Returning to the scene of the crime

Anke Richter
8 June

Kia ora friends & folks,

Let’s crack into the pavlova and Lindauer: It’s Godzone anniversary month for me!

20 years ago, I moved to Aotearoa New Zealand from Germany with my family via a stint in Tokelau. The highs and lows of these early years as a Kraut in Kiwi Country led to my third book, the culture clash satire Was scheren mich die Schafe. The title translates as “What do I care about the sheep”, but it’s a pun in German.

(Yes, Germans can be funny.)

Fully kiwified foreign correspondent with various sheep (pre-earthquakes, 2010)

It’s been a wild ride, earthquakes, double citizenship, cult trips and all. I’m more grateful than ever to call the most beautiful bottom of the world my home.

Another trip down memory lane is happening in June: I’m returning to Koh Phangan in Thailand, the scene of the crime of the Agama drama which I covered in 2018 for the NZ Herald and German media – and more extensively in the “Toxic Tantra” part in Cult Trip.

In two weeks, I’ll be the special guest at Write Night at Hemmingway’s restaurant in Sri Thanu – just across the road from the infamous yoga school that has been accused of being a rape cult and is sadly still going on “Tantra Island”. Two days later, I’m also offering my event “How Not to Start a Cult”, a ticketed fundraiser for the community group Safe Phangan at Orion. l’ll report back – wish me luck!

Outside Agama Yoga in Thailand in 2018

Agama was also mentioned in a long-form feature, “Communes without borders”, which I wrote for my favourite newspaper, taz in Germany. Although Cult Trip is only published in English so far, the taz gave me three pages to describe my own conflicting journey as an accidental cult tourist. Quite an edge for me to share so much that’s deeply personal. Last but not least, I broke the news in there that a rape complaint was filed against an ISTA lead teacher in Israel. No justice, no peace.

From Thailand I’m heading straight to Munich where the university has invited me to speak at their monthly Gender Salon, free and open to anyone. A week later, I’ll be in Berlin and holding an event at the taz, my favourite newspaper, together with sex coach Ondra Veltrusky whom I interviewed about power dynamics in the sexological bodywork scene last year.

Because I love collaborating with friends who are passionate about bringing more safety and trauma awareness to self-exploration and their community, it was great to join forces last month with Christchurch co-facilitator Bear Heart. In case you missed our sold-out cult awareness event at the XCHC: We’ll do it again later this year.

                      “How Not to Start a Cult” at the XCHC in May, with Bear Heart

So it’s time to pack my bags for a two months trip overseas, including family reunions, a wedding, a writers’ retreat in Italy, a visit to Prague and Poland, and a book festival in Byron Bay on the way home.

What I’m reading:

I’m taking this newly released gem by Don Lattin along for some culty reading. Sounds gonzo and gangsta and right up my alley – don’t say I didn’t warn you if it’s too whacky! Speaking of which: Check out this oddly weird but wonderful indie film that’s now downloadable – Godplex by Kiwi filmmaker Darcy Gladwin which is about a new religion called Virtology. The cult of elephants is all I’ll say…

Keep an eye out for the Listener later this month where I write about the mental health issues of cult leavers and their lack of support. And if you missed my previous newsletters from the cultiverse, you can still read them here – or unsubscribe below if you don’t want to receive them any more.

See you on the other side!

Anke