The Freedom Shop Aotearoa

We are having a one-day-only pop up stall at Sweet Release on: Saturday the 19th of December 10am - 4pm. Stock up on Christmas reading and gifting, then get some good vegan kai. Our stock will include: - Books: anarchy, anti-racism, decolonisation, radical histories, radical futures, climate action, veganism, you name it. - 'Plan B' 2021 diaries - Zines! So many radical zines - Badges and patches - Tote Bags  

Wellington Zinefest presents Summer Blessing: a full day of creativity to manifest a season of inspiration and abundance. Summer Blessing is our last event of the year, a pagan / solstice / folk-themed day of workshops and a zine market. Come along from 10am to take part in our creation stations. You can learn to press flowers, make badges, screen print and harness the power of the sun with cyanotype. These sessions are low key, no reservations and they’ll be running simultaneously. At 1.00 as the sun is high we will have a small market where you can swap and buy zines, art and spells from local zine makers, get your image in ink from Arden and pull a card or two. Our market runs until 5. We welcome you with open sketchbooks and invite you to bring your best energy as we respectfully nod to the celestial factors that keep our ball of dirt spinning. Feel free to wear your special occasion robes and BYO drinks, runes, tarot cards and talismans. Artwork by Darcy Woods. Saturday, 12 Decemb

Wellington Zinefest presents Summer Blessing: a full day of creativity to manifest a season of inspiration and abundance. Summer Blessing is our last event of the year, a pagan / solstice / folk-themed day of workshops and a zine market. Come along from 10am to take part in our creation stations. You can learn to press flowers, make badges, screen print and harness the power of the sun with cyanotype. These sessions are low key, no reservations and they’ll be running simultaneously. At 1.00 as the sun is high we will have a small market where you can swap and buy zines, art and spells from local zine makers, get your image in ink from Arden and pull a card or two. Our market runs until 5. We welcome you with open sketchbooks and invite you to bring your best energy as we respectfully nod to the celestial factors that keep our ball of dirt spinning. Feel free to wear your special occasion robes and BYO drinks, runes, tarot cards and talismans. Artwork by Darcy Woods. Saturday, 12 Decemb

Help celebrate and launch the first four Radical Zines re-designed and re-purposed in a collaboration between Wellington Zinefest and the Freedom Shop. When: Thursday, 10 December at 6pm Where: at the Freedom Shop - in Opportunities for Animals, 162 Riddiford St, Newtown We selected classic zines from our archives for a creative reimagining. With the help of donors from a Boosted campaign, four local illustrators were commissioned to reimagine these relatively simple, text-heavy zines into fully illustrated beautiful works! The radical zine redesign project has helped make the important ideas within these zines even more accessible. We'll be selling the redesigned texts and cheaply as possible so that we can share their learnings with as many people as possible. The four zines are: Are We All New Zealanders Now? by Dr Ani Mikaere, redesigned by Izzy Joy "The Problem With White Saviours" by Simone Kaho, redesigned by Kata Brown Rongoā by Emily Tuhi-Ao Bailey, redesigne

The Plan B diaries for 2021 are here! For the third year, the Freedom Shop has produced a diary highlighting dates of Aotearoa's radical (or ignored) history.  Get yours from the shop or at Zinefest this weekend for $10 (the Freedom Shop will be there on Sunday). If you can't make it in person, send us an email and we will post one to you. We also have a range of new tote bags for $7.

This year's Zinefest is slightly earlier than normal - it's on the weekend of 10-11 October, 12-4pm with and accesibility hour from 11 to 12 on both days, and this time it is at the Vic Uni School of Design at 139 Vivian St. The Freedom Shop will have a stall on Sunday, 11 Oct. 

