The Freedom Shop Aotearoa

Disrupt the “ imperialist-white-supremacist-capitalist-patriarchy ” power structure was what bell hooks said was needed, and that is what she did. She died this week but her words, her books, and her writings will continue to be part of the tools used to disrupt and dismantle. We need to keep reading and listening to those words, and discussing them - they are powerful. At the Freedom Shop we have two zines with bell hooks' writing: one is ' Understanding Patriarchy ' and the other is an anthology we created ourselves: " bell hooks - a sample of writings by bell hooks to entice... ' We put together the anthology several years ago to try and ensure more people become keen to sample bell hooks' writings. The zine includes three articles: ' Teaching to Transgress: Paulo Freire ', ' Killing Rage: Militant Resistance ' and ' Feminist Class Struggle '. Killing Rage opens with the wonderful sentence, ' I am writing this essay sitting besid

The impact of punk on the lives of local activists is examined in a new pamphlet recently released by the Freedom Shop: Dumb Enough to Actually Try It: How Punk Rock Can Make You a Better Manager by Sam Buchanan. Part history, part self-help guide for aspiring managers, the essay sets out how punk developed an economic structure and organising methodology. This not only sustains it, but has given many people skills which have proved effective well beyond the punk movement. Punks have taken these skills into many areas, both expected and unexpected. Several local punks are quoted in the essay, including Kate Pussycat who went on to establish fundraising opshops and a rural animal sanctuary. “ Years of being broke living on the dole and loving opshopping prompted me to set up an opshop in Wellington as a way to fundraise for animal rights work. It was wildly successful! So then we got ambitious and borrowed money from anyone we knew who had anything to lend and bought 26 acres of land t

The impact of punk on the lives of local activists is examined in a new pamphlet recently released by the Freedom Shop: Dumb Enough to Actually Try It: How Punk Rock Can Make You a Better Manager by Sam Buchanan. Part history, part self-help guide for aspiring managers, the essay sets out how punk developed an economic structure and organising methodology. This not only sustains it, but has given many people skills which have proved effective well beyond the punk movement. Punks have taken these skills into many areas, both expected and unexpected. Several local punks are quoted in the essay, including Kate Pussycat who went on to establish fundraising opshops and a rural animal sanctuary. “ Years of being broke living on the dole and loving opshopping prompted me to set up an opshop in Wellington as a way to fundraise for animal rights work. It was wildly successful! So then we got ambitious and borrowed money from anyone we knew who had anything to lend and bought 26 acres of land t

The Freedom Shop has released several new pamphlets lately, including a new edition of On the Misery of the Student World (AKA On the Poverty of Student Life ). This text came about in 1966 after five situationist-influenced students were elected to the University of Strasbourg’s students’ union. The group formed an ‘anarchist appreciation society’ The Society for the Rehabilitation of Karl Marx and Ravachol and appropriated union funds to flypost a detourned comic strip, Return of the Durruti Column. They then invited the ‘Situationist International’ to contribute a critique of the University of Strasbourg, and this text, which despite the title critiques the whole of Western society, rather than just the role of students, was the result. Credited to ‘Members of the Situationist International and students of Strasbourg University’, it was actually mostly written by Tunisian situationist Mustapha Khayati. Formed in 1957, the situationists were a small group that mixed avant-garde art

Just from the printer - the Plan B diary for 2022 has arrived. Plan B is a weekly planner with lots of information about events that are relevant to the history of Aotearoa and the Pacific.   Get yours from the shop for $12 or email us at freedomshopaotearoa@gmail.com and we will get one to you.

A launch event for three new zine titles, presented by The Freedom Shop in collaboration with Wellington Zinefest, PAPA and Counterfutures. On Thursday the 18th of November we will be launching THREE new zines in collaboration with Wellington Zinefest, People Against Prisons Aotearoa, Counterfutures and the How To Talk To Your Racist Uncle team.   The zines are: 'How To Talk To Your Racist Uncle' by Gaayathri Nair, illustrated by Lenny Zook.Check out their upcoming workshop on 27 November at the Aro Community Centre . 'Daring to Think of Something Better' -by People Against Prisons Aotearoa . 'Landlord Neutral 2030' by Counterfutures , illustrated by Pinky Fang.  The plan: Doors open at 5:30. Launch begins at 6:10pm. Expect ten minutes of kōrero on each zine, and the chance to buy copies before and after. The Freedom Shop will be open for you to pic

