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 The People..continued |
03 Oct 08 |
New Zealand — The People ... continued
Fair Go Mate
Tempering the rugged individualism of New Zealanders is a strong
egalitarian streak and a sense of fair play and teamwork. This may be
partly due to the co-operative ‘whanau’ (extended family) structure of
Maori society, as well as the make-up of early Pakeha (Europeans)
society. Many European immigrants came to New Zealand to escape the
class system. A small population meant co-operation was vital for
survival. The artificial class structures of ‘home’ became irrelevant
in such a rugged and young country. New Zealand was also one of the
earliest countries to grant women the right to vote and has a strong
trade union tradition.
National Character Building
The two World Wars saw heavy casualties inflicted on the New
Zealand male population. But it also saw loyalty to your friends and
comrades — ‘mateship’ — become a prized social value. This quality is
still seen on the sporting field today. Rugby football is the most
popular spectator sport in New Zealand, and the legendary All Blacks
have won the World Cup once and been a finalist twice. Though the sport
has public school beginnings in England, in New Zealand, rugby is
definitely the sport of the ‘average bloke’.
Rural Economy
As the 20th century progressed, the make-up and character of the
New Zealand population began to radically change. In the early part of
the century, the New Zealand economy was largely dependent on
agriculture and the export of primary produce. However, after the
Second World War, more and more people moved to the cities, and
manufacturing and tertiary industries became established.
New New Zealanders
In the 1970s, large numbers of Pacific Island immigrants settled in
New Zealand, followed in the 80s and 90s by Asians, Europeans, and many
others. These new arrivals contributed, along with technological and
economic changes, to a totally new national identity. In the last
twenty years or so, New Zealanders have embraced the global economy and
the latest technology. Per head of population, New Zealanders are some
of the highest mobile phone and Internet users in the world. They also
read the most newspapers.
Taming the Land
Despite recent changes, New Zealand still has a sizeable rural
population and farming is a major export earner. While the traditional
exports of wool, meat, and dairy products are still very strong, new
products, including Cervena (New Zealand venison), flowers, fruit,
biotechnology, and wine are now also contributing greatly to our
exports. Like the rest of the population, the farming sector have
diversified and embraced technology, making New Zealand one of the most
productive and efficient agricultural producers in the world.
Urban and Sophisticated
New Zealand has absorbed the new culinary tastes, fashions,
and lifestyles of the Pacific Rim and combined them with more
traditional ones to produce a unique New Zealand identity. Today, Kiwis
are as likely to visit an Asian restaurant or modern art gallery as
they are to attend a rugby game or milk a cow!
Source
New Zealand.com
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