2020 has been full of death and grief, and one more person has died. In the first week of September, David Graeber, anarchist, author, activist, anthropologist and historian, died suddenly.  Graeber's books included: Bullshit Jobs: A Theory , which first started off as an article in Strike! Magazine , Debt: The First 5000 Years , and Direct Action: An Ethnography , plus The Utopia of Rules: On Technology, Stupidity, and the Secret Joys of Bureaucracy . He was also one of the editors of Constituent Imagination: Militant Investigations, Collective Transformation . Just one quick online search reveals so many journals and articles by Graeber, inlcuding in Rolling Thunder The Shock of Victory: An Analysis of Our Unclaimed Triumphs - there are also books due to be published later this year, including one co-written with his partner ' What are Kings '.    “Debt is the most efficient means ever created to take relations that are fundamentally based on violence and violent inequ

2020 has been full of death and grief, and one more person has died. In the first week of September, David Graeber, anarchist, author, activist, anthropologist and historian, died suddenly.  Graeber's books included: Bullshit Jobs: A Theory , which first started off as an article in Strike! Magazine , Debt: The First 5000 Years , and Direct Action: An Ethnography , plus The Utopia of Rules: On Technology, Stupidity, and the Secret Joys of Bureaucracy . He was also one of the editors of Constituent Imagination: Militant Investigations, Collective Transformation . Just one quick online search reveals so many journals and articles by Graeber, inlcuding in Rolling Thunder The Shock of Victory: An Analysis of Our Unclaimed Triumphs - there are also books due to be published later this year, including one co-written with his partner ' What are Kings '.    “Debt is the most efficient means ever created to take relations that are fundamentally based on violence and violent ineq

The Choclo Collective, a group of Latin American artists, film makers and other creative people, will be hosting a series of film and discussion evenings named Cinema Golondrina . There will also be art work on display and the Freedom Shop will have a stall.   The first film is “Soy Cuba” (I am Cuba), which is described as “a whirling, feverish dance through both the sensuous decadence of Batista's Havana and the grinding poverty and oppression of the Cuban people”. You can watch the trailer here . Sunday, 6 September, 5pm at the Newtown Community Centre, Rintoul St.   This will be followed by two more films at the same time and location: 13 September: The Hour of Furnaces (Argentina 1966-1968) 20 September: When Two Worlds Collide (Peru 2006-2011)

The Choclo Collective, a group of Latin American artists, film makers and other creative people, will be hosting a series of film and discussion evenings named Cinema Golondrina . There will also be art work on display and the Freedom Shop will have a stall.   The first film is “Soy Cuba” (I am Cuba), which is described as “a whirling, feverish dance through both the sensuous decadence of Batista's Havana and the grinding poverty and oppression of the Cuban people”. You can watch the trailer here . Sunday, 6 September, 5pm at the Newtown Community Centre, Rintoul St.   This will be followed by two more films at the same time and location: 13 September: The Hour of Furnaces (Argentina 1966-1968) 20 September: When Two Worlds Collide (Peru 2006-2011)

Our latest book order has arrived. Apart from a view classics like Franz Fanon's Wretched of the Earth and texts that are relevant to the BLM movement, we also have more from local publishers Bridget Williams Books and Little Island Press . Here are a few titles.     

Our latest book order has arrived. Apart from a view classics like Franz Fanon's Wretched of the Earth and texts that are relevant to the BLM movement, we also have more from local publishers Bridget Williams Books and Little Island Press . Here are a few titles.     

Zinefest and the Freedom Shop have teamed up to redesign a few of our zines. We are looking for designers, artists and illustrators to spruce up some text-heavy zines. And the best thing is that this work is even funded.  Check out the details of the project here .

Our friends at Wellington Zinefest have created this awesome ZINE 101 online course to encourage people to get involved in zine making. Check it out here , especially the course by Kathleen Winter about political zines . There is also a " Newbies Market " where new and emerging zine makers can show off their works. It runs on Sunday, 19 July, 12-4pm at the Vic Uni School of Design Innovation, 139 Vivian St. 

We had this issue almost ready to go back in March - and then COVID happened and half our articles were obsolete. So here it is now, only slightly out of date because APEC was moved to be an online conference just after we printed it. Get your copy at the shop, contact us if you want one sent by post or download the PDF here .

We had this issue almost ready to go back in March - and then COVID happened and half our articles were obsolete. So here it is now, only slightly out of date because APEC was moved to be an online conference just after we printed it. Get your copy at the shop, contact us if you want one sent by post or download the PDF here .

