NZ doesn’t really have any aboriginal people. The exact dates are not certain, but the Maori arrived around 1000 years ago, in what were pretty much the last of the great voyages by which the Polynesians settled the Pacific islands. Compare this with Australian aborigines, who have been there for something like 40,000 years.
They went extinct around 500 years ago (though there seem to be plausible reports of remnant survivals until 150 years ago). Basically, the Maori did them in through hunting and habitat modification.
The first beach I saw in NZ was red and this color red I’d never before seen in nature. It was gorgeous beyond belief. (And I have no pictures because Kodak color corrector “corrected” them all. Sadly, that happened to a lot of the pictures I took of colors that were amazing.)
Before I went, I was expecting it to be small and kind of crowded (more population density). Kind of a suburb of Australia (sorry). I was also expecting less water. Now, it actually reminds me a lot of home (Pacific NW, USA).
I think perhaps what Gleena was trying to say was that we don’t tend to like other countries trying to boss us around or ignoring our voice.
We also aren’t that keen on peoples who say they live in the best country in the world without qualifying it with a comment such as ‘for me’ etc.
We’re not that happy with foreigners buying up huge areas of land which we can’t afford to buy (rich American singers and actors but other nationals too)
We’re not that keen on Bush and US foreign policy (but then, who is?)
We are fairly well informed about the rest of the world and can be prone to eye rolling if an American (or anyone) shows incredible world ignorance but we really don’t hate Mercans.
Where was this? We have black sand beaches but I’m not aware of any red sand beaches. The outback of Australia has the most gorgeous red sand and blue blue sky…you wouldn’t be mixing up NZ and Australia now would you??
Good at rugby, sheep, great scenery and must never be called “Australian”. And has a sensible dislike of nuclear weapons. On the other hand, though, didn’t you invent bungee jumping? Not something I would fancy doing.
Hmm, I find I have a lot of ignorance now: right, note to self - read up on New Zealand.
I think (mostly from this board) that it’s frustrating for people from New Zealand when other people say “oh, so you’re Australian!”
I also always think of beaches and nature, and (sorry, this will be frustrating) I often think of it as a place that people go to on vacation. Perhaps I coincidentally know a lot of people who have gone there on vacation, but in my personal experience I feel like the terms “New Zealand” and “on vacation” come up a lot together.
Oh, and something I actually know as opposed to a perception is that your colleges and universities have recently become significantly more competitive in the global education arena. So congratulations on that.
I will say your exports don’t like them much, as they tend to tell me the minute they hear my accent (we say cooler, BTW, instead of eskie or chilli bin).
NZlander in Sydney: “Are you Canadian?”
Me: “No, American, but I live here now.”
NZIS: “Really, well, it’s good you live here now because let me tell you why I hate Yanks…blah blah blah…but not YOU, of course, just in general.”
Drives me mad, but I’ve learned to ignore it. I get that from Aussies, too. Sometimes from my own husband!
Damn, you totally ruined my joke. I was going to ask if the hobbits really lived in holes or do they just go about their lives the way everyone else does?
Pretty, lots of sheep, not very heavily populated.
My mom’s best friend’s husband is from New Zealand and they go back to visit his family every couple years or so. I’ve seen their pictures and such. Also, a couple of my friends went to Australia and New Zealand for their honeymoon and while they liked Australia a lot, they loved New Zealand, said it was amazingly beautuiful.
I’ve been in the UK for 6 years, and my native and (formerly) well honed ear for distinguishing Aussie from Kiwi is sorely faded. They say that the Kiwi twang is actually broadening, not fading under the influence of US and British TV/Music.
I just know that when I heard the Mayoress of Palmerston North defending the town against allegations of boringness (by John Cleese) on the radio, I cringed.
This “sex” for six thing has always baffled me. When I was living in NZ (my home country) we used to make fun of Australians who say seex for six. As someone who has lived in Australia now for over seven years and can definitely hear an NZ accent when I come across one, it doesn’t sound like sex, it sounds like sux. This is what I’ve always thought the correct stereotype is, sux for six.
On hating Yanks. I think some New Zealanders dislike the stereotypical American (and enjoy doing so.) Of course they generally find that the ones they actually meet are much like normal people.
Definitely not deeply religious. People don’t really talk about religion much in public and it is something about the USA that is quietly mocked.
Interesting the comment about it being perceived as fairly densely populated. Although it is a small country, it still has more land than the United Kingdom with only the population of Sydney (about 4m.)
And has a sensible dislike of nuclear weapons. On the other hand, though, didn’t you invent bungee jumping? Not something I would fancy doing.