What it means to be a New Zealander
Listening to Breakfast on TVNZ on Waitangi Day, there were a range of suggestions in answer to the question: "What does it mean to be a New Zealander?" And it set me thinking.
The first thing it means, in relation to people from other countries, is "How do I explain our system of government? Why do we have a queen, when we are supposed to be a democracy? And she doesn't even live here?"
The second thing is that we are always a step ahead of everyone else. When they are getting up and going to work, we have already done a few hours' work. And when they are still coping with winter we are already on to next summer.
The third thing is this: a friend in India said to me once: "You New Zealanders are so adaptable." He was referring to what we call the "number 8 wire" method, being able to work out a solution with what we have at hand. And to our ability to mix with people from a wide variety of backgrounds.
Yesterday I was reminded of another meaning: taking the family to the beach on a holiday. There is nowhere like a beach for keeping all the kids and all the adults occupied and happy for long periods of time, with no work at hand except what relates to eating and relaxing.
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