Cool kiwiana!!!

Have you noticed that so many things these days are all the same? It seems no matter what language you speak or which country you live in we're all watching the same TV shows and buying the same burgers and fries. I mean, like, YAWN!!! What about a little variety people???

OK then, so what are some of the things that make our country special? What just shouts 'Kiwi' to all the world? Check out a few outstanding icons that we've pulled together.

Well, naturally we have quite a few standout winners in the food & drink category..

• Pavlova - of course, the Ozzies do try to claim it as their own but we all know that the Pav is one of the greatest Kiwi icons - a winner on the Christmas table, at any BBQ or special occasion. Some like it topped with kiwifruit, or strawberries or chocolate flakes - or maybe all three!!!
  
• Tomato Sauce - ok so everyone has their own favourite brand, but good old tommy sauce just can't be beat when eaten with fries or on pies. Even more of an icon when served in one of those big red tomato-shaped bottles!!!
  
• L&P - Lemon and Paeroa -they claim its world famous in New Zealand. And well yeah, it is!!!
  
• Weetbix - hands up who starts the day with 1,2,3, 4 or more (?!?!?) of these???
  
• Meat Pie - no longer just mince, but steak & cheese, or fish or chicken or kumara & cashew!!!
  
• Speaking of Kumara - Kumara chips just rock - and Paua patties - all essential when you visit the Fish & Chip shop for a great Kiwi take-away!!!
  
• The Edmonds Cookery Book - not many households in NZ wouldn't have one of these - fantastic for the standard Kiwi recipes and it gets updated all the time to reflect more of our international flavours and tastes.
  
• Minties, Jaffas and Snifters are in a class all their own - and Whittaker's Peanut Slab!!!

Books & toys

There are a few toys and books that are totally Kiwi - Buzzy Bee and Mary Lou top the list of course.
Hairy Mclary, along with Schnitzel Von Krumm, Bottomly Potts and all the rest of the gang are characters in the awesome books by Lynley Dodd. Margaret Mahy, is another of our great Kiwi children's authors as is Joy Cowley. Adult fiction by Janet Frame and Keri Hulme is internationally recognised as supreme - awesome how we have all these superstar female writers isn't it??!!!!

Sporting icons

Well, I guess you'd have to say that our national games are rugby & netball of course but we're also awesome on the water in yachting events, & pretty flash at rowing & cycling too!!! We're quite a sporty nation = Sir Edmund Hillary is one of our national treasures. And hey, we have the world champion sheep shearer as well!!!!!

Culture & tradition

Our indigenous people and culture, the Maori, is of course uniquely Kiwi. We are so lucky to have a native language that is alive and a culture that is so rich and dynamic. Why not get involved (if you're not already) and experience some of our native culture for yourself? Visit a Marae, check out the traditional Maori exhibits in your local museum, or join the Kapa Haka group at your school (if it has one) or go and watch one perform somewhere. Why not be sure you know how to pronounce our beautiful placenames properly? You don't have to be Maori to appreciate the beauty and strength of the culture. Its something all Kiwis can be proud of.

There are other aspects of Kiwi culture and tradition - the good ole' "Number 8 Wire" would be one - the symbol of Kiwi ingenuity and our ability to solve problems and come up with solutions using just the basics and some lateral thinking.

Our environment

There are many things in the New Zealand landscape that you will find nowhere else in the world - no other nation has a small flightless bird with a long beak!!! No other nation could have stood in for Middle Earth that way New Zealand did in Peter Jackson's movies - we have a pure and beautiful environment with awesome alps, thrilling thermal activity - and the capacity for providing great fun!!! Get out and explore our beautiful parks, forests, rivers and mountains (safely of course!)

There are many things that make our country unique, its important to remember them, treasure them and keep using them - after all diversity makes life so interesting and exciting. Stand up and be proud to be a Kiwi!!!