Freebies & Fun

There is a 'kiwi' sense of humour, a kiwi 'do-it-yourself' attitude and good old kiwi ingenuity. Kiwiana means the things that contribute to our sense of being Kiwi. Just to confuse you, the kiwifruit is often called a 'kiwi' in Europe and America and 'Kiwi' nugget (shoe polish) is known throughout the world, although it is an Australian invention!

New Zealand A-Z

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A&P Shows

New Zealand's answer to the country fair, A & P (Agricultural and Pastoral) Shows are held all over the country throughout the summer.  Showcasing rural livestock, innovations, art, craft, baking and produce, A & P Shows represent the best in rural New Zealand.  Popular family events, most shows include equestrian events, sideshows, and the obligatory candy-floss (Cotton Candy) stall.

All Blacks

New Zealand is the greatest Rugby nation in the world and the National team the All Blacks are legends of the game. The rapid spread of rugby in this country resulted in the formation of the New Zealand Rugby Union in 1892. Even then, players at club and provincial level aspired to the national team, which became known as the All Blacks on a tour of Britain in 1905. It is said that the name was the result of a printer's error, with "all backs" - a journalist's reference to the team's speed - appearing as "all blacks". From 1901 the team's jersey and shorts were black, so the new name - even if accidental - was appropriate, and stuck. The All Black jersey is one of the nation's most prestigious sporting uniforms. The All Blacks are New Zealand's national rugby union team and you'll experience the enthusiasm of their fans and notice their logo with the silver fern in numerous places around New Zealand. The All Blacks introduce their games performing a traditional Haka a Māori war dance which looks indeed very awe-inspiring. In New Zealand, Rugby is as popular as soccer is in Europe. In 1987, the All Blacks won the World Cup. As you can guess, they play in black  New Zealand's most loved colour. Read more about the All Blacks here and see the Adidas Commercial Haka on YouTube.

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Bach

The holiday bach remains a quintessentially Kiwi preserve with an almost mystical fascination for generations of New Zealanders. In the South Island, it is known as a crib a term used by Charles Dickens in Oliver Twist, to mean a lodging or public house.
In the North Island with typical New Zealand blitheness the word bach was picked up to denote bachelor accommodation, literally a shortened version of bachelor, suggesting a reserved 'Man Alone' type surviving under basic living conditions. However, in the years following World War II, the bach became a family holiday retreat, a haven of informality and a casual back-to-basics style of living. 'Bach' is the Kiwi colloquial term for 'summer house'. Traditionally a bach will possess minimal facilities, be situated near a beach or lake, and remain in the family for generations.

BBQ (Barbeque)

The ultimate summer pastime, BBQ's herald the start of summer. Traditionally the domain of men, on any given summer night you'll find a collection of blokes, beer-in-hand, standing around the obligatory backyard BBQ.  Traditionally sausages and steak found their way on to the hot plate, but these days New Zealanders are a lot more creative with their BBQ cuisine. Seafood, kebabs, and even the occasional vegetable, making their way on to the menu.

Black Singlet and Gumboots

It is fair to say that New Zealand wouldn't be the same without Fred Dagg, aka John Morrison Clarke, a laconic presence on New Zealand one and only TV channel in the mid-to-late 70s. John Clarke's rural creation strolled into the national consciousness in oversize gumboots and black singlet, proof that we had our own sense of humour and identity.
Wearing a black woolen singlet and a pair of gumboots was an institution among the more fashion conscious kiwi farming males. The black singlet has become another essential item in the outdoors worker's wardrobe. It is warm, does not show dirt too quickly, and in warm weather particularly, it soaks up the sweat usually associated with hard, manual work. It is sleeveless for less constriction, freer movement and for these reasons has gained and maintained its place in Kiwiana. The gumboot is worn by all ages from puddle-stamping school children to retired suburban gardeners wanting to keep their feet dry. Out on the farm gumboots are as common as the black singlet, perhaps even more so. Gumboot throwing is a recent novelty sport that has been fostered in the town of Taihape - the 'Gumboot Capital' of New Zealand.

