Heather Roy's Diary

The Things That Make Us Kiwi

The approach of Waitangi Day gives people a chance to dust off the perennial debates over national unity, republicanism and the flag. But regardless of whether we spent Tuesday this week on a Northland Marae, in Wellington's Waitangi Park or at home with our families, there are many things we do agree on. This week I've been thinking about what those ingredients are which make us quintessentially Kiwi.

It will be little surprise that Territorial soldiers often pay close attention to the world's conflict zones. More than 500 Territorials have been deployed in recent years, to peacekeeping operations in the Solomon Islands, East Timor, Bougainville, Afghanistan, the Sinai, Sudan, Bosnia and Sierra Leone. Many of these conflicts centre on ethnic or tribal tensions - divisions which, if not completely absent in New Zealand, at least pose no real threat to our national security. Perhaps it's because we are a nation of immigrants - from the first Waka to the most recent jumbo jet - but our acceptance of people from many different cultures could be seen as the first element that unites us.

Of course, our multiculturalism and race relations aren't always seamless - we only have to consider the protest of past Waitangi Days - but it doesn't stop us from forging friendships and relationships with people across the globe. In fact, New Zealand peacekeepers are famous for their neutrality and even-handedness, and our tourists are renowned for their hunger to experience other countries and their cultures. We embrace travel so freely that many of us have settled in other countries, and the vast majority of us also readily adopt those born overseas when they choose to make New Zealand home.

The second easily identifiable Kiwi trait is that - for the most part - we desire nothing more than to be given a fair go, without closed doors and dead ends. Despite the socialist connotations that talk of 'fairness' usually conjures up - where 'everybody wins together' - that is not what a fair go for everyone is really about. A truly fair go means having the opportunity to pursue our dreams - regardless of who our parents were, what school we attended and where we grew up.

This very liberal principle ensures that nothing is likely to inspire the wrath of Kiwis faster than corruption in high places, or class privilege, and possibly dates back to the humble roots of many who arrived here with few assets to their name, on assisted passage, in search of a 'level playing field' and ambitious for success.

Despite the reputation of the 'great Kiwi knocking machine', we are a nation that thrives on achievement. Never do we allow ourselves to celebrate it as much, though, as when it's unlikely success, or a win from behind. This spirit of backing the underdog is the third essentially Kiwi element.

The weekend before Waitangi Day saw another annual celebration - the Wellington Sevens rugby tournament. Organisers say that the Wellington round of this international competition is unique, because it sees almost as much support for the 'minnows' of the competition as the home team or the competition favourites (which, in Wellington's case, are one and the same).

Maybe it's because we are a small nation in a large world - or the shared desire to beat the odds that brought our ancestors to our far off land - but Kiwis have a tradition of backing the less fortunate, and favouring the more unlikely outcome. This was never more clear than to anyone watching the Sevens final, with equal roars of support for the controversial favourites - Fiji - and their 'outsider' opponents, Samoa. Samoa's upset victory ensured a night of celebration that could rival even an All Blacks win.

As the Sevens demonstrates, our belief in the underdog is not without considerable reason. For a small nation, New Zealand generates a staggeringly long list of leaders and champions. Although we have a reputation for working hard, it's "working smart" that really brings us to the top.

From Richard Pearce's aeroplane to John Britten's "superbike", we admire and respect people who apply their minds to new ways of looking at problems. Kiwi ingenuity - the belief that we can do anything with a piece of number 8 fencing wire - might be the fourth ingredient which sets New Zealanders apart.

For many, our traditions of "do it yourself" and rugged inventiveness have been passed down from generation to generation. The necessities of isolated rural life, financial hardship and limited physical resources have often demanded it.

When these four traits are combined, a picture of the Kiwi superhero emerges. When offered a chance, regardless of our backgrounds, we can apply our minds to snatch success in any endeavour. And isn't that really something we could celebrate on Waitangi Day - people who crossed the seas in search of a better life, traders and warriors who first battled, then preserved our cultures for future generations, and the end result of a country where people of every background live together, in peace.

But ultimately, it's almost impossible to put your finger on all the things that make us Kiwis. The reasons we are bound together may be as numerous as the friendships we forge. I would welcome your ideas on what it is that links us - please email sandy.grove[at]parliament.govt.nz with your thoughts.

ENDS

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