A launch event for three new zine titles, presented by The Freedom Shop in collaboration with Wellington Zinefest, PAPA and Counterfutures. On Thursday the 18th of November we will be launching THREE new zines in collaboration with Wellington Zinefest, People Against Prisons Aotearoa, Counterfutures and the How To Talk To Your Racist Uncle team.   The zines are: 'How To Talk To Your Racist Uncle' by Gaayathri Nair, illustrated by Lenny Zook.Check out their upcoming workshop on 27 November at the Aro Community Centre . 'Daring to Think of Something Better' -by People Against Prisons Aotearoa . 'Landlord Neutral 2030' by Counterfutures , illustrated by Pinky Fang.  The plan: Doors open at 5:30. Launch begins at 6:10pm. Expect ten minutes of kōrero on each zine, and the chance to buy copies before and after. The Freedom Shop will be open for you t

We are overjoyed to announce that we are able to have the shop open more often. We are going to be open Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons, as well as on Saturdays. So the new opening hours are: Tuesday: 12 - 5pm Wednesday: 12 - 5pm Saturday: 11am - 4pm Of course we are still a volunteer collective, so we cannot guarantee those hours, but we will try our best.

Like many planned events, the Wellington Zinefest had to be postponed. The new date is 29/30 January 2022. For more details see here .   The Disability Zine Project has had its launch online, and we will have copies of the zines in the shop soon. Watch the video here .

The Freedom Shop is back under Level 2D - open Saturdays 11am -4pm. Take the opportunity to stock up on books and zines. If we are in Level 1 by then, the Wellington Zinefest will take place on October 23 and 24 in the atrium at the Victoria University of Wellington, School of Design Innovation ( Te Aro Campus ) on Vivian Street, so save the date.  Keep safe!

On July 20, 2001, 23-year-old anarchist Carlo Giuliani was shot dead by police during protests against the G8 summit in Genoa. To his credit, he succeeded in attacking the police van with a fire extinguisher.   Originally published by Abolition Media Worldwide . At the time, the global movement was facing off against capitalism. 1999’s Battle for Seattle had inspired the forces opposed to global capitalism’s human exploitation and devastating effects on the environment the world over. Further remarkable actions against George Bush’s election and inauguration, at the World Bank/IMF meeting in Washington D.C., and at the G7+1 meeting in Okinawa, Japan lead up to the G8 meeting in Genova, Italy. Simultaneously to these mass mobilizations and actions that were making it increasingly difficult for the world’s most powerful leaders to meet, strategies for Another Possible World were in the making. Finding its roots in the Zapatista uprising on the day that the North American Free Trade Agre

On July 20, 2001, 23-year-old anarchist Carlo Giuliani was shot dead by police during protests against the G8 summit in Genoa. To his credit, he succeeded in attacking the police van with a fire extinguisher.   Originally published by Abolition Media Worldwide . At the time, the global movement was facing off against capitalism. 1999’s Battle for Seattle had inspired the forces opposed to global capitalism’s human exploitation and devastating effects on the environment the world over. Further remarkable actions against George Bush’s election and inauguration, at the World Bank/IMF meeting in Washington D.C., and at the G7+1 meeting in Okinawa, Japan lead up to the G8 meeting in Genova, Italy. Simultaneously to these mass mobilizations and actions that were making it increasingly difficult for the world’s most powerful leaders to meet, strategies for Another Possible World were in the making. Finding its roots in the Zapatista uprising on the day that the North American F

The Freedom Shop has nothing to do with this event but it sounds interesting... Film screening: Laura Waddington's 'Border', 2004 Wednesday, 14 July 21, 6pm Adam Art Gallery, Kelburn Parade "In the days, if you wandered along the motorways and the wastelands, you could see the refugees everywhere: waiting on the roadside or headed to the port and the freight trains. They travelled in twos or threes or sometimes in groups of twenty or thirty. At night, I’d walk along the roads with them. It took two or three hours to reach the spots on the channel tunnel fence, where they’d start to cut the wire. Then came the arrests and the police bus back to the camp. A few hours later, they’d re-emerge and the perverse game of cat and mouse would start again." - Laura Waddington In 2002, filmmaker Laura Waddington spent several months in the fields around Sangatte Red Cross camp in northern France with Afghan and Iraqi refugees, who were trying to cross the channel tunnel to En

