Anthem in demand

Anthem in demand

Manatū Taonga/Ministry for Culture and Heritage

October 12, 2011

Rugby fans are flocking to the Ministry for Culture and Heritage’s national anthem page ahead of each All Blacks game.

On the day before the Rugby World Cup opening ceremony in Auckland on September 9, the number of people looking up the national anthem on the ministry’s website increased fourfold compared to the months leading up to the event.

And interest has continued to be at least three times that of normal before each All Blacks game as the tournament has progressed.

The Ministry is responsible for preserving New Zealand’s culture and heritage, with part of its duties being to advise on use of the national anthem, God Defend New Zealand.

Heritage operations assistant advisor Ashley Mackenzie-White is the Ministry expert on the anthem.

“The majority of inquiries we get are from people wanting copies, we hardly receive any complaints.”

Requests come in from around the world, including Kiwi soldiers in Afghanistan wanting a copy for an Anzac Day service and a young Japanese woman holding an earthquake fundraising event for Christchurch.

Mackenzie-White features in a TV3 documentary to be screened this weekend that explores the history of the anthem.

In it she explains her admiration for anthem author Thomas Bracken and her role as “go to” person on the anthem.

As well as the words to the national, the Ministry’s website also carries the musical score and several sound files that can be downloaded.

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