We come from a large, lively family, guided by our gifted parents, David and Georgina - musicians, storytellers, and deeply spiritual souls.

Our West Auckland home was alive with song, laughter, and animated conversation. It was a place of rhythm and warmth, where we were always encouraged to speak our minds and share our hearts.

Speak Say Share was curated by sisters Ruth, Tania, and Rachel Wolfgramm (Team Longolongo).

We use the word ‘curated’ because, although we designed this anthology and wrote the introductions for the touchstones, every poem and story shared by our contributors remains unedited, authentic, and true to their original voices.

I’m Ruthie, the oldest of the three sisters who lovingly curated this anthology for you. With my sisters, we had hoped to release this for you all much sooner, but life had other plans. The painful search for our beloved son Kassie, came to an end on the 26th of April 2023, after seven long years. Finding Kassie left me with a sense of relief but also overwhelming sorrow, knowing I would never again hear his voice, his laugh, be able to hug and hold him or share our love of music together. I feel him close to me though, his sweet spirit reaching out across time and space.

Time ticked by as we celebrated his life with family amongst roses in the Rose Gardens, Parnell, Auckland, and held our memorial for him here in Brisbane, Australia. Our lives are not the same, but I feel I am now more present for my amazing children and their partners James and Rebekah, Beks and Mike, and Caleb and Carol and my beautiful grandchildren Hudson, Judah and Olive. Recently, we returned to New Zealand for a long weekend, enjoying beautiful food, sights and sounds of Matakana, Omaha Beach, Waiheke Island, and celebrations with family.

My husband Dave continues to be my true friend, standing beside me through this roller coaster of life. Thank you for reading Speak, Say, Share. I hope your own creative spirit finds its way to help you through the joys and sorrows of your own lives. With love and gratitude. Ruthie

I’m Tania, the second oldest of the sisters. I count every day of my life as a bonus and a blessing because I am a survivor of deadly peritonitis, acute appendicitis, and meningococcal septicaemia. Like my sisters, I had hoped to share our creative voices sooner, yet 2023 brought new trials, including two major surgeries that tested my strength once again. With heartfelt gratitude, I acknowledge the doctors, nurses, biomedical and med-tech specialists—especially Dr Nick Cooper—whose dedication, together with the boundless aroha of my whānau, has gifted me this precious extension of life to create, share, and celebrate with those I love.

My tamariki – children, Janni, Darcy and Vinnie – are my source of strength. My mokopuna - grandchildren, Aliyah, Hayley and Mason, are my taonga, my treasures, smart, beautiful and brave. My life partner, Tohunga Toi Ake, expert carver and sculptor, Wikuki Kingi Jnr, is my perpetual inspiration. We live in Auckland and travel the world with whanau and friends, working with communities across the Pacific, America, Europe, and Asia. Thank you for reading our anthology. We hope some of our creative voices resonate with you and your own sources of power and resilience. Whakawhiti te ra! Shine Bright. Arohanui, Tania

I’m Rachel, the youngest of the three sisters. We loved the journey of bringing the creative voices of our family and whanau together. Being able to share, connect, laugh, cry, and reflect on our lives in our extended bubbles was special. Like my sisters, I also wanted to release this book earlier, but in late 2023 I suffered a stroke at work. A large aneurysm was found in my PICA (posterior inferior cerebellar artery). Due to its size and location, they could not operate with open brain surgery. I relied on the expertise of surgeon radiologist Dr Shane Lee of Auckland City Hospital. Dr Lee navigated through my femoral artery to place one of the world’s smallest stents in my PICA, diverting blood flow away from the aneurysm which we had nicknamed Fusi (short for fusiform). I owe Shane for my extended life and am forever grateful. I was able to finish a major research project and get my life back on track.

Now, I cherish the time I spend with my son Ash, a stellar lyricist- supporting his singing/songwriting journey, keeping up with my master-gamer grandson Eli, and enjoying life’s celebrations with my son Ike, a talented entrepreneur, and his wife Louise. Jim, my husband and friend for nearly 40 years, is the rock of our family, a work hard, play hard kind of guy, always keen for the next new adventure. Our furry friend Tenshi, star of the touchstone ‘Kaleidoscope of Joy’ brings light and laughter to our days. Thank you for reading our book. I hope it gives you time to remember and reflect on what brings joy and happiness to the rollercoaster ride that is your own life.  With love, gratitude, and peace, Rachele