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Aotearoa Women’s Surfing Association

December 2018

Kia ora koutou,

welcome to the beginning of Aotearoa Women’s Surfing Association (AWSA).

In October 2018, a group of women gathered in Shipwreck Bay, Ahipara, for a hui presented by Hinemoanas Table: Positive evolution of Women’s Surf Culture in Aotearoa. We came with no ideas about

what outcomes may arise, but instead a desire to celebrate those who had come before us, reflect on where we are now, and be open to what a positive evolution of womens surf culture in Aotearoa might

look like.

We held open floor discussions on The Pioneers, Global Women’s Surf Culture, Professional Surfing, Women in Business, and Media. Through sharing surfing, stories, celebration, delicious food, and with a great diversity of knowledge wisdom and experience at the table, we had what can only be described as a

positively transformative weekend. The main outcome being the formation of AWSA.

The definition of AWSA is in the following Disscussion Document. So what is a discussion document? Early on in the hui, the limitations of geographic isolation and short time frame were identified as barriers

to having national input. As we want AWSA to be a platform for all women wave riders of Aotearoa, this Discussion Document is taking the initial discussions and offering you the opportunity to be part of them.

Keep in mind this is not a wish list, but a formulation of a. AWSA founding document (think ‘Values’)

b. Activism Strategy (Priority of action)

As the Association will be purely volunteer driven for the foreseeable future, actions will only be followed through if there is someone/s willing to put up their hand. If you want to be passive member of AWSA,

membership in now open via our website. If you want to be an active member, you could

+ Jump on one of our exciting projects already underway + Put a project proposal to AWSA.

+ Join the governance board (AGM 22 March 2019 Raglan). + Join the Operations Team

With that, I leave you to digest the following. Ideally consumed with friends, after a surf, with food. Note down the flow of thoughts and get them back to us.

All the best Head hui brewer and self appointed Chief Editor of this document.

Kelly Murphy

Hui

october 2018PHotos

Amber Jones

Discussion Document FebruAry 2019

WorDs

Hui Women

1st AGmmArcH 2019

DesiGner / eDitor

Kelly murPHy

4 5AWSA Discussion Document

The purpose of this document is to provide information and context for the establishment of AWSA, to seek feedback from our wave riding community.

The intended audience for this document are women who are interested in becoming members of AWSA, people who want to support women’s surfing in Aotearoa, other local and global surf associations, potential funders, and media.

Our objective is establishing the Aotearoa Women’s Surf Association (AWSA).

Present At tHe Hui, october 2018. Amber Jones, miscHA DAvis (lennox), tessA rAnDruP, suzAnne nemeroFF, PAuline PullmAn, KAtie roWlAnD, KAz melvin, tiA lorD, mAHuru Wilcox, belinDA WHeAton, lou AitKen, rebeccA olive,

Kylie mileK, DAnny clAyton (oscAr) Kelly murPHy (Juno), tyler rose.

lets Get stArteD.

Background: A drop in the ocean

To understand where we are going, we also have to look at the context we are operating in. Policy, national funding commitments and social perception all impact on the opportunities for women in the surfing community. This includes women in the recreational and professional spaces. At an international level women’s participation in action / lifestyle sports such as surfing are being recognised by influential global sports organisations like the International Olympic Committee [IOC]. Surfing is being included in the 2020 Tokyo

Games, with equal numbers of male and female competitors.The WSL recently announced that women and men will receive equal pay, on the tour, further demonstrating that support for women in sport and gender equality is on the forefront of the global surfing community’s minds.

Nationally, in October 2018 the NZ government committed $10 million funding towards women in sport in Aotearoa to enable more women and girls to “realise their potential in, and through, sport and active recreation”. Sport Minister Grant Robertson has pledged to make women and girls his number one priority in the sport and recreation portfolio. Leadership is a key part of this strategy with clear targets for increasing women leaders. Especially the number of Māori and Pasifika females in decision-making roles – coaching, management, and governance. Although currently NZ’s most successful professional surfer is a woman, Paige Hareb; coaching, leadership, the surf industry, and media remain very male dominated, both in NZ and internationally.

“...further demonstrating that support for women in sport

and gender equality is on the forefront of the global surfing

community’s minds.”


While identifying the problem of individuals operating in isolation, Pauline Pullman presented the logo of New Zealand Women’s Surfing Association - 1977. An official women’s surfing organisation would be able to take the responsibility of

The PioneersThrough the lens of our pioneers, we took a look at professional and recreational surfing as far back as the 1920’s. It became apparent there is rich history well worth preserving. What is the best way to collect and preserve history? Although there are small surf museums and Facebook pages, the barriers here lay in succession, preservation, etc.

Following are short summaries of each conversation topic, featuring some of the discussed barriers and potential activism. Specific questions which we asked during the sessions are highlighted. Feel free to give your own answers in feedback.

