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New Zealand, or Aotearoa (the “land of the long, white cloud”) as it is known by the Maori population, is a land of myth and reality, contrast and contradiction, rolling hills and glacial mountains, native bush and gentle farmland. Turquoise lakes, fast-flowing rivers, boiling mud, and leaping geysers add drama to the landscape, as do its unique flora and fauna.
New Zealand ’s culture is rich and diverse because of the numbers of people of different nationalities who have immigrated to the country. It is still, however, greatly influenced by its Maori heritage, which will be better appreciated if you learn a few key words and understand some of the customs. The visitor may find the names of some towns such as Whatawhiwhi , Whangamata , and Te Araroa daunting, but making an attempt to pronounce them correctly will gain you respect from those proud of their Maori background.
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| Official Name: |
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New Zealand |
| Capital City: |
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Wellington |
| Main Cities: |
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Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin |
| Area: |
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103,736 sq. miles (268,675 sq km) |
Population: |
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4,109,735 (2005) |
Time: |
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GMT + 12 hours |
| Currency: |
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NZ Dollar |
| Language: |
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English and Maori. Maori is spoken by more than 160,000 people and there is a conscious effort to keep it alive |
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New Zealand is situated approximately 994 miles (1,600 km) off the southeast coast of Australia, across the Tasman Sea. Its landmass is slightly bigger than that of the U.K. – approximately 103,738 square miles (268,680 sq. km), while its population is just over four million compared to the U.K.’s sixty million. Put another way, in New Zealand there are only fourteen people to the square kilometre, whereas in the U.K. there are 241.
Although the two main islands, the North and the South, are well known, the country is in fact an archipelago with over 700 offshore islands, most of which are very small and within about 31 miles (50 km) of the coast. The North and the South islands are long and narrow, stretching from latitude 34º degrees to 47º south. Thus the maximum distance to the sea from any point is never more than about 80miles (130 km), and it is the mighty Pacific Ocean that laps the shores of the 10,000 – 11,000 miles (15,000 – 18,000 km) of coastline. Due south of the mainland, as the South Island is often called by New Zealanders, is Stewart Island, or Rakiura, which is about 648 square miles (1,680 sq km) in area. Around 500 miles (850 km) to the east are the Chatham Islands, which, lying just west of the International Date Line, are the first to see the sun rise, and to greet the New Year.
 Climate
“Long on mud and rain” is the perception of New Zealand’s climate, and this is not altogether inaccurate. Auckland is estimated to have twice as much rain as London, but also twice as much sun! With seasons reversed from most of the rest of the world, New Zealand’s summer is a good time for northern hemisphere dwellers to visit, during their winter. February is usually considered the most stable month for warm weather.
New Zealand lies approximately halfway between Antarctica and the Tropics – “roaring forties” territory, that is often the bearer of winds and stormy seas. The west coast suffers much worse weather than the east, and is less populated as a consequence. The country’s climate is officially “cool to temperate”, but this leaves out a great deal in between. It is subject to a lot of high and low fronts, and to say the weather is unpredictable is putting it mildly. There is a saying in Auckland, “If you don’t like the weather, wait ten minutes”. Temperatures rarely exceed 86ºF (30ºC), and fall below freezing only the higher, inland areas and in severe winters in the south, when gales can be forceful, although they also bring the snow to the ski fields. Summer temperatures are between 70 and 75ºF (21-24ºC) in Auckland, and two or three degrees lower in Queenstown and Christchurch. Winter averages are around 57ºF (14ºC) in the north, while Queenstown falls to 46ºF (8ºC) or even lower.
The seasons are discernible, with spring from September to November. Summer, from December to February, is milder in the south and warmer in the north, although Christmas Day can still be unpredictable even though it is officially in summer. Fall, from March to May, can often extend to an Indian summer in the far north while winter, from June to August, brings the rain in the north and snow in the south. It is not unknown, however, for all four seasons to be experienced in one day!
Probably in greater supply than sunshine is rainfall, which can vary from nearly 12 inches (300 mm) annually in Northland to over 236 inches (6,000 mm) on the southwest coast around the Milford Sound.
Averages though are in the region of 24-59 inches (600- 1,500 mm) per annum, although certain areas achieve around 98 inches (2,500 mm). A record-breaking annual rainfall of around 710 inches (over 18,000 mm) was once measured on the west coast at Cropp River.