The Freedom Shop will be contributing stuff to this BLM fundraiser on Saturday, 27 June 2020, from 4:30 pm at the Newtown Sportsbar. All proceeds go to for People Against Prisons Aotearoa and The Homeless Trans Black Women Fund in the USA. Nau mai, Haere Mai!  Come to Newtown Sports Bar to show solidarity for the Black Lives Matter movement around the world, see some bands, buy some cool stuff and help donate much needed CA$H to People Against Prisons Aotearoa and The Homeless Trans Black Women Fund in the USA. Market and BBQ start at 4.30pm: Perfect to grab some cheap shit like records, clothes, art and books donated by the community and eat some kai! All money will be going to the charities above. Bands at 6.30pm: BOWEL RUPTURE UNSANITARY NAPKIN AYN RANDY STRESS GHETTO ROGERNOMIX Plus the DJ stylings of: KATE BISH DJ SUAVE FABLE JMC There will also be a raffle! With prizes from: COVEN JEWELLERY, THE BLACK SCOURGE, STEPH MAREE TATTOO, XOË HALL, POGGER, WROUGHT MATERIAL AND HEAPS

The Freedom Shop will be contributing stuff to this BLM fundraiser on Saturday, 27 June 2020, from 4:30 pm at the Newtown Sportsbar. All proceeds go to for People Against Prisons Aotearoa and The Homeless Trans Black Women Fund in the USA. Nau mai, Haere Mai!  Come to Newtown Sports Bar to show solidarity for the Black Lives Matter movement around the world, see some bands, buy some cool stuff and help donate much needed CA$H to People Against Prisons Aotearoa and The Homeless Trans Black Women Fund in the USA. Market and BBQ start at 4.30pm: Perfect to grab some cheap shit like records, clothes, art and books donated by the community and eat some kai! All money will be going to the charities above. Bands at 6.30pm: BOWEL RUPTURE UNSANITARY NAPKIN AYN RANDY STRESS GHETTO ROGERNOMIX Plus the DJ stylings of: KATE BISH DJ SUAVE FABLE JMC There will also be a raffle! With prizes from: COVEN JEWELLERY, THE BLACK SCOURGE, STEPH MAREE TATTOO, XOË HALL, POGGER, WROUGHT MATERIAL AND HEA

We're working with Wellington Zinefest to support local artists and radical writers to produce some beautiful zines. This is the time for critical and hopeful, radical thinking. If you can chip in to help us pay artists for their mahi at a time when it's REALLY needed -- please check out our boosted campaign: https://www.boosted.org.nz/projects/radical-zine-production

We're working with Wellington Zinefest to support local artists and radical writers to produce some beautiful zines. This is the time for critical and hopeful, radical thinking. If you can chip in to help us pay artists for their mahi at a time when it's REALLY needed -- please check out our boosted campaign: https://www.boosted.org.nz/projects/radical-zine-production

The fightback that erupted in the usa after the murder of George Floyd didn't just come from nowhere. There had been resistance before and there had been many, many deaths before. One of these deaths was in 2012 when Trayvon Martin was killed, it was after the acquittal of his murderer that #BlackLivesMatter came into being. The usa has never been the ‘land of the free’ or the democracy it ever claimed to be; the usa is founded on slavery and genocide of First Nation peoples. It is a settler colonial nation & a hyper-consumer capitalist country based on super inequality and racism. Freedom is a Constant Struggle Ferguson, Palestine, and the Foundations of a Movement The fightback that erupted after the killing of George Floyd is a response to the dehumanisation of people. It is a reaction to the violence of capitalism. Killing Trayvons: An Anthology of American Violence BlackLife Post-BLM and the Struggle for Freedom We Want Freedom A Life in the Black Panther Party Writing on

The fightback that erupted in the usa after the murder of George Floyd didn't just come from nowhere. There had been resistance before and there had been many, many deaths before. One of these deaths was in 2012 when Trayvon Martin was killed, it was after the acquittal of his murderer that #BlackLivesMatter came into being. The usa has never been the ‘land of the free’ or the democracy it ever claimed to be; the usa is founded on slavery and genocide of First Nation peoples. It is a settler colonial nation & a hyper-consumer capitalist country based on super inequality and racism. Freedom is a Constant Struggle Ferguson, Palestine, and the Foundations of a Movement The fightback that erupted after the killing of George Floyd is a response to the dehumanisation of people. It is a reaction to the violence of capitalism. Killing Trayvons: An Anthology of American Violence BlackLife Post-BLM and the Struggle for Freedom We Want Freedom A Life in the Black Panther Party Writing on

The Final Straw Radio chatted with Barry Pateman on 26 April this year in an episode called ' Barry Pateman on Anarchist History and Challenges' . It's a rich and glorious discussion where Barry talks about 'what does it mean to be an anarchist in a capitalist world?', how 'to beat weaselly capitalism' in the world we live in and how we need to communicate. It's a highly-recommended must listen that talks about being an anarchist, communication and communities, class and bolshevism and the joy and frustration of being an anarchist in a capitalist world.