Winter Zine Market returns in 2021! Once again, we're in the atrium at the Victoria University of Wellington, School of Design Innovation on Vivian Street. There's spots for 60 stallholders to sell zines about anything or anything. We'll open with an 'accessibility hour' from 11 til 12. This is a chance for anyone who, for whatever reason, can't attend when Zinefest is crowded. We'll have no music and try to maintain a low-stimulation environment. Then, from 12 til 4, we'll open to the public, and get cranking. This year, we're trying something new: asking stallholders to price all their zines at $5 or less. Make sure you bring cash and pick up some of the best self-published materials by very talented local creatives. Saturday 17 July. 11 - 12 quiet hour, 12 - 4 general. School of Design Innovation, 139 Vivian St, Te Aro Nothing of over $5! For more information see wellingtonzinefest.com

Film screening and discussion   In 2015, a boat with refugees from Sri Lanka tried to reach New Zealand, but was intercepted in international waters by the Australian Border Force. They forced the refugees onto another boat and paid the skipper to take them to Indonesia. The boat was shipwrecked on an Indonesian island.  Why did the Australian Navy intercept a boat that was heading for NZ? Is the Australian Navy doing the bidding for the NZ government? Why is NZ still refusing to accept these refugees? Watch the film "Stop the Boats - the lie about saving lives at sea" and join the discussion about the rights of asylum seekers.  Tuesday, 22 June, 7pm at the Newtown Hall, 71 Daniell St, Newtown (near Constable St). Free entry. Organised by the Freedom Shop and Right2AsylumNZ

Congratulations to the winners of this year's Ockham book awards, especially Airini Beautrais (top fiction award for Bug Week & Other Stories ), Tusiata Avia (top poetry award for The Savage Coloniser Book) and Jackson Niewland (best first book of poetry for I am a Human Being )! We have Tusiata's and Airini's books (plus one of Airini's earlier books: Dear Neil Roberts) available in the Freedom Shop, Jackson's book is available at Food Court Books on Constable St. They deserve reading and sharing.

Issue Thirteen of the Aotearoa Anarchist Review it out. We shine a light on what is happening in Myanmar (or is it Burma?), ask why 'our' flash new P8 reconnaissance aircraft need to have anti-submarine warfare capability, look at the nuclear industry 10 years after the meltdown in Fukushima, examine the implications of introducing COVID passports and wonder how serious Stuff's apology for past racism really is. Plus we have a book review of Rat King Landlord and a recipe.   Get your copy from the shop or download one here .

Featherston Booktown Karukatea 2021 Festival  The Featherston Booktown Karukatea festival runs from the 6th to the 9th of May this year. Wellington Zinefest are officially part of it and will be holding workshops for zinesters in the Featherston School Hall . The FreedomShop, Food Court Books and 5ever will be joining them on Saturday May 8th and Sunday 9th. For more details and the complete programme see here .

 The Radical Zine Launch is on today - MayDay - Saturday 1st May at the Freedom Shop Doors open 5.30 - launch proper starts 6.30pm This is the launch of our second volume of newly designed radical zines - available to purchase at cost-price. (All between $2 - $4!!) Free kai and drinks. Open to all. This event happens to fall on the same date as the Freedom Shop's 26th Birthday! So you're welcome to stay for a drink with us after the launch. NEW TITLES INCLUDE: ' The Terror of the Dawn Raids ' by Melani Anae, re-designed by Darcy Woods. ' Burning Women ' by Lady Stardust, re-designed by Cosmo Bones. ' Eternal War on the Hitler Youth ', re-designed by Zoe Hannay. ' Dare to be a Daniel! ' by Wilf McCartney, re-designed by Hannah Salmon. You'll also be able to pick up the latest edition of aargh! and remaining copies from our Volume 1 collection or Radical Zines, which includes the titles: Rongoā: Māori Herbal Medicine , The Problem with White

    Come long to the launch of  Volume 2 of our "Radical Zine Series" on 1 May 2021 - radical political texts, newly illustrated by local artists, made in collaboration with Wellington Zinefest,   Radical Zine Series is a kaupapa which invites local creatives to redesign radical zines from the Freedom Shop collection. The project aims to both provide paid work for artists and make the important ideas contained within the zines more accessible through design. Free kai and drinks. Open to all. This event happens to fall on the same date as the Freedom Shop's 26th Birthday! So you're welcome to stay for a drink with us after the launch. NEW TITLES INCLUDE: 'The Terror of the Dawn Raids' by Melani Anae, re-designed by Darcy Woods. 'Burning Women' by Lady Stardust, re-designed by Cosmo Bones. 'Eternal War on the Hitler Youth', re-designed by Zoe Hannay. 'Dare to be a Daniel!' by Wilf McCartney, re-designed by Hannah Salmon.   Saturday, 1

