The Kiwi

The kiwi is the most unlikely of birds. As well as being flightless and nocturnal, it has a shaggy plumage that is more like hair than feathers. It is also the only bird to have nostrils at the end of its beak. Seldom seen in the wild – they're very shy and only come out at night – these unique birds are a national icon. New Zealanders became known as "Kiwis" during the First World War. The name has stuck, especially to New Zealanders travelling overseas, and in their sporting endeavours. There is a ‘kiwi’ sense of humour, a kiwi ‘do-it-yourself’ attitude.

Buzzy Bee

The inspired creation of Auckland brothers Hector and John Ramsey, the Buzzy Bee is one of New Zealand's favourite children's toys, resembling a bee with rotating wings that move while the toy is pulled along the ground. First produced in the 1940s, it became popular during the post-war baby boom. Its bright colours and clicking sound call are familiar to many New Zealanders, making it one of the most well-recognised items of Kiwiana.
When Prince and Princess of Wales toured New Zealand in 1983, six-month-old Prince William was given a Buzzy Bee and he delighted the world's press by playing with the toy during an official photo shoot in the grounds of Government House in Auckland.

Silver Fern

A predominant feature of the New Zealand bush are the ferns, the tallest of these is the tree fern or punga, and it is the leaf of this
species that is one of our best known national symbols.
It is used as an emblem on the clothing and marketing of many sports teams; the most famous of all the, All Blacks Rugby Team
The Silver Fern is the name of our Netball Team, World Champions in Jamaica 2003 and Commonwealth Games winners 2006.

Rugby

New Zealand is the greatest Rugby nation in the world and the National team the All Blacks are legends of the game. The rapid spread of rugby in this country resulted in the formation of the New Zealand Rugby Union in 1892. Even then, players at club and provincial level aspired to the national team, which became known as the All Blacks on a tour of Britain in 1905. It is said that the name was the result of a printer's error, with "all backs" - a journalist's reference to the team's speed - appearing as "all blacks". From 1901 the team's jersey and shorts were black, so the new name - even if accidental - was appropriate, and stuck. The All Black jersey is one of the nation's most prestigious sporting uniforms.

Fish and Chips

You can't get more Kiwi than Fish 'n' Chips – deep fried fish with chips as thick as your finger wrapped up in newspaper or when the tasty morsels were layered between thick slices of white buttered bread and, of course, with great dollops of our favourite, Watties tomato sauce.
Found in every New Zealand town – the Fish 'n' Chip shop is a New Zealand institution.

Watties

History

James Wattie was born on 23 March 1902; he grew up in a close-knit hardworking farming family with a Scottish heritage. In 1934, James Wattie started his fruit pulping and canning business, J. Wattie Canneries, in a four-roomed cottage in King Street, Hastings, New Zealand. Wattie's is now part of the global HJ Heinz group.

Tomato Sauce

Wattie's Tomato Sauce is New Zealand's favourite tomato sauce. It's the taste that Kiwi's know and love. When we think of Kiwi icons, Wattie's Tomato Sauce is almost always mentioned. Nowhere else in the world is Tomato Sauce sold in cans, yet this is New Zealand's most popular packaging! One can of Wattie's Tomato Sauce is sold every 11 seconds in New Zealand. In some homes Wattie's Tomato Sauce is used on almost everything eaten except desserts! People have said that they wouldn't know what to do if they could no longer buy Wattie's Tomato Sauce. Wattie's Tomato Sauce has the right flavour and consistency to add that extra tang when served straight out of the bottle as a condiment or as the creative ingredient in many recipes.

Baked Beans

Wattie's Baked Beans in Tomato Sauce are New Zealand's favourite baked beans. Made with Wattie's classic rich tomato sauce recipe, this delicious and nutritious meal is easy to serve any time of the day, every day. As a food, Baked Beans have few equals in being both delicious and a valuable source of nutrients. They are low in fat and contain no cholesterol. The popular meal of beans on toast provides an excellent balance of quality protein. The protein content makes them a suitable substitute for meat, poultry and fish.
Now available with: Sausages, Meatballs, Bacon, Cheese and Chilli to name a few.

Spaghetti

Kiwis eat the most canned Wattie's Spaghetti in the world (per capita). Both parents and children alike love Wattie's Spaghetti because it is not only fun to eat but it is also good for you. Wattie's Spaghetti is made from top quality wheat and real tomatoes. It is also a source of sustained energy (high in carbohydrates), low in fat, free from preservatives and has no added colours or flavours. Wattie's Spaghetti is so versatile you can eat it on it's own on toast or create your own spaghetti pie - great for young and old, and ideal as a lunch box filler instead of sandwiches!
Also available with:
Cheese, Sausages, Bacon, Meatballs, Sweet Chilli and Macaroni.

