New Zealand’s unique blend of Maori, Pakeha (New Zealand European), Pacific and Asian cultures has resulted in a vibrant cultural identity. The Kiwi culture is about being innovative, independent and celebrating diversity, and New Zealanders are renowned for thinking ‘outside the square’. This fact is celebrated in the traditional idiom about a ‘Number 8 Fencing Wire’ mentality – the idea that you could give a Kiwi a piece of standard gauge fencing wire and they could fix anything. In days gone by, when New Zealand’s geographical isolation meant a spare part could be weeks away, this was an essential skill!

The nation does not seem so isolated these days, but creativity remains an essential part of the national identity. From its early days as a colonial nation, when the nation looked to Britain for cultural leadership, New Zealand has matured into self-confidence and local idiosyncrasies are now celebrated.