NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather forecasts

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
    • The Great NZ Road Trip
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
    • Cooking the Books
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • What the Actual
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Kahu

Twelve Questions: Ans Westra

NZ Herald
3 Jun, 2013 05:30 PM5 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Ans Westra has been documenting New Zealand life for more than 50 years and at 77 has no plans to stop working. Photo / Supplied

Ans Westra has been documenting New Zealand life for more than 50 years and at 77 has no plans to stop working. Photo / Supplied

Ans Westra emigrated from Holland in 1957 and made her name photographing Maori, documentary style, including a controversial school journal essay, Washday at the Pa, in 1964. At 77 she has just published her latest photography book, a scathing attack on the destruction of the New Zealand landscape.

1. Is this new book the most political work you have done?

Absolutely. You can say all photography is political because it is an opinion. But I haven't always set out to be political. Washday at the Pa became a political football but I documented the scenes as I found it, not realising the very strong sentiments among Maori. I've always tried to see both sides of issues and be fair, but the present-day situation has now spurred me into wanting to raise my voice. I'm spurred on by what this government is doing and how greed is messing with the land.

2. You're very anti-foreign ownership of New Zealand - and yet you were a foreigner yourself. What are you angry about?

Foreigners are coming here and buying land and okay, they can't take it home, but they have lots of money and they make it impossible for the people of the land to buy. Then there is the destruction of it for so many reasons - for survival, for profit, for greed - and it's irreversible. It's permanent change. We all need to stop and think - is this really beneficial to the future?

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

3. Did you feel like a foreigner when you arrived in New Zealand?

My grandmother was saying to me when I came 'watch out for those Maori, they are hiding behind the trees and they will eat you'. Ha ha. When just one Maori said that I belonged, I felt at home.

4. Did you learn to speak te reo?

I learned enough to understand. I managed to dream in Maori. People were speaking in te reo and I knew what they were saying. But I'm a very visually oriented person and that's what's important to me.

5. You've spent most of your life travelling around New Zealand and photographing life, protests, people, places: did your children always come with you?

They had to grow up surrounded by me and my work. They had to follow in my wake. I gave them no alternative there. I am a dedicated artist. My son was remembering the other day having to sit in the backseat of the car while I was photographing protests about the post office closures. He was so absolutely annoyed about it and said 'I hate photography' and so on. People always ask me if my children are photographers too and they are certainly not. They are not poor artists either. They picked up on that one.

Discover more

Kahu

Twelve Questions: Teena Hale Pennington

29 Apr 05:30 PM
Entertainment

Twelve Questions: Karl Steven

01 May 05:30 PM
Entertainment

Twelve Questions: Hilary Barry

06 May 05:30 PM
Entertainment

Twelve Questions: Jordan Luck

08 May 05:30 PM

6.You must have had very lean times, raising three children as a freelance photographer?

Oh yes. It was very hard at times. One of my partners said artists shouldn't have children. Well, I left him behind. I had quality time with my kids as well and they didn't really suffer. They were never totally damaged. Ha, ha. I nearly lost the oldest boy in the surf once and the youngest was nearly drowned as well, because mummy was photographing something in the other direction. There were a couple of close shaves.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

7. Did your upbringing influence that determination you've had to create your own life?

Oh, God yes. I was an only child and an only grandchild so I grew up in isolation and through a war. I worked out that my skill and my strength was visual. As an only child you learn to amuse yourself. If I was quiet and playing in a corner people would leave me alone. Kids now don't have that time so much. They sit in front of TV. They don't study things in depth, they are not given that choice.

8.What do you love most about your life now?

Having the wherewithal to travel. I always travelled around New Zealand on a shoestring budget and I still prefer to sleep in my car if possible as it gives you the freedom to move about. But now I have a camper and a toilet. Last year a couple of friends and I travelled through Europe for three months.

9.Are you still a little bit Dutch?

Oh, very strongly. When you grow old you more and more know who you are and what you are and I'm very Dutch. I still speak fluently and when I was there last year people didn't even know that I'd been away. But my family is here. I have six grandchildren - three children each with two children of their own. I have done very well.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

10.Where is your favourite place in New Zealand?

I would have to say Wellington. I live in the Hutt Hills. I'm almost a neighbour to Bob Jones! It's nothing that special, a big house, though, and I recently extended with a Portacom so I now have a studio.

I have a quarter-acre which is big enough for fruit trees and a pond with goldfish and someone lives there with me in a separate flat and is supposed to look after the place when I travel. I've created that step by step and now my house is mortgage free.

11. Is there a sense of community with New Zealand's other well-known photographers?

Photographers seem to be a solitary lot. I have more artist friends. And there is competition too. I even strike that now. I won't mention the name but someone was incredibly critical of me doing the book and the design of it and he wouldn't even look at the pictures. I would call that jealousy.

12.Will you ever stop working?

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

If I stop I just will find my box. I'm still learning and still creating. I still have a lot to do.

• Nga Tau ki Muri, Our Future, by Ans Westra is published by Suite Publishing.

Save

    Share this article

Latest from New Zealand

New ZealandUpdated

'About time': Residents sick of 'boy racers' back Govt plan to toughen laws

11 May 06:06 PM
New Zealand

'Life and death': Northland road safety plea as toll hits eight

11 May 05:00 PM
New Zealand

'It’s been a long time coming': Artist couple open studio in Far North

11 May 05:00 PM

One tiny baby’s fight to survive

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from New Zealand

'About time': Residents sick of 'boy racers' back Govt plan to toughen laws

'About time': Residents sick of 'boy racers' back Govt plan to toughen laws

11 May 06:06 PM

Ministers announced the changes in Rotorua on Sunday, alongside Mayor Tania Tapsell.

'Life and death': Northland road safety plea as toll hits eight

'Life and death': Northland road safety plea as toll hits eight

11 May 05:00 PM
'It’s been a long time coming': Artist couple open studio in Far North

'It’s been a long time coming': Artist couple open studio in Far North

11 May 05:00 PM
Morning quiz: Who officiates sumo matches?

Morning quiz: Who officiates sumo matches?

11 May 05:00 PM
Connected workers are safer workers 
sponsored

Connected workers are safer workers 

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • What the Actual
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven CarGuide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP