teens over the last few years in New Zealand, the most heinous of which must surely be the rape and savage beating of a five year old European tourist on a campsite in Turangi last year. 16 year old Raurangi Marino was later sentenced to a mere 10 years imprisonment for burglary, sexual violation by rape and for causing grievous bodily harm.
According to a list published by Hawke’s Bay Today the three latest assaults are
“October 30, 2012: An 11-year-old girl was sexually assaulted by a man described as aged about 20, slim and 1.7m tall, on the green belt along Georges Drive, Napier, about 4.30pm. The case has not been solved.
November 25, 2012: A 17-year-old girl was indecently assaulted near public toilets off Maadi Rd in Onekawa, Napier. Police later arrested a (16 year old) teenager after CCTV footage led to him being identified.
January 31: A 17-year-old girl is followed by a teenage boy on a bike and sexually assaulted in Woodhouse Place, Pirimai, Napier.” more here
One has to ask, is New Zealand failing its youth and what sort of dysfunctional society are these young males being brought up in?
And, should more be done to inform tourists and immigrants about the risks they are taking when visiting New Zealand, which is often portrayed as a safe destination abroad?
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You may also be interested in
English Tourist Victim of Waiheke Island Rape – 17 year old youth arrested (23 January 2013)
Turangi Camp Site Attack – “New Zealand Needs To Take A Good Look At Itself” The World Is Watching
Gang Prospects Jailed For The Rape Of Japanese Tourist In Opotiki
Related articles
- Arrest over sexual assault of a girl – Police have charged a 20-year-old Invercargill man in relation to an alleged sexual assault of an 8-year-old girl at Oreti Beach in Southland on Saturday.
- NZ children exploited for online pornography (radionz.co.nz)
- Daytime sexual assault leaves girl shaken (stuff.co.nz)
- Hand over phones or be shot, teens told – Onekawa in Napier (nzherald.co.nz) 22 January 2013
- Man kept diaries of sex offences (nzherald.co.nz)
- Teenager arrested over sexual assault - Maadi Rd, Napier (nzherald.co.nz) 4 December 2012
Eight Year Old Girl Raped At Oreti Beach
New Zealand 2009 – Oreti beach, Southland (Photo credit: The Alternative Rice)
3News.co.nz is one of many media outlets today carrying the story of an eight year old child who was raped at Oreti Beach, near Invercargill in Southland at 4pm yesterday (2 February) http://www.3news.co.nz/Girl-8-raped-at-Southland-beach/tabid/423/articleID/285453/Default.aspx.
Coming just over a year since the brutal rape of a five year old at a camp site in Turangi we are saddened to hear of another assault on a child in New Zealand in a location where children are usually thought to be safe. Parents must be asking themselves where is safe for their children these days?
Our thoughts are with the girl and her family at this difficult time.
The police have released no details about the nationality of the child and are concentrating their efforts on catching the perpetrator of this vile act.
Discussion on Facebook suggested that the girl’s father caught the alleged perpetrator in the act, which happened in dunes 50 metres from the entrance to the beach. This has yet to be confirmed by the police.
Based on other recent attacks we think her attacker is likely to be a low income male in his youth with gang associations – possibly a gang prospect – with a history of childhood abuse, a dysfunctional family life and a drug user.
In January of last year Dr Kim McGregor, Executive Director of Rape Prevention Education wrote an open letter to John Key. He called for a Task-force on Action on Sexual Violence to be set-up in New Zealand and cited some horrendous child abuse figures. Read the task force’s report and recommendations here.
Far from being a great place to raise kids, the high level of sexual violence in New Zealand impacts 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 8 boys under the age of 16 years. For more about the significant problems of raising children in New Zealand please see our Education and Childrens Issues facts page.
You may also be interested in
English Tourist Victim of Waiheke Island Rape – 17 year old youth arrested (23 January 2013)
Turangi Camp Site Attack – “New Zealand Needs To Take A Good Look At Itself” The World Is Watching
Gang Prospects Jailed For The Rape Of Japanese Tourist In Opotiki
Related articles
- Arrest over sexual assault of a girl – Police have charged a 20-year-old Invercargill man in relation to an alleged sexual assault of an 8-year-old girl at Oreti Beach in Southland on Saturday.
- NZ children exploited for online pornography (radionz.co.nz)
English Tourist Victim of Waiheke Island Rape – updated
We regret to report yet another violent sexual offence against a tourist visiting New Zealand.
A twenty nine year old British woman has been raped on Waiheke Island off the coast of Auckland. Our condolences are extended to the woman at this difficult time.
A police reports originally said a 17 year old youth from Auckland has been arrested for the attack. He has been charged with aggravated assault and sexual violation. The following day he was named as Cane Norton Kelland.
According to a Stuff report on 24 January the woman made it to the gates of the Delamore Estate where she received assistance from builders working at the property. The woman, whose face was bloodied and purple with bruises after her ordeal, had been on the walkway overlooking Owhanake Bay on Waiheke Island when the alleged attack took place.