Bungee Jumping

Bungee jumping is an the extreme sport. People jump from tall structures such as cranes, buildings or bridges protected by a rubber band. Proven by some film material from the 1950s, Bungee jumping originated in Vanuatu in the South Pacific, where the indigenous people threw themselves from a tower 30 m high, protected only by vines tied to their ankles as a test of courage. Inspired by this, four members of the Oxford University Dangerous Sports Club threw themselves off the 76 metres high Clifton Suspension Bridge in Bristol in 1979 with only a rubber band to stop them. In the 1980s, AJ Hacket from New Zealand developed super-stretchy elastic bungee cord and demonstrated it's possibilities by throwing himself off the Eiffel Tower in 1987  and this is how Bungee jumping became popular. Today especially, New Zealand offers a wide range of possibilities for this kind of adrenaline rush. One of them is the Sky Jump off the observation deck of the tallest tower in the Southern Hemisphere, the Sky Tower in Auckland. Jumpstart by leaping 192 metres the jumpers can reach a speed of 60 km per hour (40 mph) in a total of 20 seconds.

Buzzy Bee

The inspired creation of Auckland brothers Hector and John Ramsey, the Buzzy Bee is one of New Zealand's favourite children's toys, resembling a bee with rotating wings that move while the toy is pulled along the ground. First produced in the 1940s, it became popular during the post-war baby boom. Its bright colours and clicking sound call are familiar to many New Zealanders, making it one of the most well-recognized items of Kiwiana.
When Prince and Princess of Wales toured New Zealand in 1983, six-month-old Prince William was given a Buzzy Bee and he delighted the world's press by playing with the toy during an official photo shoot in the grounds of Government House in Auckland.

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Ches n Dale

Chesdale cheese dates back to the days before most New Zealand homes had refrigerators. Being a processed cheese it kept well, whereas ordinary cheese, once cut, would quickly dry out and lose its flavour. Chesdale was first produced in a block shape, and because it had no rind it could claim there was no waste. Later the cheese appeared in small foil-wrapped triangular segments packed into a round tray, ideal for school lunches and picnics. Chesdale also came in a range of flavours, and in individually wrapped slices for easy sandwich-making. New Zealand's most famous cheese is supported by two other well-known characters, Ches and Dale. These rural types first appeared in the early 1960s, designed and suitably dressed in gumboots and black singlets by graphic artists Dick Frizzell and Sam Harvey. They first went on television in 1965, singing the song that would soon be heard wherever New Zealanders traveled abroad:
"We are the boys from down on the farm, we really know our cheese
There's much better value in Chesdale, it never fails to please
Chesdale slices thinly, never crumbles, there's no waste
And boy it's got a mighty taste
Chesdale cheese - it's finest cheddar, made better!"

Crown Lynn Railway Cups

Rail transport was once the major mode of transport in New Zealand and an important part of the culture, as well as the infrastructure. On the overnight express from Wellington to Auckland, passengers would stop for a cup of tea along the way. The steaming brew was also served in an incredibly sturdy railways mug, made by New Zealand's Crown Lynn pottery. While the mugs were cheaply made, over the years they have become valuable collector's items.

Cyber Cafe

Internet cafe. The rates are very variable and depend on where you are. In the cities you pay about NZ$2-4 per hour, on campgrounds and in smaller towns up to NZ$8.

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Dairy

A kind of corner store where one can buy nearly everything (except alcohol).