The Final Straw Radio chatted with Barry Pateman on 26 April this year in an episode called ' Barry Pateman on Anarchist History and Challenges' . It's a rich and glorious discussion where Barry talks about 'what does it mean to be an anarchist in a capitalist world?', how 'to beat weaselly capitalism' in the world we live in and how we need to communicate. It's a highly-recommended must listen that talks about being an anarchist, communication and communities, class and bolshevism and the joy and frustration of being an anarchist in a capitalist world.

Below is an article from anti-surverillance group OASIS on the upcoming tracing app(s): The fear of COVID-19 is viral. That play on our fear means that we may be rushing to introduce surveillance apps that we will later regret. As one of the tools to fight COVID-19 the NZ government has promised that there will be a contact tracing app available by mid-May. The first iteration they have said, will be in the form of an on-line sign-up form, and could be out by 11th May. But there has been minimal discussion about the pros and cons of COVID-19 apps. Rather, our fear of the virus and its effect on our world has meant that most people are unquestioningly accepting the necessity of using apps to keep the spread of the virus under control. However, we need to break away from the fear factor and consider the long-term societal results of any COVID-19 apps. We need to consider possible consequences weighed up against any benefits. We need to not only question the short-t

Below is an article from anti-surverillance group OASIS on the upcoming tracing app(s): The fear of COVID-19 is viral. That play on our fear means that we may be rushing to introduce surveillance apps that we will later regret. As one of the tools to fight COVID-19 the NZ government has promised that there will be a contact tracing app available by mid-May. The first iteration they have said, will be in the form of an on-line sign-up form, and could be out by 11th May. But there has been minimal discussion about the pros and cons of COVID-19 apps. Rather, our fear of the virus and its effect on our world has meant that most people are unquestioningly accepting the necessity of using apps to keep the spread of the virus under control. However, we need to break away from the fear factor and consider the long-term societal results of any COVID-19 apps. We need to consider possible consequences weighed up against any benefits. We need to not only questi

Twenty-five years ago, on May 1, 1995 members of the anarchist group Committee for the Establishment of Civilisation (CEC) started up Anarchist Books in the existing space of the National Organisation for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML), called the Freedom Shop in a tiny building at 272 Cuba St. The Freedom Shop in 1995 A lot has changed since then – the building made way for the ill-named “bypass”, the Cuba St district was thoroughly gentrified, the Freedom Shop is now in Newtown and the future of printed material is uncertain. But some things haven’t. Plans for yet more roads and more destruction of neighbourhoods that resulted in the bypass back then are still election issues today with catchy slogans like “4 lanes to the planes” - a reminder that building more roads inevitably creates demand for even more roads. And this year will see the referendum on cannabis law reform, the result of the campaign to “normalise” marijuana that created the original Freedom Shop. 25 years is

Twenty-five years ago, on May 1, 1995 members of the anarchist group Committee for the Establishment of Civilisation (CEC) started up Anarchist Books in the existing space of the National Organisation for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML), called the Freedom Shop in a tiny building at 272 Cuba St. The Freedom Shop in 1995 A lot has changed since then – the building made way for the ill-named “bypass”, the Cuba St district was thoroughly gentrified, the Freedom Shop is now in Newtown and the future of printed material is uncertain. But some things haven’t. Plans for yet more roads and more destruction of neighbourhoods that resulted in the bypass back then are still election issues today with catchy slogans like “4 lanes to the planes” - a reminder that building more roads inevitably creates demand for even more roads. And this year will see the referendum on cannabis law reform, the result of the campaign to “normalise” marijuana that created the original Freedom Shop. 25 years is