New Zealand: Culture and Lifestyle

We asked some New Zealanders to tell us what they like about “Godzone” (that of God), as they call their country.

“Kiwis are traditionally laid back and faded to the point of pain,” says Richard Irvine, head of external digital channels at Fonterra, a multinational dairy cooperative. “We pride ourselves on being practical, good with our hands and terse. In general, we enjoy our outdoor lifestyle, with sports, barbecues, mountains, beaches and boats being the ideal weekends for most people.

“I live in Auckland and we are working to make it a true adult international city rather than just New Zealand’s biggest city by default,” he adds. “It’s multicultural, full of great restaurants, organizes big events and sport quite well and sits between two wonderful ports.

Cate Murphy is a tattoo artist and artist from Nelson, in the north of the South Island. She agrees that New Zealand has a good multicultural atmosphere and likes the fact that Maori culture is very visible. “New Zealanders also love outdoor activities, such as mountain biking, hunting, fishing and hiking.”

She enjoys living in Nelson, citing proximity to the sea, regular music and art festivals, a family-oriented society, friendly people, great food and coffee as perks of the small town. There is also a downside, she says.

“A lot of people find themselves in a low income situation with a job and a work stoppage, involving a lot of seasonal work. Here they call it “sunny wages”.