DOC  Department of Conservation

The Department of Conservation  commonly known by its acronym DOC  is the central government organization responsible for conserving the natural and historic heritage of New Zealand. DOC takes care of the maintenance of national forest and maritime parks and runs many campsites. These places mostly offer less comfort but are very close to nature, in scenic settings. The huts at the tramping tracks are also maintained by DOC. If you're planning an overnight stay you should register at the nearest DOC office.
http://www.doc.govt.nz/

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Edmonds Cookbook

More copies of this book, published by the makers of Edmonds 'Sure to Rise' Baking Powder, have been sold than any other book in New Zealand. Few New Zealand children would leave home without buying or borrowing their mother's copy of this kiwi culinary bible. It became a household name. All that is left of the Edmonds factory is the garden in Christchurch. The Edmonds Cookbook is the quintessential guide to New Zealand cuisine. It was begun as a marketing tool by a manufacturer of baking powder, but it is now recognised as a Kiwi icon. (Edmonds has since become a brand within Goodman Fielder.) The front cover shows the old factory on Ferry Road in Christchurch (since demolished) and their slogan "Sure to Rise". The cookbook has gone through many editions in its 90-year history.

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Fish 'n' Chips

You can't get more Kiwi than Fish 'n' Chips. Deep fried potato chips with battered fish. Costing next to nothing, and found in every New Zealand town the corner Fish n Chip shop is a New Zealand institution.

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Greenstone

Common New Zealand English for jade. The Māori call this very hard stone Pounamu  the Stone of the Gods. Greenstone carvings and jewelery are manufactured in traditional Māori designs. There are different symbols with different meanings, worn around the neck not only by Māori but also by other New Zealanders. Greenstone items are very popular souvenirs.

Gumboots

Traditional footwear of farmers everywhere, gumboots (or 'Wellingtons' to our international audience) are a tried and true piece of Kiwi attire. Though black is the preferred colour, gumboots come in a range of colours to suit any taste!

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Haka

Traditional Māori dance with shouted accompaniment and performed in a group. Haka is popularly thought of solely as a war dance, because the All Blacks introduce their games with a war haka. But haka have also other purposes such as amusement or as a welcome to special guests. The war haka was originally performed by warriors before a battle, showing their power and strength in order to intimidate their enemies.

Haka Links
Ka Mate
Watch the Haka (Flash)
Adidas Commercial Haka on YouTube

Hokey Pokey ice-cream

New Zealand is of course a country with a dairy farm history. Dairying has been a large contributor to the national wealth and those in the industry have earned the respect of the world for the standard and variety of their products and produce. Hardly surprising, therefore, that 'Kiwis' are among the largest ice cream consumers, per capita, in the world with hokey-pokey being at the top of the flavour lists since its introduction 50 years ago. A crunchy honey-comb toffee added to vanilla ice cream. Simple! Delicious and nothing quite like it is found anywhere.
Distinctively New Zealand.

Honeydew

When there's a scent of honey in the bush and the tree trunks are a black colour, almost like coal, that's honeydew. The little insects who produce it live in the tree trunks. You can see tiny transparent drops, each hanging at something like a hair from the tree trunks. Nectar-eating birds love honeydew and are all around.

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i-SITE

The Visitor Information Centres are called i-SITEs. There are 80 i-Sites throughout the country where you're given friendly, patient advice and information about everything you should know  or want to know-about the region and what to do and to see there.
All the i-SITEs

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Jandals

The word Jandal is derived from 'Japanese sandal' and came into the New Zealanders' vocabulary in the 1950s when these simple rubber sandals were first produced here. Similar products are known in other countries by other names thongs or flip-flops. Favoured summertime footwear for most New Zealanders, is an important part of any Kiwi wardrobe. Available in a range of colours, the jandal can be worn just about anywhere from the beach to the pub! As far as size goes- As long as it was bigger then your foot, it was a good fit. Made entirely from rubber, they lasted for years and only when the thong between the toes broke was it time to invest in a new pair.

