2004. What a time to be skateboarding! Jeans were getting tighter, but the shoes were still fat. Fringes were getting longer, and indie rock bands reigned supreme. Most of my close crew from Hamilton had already bounced to OZ, and Pedro wasn’t far behind.

This amazing photo shot by the equally amazing Dave Chami captures that moment in time perfectly for me. The moody sky and the custom embroidered H-town fitted cap. The homies were crushing it, and when I first saw it, I was overwhelmed with pride. I would study this photo, wondering exactly where he popped from and if it was as huge in real life as it looked in the photo. Beautiful skate photos like this are works of art to me — they’re a creative collaboration of light and form frozen forever in time.

I’m a deeply nostalgic person by nature. Whenever I have spare time, I’ll pull out all the mags I have in the garage and post something old on the ‘gram under the handle Pork ‘n’ Puha for anyone who might care. I love New Zealand skateboarding and my friends, which is why this is My Favourite Thing from the mag. @porknpuha

 As seen on the cover of Manual #16, 2004. With plenty of interpretative illustration, much to the photographer’s dismay.

This article was published in Manual, issue 70, April 2003, a few months before Jamie’s passing.