Anika Moa @ Lincoln

Anika Moa came to play during Lincoln Uni's O week. She's the biggest musician to come to Lincoln in years, and Jo at the student's association was rightly pleased she managed to bring her to Lincoln.
Yet I suspect it'll be a while until either LUSA or the university pay to bring such a big name act again - as this photo shows, no-one was much bothered. I reckon only a few dozen people - maybe just over a hundred - watched this free concert from one of NZ's most popular singer songwriters.


This is a shame, and not just because students missed out on a quality top rate Kiwi act. It's symptomatic of the general Lincoln malaise - apathy. Last year at TSCF SLC (Student Leaders Conference) I remember chatting with Rah from AUT about the differences between different student cultures across campuses. She was amazed that the CF students at Lincoln have such a good relationship with the student's association, and open access to the student magazine, whereas in many other places that would be unthinkable. I asked which was better - to have open access yet apathy, or to have antagonism but real engagement. Of course, it's six of one and half a dozen of another.

Here in Lincoln Uni in 2008 the CF works to proclaim Jesus in word and deed in a unique, and tough, environment. The CF does really well in its relationship with the student and university authorities. Yet the student population is so apathetic about everything - Lincoln's the last place in the country where any student angst would be shown; it's all heads down and hard work, a stepping stone to a job. These handful of students watching a national class act like Anika Moa demonstrates that. I praise God for the CF being imaginative and creative in engaging this non-engaging student culture to get them thinking about Jesus - more of that in blogs to follow later this week (probably!)......