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Kauri

The Kauri tree is a kind of conifer, endemic to New Zealand and one of the biggest trees in the world. Only the mammut tree grows taller. Kauri grow in the subtropical northern part of the North Island. The place to see the most impressive kauri trees is the Waipoua Kauri Forest. The oldest kauri in New Zealand is Te Matua Ngahere. The Father of the Forest is estimated to be about 2000 years old. The tallest surviving kauri tree is Tane Mahuta  the God of the Forest  with a height of 51.2 m. Unfortunately, kauri wood is one of the worlds great timbers and had to serve the settlers social climb up in the 19th century. There were about 1 million ha of kauri forest in New Zealand before the felling started, which has left only 9000 ha. Kauri are now strictly protected.

Kiwi

There are 2 kinds of kiwi in New Zealand:the New Zealander himself and the nocturnal kiwi bird. Kiwi can't fly, are very shy and sleep in holes in the ground most of the the daytime. They can't see well but they have highly developed senses of hearing and smell. With the help of their long, thin beaks with nostrils at the end of them, they are able to find food deep in the ground. Their feathering is of an inconspicuous brown and almost seems like fur. The kiwi is endemic to New Zealand and a national icon.

Kiwiana

means iconic symbols of New Zealand. The kiwi bird, the kiwifruit, the popular children's toy Buzzybee, the Silver Fern, Rugby, the colour black, the Paua shell, Bungee Jumping, Sheep, Jandels and the Pohutukawa tree are just some of them.

Kiwifruit

Originally known as Chinese gooseberries, kiwifruit were first introduced to the country by early settlers. Since then they have become synonymous with New Zealand, and are a major export earner.

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L&P

Short for Lemon and Paeroa, L&P is New Zealand's very own iconic soft drink.  Originally made using spring water from the North Island town of Paeroa, the origins of its name are obvious.  When i was young every time we went through Paeroa we would buy some lemons across the road, go to the tap (thats not there now) that was next to the bottle (which has now moved) and fill a container with the water and freshly squeezed lemon juice Mmm Mmm. Loved by Kiwis the world over.  The catch phrase World Famous in New Zealand certainly rings true. Be sure to visit the giant L&P bottle in Paeroa. Kiwiana at its best!

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Marmite

This tasty yeast spread may be an acquired taste for most non-New Zealanders  but you're bound to find Marmite (or the Australian-made rival Vegemite) in the pantry of most New Zealand households. And yes, ours does taste different to Northern Hemisphere Marmite!

Meat Pie

Synonymous with tuck shops, truck stops and cafeterias all over the country, the meat pie is a kiwi culinary tradition.  Available in a range of delectable flavours: chicken, mince, steak and cheese and sometimes even vegetarian.  Especially enjoyed with a good smothering of Tomato Sauce (Ketchup) - another item of Kiwiana!

Moa

The moa were ten species (in six genera) of flightless birds endemic to New Zealand. The two largest species, Dinornis robustus and Dinornis novaezelandiae, reached about 3.6 m (12 ft) in height with neck outstretched, and weighed about 250 kg (550 lb).
Moa are members of the order Struthioniformes (or ratites). The ten species of moa are the only wingless birds, lacking even the vestigial wings which all other ratites have. They were the dominant herbivores in New Zealand forest, shrubland and subalpine ecosystems for thousands of years, and until the arrival of the Māori were hunted only by the Haast's Eagle. All species are generally believed to have become extinct by 1500 AD, mainly due to hunting by Māori.

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Netball

Netball is the female answer to rugby, and is the second most popular sport in New Zealand.  A fast-paced court sport, New Zealand's national team the Silver Ferns - are ranked first in the world.

No 8 Wire

Kiwis are famous for their ingenuity and self-sufficiency. It is said that Kiwis can create amazing things all they need is 'a piece of Number 8 wire. No 8 wire is a certain gauge of wire that was incredibly popular for use as fencing wire around New Zealand's many farms. Ironically, until 1963, it was imported from other countries. Because No. 8 wire was widely available, it was used for a variety of tasks, and it has become a symbol of kiwi adaptability.

