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| irn | 8084 |
| master_filename | 001034_MIX_vinegar_hill_gwenllian_davies.wav |
| master_md5 | 8974FD3F39F9C84CFE6E97FB86274D11 |
| master_duration | 7:08 |
| master_sample_rate | 44.1 kHz |
| master_bit_depth | 16 bit |
| master_channels | 1 |
| media_reference | 001034 |
| media_source | PrideNZ.com |
| copyright_position | In copyright |
| copyright_ownership | Gareth Watkins (PrideNZ.com) |
| copyright_ownership_note | |
| submitted_to_nlnz | 25-02-2026 |
| public_url | https://www.pridenz.com/vinegar_hill_gwenllian_davies.html |
| meta_url | https://www.pridenz.com/data/media/meta/8084.html |
| plain_text_url | https://www.pridenz.com/plaintext/vinegar_hill_gwenllian_davies.txt |
| production_date | 29-12-2025 |
| production_day | 29 |
| production_month | 12 |
| production_year | 2025 |
| recording_type | Interview |
| series | Vinegar Hill |
| sub_series | |
| title | Vinegar Hill - Gwenllian Davies |
| description | Will Hansen talks to Gwenllian Davies about camping at Vinegar Hill. |
| summary_computer_generated | In conversation with interviewer Will Hansen, Gwenllian Davies shares a vivid account of camping at Vinegar Hill during the Christmas and New Year period of the 2020s, weaving together engagement, recovery, queer community, magic, memory and hope for the future of this iconic rainbow gathering space in Aotearoa New Zealand. A first visit to Vinegar Hill took place the previous summer after alternative New Year plans unexpectedly collapsed. Arrival occurred without camping equipment, resulting in a restless attempt to sleep in a car. Despite discomfort, the atmosphere of generosity and welcome left a powerful impression. Strangers offered warmth, friendliness and connection. That early experience made one thing clear: a return with proper planning was essential. The following year brought a more intentional stay. Arrival on 22 December allowed time to settle into camp life before Christmas Day. The environment at Vinegar Hill is described not simply as a campsite but as a space infused with grounding energy. As a health practitioner and practising witch with a love of herbs, natural medicine and ritual, Gwenllian speaks about magic as something mental, focused and deeply connected to intention. Preparation for market day included writing personalised spells drawn from a carefully assembled book intended as a gift for others at the gathering. Christmas Day by the fire became unforgettable. Under moonlight and candlelight, a spell written in the moment transformed into a marriage proposal. When Kayden asked for a spell, reflection sparked a realisation that the most powerful spell available was commitment itself. Words were read aloud beside the fire before kneeling to ask for marriage. Acceptance followed, creating an engagement shaped by flame, night sky and collective presence. The proposal felt spontaneous yet inevitable, rooted in both love and the charged atmosphere of Vinegar Hill. The significance of that moment sits within a broader personal context. The year leading up to the gathering had been challenging, including work difficulties, health struggles and recovery from a head injury. Vinegar Hill offered respite. The setting provided time to switch off, rest and breathe. The tone of the interview suggests that the hill carries a particular kind of magic created not only by landscape but by people. The night after the proposal brought another deeply felt experience. A baby bird fell from a tree near the campsite. Attempts were made to keep the bird warm and safe, including sheltering the fragile creature in a car overnight. Despite care and hope, the cold proved too much. The small loss carried emotional weight, especially so soon after an engagement. A decision was made to lay the bird to rest near a significant memorial tree within the camp, a site known for holding ashes and memories. The gesture felt natural, almost guided, linking new beginnings with remembrance. Camping life included Smidge, a two year old Devon Rex cat, adding warmth and companionship to the experience. Engagement, care for the fallen bird and the presence of a beloved pet combined to create a sense of shared domesticity in an outdoor queer gathering space. Vinegar Hill becomes, in this telling, a place where family expands and redefines itself. At the heart of the recording lies connection with queer elders. Time spent sitting around the fire listening to older members of the rainbow community stands out as the most meaningful aspect of the stay. Conversations carried stories of darker decades, resilience during social hostility and the creation of spaces where queer identity could thrive. Listening to those who lived through more difficult eras fostered both gratitude and responsibility. Every person at the hill holds a story. Each narrative contributes to a living archive of LGBTQIA+ history in Aotearoa. Daily journalling formed part of Gwenllian's experience, capturing encounters, insights and reflections. The sense of community is described as generous and grounded. Food, water, lights and small gifts circulated freely. Strangers became connections. Special interests found matching enthusiasm in unexpected places. The hill functions as a temporary village built on shared identity, creativity and mutual care. The memorial tree near the meat market area embodies the continuity of Vinegar Hill. Surrounded by stones, the tree marks a place where ashes have been scattered and beloved pets buried. The site symbolises remembrance, grief and enduring connection. Choosing that location for the fallen bird felt right, aligning a small personal loss with a broader tradition of honouring memory within the community. The memorial tree illustrates how Vinegar Hill holds both celebration and sorrow within the same landscape. Events such as market day and themed gatherings add colour to the programme, yet informal firelight conversations remain the true centre of gravity. Storytelling, laughter and shared reflection carry equal importance to organised activities. In a world described as increasingly hostile toward people under the rainbow umbrella, preservation of memory and community becomes urgent. Protecting queer history, safeguarding stories and creating new memories stand out as guiding motivations. |
| interviewer | Will Hansen |
| voices | Gwenllian Davies |
| tags | 2020s; camping; cats; elders; magic; marriage; memorial; memorial tree; memory; proposal; tent; witchcraft; Vinegar Hill / Putai Ngahere Domain; Gwenllian Davies |
| tags_computer_generated | health; history; writing; parents; community; Coming Up; pets; love; reading; queer; rainbow; Stuff; bravery; journal; connections; future; work; face; plan; sleep; water; medicine; Space; People; Events; bird; Christmas; time; fire |
| location_name | Vinegar Hill / Putai Ngahere Domain |
| location | |
| broader_location | Manawatū-Whanganui |
| location_lat | -39.933526246606284 |
| location_long | 175.6397045706399 |
| precise_locality | false |