Kiwi Culture

In The Early Days

New Zealand’s original culture was of the Maori, the indigenous people of the country who still thrive today. Once a culture only recognized and practiced by Maori society, the Maori culture is now considered a fundamental part of New Zealand.

In the nineteenth century, New Zealand was colonized by the British and the Maori culture was replaced by the incoming, working-class British influences. Eventually, a Pakeha culture developed, which was different than the British culture, yet obviously a product of it. While the dominant culture on New Zealand, people are often skeptical whether it really exists or if it is just a variation of British culture. The Pakeha culture of the past tended to consider woman, ethnic minorities, and non-heterosexuals to be insignificant. However, in recent years, the Pakeha culture has become more tolerant of other cultures and liftestyles. Both Pakeha and Maori cultures have taken up forms of overseas culture such hip-hop, protests, and modern forms of art.

Language of the People

Though one hundred and seventy-four different languages are used in New Zealand (including sign languages), the country has three official languages: New Zealand English, Te Reo Maori (the Maori language, and New Zealand Sign Language. English is widely used as the standard language of the country. Recently, efforts have been made to nurture Te Reo language. After English and Maori, the most common spoken languages are Samoan French , Hindi and Yue (or Cantonese).

Religion

Prior to European’s moving in, Maori religion was polytheistic (belief in or worship of multiple gods or deities). A major feature of the religion was tapu, sacred or forbidden, and it was used to uphold the status of chiefs and priests, and to conserve resources.

Early settlers to New Zealand were Christian missionaries from Anglican churches. There were also Protestants and followers of the Catholic church. From the 1830’s forth, many of the Maori people converted. There was also the movements in which the Maori beliefs converged with Christianity. These included Pai Marire, Ringatu, and in the early twentieth century, Ratana. All centered on a prophet-like leader and these churches attracted many followers. There are many Maori members of the mainstream churches who still believe in tapu, especially when dealing with the issues of death. The majority of religious Pakeha are Christian, but a small number follow non-Christian religions, such as Buddhism, and an even larger number of those have an unclear belief in new age ideas, such as in the healing power of crystals.

Recent census statistics show over one million New Zealanders have no religion. Over two million New Zealanders identify as Christian. The most followed denomination is Anglican, which is followed by Catholics, and Presbyterian. The most commonly practiced non-Christian religion was Hinduism, followed by Buddhism, and Islam.

Cuisine

Maori cuisine is a derivative of tropical Polynesia but was modified to New Zealand's colder climate. Ingredients included sweet potato, fernroot, taro, birds and fish. Maori were one of the few peoples to have no form of alcohol. British settlers in New Zealand tried to reproduce the foods of their homeland. Since the Pakeha people were mostly of British decent, their diets consisted of a lot of red meats and are traditionally known to savor sweet foods, like cakes, scones, and desserts. New Zealanders increasingly come from various ethnic backgrounds. Most immigrants to New Zealand have tried to reproduce their native cuisines or national dishes in New Zealand. Ethnic restaurants are on the rise and New Zealanders enjoy a chance to try a diverse selection of cuisine