New Zealand Society & Culture

New Zealand has a very dynamic society. Our isolated location in the world, our place in the South Pacific, and our love of the outdoors, sports, and art make New Zealanders and our culture unique.

The Foundation of Culture: Tikanga and Māori Influence

Tikanga (customs and protocol) is a vital part of our culture. New Zealand's indigenous Māori culture governs today's representation of our country. Māori culture can be seen in our language, arts, and even the accents of all New Zealanders.

What Makes New Zealand Unique

New Zealand has a very dynamic society. Our isolated location in the world, our place in the South Pacific, and our love of the outdoors, sports, and art make New Zealanders and our culture unique. There are many physical depictions of the modern-day 'Kiwi' culture, collectively known as 'Kiwiana'.

Māori Ethics in Daily Life

Māori ethics play an integral role in our modern-day culture; below are a few Māori ethics that influence how Kiwis operate daily in working and unique environments.

Manaakitanga - Manaakitanga is all about hospitality and kindness. It sums up welcoming and looking after guests by offering hospitality, generosity and mutual respect. The concept is essential to many New Zealanders. Our government has even recognised the two core values of our tourism strategy.

Kaitiakitanga - Kaitiakitanga is the strong sense of respect and guardianship Māori have for the natural environment.

Our Political System and Social Structure

Today's modern nation of New Zealand is still very young. The political system is based on the Westminster parliamentary system inherited from Great Britain, but has evolved to a more European-style party representation system in recent years.

Key Social Characteristics:

• New Zealanders have gained a reputation as informal, laid-back, and friendly people with a proudly egalitarian culture.
• Since 1996, New Zealand's system of government has changed to mixed-member proportional representation.
• The population lives harmoniously, and everyone enjoys the same citizenship rights under the law.
• Although it is around the size of Japan, New Zealand's population is just over five million, making it one of the world's least-populated countries.

Immigration and Diversity in New Zealand

Immigrants comprise a significant proportion of the New Zealand population (29%). Because this land is still very green, clean, and spacious, it is very sought-after. Today, Auckland is the world's largest Polynesian city.

Māori Heritage and Contemporary Culture

Māori is the indigenous community and culture of Aotearoa (New Zealand). Māori first arrived in waka hourua (voyaging canoes) from their ancestral roots of Hawaiki over 1000 years ago.

Traditional and Contemporary Arts in New Zealand

Traditional Māori arts such as Whakairo (carving), Raranga (weaving), Kapa Haka (group performance), Whaikorero (oratory), and Ta Moko (tattooing) are still practised throughout the country. Māori are true to their ancestors' ancient techniques in arts and crafts, but have also developed many new methods and art forms. Contemporary Māori culture includes art, film, poetry, theatre, and hip-hop.

New Zealand's Living Language and Culture

Māori are actively involved in keeping the culture and language alive. As a result, Te Reo Māori and culture significantly impact all facets of New Zealand life. Visitors will immediately become aware of the language as most place names are of Māori origin. At first, they seem very hard to pronounce, but give it a go, and you'll be surprised how easy it is.

New Zealand's Population Demographics

• The population of New Zealand is 5.2 million people.
  • The North Island has 4 million people, and the South Island has approximately 1.2 million.
  • 67% of the New Zealand population identified as European or Pākehā, the largest ethnic group in the country.
  • 17.5% are of Maori heritage, mostly living in the warmer north.
  • Polynesians from Western Samoa, the Cook Islands, and other Pacific Islands comprise 8% of the population.
  • Many immigrants from Asia, particularly of Chinese descent, arrived in the 1980s and now make up 17.3% of New Zealand's population.
  • Indians make up a further 5.8% of New Zealand's population.