Your First Visit to New Zealand

Jul 31, 2011
Penni Winter

Bluff Sign - Geof Wilson

First-time visitors are often surprised and confused at how different New Zealand is to other English-speaking countries. Here's a guide to help you.

If you're about to visit New Zealand for the first time (Rugby World Cup, anyone?), you may know some things about New Zealand, for instance that we drive on the left, like the British, but our currency is dollar-based, like the Americans. But there is much more to know about New Zealand, that will make your visit smoother.

Gudday Mate!

Sooner or later, you'll be greeted with a resounding "Kia ora!". Sounding like "Key Aura", it simply wishes the hearer good health. Another greeting is "Gidday!", which may sound like "Gudday". And North Americans, don't be offended if someone calls you 'mate' - this simply means 'buddy' or 'pal'. You might also be surprised at the increasing number of Maori words in common use, Maori being a growing influence in Kiwi culture and language.

Speaking Rull Kayway

The Kiwi accent is something many overseas visitors struggle with. 'Sit' can sound like 'sut', for instance - the classic Kiwi 'fush and chups' accent - and 'ee' in words like 'see', may sound like 'say'. We also tend to condense sentences, so "Do you want another cup of tea?" can sound like "Dywannuthacuppatay?" Bear with it and let your ear adjust, and you'll soon make sense of us!

Almost Another Language

Kiwi English contains many Americanisms eg hardware store, as well as British words like footpath. But we also have many expressions all our own. A field is a paddock (including rugby fields sometimes), and a dairy farmer is a cow-cocky. The footwear called a flip-flop most everywhere else in the world (except Australia, where it's a thong) in New Zealand is a jandal. If someone wants you to hurry, they may tell you to rattle your dags (trust me, you don't want to know the origins of this, you really, really don't), and if someone is confident things will turn out okay, they'll say she'll be right!

There are still more differences with food items. Americans, if you want hotdogs like you’re used to, you’ll need to find somewhere that sells American-style hotdogs, otherwise you'll be presented with a battered sausage on a stick. You'll also find that a doughnut (donut) is usually long rather than round, split and filled with cream and jam. 'To-go' foods are takeaways, what Americans call a cookie is a biscuit, and we don't seem to have anything like the American biscuit. And then there are chips. The British will be happy with Kiwi chips, even if they are bought from a fish and chip shop, not a 'chippie', but Americans will only find 'French fries' at McDonald's. However what Americans call 'chips' are sometimes ‘chips’, and other times 'crisps', after the British style - just to confuse you all! (We confuse ourselves sometimes, and have to ask, do you mean 'cold' chips or 'hot' chips?)

Culture

Kiwis are sometimes described as 'laid-back', or even unemotional. It's not so much that we have no emotions, as we keep them well hidden. Understatement and self-depreciation are almost art forms in Kiwi culture. This is gradually changing, but it's true that we are still quieter than the Australians, less forceful than Americans, and complain less than the Brits. The people we most resemble are the Canadians.

As befits a nation at 'the ends of the earth', we tend to have an independent 'have-a-go' attitude. We tend to be more casual about dress, formality and hierarchies than other nations, even at work. It's normal to call your immediate boss by their first name, for instance, and we admire and respect those from a poor background who become successful. We also love to spend as much time as possible at the beach, or round the backyard barbecue - and rugby is almost a religion.

A Few Things Not to Say

"But you don't look black". Firstly, Maori and most Pacific Island people are Polynesians, and hence naturally brown, not black. Secondly, especially with Maori, there has been so much intermarriage that being Maori has become about racial identity rather than ethnic purity. This can be a sensitive topic, so caution is recommended.

Americans, please never, ever tell any Kiwi to "sit on their fanny". The word has a more obscene meaning in Kiwispeak than in the US, and refers to a portion of female anatomy only. You are liable to offend both sexes by using it. Enough said.

"That's so quaint!" You may be used to bigger, better and wider in the States or Europe, but we find such comments just a tad patronising. You won't win any friends by calling anything Kiwi 'quaint'.

So there you go. I hope this gives you a general idea of Kiwi culture. Have a good holiday, maybe see you at the beach!