Stereotypical New Zealand

The term stereotype is defined in the Merriam-Webster dictionary is as follows: “a standardized mental picture that is held in common by members of a group and that represents an oversimplified opinion, prejudiced attitude, or uncritical judgment”. In many cases, stereotypical ideas are negative, unflattering, and often inaccurate. Often they are completely made-up notions or based on a very limited truth.

From the early days of New Zealand, even the natives of the country have stereotyped each other. For example, conflicts and stereotypical thinking have separated the two of the original groups of native New Zealanders, the Maori and Pakeha. Some stereotypical ideas about the Maori people are that they tend to be unintelligent, and unclean rabble-rousers. In turn, the Pakeha are considered self-centered and selfish but successful and hardworking people.

The New Zealand Mate

Stereotyping also affects countries as a whole and it is no different in New Zealand. Such stereotypical ideas are even attributed to the men and women of New Zealand The males of the country are often seen as a pioneering soul who is not necessarily intelligent or appreciative of the finer things or culture. He is seen as strong, good with livestock and animals, and mechanically inclined. These country-type ideas are still passed around today, even though the many of the Kiwi males live in large, urban areas.

There are also stereotypes of the Kiwi male which are often used for men in general, regardless of their nationality. The first of those qualities is ingenuity or the ability to solve any type of problem or handle any type of situation. In New Zealand there is also a theory known as the Number Eight wire mentality, which ascertains anything broken can be fixed with common, everyday items, like the number eight fencing wire.

The second stereotypical idea is that Kiwi men are hard men; strong, emotionally detached, and inclined to be violent. The machismo of the Kiwi male is often considered to be linked to the countries heavy drinking statistics and the high rate of suicide amongst New Zealand males.

The third ideology reflecting upon the kiwi male is traditionally centered by “The Three R’s” – Rugby, Racing, and Beer. To many New Zealander’s, rugby players are considered to be national heroes. Racing, though now declining in popularity, was trendy because of the gambling aspect of the sport. However, only the rich and racing employees ever fully enjoyd betting on the races, as it tends to be an expensive hobby. Beer, like in many places in the world, is New Zealand’s most popular alcoholic beverage.

The New Zealand Female

When it comes to Kiwi females, the stereotyped ideas aren’t as strong as with the males. They are not even that unflattering. Kiwi women are often thought to be more independent than women anywhere else. New Zealand was the first country to allow a woman to vote and since then, it is the only country to have all women in its important positions of power at the same time. These facts exacerbate the theory of the independent Kiwi female. Strangely though, for as progressive as New Zealand is with woman’s rights and equality, rape in the confines of marriage only became a criminal activity in the mid-1980’s.
The second, and less flattering, stereotype of the Kiwi female is a notion they lack femininity because of a penchant for wearing men’s clothing or obtaining employment in a male- dominated industry, such as auto mechanics or even as a rugby player. This may also have a positive spin on things for the females. It shows that women are not limited by unladylike ideas and do not live by what others think.