Lemon and Paeroa

This fizzy drink had it's beginnings in a cow paddock in Paeroa when local residents discovered a spring that provided a refreshing drink. People added lemon for flavour. Bottling of the drink began in Paeroa in 1907, by Menzies and Co, the original bottler and the drinks popularity spread across the country. Short for Lemon and Paeroa, L & P is New Zealand's very own iconic soft drink. Loved by Kiwi's the world over – the catch phrase "World Famous in New Zealand" certainly rings true. Be sure to visit the giant L & P bottle in Paeroa – Kiwiana at its best!

Bungee Jumping

The word bungy, as used by A J Hackett, is said to be Kiwi slang for Elastic Strap Inspired by a ritual performed in Vanuatu, Queenstown entrepreneur, the first operator of a commercial bungee jumping concern was New Zealander, A J Hackett, who made his first jump from Auckland's
Greenhithe Bridge in 1986.
Only a New Zealander could turn jumping off a bridge into
a world-wide phenomenon!

Marmite and Vegemite

Marmite is traditionally eaten as a savoury spread on bread, and commonly toast.

In New Zealand, it is sometimes spread thinly on bread with packet potato chips added to make a "Marmite and Chip Sandwich", or spread thickly on bread prior to toasting, cooked, and then eaten slathered with butter. This tasty yeast spread may be an acquired taste for most non-New Zealanders New Zealanders may sometimes disparage things Australian, but they love Vegemite. This dark brown, yeast-based spread was developed in Australia in 1923 as a local product when Marmite, imported from England, was in short supply. Vegemite has been made in New Zealand for more than 50 years and although New Zealanders eat less of it than Australians, the spread is very popular.

Kiwifruit

The Chinese gooseberry was found to grow in profusion in New Zealand.

Horticulturalists developed improved fruit strains and renamed it the Kiwifruit. ‘Kiwifruit’ was the choice, because it would associate the fruit with New Zealand In the 1970s and 1980s this fuzzy, brown-skinned, bright green fruit with wonderful vitamins and other health giving properties was heavily promoted and marketed overseas. New Zealand growers made their fortunes with this 'new, exotic' fruit until growers in other countries began producing and flooding what had been New Zealand-only markets causing a collapse in demand. Even so, millions annually are still sold abroad; such is the popularity of the fruit.

Pavlova

Just as the Kiwi is New Zealand's national bird, the Pavlova is the national dessert.

Famous Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova visited New Zealand in 1926 during an Australasian tour. According to her biographer, whilst Pavlova was in Wellington a hotel chef invented a dish inspired by her tutu, draped in green silk cabbage roses. The basic shape of the tutu was provided by a meringue case, while the froth of the skirt's net was suggested by whipped cream. To achieve the effect of the green roses the enterprising chef used slices of kiwifruit, then known as Chinese gooseberries.
The result - the original Pavlova - was described as a "brilliant simulation" of the dancer's personality. This meringue-based dessert is a perennial Kiwiana favourite the origins of this delicious dessert are hotly contested (Australia also lays claim to inventing it) – but any New Zealander will tell you the
“Pav” is definitely a Kiwi invention!

Hokey Pokey Icecream

New Zealand is of course a country with a dairy farm history. Dairying has been a large contributor to the national wealth and those in the industry have earned the respect of the world for the standard and variety of their products and produce. Hardly surprising, therefore, that 'Kiwis' are among the largest ice cream consumers, per capita, in the world with hokey-pokey being at the top of the flavour lists since its introduction 50 years ago. A crunchy honey-comb toffee added to vanilla ice cream. Simple! Delicious and nothing quite like it is found anywhere.
Distinctively New Zealand.

Weetbix

In its early days, Weet-Bix was promoted as "Ideal for Every Meal", but New Zealanders quickly decided that the malted biscuits were best for breakfast. Weet-Bix went on to capture some 40 percent of the nation's breakfast cereal market, and proved as versatile as it was popular. It could be eaten with hot or cold milk, depending on the time of year. As "the perfect winter breakfast" it had the added distinction of being chosen by Sir Edmund Hillary for both his Himalayan and Antarctic expeditions. New Zealanders now consume a staggering 312,000,000 million Weet-Bix every year. If these biscuits were laid end to end they would stretch from Kaitaia to Bluff and then back to Wellington.

Black Singlet and Gumboots

It is fair to say that New Zealand wouldn't be the same without Fred Dagg, aka John Morrison Clarke, a laconic presence on New Zealand one and only TV channel in the mid-to-late 70s. John Clarke's rural creation strolled into the national consciousness in oversize gumboots and black singlet, proof that we had our own sense of humour and identity.

Wearing a black woollen singlet and a pair of gumboots was an institution among the more fashion conscious kiwi farming males. The black singlet has become another essential item in the outdoors worker's wardrobe. It is warm, does not show dirt too quickly, and in warm weather particularly, it soaks up the sweat usually associated with hard, manual work. It is sleeveless for less constriction, freer movement and for these reasons has gained and maintained its place in Kiwiana. The gumboot is worn by all ages from puddle-stamping school children to retired suburban gardeners wanting to keep their feet dry. Out on the farm gumboots are as common as the black singlet, perhaps even more so. Gumboot throwing is a recent novelty sport that has been fostered in the town of Taihape - the 'Gumboot Capital' of New Zealand.