“where we are inclusive, and the idea of providing a narrative doesn’t

take away from the current story, but rather adds to it.”

collecting and preserving history under its umbrella. If it could do this... What else could an organisation do? + Help change the dominant story+ Provide complementary narrative to the current+ Consultation of “woman’s things”+ Values aligned partnerships. Rights of women being met, standing

up for our women, representing women’s rights at professional/competitive events etc + Funding easier to apply/receive as organisation.From this point on, the organisation became base camp, a way to shape our conversations. How would an organisation help overcome barrier xyz?

Surf Culture The study of recreational surfing is women-led (perhaps the only female dominated part of surfing?) and proved insightful. We covered surfing women in social media. The different breakdowns of surfing; Elite (Olympics), Professional competitors eg. WSL pay equity, Recreational surfers, Community, Body image, Business & Media. Most research is in western culture, so cultural barriers are different in different cultures. eg. Iran, Sri Lanka (leggings - what we wear, prohibitions). Representing diversity - (value?).Research into women surfers finds lots of positive - Women love other women surfing in the lineup, car parks connections etc. And also identifies the same problem that afflicts gender across all levels - elite professionals lack sponsorship. Smaller businesses have a similar problem, lacking the $ to support the professionals/ competitors.

When we asked How could “The Health of our Culture” be held by an organisation?It emerged so beautifully. + Lead by example. + An internal sense of focus eg. Rather than looking externally at social media for validation of self.

+ Reflection of the whole . Is what i am doing right now going to make is easier for women? Our disruption of the Patriarchal industry/culture will simply happen by doing it our way. Doing it in a femine way, where the idea of providing a narrative doesn’t take away from the current story, but rather adds to it. A richer way of being.


WSL /SNZ - Professional level- Fees/ membership - Airline costs (often prohibitive) + Transparency around surf team management

ProfessionalWith no one at the hui who competes regularly, but a diverse representation of experience, we askedWhat barriers did you find during your competitive experience? What do you wish there had been available to you? Each person contributing to some or all of the following three streams

The idea of lifting everyone up extends beyond the initial business ie. Women sewers and fair wages in Salt Gypsy Production lines. Taking resposibility for the ripple effects of business feeds into values for deciding on corporate partnerships. The dichotomy between wanting to be diversely representative, yet campaigns with models being the most successful sales wise, can feel like the desire for diversity and integrity is being let down. + Channel frustration into positive action - Activism + Disrupt staus quo by creative collaboration + Be fine with whatever the initial start up looks like. Be transparent, Get buy in. Little mantras being spoken in this conversation wove their truth through all the others. The lines bluring between one topic of conversation and the next.

Wahine in Surf BusinessDanielle Clayton of Salt Gypsy was there in the beginning of what we see now - a flourishing indie women’s surf culture. Yet this culture is still waiting to find traction in the main stream. The existence of these businesses are so important to the health of our surf culture as they are the ones run by women, for women, and in turn representing women. How can an organisation be used to lift everyone? Including micro businesses out of ‘just scraping by’.+ Micro loans . Association use funding to offer micro loans at very small interest rates. Grow the money, not just give it away. Be able to use again. + Mentoring at various levels - start up to scaling up+ Directory of members and their skill set + Time bank type set up for mentoring programme

“The dichotomy between wanting to be diversely representative, yet campaigns with models being the most successful sales wise, can feel like the desire for diversity and integrity is being let down.”

+ Mentorship, Coaching & psychological support to younger athletes+ Compete / not compete eg. Iron Māori as an example for “Its for the whanau” kaupapa+ Buddy system at events and in organisation+ Workshops / spokesperson at events (JM proposed this to SNZ)+ Financial support & professional development for competitors/athletes+Professional development - commentators, surf coaches & judges

AWSA Festival - Event as a case study, what could the event look like + Board swap, product demos, expert advice + Workshops+ Get kids and newbies involved - inclusive of all levels/abilities & disabilities+ Fun & holistic day out, camaraderie, tandem surfing, disabled surfers association+ Films, grom sessions, (ref: splendour fest kids) (ref: how to get younger generation participation)+ Daddy daycare+ Contribute to environment - beach clean up. Planting day. + Panel discussions - opening up and perpetual development+ Zero waste events / plastic free

Personal experience+ Surf aunties. Global network of safe houses for competitive touring athletes & fun+ Affiliates globally eg. Australia (does not yet exist), institute of women’s surfing (usa and europe)+ Capacity for activism (activism = actions to make change) + Surfing more accessible to community


Why? And what can be done to change it?+ Forge positive relationships with NZ Media+ Explore how to use media as a vehicle for positive messages+ Create an independant publicationAlthough the above was the focus for the majority of the conversation and would hold so much potential - such as being able to support emerging creatives - we were under

no illusion as to the amount of investment it would require (time and money). So while that idea, and the rest of them marinated, the quote left on screen seemed to summarise our weekend succently and bid us farewell. A little blessing as we “...journey from wave form to a more intimate relationship with our ocean environment”.

