Lockdown in Waikato

By hugo.molloy (he/him)

I’m in my early twenties, so my experience of the pandemic has been vastly different to other groups. Studying during Covid was difficult, but it also wasn’t the worst place to be. Sure, you hear that our twenties have been burdened or squandered by Covid. But realistically we had a few years of staying home and shifting online. It also gave us the chance to build meaningful relationships with whomever we were sharing a roof with.

However, I don’t wish to generalise or speak naively. I know how devastating the pandemic has been for so many of us. So, I dedicate this small series of images to a man I met who lost his livelihood and his home to the lockdowns, being pushed to the fringes of society. He had set up camp by a railway in Waikato and approached me as I walked past with my camera. He insisted that I took images of his situation and encouraged me to share them. I gave him twenty dollars for his troubles of showing me around, thanking him for letting me glimpse into his situation.