Fabz | Manurewa
“My upbringing was really good. My mum was born and bred Whanganui, she’s from a little town down in the middle of I’d say Palmy and Raetihi. It’s a nice, beautiful town.
My dad was born and bred in, well I think Whanganui. I was brought up on farms, it was a really good life. Riding horses, hunting was one of our main passions that I liked, especially going out for deer and stuff. We used to see things that a lot of people here in Auckland would never get to see, which is beautiful lands. Early morning start for hunting is one of the best things in the world, because you’ll be up in the hills, all in the valleys and it’s just wicked, it’s an awesome feeling. I would like to do that for my children, but I don’t think they even know what a sheep is, especially here in Auckland, they don’t have any of that sort of thing for kids that have never been there.
I loved it down there but things took a big turn, and I’d say I was wasn’t really in the right state of mind. I was always fighting, drinking was my worst enemy. I’d use alcohol to go out and cause a lot of havoc. You know, look at me now; I don’t drink anymore, so it’s a really good thing for me, and it’s only been around about eight months that I’ve given up, but people that know me down in Whanganui they didn’t like me when I was under the influence, but other than that, I had the bestest life. It’s like it’ll be a changing experience for a lot of the street kids around here too, they’ll learn better. Better morals and learn to work for what you got, and to go out and provide. That’s it, eh; providing for your family, which is something that my parents did, and I sort of lost that myself.
I’m grateful for a lot of things, but one thing I’m grateful for this year is for Christ and God coming into my life and changing my ways. I didn’t go the same way as my parents, which sent me haywire. It hasn’t been a good lifestyle that I led, but it’s good where I’m at the moment. If I’m allowed I’d like to say that I’m with a band of brothers that help a lot of people that are struggling in South Auckland and everywhere, actually. What they do is they go out of their way and re-build men to stop being violent with their wives and violent with their kids and actually be a father. It’s really awesome. It’s pretty wicked with these band of brothers, it’s like wicked. They actually listen to you, and they say things to you that just bring the best out of you. So yeah, be part of it, because it’s full-on and it actually changes life for real. If you know me, you’ll know. You’ll know.
I’m not saying anything about gangs or anything, but I’ll just say for real that lifestyle was out the gate, you know? If people throw out there that they’re a gang then they’re actually way off. They’re actually men that were sent by God, and they have all their morals packed in one, you know, and we support all police officers. Anyone that’s authority around here, we support big time, and that’s what we’re trying to put out there for our young rangatahi; show them that they are appreciated. They can succeed to be whatever they want. Just give yourself a try, don’t dwell in what the past has given.
For a lot of our people they’ve been given a pass that they don’t know what to do with it. You get so far and next minute you’re in jail. It’s like, what the? How can you live that life? That’s not me, I would never want to be that person. I can easily be misled and I was, a lot. But the group; oh it’s wicked, and the thing is, they don’t push Christ and God onto the people they’re helping. They want to go into the dark places where the jails are and look after people that are coming out of jail and they’re struggling to get a job, or even just mingle in, because of their persona, especially gang members.
They have a big persona. No disrespect to them, I respect them all day, but their persona is out. I wouldn’t want to be part of that sort of persona, It’s just too ugly, scary, and I don’t walk around with a chip on my shoulder anymore. I don’t feel like I’m scared or looking over my shoulder practically 24/7, because I was rolling with the wrong crowd, or just rolling, that’s it. At the end of the day, knew where to stop, and my family comes first.
To all our brothers out there, please, if a brother comes up to you and asks you if you want to be part of it, don’t be sad. Just, bro come in, and you’ll be respected with all the brotherhood. We will support you all the way, even if you fall off. Fall off means that you can get back up again and walk hard. But don’t think that we’re here to help you get out of jail or you know, things like that. No way are we here for that. We’re here to make you stay out of jail, and lead a better life, and own it.
A lot of us need to confess to a lot of people, and if it takes you to say sorry, then say sorry, and when you do that, you’ll feel the best relief in your life. It’s like, man wicked I’ve, you know, I’ve owned up. I feel that they know that you’ve changed, because you don’t hold that same ugly persona.
Bless you’s all, especially everyone in this world, because we all belong to one person which is God, and that’s how I feel. I don’t feel like God was drummed into me, and things like that, because I’ve only known Him for two months, and I’ve been with the brothers for 18 months. So imagine that; it took me a long time, it’s not a hop, skip and a jump. Brothers out there, you know, give it a try, because at the end of the day you’ve got to keep on going, and falling back down, and who’s going to pick you up?
I don’t see other gang members coming out and picking you up from jail. You know that’s for real. They ain’t going to pick you up nowhere, but once you’re back on the street they’re there, but hey, so we’re there all the time. When you get out of jail, we’re there. We will support you all the way, so don’t believe that you’re alone, and suicide; stop it. It’s not on. Your family will miss you forever, because at the end of the day people, they take their lives. Breaks my heart. You know? Why would you do that? But yeah, stay hard, man live life to the fullest, love life. That’s all I’ve got to say.
Yeah, man thank you for this, this is wicked. I needed to let this out, wicked. This is awesome, this is something that I was wanting to do, so it’s funny how I’m walking out of a library, brother walks up; oh, bro would you like to do a bit of a…. Oh keen, especially if it’s got to do with our streets and how things are around here, because honestly it’s beautiful. It’s awesome. I’m not wearing that chip anymore, so it’s like, wow I get to mingle with the best of them. You know what I mean? I get to walk up to people that I’d never walk up to and talk to them; now I can rub shoulders. It’s wonderful. Get rid of the chip, get rid of whatever is holding you back and just own it and walk, put your head up, man. That’s what it’s all about. I’d never do this. I’d never do this, but now I just feel like I’m a new man, and that’s Constable Snow over here. Oh, no that wasn’t him, but anyway you know, he’s a good help. He’s a wicked dude. So you know, peace out to him all day.”