The age of the alleged offender is of great concern, there have been many violent acts perpetrated by young teens over the last few years, the most heinous of which must surely be the rape and savage beating of a five year old European tourist on a campsite in Turangi last year. 16 year old Raurangi Marino (below) was later sentenced to a mere 10 years imprisonment for burglary, sexual violation by rape and for causing grievous bodily harm.
Another youth, Jahche Broughton, who assaulted and battered to death Scottish tourist Karen Aim in Taupo was only 14 at the time of his crime. He was given a minimum parole period of just 12.5 years.
One has to ask, is New Zealand failing its youth and what sort of dysfunctional society are these young males being brought up in?
And, should more be done to inform tourists about the risks they are taking when visiting New Zealand, which is often portrayed as a safe destination abroad?
We wish the British woman well and hope that she receives the support she needs to overcome her dreadful experience.
British travel advice for New Zealand
The British government recently gave this advice to its citizens visiting New Zealand. Considering the nature and locations of attacks on British people, many of which have been outside of major towns and cities, we expect the FCO to update its advice to something more suitable than this.
Crime
Crime levels are generally low, but street crime occurs in major towns and cities. Thefts from unattended vehicles, especially hire cars and camper vans in major tourist areas (the Coromandel Peninsula, Rotorua and Queenstown) have increased. There has also been an increase in the number of thefts from hotel rooms in some tourist areas. Don’t leave possessions in unattended vehicles even if out of sight in a locked boot. Don’t leave valuables in hotel rooms. Use the hotel safe if possible. Keep passports, travellers’ cheques, credit cards, etc separate.
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New Zealand crime news
- Driver runs into cycle safety classFord Fribbens may have two breaks in his leg after being knocked off his bike while on a cycle safety course, but he is already raring to get back on two wheels.
- Teen hangout pad concern for policeA Queenstown man who allows local teens to use his house as a crash pad denies under 18s are consuming alcohol and drugs on his property and said parents should not be concerned about their children hanging out at his house.
- 'King hit' man loses appealA man who killed a Sky TV employee with one punch outside an Auckland bar has lost an appeal to have his sentence cut.
- Councillor murder case adjournedA preliminary hearing in Canada for a former Napier city councillor accused of murdering his wife has been adjourned until next month.
- Judge blasts herbal drugs as 'huge problem'A 12-year-old girl fell unconscious after smoking a herbal high offered by a stranger in a park.
- Elderly woman 'abandoned' on couchAn elderly woman is alleged to have been left on a couch for at least three years, in one of the worst cases of elder abuse police have seen.
- Shoplifter nicked without knickersPassers-by watched in astonishment as an alleged shoplifter's pants fell down while she was being chased by a shop assistant, revealing that she had gone "commando".
- No trial this year for Manning murder-accusedA trial is not likely to take place this year for the man accused of murdering Christchurch prostitute Mallory Manning in 2008.
- Date set for Ashburton murder trialThe trial of an Ashburton youth accused of murdering Sina Nerisa Solomona will start in Timaru on November 4.
- Hawera woman on trial for 'car-jacking'A Hawera woman grabbed another woman around the throat in an alleged car-jacking in a New Plymouth city street last year, a jury was told yesterday.
NZ Police Alerts News New Zealand
- Hamilton Police urge caution after road safety hit for sixLocation: National News As dawn breaks on a wet Waikato morning, Hamilton Police reviewing a series of crashes are urging drivers to keep their wits about them and drive to the conditions. Sergeant Phil Ruddell of the Hamilton Strategic Traffic Unit said one of the most frustrating aspects linking all six of yesterday's crashes is each was avoidable. […]
- NZ Police celebrating African UnityLocation: National News NZ Police is proud to be joining African New Zealanders in their lively celebrations which are set to mark the 50th anniversary of African Unity Day. Sponsorship of an Africa Day event to be held on Saturday 25 May at the Wellington Town Hall is part of police's wider strategy to build partnerships with these communities to prev […]
- E whakaae ana ngā Pirihimana ki te pūrongo Operation 8 (me te ataata)Location: National News Kua whakaae ngā Pirihimana ki ngā whakakitenga o te pūrongo a te Independent Police Conduct Authority mō Operation 8, ka mutu kua tahuri kē ngā Pirihimana ki te whakarerekē i ētahi o ā rātau mahi e hāngai ana ki te maha o ngā take i roto i te pūrongo. Hei tā te Kaikōmihana a Peter Marshall e harikoa ana ia i whakaae te IPCA he ‘he wh […]
- Police accept Operation 8 IPCA report (plus video)Location: National News Police have accepted the findings of the Independent Police Conduct Authority's report on Operation 8 and have already made significant changes to address many of the issues canvassed in the report. Commissioner Peter Marshall says he's pleased the IPCA confirmed the Operation 8 investigation was a "reasonable and nece […]
- Offenders identified in Hamilton's worst burglary in a decadeLocation: National News A week on from what Hamilton Police described as the worst burglary they had seen in a decade, a young mother and her children still can't sleep, despite Police identifying those responsible. Hamilton City Tactical Coordinator, Senior Sergeant Freda Grace, said a week on from last Tuesday's home invasion mother Candy Atkins […]
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