Afternoons for Friday 21 June 2024

 

1:15 Winter solstice tradition of Wiccan, an explainer

Today is the shortest day of the year for Aotearoa New Zealand.

Otherwise known as the Winter Solstice, it marks the point when half of the earth is the furthest from the sun.

And for many cultures and faiths it's a  important time of year.

For those who follow the Wiccan traditions it's a time to reflect and gather with friends and family.

Rowan of Wycksted runs an online wiccan store selling all manner of magical and witchy items.

She is knee deep in preperations for the celrebations tonight, so we thought we'd check in and learn what a wiccan solstice party looks like. Rowan speaks to Mark.

1:25 2024 NZ Olympic team mascot talks about the role

Representing your country at the Olympics is the pinnacle of an athlete's career.

And it's no doubt the same in the mascot world

Come July, Kapiti Coast teacher, Kate Thompson will be donning the mascot outfit for the New Zealand Olympics team and embracing the role of Goldie the kiwi in Paris

So how much training does an Olympic mascot need to do, what is their role at the games - and are they the envy of all the other mascots around the country?

Kate Thompson answers these questions and more with Mark.

1:35 How snoring could be a sign of heart problems

That loud snoring keeping you up at night could be more than a noisy annoyance - it could be bad for your heart.

Australian researchers have identified snoring as a possible early warning sign of dangerously high blood pressure

The study, published in the prestigious Nature Digital Medicine journal was carried out by sleep experts at Flinders University in Adelaide.

Professor Danny Eckert is Director of Sleep Health at Flinders University and senior author of the paper. He speaks to Mark.

1:45 Freaky Friday

We’re back sharing more of your spooky, unexplainable or coincidental stories.

If you have a tale to tell, email us at afternoons@rnz.co.nz.

2:10 Film Review with Kate Rodger

Kate talks to Mark about two animated films out in time for the school holidays, Despicable Me 4 and Inside Out 2. They also talk about the death of acting legend Donald Sutherland.

2:20 NZ Live: Leonard Powell

For NZ Live today we have the opportunity to show off the talent we have hiding under our roof here at RNZ.

Leonard Powell is a producer and journalist for  'First Up', but spends his spare time writing smooth, summery, and often witty songs that we all love.

Earlier this year he put out his debut album 'Slow Mover' and he's been making his way around the country bringing it to the masses.

Look out for his upcoming shows in Palmerston North and Wellington, but before then he's joining us for a jam today.

3:08 Lentil Pie with Puffy Cheese Sauce

Julie Biuso has a wonderful recipe for buddy young chefs to have go at this week.

She's sharing her recipe for Lentil Pie with Puffy Cheese Sauce with Mark. It's a budget friendly warm winter dish that's easy to make.

You can find out how to make this recipe at home here.

3:16 Music 101: Charlotte Ryan

Charlotte Ryan, host of Music 101 here on RNZ each Saturday afternoon from 1pm talks about what's happening on the music scene over the weekend, what's coming up on her show tomorrow and because Friday is new music day - she'll pick us a track to play.

3:25 DIY with Stan Scott

Builder Stan Scott is along again this week to help out with any DIY projects. If you have a question for him you can text 2101 or email afternoons@rnz.co.nz.

3:35 Critter of the Week black eye grasshopper

This week's critter, found above the treeline in Kā Tiritiri o te Moana the Southern Alps, highlights the resilience and diversity of our alpine fauna.

Meet the black eye grasshopper or māwhitiwhiti (Sigaus villosus), our largest grasshopper species. They are covered in tiny hairs that provide insulation against the cold in their high alpine habitat.

They have no ears, are flightless and don’t sing, relying on their slate-grey colouring to camouflage them in their rocky habitat.

3:45 The pre-Panel