Q&A: Unique publication that celebrates Southland food

Wee, the new magazine that uncovers some cool Southland food stories.

There’s a new magazine out called Wee which celebrates all things Southland food. It’s the brainchild of Louise Evans who has poured a huge amount of time into making Wee become a reality. The Tribune put some questions to Evans to find out more about this unique publication.

Q. Can you give us a snapshot what Wee is all about?

A. Wee is a platform for our region’s incredible food stories to be told in a way that makes me happy - beautifully illustrated in a tactile magazine. It began as a personal project and turned into something wee and wonderful I wanted to share. 

In it you’ll find interviews about sustainability; a guide to harvesting kaimoana after a storm; local food legends creating, sharing, talking about kai in ways we haven’t seen before; a guide to what to harvest and when; banana ketchup and much much more. I had the pleasure of working with some talented illustrators and artists to bring the stories to life, and have tried to make space for all sorts of voices. 

Q. What prompted the idea?

A. I’ve been tossing the idea of ‘lots of little’ around for a while. Often we get caught up in the idea that we need someone big to ‘fix’ things for us - we need someone to reinvent our stale nightlife, put a positive spin on the way we market the city, create creative hubs. But actually if lots of little things started happening (as they are beginning to) we can make big change, together. Wee is just one little outlet for that idea. 

I’ve been a champion of the South since I moved home. I love sharing our stories in a way that elevates how we see our region, and how others experience it. 

Q. How long has it been in the pipeline?

A. While this magazine was written during my maternity leave, that’s only because I had the creative space (and I’d love to say time, but was sorely mistaken there) to work on it. 

I wrote each of the stories for this first edition, except for those titbits in the dollar mixture section. I spent a lot of time chatting with foodies over coffee (while rocking a baby), getting excited with them over future plans, and then crafting their words into articles. There are so many more stories in the wings. It was a matter of culling not-quite-there-yet pieces just to get it to print. 

I then asked artists I admired to add pieces to bring those words to life. Some finished their works months and months ago. Then I designed the magazine and worked with i-Cue to get it to print.

Q. Who has been involved in putting this together? 

A. There’s a huge list of contributors. From Gully who is 10 and sells seed packets from his farm, to Alana Conroy who took my Murihiku Menu brief and ran with it. 

Q. Have you got a personal favourite tidbit in the book?

A. My favourite part in Wee changes all the time. I love the harvest guide right at the back. It’s simple and comes in handy. I always adore Gemma’s collages. I love that Nela’s work throws readers a bit. And overhearing readers exclaim “there’s someone who makes peanut butter here, I need to try that.” My favourite spread today is probably the flat lay of all the multicultural groceries. It’s bold and bright and shows off another side of Southland that I don’t see often. Or maybe the quote; “doesn’t everyone live like we do?” I’m not sure. Oh, no it’s the ice cream on the front. That’s my son’s toy. 

Q. What has the feedback been like to date?

A. Gosh, the feedback has been overwhelming and immediate. My first run disappeared in less than a day. And I’ve got people messaging looking for copies. Clearly I need to hit print again, but it’s a bit of a stretch for the wallet of someone not-quite-back-at-work. I’ll find a way. 

Q. Where can people get their hands on a copy?

A. If you haven’t got a copy, there’s possibly a few left at the Batch. Kate covered an entire wall with them. She’s one of the Kaitaki, or food army, featured in the magazine and takes that role seriously - if you have food to champion down here she’s who to speak to. Otherwise, it’s a beg, borrow or steal type situation until I can find some funding for the next run of these. 

Q. What's the future plans for Wee?

A. There’s another edition coming. I won’t give you a date. But there are so many exciting things happening in the food space to write about. If you have food stories you’d like to see in print you can message me. The more voices the better. Everyone eats, right?

• Louise Evans can be contacted at louise@lemoncreative.co.nz