Most of New Zealand enjoys over 2,000 hours of sunshine a year, with favoured spots being the north of the South Island around Nelson and Blenheim, and the east of the North Island, in particular Whakatane, the Bay of Plenty, and Napier. These areas usually exceed 2,350 hours, and even the rainy west coast has around 1,800 hours. However, sunbathers need to be very careful, as the breaks in the ozone layer in the Antipodes are severe, and Auckland has the highest rate of melanoma in the world. Weather forecasts always include references to the burn factor and the length of time one can safely stay in the sun. It is even a regulation that schoolchildren bring hats to play outside. No hat, no play!
A nation of islanders
New Zealand is a multicultural nation. And – as nearly three-quarters of the population is of European, mostly British, origin, with Maori representing approximately 15 percent and the Pacific peoples nearly 6percent – it can be said to be a nation of islanders. (In comparison, Aborigines represent only 1,8 percent of Australia.) The families of Pacific origin were from the Cook Islands (the Cook Island Maori), then Tonga. Many of today’s “islanders” were born in New Zealand, and far more Cook Islanders, Niueans, and Tokelauans now live in New Zealand than on their own home islands. The island population is a young one, which lives mostly in the Auckland area.
One in seven New Zealanders claim Maori ethnicity – an increase of 21 percent since 1991, as there are more Maori births than European or Asia. There are, however, no purebred Maoris left. Blood count is no longer a definition, and the term “Maori” now describes a person of that race or a descendant of any such person. The word, which means “normal” or “ordinary” in Maori, came to be used by the incoming Europeans in order to differentiate Maori from other Polynesian tribes who did not identify themselves by a collective name. Maori refer to themselves as tangata whenua, which means “people of the land”. New Zealand’s Asian population amounts to approximately 6,6 percent of the total, of which largest group is Chinese, followed by Indians.
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New Zealanders came from an assortment of nationalities and backgrounds, but over time they gained a sense of identity, which has grown into the “Kiwi” persona. The Kiwi is the national bird of New Zealand, and the word “Kiwi” has become synonymous with “New Zealander”. Kiwi call New Zealand “Godzone”, from “God’s own country”, which is attributed to Dick Seddon, New Zealand’s prime minister in the 1980’s.
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Attitudes to others
New Zealanders are, by and large, a friendly nation, despite a natural reserve. Thus, social progress can
as well not be too forward or too friendly. However due to their down-to-earth, egalitarian attitude, they are very informal, disliking titles. Because of this they appear to treat everyone equally, and pulling rank will not have the desired effect, and probably even the opposite one.
They are very much followers of fair play. Their tolerance and patience is not characteristic often seen in the faster-track, first-world countries. Similarly, their old-world attitudes mean that they are naturally trusting of others until is a reason not to be. |
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Maori Culture
Maori culture is an inextricable part of New Zealand’s identity. As original inhabitants they are known as tangata whenua, “people of the land,” although their name is derived from Ma-Uri, which means “children of Heaven.” Maori comprise many iwi (tribes), hapu (sub tribes), and whanau (extended family units). Having originated in Polynesia, they brought with them the rich culture of the region, where song, dance, art, and oratorical skills are significant, especially as there was no written language at the time. Much of Maori history and myth has been passed on in this way. This sometimes gave rise to a blurring of fact and fiction, especially when some license was taken in adapting Polynesian folklore in order to make circumstances in the new country more comprehensible and relevant. Knowledge was often conveyed, too, by reciting whakapapa, or “genealogies”.
The concepts of mana (status) and utu (reciprocity, payment, or revenge) are central to Maori culture. Status came from one’s ancestors, who provided guidance and spiritual strength when called upon. In the past, warfare and violence often resulted, although this was, largely, episodic as most of the time Maori lived in unprotected pa, or “settlements,” and seasonal camps. The pa originally resembled British Iron Age forts, and developed into more effective defences with trenches and pits when Mori encountered the British. Today there are mostly only traces of these pa to be seen – in Auckland at the best lookout areas, such as Mount Eden and One Tree Hill, where the city’s numerous volcanic cones made ideal sites; the Bay of Islands, in the Maritime and Historic Park; and in the Hawke’s Bay at Otatara Pa Historic Reserve.
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 The above extract is kindly provided by Culture Smart! the essential guide to customs & culture. The 168-page guide retails at £6.95 + P&P and is available directly from Kuperard, the publishers of Culture Smart! guides.
CultureSmart!Consulting in conjunction with Cactus Language Training creates tailor-made seminars and consultancy programs to meet a wide range of corporate, public sector, and individual needs. Find out more at www.cactuslanguagetraining.com.
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