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Paua

Paua is a kind of Abalone found only in New Zealand. The great shells, well camouflaged on the upper side, grow up to 18 cm in length. Their inside is shining, an iridescent swirl of deep blues, greens and purples with silvery white. The muscular meat is considered a delicacy. The shells are commonly used in jewelery and for the eyes in Māori carvings. They are often also as ashtrays. Paua are protected: the daily limit per diver and the minimum shell length are strictly regularized. Transporting unprocessed abalone shells out of New Zealand is illegal.

Pavlova

Famous Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova visited New Zealand in 1926 during an Australasian tour. According to her biographer, whilst Pavlova was in Wellington a hotel chef invented a dish inspired by her tutu, draped in green silk cabbage roses. The basic shape of the tutu was provided by a meringue case, while the froth of the skirt's net was suggested by whipped cream. To achieve the effect of the green roses the enterprising chef used slices of kiwifruit, then known as Chinese gooseberries.
The result - the original Pavlova - was described as a "brilliant simulation" of the dancer's personality. This meringue-based dessert is a perennial Kiwiana favourite the origins of this delicious dessert are hotly contested (Australia also lays claim to inventing it) but any New Zealander will tell you the 'Pav' is definitely a Kiwi invention!

 

Pohutukawa

The wonderful and evergreen Pohutukawa tree flowers bright red in December and is also known as New Zealand's Christmas tree. It grows to a height of about 15 m and is mainly endemic to the coastline on the North Island.

Ponga

A New Zealand fern species, more popularly known as the Silver Fern. The small ponga fronds (Monkey tails) are edible and  the trunk is also used to make fences and is used to carve garden statues with Māori designs

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Rotorua mudpools

The best place to see geothermal activity like mudpools, gersers and mineral pools. Very popular for its tourist activities like river rafting, the zorb (big ball which you climb inside and roll down a hill), Trout fishing, Bungee jumping, Fairy Springs park (has giant Trout), Rainbow springs and lots more.  Rotorua's Māori would cook their food in the hot springs.

Rugby

New Zealand is the world's most enthusiastic Rugby nation. The successful national team the  All Blacks are a legend. In 1987, the All Blacks won the World Cup. Rugby players wear less protective clothing than American Football players.

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Sheep

Sheep are New Zealand's most important breeding animals, outnumbering the human population 12 to 1. There are countless sheep jokes aimed at New Zealanders, especially by their Australian neighbors. One goes like this: There are 50 million sheep in New Zealand and 4 million of them think they are people. Ironically, Australia has the largest sheep industry in the world and New Zealand comes only in at 2nd place.

Silver Fern

A New Zealand fern species, also known as Ponga with leaves of dark green on the upper side, shimmering silver underneath. The Silver Fern is the national emblem of New Zealand and is also used in logos of numerous New Zealand companies. It's most popular usage is by New Zealand's national rugby team the All Blacks.

Swandri 

The bush shirt has been around for about 60 years. Warm and shower-proof, this pure wool garment was found ideal for the outdoors - farmers, bushworkers, trampers and anglers were the first to 'discover' it but they were soon followed by the general population. It is now usually produced in bright coloured checks for, among other considerations, ease of visibility in the bush. So the bush shirt is safe, practical, sensible and comfortable. No wonder it is part of Kiwiana.

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Weetbix

In its early days, Weet-Bix was promoted as "Ideal for Every Meal", but New Zealanders quickly decided that the malted biscuits were best for breakfast. Weet-Bix went on to capture some 40 percent of the nation's breakfast cereal market, and proved as versatile as it was popular. It could be eaten with hot or cold milk, depending on the time of year. As "the perfect winter breakfast" it had the added distinction of being chosen by Sir Edmund Hillary for both his Himalayan and Antarctic expeditions. New Zealanders now consume a staggering 312,000,000 million Weet-Bix every year. If these biscuits were laid end to end they would stretch from Kaitaia to Bluff and then back to Wellington.

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