New Zealand
When one speaks of "down under," one usually is speaking of Australia. But she has a beautiful sister nearby, just over a bit of water.
We're talking about New Zealand.
So hop on board and sail the southern seas to explore this place worth exploring.
Introductions
New Zealand is in the southern hemisphere, next to Australia.
Its flag has both the Union Jack (flag of Great Britain) and the Southern Cross (a constellation visible only in the southern hemisphere) on it.
Most New Zealanders (nicknamed "Kiwis") identify themselves as being of British descent, but about 1 in 6 identify as being Māori (a native tribe of the land).
New Zealand is mainly made up of two main islands, with lots of little ones scattered about. The southern one is the largest and has a mountain range running along the middle known as the Southern Alps.
These mountains go up to 12,000 feet.
Mount Cook
The northern island is not as big, but it has most of the population, including the capital city of Auckland.
It must be remembered that this isn't a heavily populated country; it is pretty open, having an average population density about that of Colorado.
We hold these truths to be self-evident – southern style
Before contact with Europeans, the Māori tribes lived in New Zealand.
Things didn't go well the first time that Māori and Europeans met. A Dutch ship, captained by Abel Tasman (from whom we get the name Tasmania), arrived in 1642, and things quickly got rough. Before they left, four Dutch seamen and at least one Māori were killed – and they hadn't even left the ship.
The first drawing of Māori.
It would be another 127 years before their next contact.
In 1769 the famous British captain James Cook (Explorer extraordinaire and inspiration for Star Trek's James T. Kirk.) would make the next contact. The Māori (like the Hawaiians and Japanese) quickly appreciated these newcomers' modern technology – especially gunpowder and the musket – and sought to purchase these. Armed with high-tech firepower, they would seek to conquer their local neighbors.
Weapons weren't the only thing from the newcomers of interest to the natives. In 1835 the tribes of New Zealand, following the example of the United States, agreed to a Declaration of Independence of their own. They came together under the name of the United Tribes of New Zealand.
A copy of this declaration was sent to King William IV, asking to let New Zealand become a British protectorate. Soon they would end up under British rule.
Now New Zealand is a nation of its own.
This is what we do
As I said, New Zealand is an open country. Traditionally, the Kiwis mainly got by Falling limber, wool, and whatever they grew on the farm.
More recently, tourism has loomed larger for this country, particularly for the “adrenalin junkies.” If you're a thrill-seeker, this is the place.
Notable mentions
New Zealand has given the world more than its share of famous people for such a small population. Here are some:
Sir Peter Jackson – Produced, directed, and wrote the Lord of the Rings trilogy.
Sir Edmund Hillary – First man to set foot on the top of Mount Everest in 1953.
Picture of Edmund Hillary & Tenzing Norgay following their famous climb. Photo attributed to Jamling Tenzing Norgay.*
Sir Ernest Rutherford – First to show that the atom had a central nucleus where, later, it was discovered that protons and neutrons live.
Dame Kiri Te Kanawa – A world-renowned opera singer.
Photo by New Zealand Government, Office of the Governor-General**.
New Zealand is a coin with two sides. On the one side, it is a wild open wilderness. On the other side, it looks to be a modern nation.
An interesting blend.
On the web
New Zealand: The Ultimate Travel Guide by TourRadar
This is a travel video highlighting many of the places to go and see in New Zealand.
NEW ZEALAND VS AMERICAN ENGLISH
A couple of young women compare how people speak in New Zealand vs. the United States.
Powhiri - Welcome ceremony at Tamaki Maori Village, Rotorua, New Zealand
Home video of this traditional Maori welcoming ceremony.
The Travel Project: The Legend of the Haka
This video follows the training to do the Haka, a traditional Maori dance.
*Shared through creative commons license 3.0.
**Shared through creative commons license 4.0 international.
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