No 8 Wire

Kiwis are famous for their ingenuity and self-sufficiency. Kiwi ingenuity is a "can-do" attitude that any problem or situation can be solved, despite apparently insurmountable odds, and the meagrest of resources. It is said that Kiwis can create amazing things — all they need is ‘a piece of Number 8 wire’. No 8 wire is a certain gauge of wire that was incredibly popular for use as fencing wire around New Zealand's many farms. Ironically, until 1963, it was imported from other countries. Because No. 8 wire was widely available, it was used for a variety of tasks, and it has become a symbol of kiwi adaptability.

BBQ (Barbeque)

The ultimate summer pastime, BBQ’s heralds the start of summer.

"We’re having a barbeque, bring some meat," is a phrase shot full of expectation and romance for New Zealanders. The New Zealand barbeque has assumed a peculiar prominence in the social calendar, requiring casual but stylish dress, a warm ‘cardy’ or ‘parka’ in case of biting southerlies. The meat, sausages and steak find their way on to the hot plate, are usually accompanied by potato salad and coleslaw, but these days New Zealanders are a lot more creative with their BBQ cuisine – seafood, kebabs, and even the occasional vegetable, making their way on to the menu. Whether it is in the backyard or on the beach, usually it is the men who will cook the food on the barbeque. With a beer in hand and great conversation they will try to solve the problems of the world. They call it male bonding!

Bach

The "New Zealand Christmas Tree", these beautiful trees burst into scarlet-red splendour in early summer over the Christmas period. The tree is common on coastlines and makes for a great photo, when found near a sandy beach.

Ches 'N' Dale

Chesdale cheese dates back to the days before most New Zealand homes had refrigerators. Being a processed cheese it kept well, whereas ordinary cheese, once cut, would quickly dry out and lose its flavour. Chesdale was first produced in a block shape, and because it had no rind it could claim there was no waste. Later the cheese appeared in small foil-wrapped triangular segments packed into a round tray, ideal for school lunches and picnics. Chesdale also came in a range of flavours, and in individually wrapped slices for easy sandwich-making. New Zealand's most famous cheese is supported by two other well-known characters, Ches and Dale. These rural types first appeared in the early 1960s, designed and suitably dressed in gumboots and black singlets by graphic artists Dick Frizzell and Sam Harvey. They first went on television in 1965, singing the song that would soon be heard wherever New Zealanders travelled abroad:
"We are the boys from down on the farm, we really know out cheese
There's much better value in Chesdale, it never fails to please
Chesdale slices thinly, never crumbles, there's no waste
And boy it's got a mighty taste
Chesdale cheese - it's finest cheddar, made better!"

Locally known as Paua, this shellfish is a species of abalone (Haliotis Iris). Found only in seas around New Zealand, this marine mollusc eats seaweed and clings to rocks at depths of 1-10 meters along the coast.
Paua shell is used by Maori in carving and jewellery. Pretty purple, aqua, green and blue tones make it popular with jewellery artists and craftspeople. Whole paua shells are used for ashtrays and other containers, and pieces of paua shell are used for making jewellery, butterflies, coasters, 21st birthday keys and a variety of other objects and souvenirs. In all manner of jewellery and sculpture, Paua has become a distinctive feature of New Zealand artwork.

The bush shirt has been around for about 60 years. Warm and shower-proof, this pure wool garment was found ideal for the outdoors - farmers, bushworkers, trampers and anglers were the first to 'discover' it but they were soon followed by the general population. It is now usually produced in bright coloured checks for, among other considerations, ease of visibility in the bush. So the bush shirt is safe, practical, sensible and comfortable. No wonder it is part of Kiwiana.

Jandals

The word Jandal is derived from 'Japanese sandal' and came into the New Zealanders' vocabulary in the 1950s when these simple rubber sandals were first produced here. Similar products are known in other countries by other names – thongs or flip-flops. Favoured summertime footwear for most New Zealanders, is an important part of any Kiwi wardrobe. Available in a range of colours, the jandal can be worn just about anywhere – from the beach to the pub! As far as size goes- As long as it was bigger then your foot, it was a good fit. Made entirely from rubber, they lasted for years and only when the thong between the toes broke was it time to invest in a new pair.

Meat Pie

Adapting meat-stew into a pastry-covered meal-on-the-run gave the Kiwi another fast food that is sold in the thousands each year. Every year a 'best pie in New Zealand' contest is held. Around New Zealand every year new flavours, with impossible ingredients are cooked up. Synonymous with tuck shops, truck stops and cafeterias all over the country, the meat pie is a kiwi culinary tradition. Available in a range of delectable flavours: chicken, mince, steak and cheese – and sometimes even vegetarian. Especially enjoyed with a good smothering of Tomato Sauce.