On 2 May 2022, Feraliza joined a diverse group of activists from around the motu to take non violent direct action, blockading the Takitimu Coal Mine in Southland.
Bathurst Resources, who run the mine, have plans to expand their extractive practices into nearby public land, but Forest and Bird are taking the Southland District Council to court for failing to consider future generations in their decision to grant the consent.
There were people in cow onesies hanging from the coal conveyer belt, pirates on the mine's lake and monkeys up wooden towers across the gate.
When the first worker arrived in the morning, through the swirling mist he saw a giant wraith appear out of the gloom in front of him. He did not stop. He hardly even slowed down. He turned straight around and drove away. We don't think he will forget that moment in a hurry. Feraliza was wearing one of several giant puppets representing the evils of capitalism which were milling around the gate for a little bit of extra dramatic effect.
Bathurst Resources, who run the mine, have plans to expand their extractive practices into nearby public land, but Forest and Bird are taking the Southland District Council to court for failing to consider future generations in their decision to grant the consent.
There were people in cow onesies hanging from the coal conveyer belt, pirates on the mine's lake and monkeys up wooden towers across the gate.
When the first worker arrived in the morning, through the swirling mist he saw a giant wraith appear out of the gloom in front of him. He did not stop. He hardly even slowed down. He turned straight around and drove away. We don't think he will forget that moment in a hurry. Feraliza was wearing one of several giant puppets representing the evils of capitalism which were milling around the gate for a little bit of extra dramatic effect.
www.stuff.co.nz/environment/climate-news/128510402/climate-activists-protest-coal-mine-expansion
At least one local was less than thrilled about us being there. The mine means jobs in their eyes and it's a part of their town heritage, so as with most coal town locals, they will staunchly defend their lack of other employment options.
Feraliza sees this as a sign of yet another failure by a government that purports to be a big mover on climate change. Why have these people not been shown any other pathways apart from coal mining? There are plenty of good jobs for people to be doing, in fact, we had all better get stuck in if we want our kids to be able to breathe the air and drink the water. There is work for everyone for at least a lifetime cleaning up the mess we have made of this planet just in the last couple of hundred years.
The angry man who showed up to our protest was not ready to have any rational conversation with anyone, but went straight for our friends up the towers and tried to shake them down while hurling abuse at all of us. People raced to the towers to prevent him from toppling them. His dog cowered, terrified by the whole situation.
Feraliza was wearing a giant puppet and holding her guitar at the time, and continued to sing. There didn't seem to be many other options for her at the time and she thought it might help to keep her friends feeling brave and unmovable.
Stuff covered the protest in more detail including footage with the Feraliza song.
At least one local was less than thrilled about us being there. The mine means jobs in their eyes and it's a part of their town heritage, so as with most coal town locals, they will staunchly defend their lack of other employment options.
Feraliza sees this as a sign of yet another failure by a government that purports to be a big mover on climate change. Why have these people not been shown any other pathways apart from coal mining? There are plenty of good jobs for people to be doing, in fact, we had all better get stuck in if we want our kids to be able to breathe the air and drink the water. There is work for everyone for at least a lifetime cleaning up the mess we have made of this planet just in the last couple of hundred years.
The angry man who showed up to our protest was not ready to have any rational conversation with anyone, but went straight for our friends up the towers and tried to shake them down while hurling abuse at all of us. People raced to the towers to prevent him from toppling them. His dog cowered, terrified by the whole situation.
Feraliza was wearing a giant puppet and holding her guitar at the time, and continued to sing. There didn't seem to be many other options for her at the time and she thought it might help to keep her friends feeling brave and unmovable.
Stuff covered the protest in more detail including footage with the Feraliza song.
After the protest, when Feraliza saw the video of this moment, she was amused at the thought that it sounded like a sort of duet between them. She remembered the version of Feralist that she had been cooking up in the studio that was just missing that last little something but she wasn't sure what....
And there it was! It had to be done. Angry man's voice was sampled right off that raw footage with Feraliza singing and all sorts of background noise, dusted off, sliced up and scattered through this bass heavy and hyper fast version of the song. Then she threw together a montage video of this action and other climate activist antics that she had been involved in or which inspired her to compliment the sounds and called it Feralist Plonker.
Another instant Feraliza classic, which defines what it means to her to be feral and to own it.
Feralist Ferals that ever you saw
Where you see one there are fifty more
On both sides of every door
Is there anybody ordinary any more?
Feraliza was thinking of cockroaches when she wrote the line "where you see one there are fifty more" and still chuckles at the idea of all those cheeky ferals hiding under your fridge as you see one scuttle across the floor. The mirror mirror reference redefines stereotypes of beauty and portrays feralness as a new standard to live up to. The rest of the lyrics don't really need much interpretation. If you do have any questions about them, feel free to ask me in the comments.
CHORUS
Mirror mirror on the wall, who is the feralist of them all?
Feralist ferals that ever you saw
Where you see one there are fifty more,
On both sides of every door (or DAW for those in the know)
Is there anybody ordinary any more?
Verse 1:
Stop the bomb, there's a feral in the drop zone
Stop the train, there's a feral in the tracks
Can't work with a feral on the loose, It's occupational safety and health
Feral in a tree-sit, feral at the gate,
There's one glued to the floor in the bank
Feral in the garden planting seeds
Rewilding the wilderness
(CHORUS)
Verse 2:
King tide coming in, storm swell surging
Pyrocumulus clouds are forming
It's just the beginning
Feedback loops get triggered
Act now, we could still have time
Here come the ferals Sound the arlarm!
Are we too far gone? Are we too faaaaar gone?
Oo oo ooh
CHORUS
Verse 3:
Sneaky and cheeky and tricky to catch
Clever contraptions firmly attached
Some of them don't look like you'd expect,
Dressed in a suit, sitting at a desk,
Don't laugh! Maybe you're next! (x3)
Standing close to the edge
CHORUS
Repeat Verse 1, End
RSS Feed
