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If we compare Kiwis to Australians, we tend to be a little more reserved—much like the English. Australians are somewhat more Americanized. They rely on a federal system and are less fond of the monarchy. Almost changing to a republic in the 1999 referendum, 55 per cent of Australians voted to keep the monarchy, even though polls beforehand showed that a majority would prefer a republic. There is speculation that if Australia votes for a republic, New Zealand will follow suit. Our latest poll, after Queen Elizabeth II passed, showed 50 per cent support for retaining the monarchy and 27 per cent for a republic; however, if Australia’s polls are anything to go by, showing a majority support for a change to a republic, we would likely keep the monarchy if it came to a referendum.
What about the other colonies? Well, Canadians are far too close to America geographically not to be influenced, and French ties; South Africa had Dutch influence, and the people often do not speak English as a first language; and, America fought a war to separate from English rule.
We in New Zealand, like in English law, do not have a written constitution. This means we do not have the American-style fight for the executive. Instead, when the opposition wins, the sitting government willingly concedes—and there is a constitutional convention that for the transitional period, the sitting government will not pass any laws. Similarly, we have no supreme bill of rights. Yet, like the English, we have a great cultural sense that we all have intrinsic rights; though, our government's measures over COVID would suggest otherwise. In the common law, we give reverence to English case law, especially if it is from the House of Lords. It was as recent as 2004 when our highest court was the Privy Council; we now have our own supreme court (supreme in the sense that it is our highest court, it cannot strike down legislation).
Though we may be culturally the closest to the English, we are still distinct. We do not have the same class consciousness. This may simply be because we are such a young country and, therefore, a significant class system has not developed. It could be that we were never under a feudal system. The early settlers roughing it together may have also contributed to the idea that class does not matter. Or, it might be because our founding myth is two cultures coming together through a treaty, The Treaty of Waitangi. This Treaty is given high regard, and we celebrate Waitangi Day as the kind of founding of our nation. Another distinguishing characteristic is our lack of regard toward anything of high culture and art. This is somewhat unfortunate, but I think it is related to our lack of distinguished classes. As we become older as a nation, I think our appreciation for high art will increase. We are also very ‘laid back’ and informal; again, this can be related to our rough settler roots. I will continue to be interested to see how Kiwi culture develops, especially considering the homogenizing effect globalization has had on almost all cultures—especially the American influence.
As our culture ages, we, as Kiwis, will become more and more distinct. Though, I think we will remain the closest people to our English brothers outside of the British Isles.
What Makes a Kiwi?
I feel we Kiwis—of non-Maori, Anglo-Saxon stock—are the closest culturally to the English, at least when compared to any other people outside the British Isles. One might consider this to be quite obvious, considering we are a former British colony. However, I feel we have retained the culture of the English the most out of any other former colony. There are, of course, a few surface-level similarities: fish and chips, Kiwi breakfast (the same as an English Breakfast, usually only missing the black pudding), British spelling, driving on the left, and pub culture. But there is also something that runs deeper in our cultural psyche.If we compare Kiwis to Australians, we tend to be a little more reserved—much like the English. Australians are somewhat more Americanized. They rely on a federal system and are less fond of the monarchy. Almost changing to a republic in the 1999 referendum, 55 per cent of Australians voted to keep the monarchy, even though polls beforehand showed that a majority would prefer a republic. There is speculation that if Australia votes for a republic, New Zealand will follow suit. Our latest poll, after Queen Elizabeth II passed, showed 50 per cent support for retaining the monarchy and 27 per cent for a republic; however, if Australia’s polls are anything to go by, showing a majority support for a change to a republic, we would likely keep the monarchy if it came to a referendum.
What about the other colonies? Well, Canadians are far too close to America geographically not to be influenced, and French ties; South Africa had Dutch influence, and the people often do not speak English as a first language; and, America fought a war to separate from English rule.
We in New Zealand, like in English law, do not have a written constitution. This means we do not have the American-style fight for the executive. Instead, when the opposition wins, the sitting government willingly concedes—and there is a constitutional convention that for the transitional period, the sitting government will not pass any laws. Similarly, we have no supreme bill of rights. Yet, like the English, we have a great cultural sense that we all have intrinsic rights; though, our government's measures over COVID would suggest otherwise. In the common law, we give reverence to English case law, especially if it is from the House of Lords. It was as recent as 2004 when our highest court was the Privy Council; we now have our own supreme court (supreme in the sense that it is our highest court, it cannot strike down legislation).
Though we may be culturally the closest to the English, we are still distinct. We do not have the same class consciousness. This may simply be because we are such a young country and, therefore, a significant class system has not developed. It could be that we were never under a feudal system. The early settlers roughing it together may have also contributed to the idea that class does not matter. Or, it might be because our founding myth is two cultures coming together through a treaty, The Treaty of Waitangi. This Treaty is given high regard, and we celebrate Waitangi Day as the kind of founding of our nation. Another distinguishing characteristic is our lack of regard toward anything of high culture and art. This is somewhat unfortunate, but I think it is related to our lack of distinguished classes. As we become older as a nation, I think our appreciation for high art will increase. We are also very ‘laid back’ and informal; again, this can be related to our rough settler roots. I will continue to be interested to see how Kiwi culture develops, especially considering the homogenizing effect globalization has had on almost all cultures—especially the American influence.
As our culture ages, we, as Kiwis, will become more and more distinct. Though, I think we will remain the closest people to our English brothers outside of the British Isles.