MediaIf we’re talking positive evolution of women’s surf culture, the Media is arguably the one in most need of some TLC. It can be a difficult conversation to navigate as it is complex and sometimes, you just don’t know what you don’t know. What we do know, is there are very exciting things happening in Aotearoa women’s surf culture and the photographer Amber Jones is at the forefront of capturing this. In her words, “I just wanted to share what I was seeing.” Through discovering the movement, and her personal legend through her attachment to it, Hinemoana the film has been born. Due some time in 2019, it explores the relationship of some women in Aotearoa with their ocean environment. The way her star is burning at the moment, it is sure to be a beautiful reflection of our water women. While women’s surf culture in Aotearoa is highlighted in this film, it is very much alone in doing so.

“...journey from wave form to a more intimate relationship with our ocean environment”.

- Amber Jones Post hui reflection


- Katie Rowland Post hui reflection


WorDs oF encourAGement. First stePs to surFinG - FosterinG A HeAltHy relAtionsHiP WitH tHe oceAn.

From the hui, we pulled out the following values. These values will be used in how we work with each other, and our extended whanau. It will help us set the membership structure and criteria for business partnerships. You can either support, suggest amendments, or additions.

Caring: for our young women surfers, our families and communitieseg. Surf auntiesEnvironmental stewardship: e.g. zero waste events, enviro restoration and clean up, supporting not-for-profit environmental groups such as Surfbreak Protection Society and Sustainable Coastlines, getting involved in advocacy work to protect surf breaks and the wider ocean environmentInclusive: For women and men, families and communities (national and global), all kinds of ‘surfers’ – body surfers, body boarders, long boarders etc. Rise up: Lifting each other, and those around us.Activism: call to action – not being afraid to speak out about injustices, particularly gender discrimination.

To support and foster women’s surfing in Aotearoa New Zealand.

To raise awareness of women’s surfing and the importance and value of women’s surfing to Aotearoa New Zealand’s sport and culture, through education, research, publication and promotional work.

To organise and promote any scheme or activity that may benefit or help women’s surfing.

To oppose any scheme or activity which might significantly adversely affect women’s surfing.


Governance Structure For the set-up of the association, we have elected an interim board:Tia Lord (President)Mischa Davis (Vice President)Katie Rowland (Treasurer)Mahuru Robb (Secretary)Kelly MurphyPauline Pullman

The main aims the board will strive to achieve.+ To act as the focal point to manage and administer, in an effective manner, women’s surfing on a New Zealand-wide basis.+ To act as an advisory body on all matters appertaining to a practice of women’s surfing in New Zealand.+ To liaise and affiliate where appropriate with recognized international women’s surfing bodies.+ To communicate the views of the AWSA members to national and international authorities and to the public as and where required.+ To provide a focal point for members by holding an annual surf festival and other social events when and where agreed.

This board will be in place until the first Annual General Meeting - to be held in Raglan Friday 22 - the weekend of the Rip Curl Pro Event . Nau mai haere mai. Part of the agenda will be nominations and elections for the following years board. Our association rules can be found ataotearoawomenssurfingassociation.co.nz


MembershipYou need to be a member in order to nominate and vote on board members. Currently we have one standard membership of $25 per year. This can be done on the website. Anyone who joins between now and the first AGM, will have their membership roll over into the next full year (membership not needing to be renewed until March 2020).

The benefits of AWSA active membership includes:+ Playing an active role in the future of the sport of women’s surfing in New Zealand.+ Becoming part of the movement to improve the infrastructure for the next generation of female surfers in New Zealand.+ Be invited to and be able to participate in AWSA events.+ The ability to attend AWSA meetings, speak, present motions and vote on motions at such meetings of the AWSA.+ Eligibility for support and funding sourced to help develop diversified areas of the sport of women’s surfing within New Zealand.+ Notifications and updates on the AWSA.

Jump on Board!There is plenty of work to be done in the back ground, so if you are wanting to be an active member of AWSA, you can either put up your hand forOperations Team - Communications, graphic design, financials, funding applications, data collection – the list goes on. Project Committees – Projects such as the Carissa Moore Scholarship event will have committees. Committees require one board member.

When signing up for membership, please let us know what skills you would like to lend, and how many hours per week you would have available.

FeedbackFinally, we get to the part you’ve been waiting for. You can either email us [email protected] or comment on relevant posts on our Facebook and Instagram pages. Feedback is due by 28 February 2019. Feedback will be collated to create the AWSA Founding document and help the new board set the strategy for the following year.

“Our fathers, brothers, husbands, sons, and

friends – Thanks for the roles you have played in getting us into the ocean

and keeping us there. This is all for you too. Here’s to

a healthy evolution.”

Acknowledgments Thank you. Thank you for showing up. Thank you for taking the time to look through this document. Thank you to TOMs Shoes, Tutukaka Dive Shop and Ceres Organics, for your support of our hui. Thanks to The Huts for hosting us. Thanks to all the people who have helped bring this together so far. Thanks to the men too. Don’t worry, we haven’t forgotten you. Our fathers, brothers, husbands, sons, and friends – Thanks for the roles you have played in getting us into the ocean and keeping us there. This is all for you too. Here’s to a healthy evolution.

20AWSA

www.aotearoawomenssurfingassociation.co.nz

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