    Come long to the launch of  Volume 2 of our "Radical Zine Series" on 1 May 2021 - radical political texts, newly illustrated by local artists, made in collaboration with Wellington Zinefest,   Radical Zine Series is a kaupapa which invites local creatives to redesign radical zines from the Freedom Shop collection. The project aims to both provide paid work for artists and make the important ideas contained within the zines more accessible through design. Free kai and drinks. Open to all. This event happens to fall on the same date as the Freedom Shop's 26th Birthday! So you're welcome to stay for a drink with us after the launch. NEW TITLES INCLUDE: 'The Terror of the Dawn Raids' by Melani Anae, re-designed by Darcy Woods. 'Burning Women' by Lady Stardust, re-designed by Cosmo Bones. 'Eternal War on the Hitler Youth', re-designed by Zoe Hannay. 'Dare to be a Daniel!' by Wilf McCartney, re-designed by Hannah Salmon.   Saturday

The second Palmerston North Zinefest is coming up on Saturday, 10 April 21 from 11am to 4pm. After a fantatstic event at Snails Space last year, this year it's going to be at the City Library. The Freedom Shop will be among the 35 or so stall holders, so if you're in the area, make sure you come along. On Sunday, there will also be a collage making workshop from 2-4pm. Listen to Chris, one of the organisers, talk about zines and zine fests on Manawatu People's Radio here .

If you’re renting It’s likely your rent will go up at the next opportunity. This may or may not be related to the policy changes, since landlords can raise the rent for any reason. Your rent may go up as a result of higher prices for potatoes as well. You didn’t really think that Labour designed this for you, did you? If you’re owning your own home This used to be pretty much the norm for most people over 30 in this country, but now it is considered a weird exception. Just go to an open home and check out how many other potential buyers are looking for a family home. Not many. For you, nothing will change because you will still only own one home. And you can’t sell it because in the time span between the sale going through and you buying another home, prices will have gone up so much that you won’t be able to afford it. So stay where you are and don’t rock the boat. And don’t lose your job.   If you own a rental property Not much will change for you either because you can always recov

If you’re renting It’s likely your rent will go up at the next opportunity. This may or may not be related to the policy changes, since landlords can raise the rent for any reason. Your rent may go up as a result of higher prices for potatoes as well. You didn’t really think that Labour designed this for you, did you? If you’re owning your own home This used to be pretty much the norm for most people over 30 in this country, but now it is considered a weird exception. Just go to an open home and check out how many other potential buyers are looking for a family home. Not many. For you, nothing will change because you will still only own one home. And you can’t sell it because in the time span between the sale going through and you buying another home, prices will have gone up so much that you won’t be able to afford it. So stay where you are and don’t rock the boat. And don’t lose your job.   If you own a rental property Not much will change for you either because you can always rec

We have just received some hard-to-get books by the African-American feminist author bell hooks . Check them out: (The books were shipped back in November and have spent two months in quarantine, so they are safe to read).

Kia Ora and Happy New Year! The Freedom Shop is back open on Saturdays and sometimes on Wednesdays (when we feel like it). We still have some Plan B diaries for 2021 ($10), so come in and get one or contact us, so you can plan the revolution.   Ōtaki Summer Camp is back! Three days of politics, discussion, speakers, music, bush, rivers and sea, in the beach community of Ōtaki, north of Wellington. Ōtaki Summer Camp is for people aged 17- 30 with an interest in politics, justice, anti-racism, equality and the environment. 22nd-25th Hānuere/January 2021. Speakers include Behrouz Boochani, Laura O’Connell Rapira and Anjum Rahman. There will be no stalls this year, but there will be a library that will include some books and zines from the Freedom Shop. https://otakisummercamp.com/

Kia Ora and Happy New Year! The Freedom Shop is back open on Saturdays and sometimes on Wednesdays (when we feel like it). We still have some Plan B diaries for 2021 ($10), so come in and get one or contact us, so you can plan the revolution.   Ōtaki Summer Camp is back! Three days of politics, discussion, speakers, music, bush, rivers and sea, in the beach community of Ōtaki, north of Wellington. Ōtaki Summer Camp is for people aged 17- 30 with an interest in politics, justice, anti-racism, equality and the environment. 22nd-25th Hānuere/January 2021. Speakers include Behrouz Boochani, Laura O’Connell Rapira and Anjum Rahman. There will be no stalls this year, but there will be a library that will include some books and zines from the Freedom Shop. https://otakisummercamp.com/