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The Xenophobe's Guide
Xenophobe's Guide to the Kiwis
Straight laced and straight faced
A good Kiwi bloke plays things down and does not stand on ceremony. The rugby player who scores a try is no longer expected to look as if he is bravely accepting a death sentence but, other than in sport, emotion is not something to be shown in public, and not much in private either. A blokess is allowed more latitude. She is even expected by men to “carry on a bit.”
Optimists one and all
Whether or not there is a need to worry about something, the obliging Kiwis tell one another that it will be “good as gold,” “right as rain,” and “no prob” (short for problem), usually qualified by one of those great reassurers in any situation, “She'll be right,” or “Piece of cake.”
Good citizenship
To Kiwis, politeness is synonymous with warmth and generosity of spirit. Thus North Islanders, when complimented by visitors on their scenery, will ask anxiously, "But have you seen the South Island yet?" They do not want to be seen as hogging the best bits for themselves.
Even handed
Kiwis love receiving praise about their country. However, since self-deprecation is wired deeply into the national psyche, praise is looked upon suspiciously. Kiwis fear they are being buttered up, or somebody is having them on. Both praise and criticism are reported by the media, and are hotly debated.
A good Kiwi bloke plays things down and does not stand on ceremony. The rugby player who scores a try is no longer expected to look as if he is bravely accepting a death sentence but, other than in sport, emotion is not something to be shown in public, and not much in private either. A blokess is allowed more latitude. She is even expected by men to “carry on a bit.”
Optimists one and all
Whether or not there is a need to worry about something, the obliging Kiwis tell one another that it will be “good as gold,” “right as rain,” and “no prob” (short for problem), usually qualified by one of those great reassurers in any situation, “She'll be right,” or “Piece of cake.”
Good citizenship
To Kiwis, politeness is synonymous with warmth and generosity of spirit. Thus North Islanders, when complimented by visitors on their scenery, will ask anxiously, "But have you seen the South Island yet?" They do not want to be seen as hogging the best bits for themselves.
Even handed
Kiwis love receiving praise about their country. However, since self-deprecation is wired deeply into the national psyche, praise is looked upon suspiciously. Kiwis fear they are being buttered up, or somebody is having them on. Both praise and criticism are reported by the media, and are hotly debated.
- GenresNonfictionTravelHumor
92 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1996
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
October 12, 2016
I brought this home from work as a paragraph on the back cover made me smile. I'm not going to quote it. You may be stuck one day in a dentist's waiting room with only this book to read & nothing else in this book is entertaining. If this slight volume is meant to be humorous it completely misses the mark.
Kiwis are famously insecure about how they are perceived by the rest of the world. I've read accounts of visiting tourists alighting from their plane & being asked how they like New Zealand "so far!" But I don't mind a bit of mickey taking
Unfortunately I didn't get it.
Apparently part of a humorous series, this book does't even try to be amusing. It is just a collection of headed paragraphs written in a completely flat style. The one irrefutable fact I thought everyone knew about NZ was that it is sports obsessed (to a ridiculous degree) but that only warranted one paragraph. (unless it is talked about again later in the book. I gave up just before half way)Events from the 90s (when this book was written) are referenced but it feels more like the book is talking about the 1960s.
Quite definitely not recommended.
Kiwis are famously insecure about how they are perceived by the rest of the world. I've read accounts of visiting tourists alighting from their plane & being asked how they like New Zealand "so far!" But I don't mind a bit of mickey taking
Unfortunately I didn't get it.
Apparently part of a humorous series, this book does't even try to be amusing. It is just a collection of headed paragraphs written in a completely flat style. The one irrefutable fact I thought everyone knew about NZ was that it is sports obsessed (to a ridiculous degree) but that only warranted one paragraph. (unless it is talked about again later in the book. I gave up just before half way)Events from the 90s (when this book was written) are referenced but it feels more like the book is talking about the 1960s.
Quite definitely not recommended.
April 3, 2015
A cheeky little summary of Kiwi life, loaned to me by our hosts while we were staying in New Zealand. I think it would make more sense to a Kiwi than to a visitor, though, as it's full of in-jokes.
June 8, 2008
Not the best Xenophobe's Guide - granted I'm sure I would have enjoyed it far more if I had ever been to New Zealand, but just the same it struck me as more informative than humorous. Still worth a read.
January 14, 2009
Another one of the great Xenophobe's series.
May 10, 2018
New Zealand sounds like a rather chilled out, informal place where you don't need to worry because there will be a solution to everything (all the natives carry fencing wire apparently that can be used to fix anything broken =) ), there is a good sense of fair play, calmness, no major outbreaks of emotion (unless it's the rugby) and there is more beautiful landscape to admire than you can shake a stick at.
On the very first page it made me smile as Kiwis apparently see NZ as Godzone, or God's Own Country. I didn't know that although I have heard the God's Own Country expression a lot. Except when you're using it about here (the UK) we're talking about Yorkshire. Maybe there's a connection, as certainly in North Yorkshire, it's not that built up relatively speaking - certainly compared to the south it's a wilderness, and there are a lot of sheep roaming the moors. And it's just a beautiful, chilled out place to be.
I didn't realise pavlova dessert was such a big deal over there, or that they love fish and chips (but do they eat it in newspaper I wonder?). I was also pleased to see Shortland Street got a mention - never been to NZ but I have seen an episode (enough to capture the spirit of the soap - he he) on the recommendation (for the experience) of a friend. And how the health system and justice system almost seem idyllic - everyone's well looked after and not a lot of bad things happen. There was a tale of the victim support unit going to look after a man whose lawnmower had been stolen and him assuring them that he would manage to get over the trauma.
And do people really say hooray when you leave?
It's the usual stereotyped book with a glint in the eye, but it felt in particular like this one was written with a lot of love for the country.
On the very first page it made me smile as Kiwis apparently see NZ as Godzone, or God's Own Country. I didn't know that although I have heard the God's Own Country expression a lot. Except when you're using it about here (the UK) we're talking about Yorkshire. Maybe there's a connection, as certainly in North Yorkshire, it's not that built up relatively speaking - certainly compared to the south it's a wilderness, and there are a lot of sheep roaming the moors. And it's just a beautiful, chilled out place to be.
I didn't realise pavlova dessert was such a big deal over there, or that they love fish and chips (but do they eat it in newspaper I wonder?). I was also pleased to see Shortland Street got a mention - never been to NZ but I have seen an episode (enough to capture the spirit of the soap - he he) on the recommendation (for the experience) of a friend. And how the health system and justice system almost seem idyllic - everyone's well looked after and not a lot of bad things happen. There was a tale of the victim support unit going to look after a man whose lawnmower had been stolen and him assuring them that he would manage to get over the trauma.
And do people really say hooray when you leave?
It's the usual stereotyped book with a glint in the eye, but it felt in particular like this one was written with a lot of love for the country.
May 2, 2020
I saw a lot of my mates in it...
I was a ‘kilted kiwi’ to use the rugby term for a few years so bought the book to see if my views on little ole Godzone tallied up.
Fair to say they did, esp the ‘fair go’ bit as my work used to say ‘give it a go’ every time I came up with an idea!
I was a ‘kilted kiwi’ to use the rugby term for a few years so bought the book to see if my views on little ole Godzone tallied up.
Fair to say they did, esp the ‘fair go’ bit as my work used to say ‘give it a go’ every time I came up with an idea!
December 4, 2014
Handy reading on a trip to NZ. Well written
November 12, 2016
Covers off pretty much every stereotype of NZ...
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews