People have always been fascinated by twins. I’m no exception. I was amused, charmed and came away better educated after interviewing the very talented Borell twins in the Auckland suburb of Manurewa.
We sit at the kitchen table in the heart of their family home, looking out on to a vibrant deck covered with pots of greenery. And we talk. With twins, there is always a lot of talking.
Belinda, the older twin by two minutes, is the retiring one, according to her younger sibling, Nigel. It wasn’t always that way. As children, Nigel was the reserved one and Belinda was “out there”, he says.
Inevitably, there is banter, including some squabbling about iwi connections (Pirirakau, Ngāi Te Rangi, Ngāti Ranginui, Te Whakatōhea), but it’s clear they still have each other’s back and each is proud of the other’s achievements.
Belinda has made her mark in health research and in academia, exploring cultural identity among South Auckland rangatahi for her master’s thesis and, in 2018, completing a PhD examining privilege from an indigenous viewpoint.
Nigel is a well-known artist, museum curator (including a notable period at Toi O Tāmaki/Auckland Art Gallery) and Māori art advocate who was made
