Are you a New Zealander?

**Nivlac** · 22nd February 2006, 12:29

>Did you know that New Zealand is pretty much the only place in the world
>that you can not actually be a New Zealander?
>
>Whenever you fill out a form or survey in New Zealand you can tick the box
>to say you are Maori, Tongan, Samoan, Australian, European (or NZ born of
>European Decent), Asian, etc but there is no box provided to say “Yes, I am
>a New Zealander and I am proud to be one”
>
>In Australia, you can be an Australian… In fact in Australia you can be a
>New Zealander. Why is it that we can’t be New Zealanders in our own
>country?
>
>Most people are proud of their ethnicity, heritage and family origins and so
>will tick whichever box they feel applies to them, and they have every right
>to do so whether they are Maori, Pacific Islander, European etc
>
>Many of us however consider that we, and our families, have been in New
>Zealand for long enough now that we should be able to claim that as who
>we are… regardless of where our ancestors may have come from many
>centuries ago or what the colour of our skin or shape of our face might
>indicate.
>
>If you support us in our desire to be recognised as New Zealanders in our
>own country then there is only one way that this can be achieved…
>
>On the 2006 NZ Census form, when you are asked for your ethnicity, choose
>the option “Other” and state your ethnicity as “New Zealander”
>
>If we can get enough people to do this then maybe, just maybe, we can get
>the powers that be to sit up and recognise that we are proud of who we are
>and that we want to be recognised as such, not divided into sub-categories
>and all treated as foreigners in our own country.
>
>Please forward this on to as many people as you can; friends, people you
>work with, kiwi’s you know who are overseas, anyone… No, you won’t
>receive amazing good luck by doing so but you will have the knowledge that
>you have done your bit to help us, as New Zealanders, fight for our right to
>be recognised as who we are in this proud and strong country of ours.
>
>And remember… at census time… “Other - New Zealander!” (and proud of
>it)

**Grisdale** · 22nd February 2006, 12:34

And dont forget to write your religion as: KiwiBiker
:P

**Nivlac** · 22nd February 2006, 12:45

Unless of course you strongly believe that you are a Jedi Knight... however, I guess there is no reason you can't be both.
May the torque be with you.

**yungatart** · 22nd February 2006, 12:51

I always tick 'other' and write New Zealander on official type forms- have done for years

**Grahameeboy** · 22nd February 2006, 12:54

I am just "Me" so go under "Others"

**ajturbo** · 22nd February 2006, 13:09

On mud boy's school form i had to inticate where he came from..

i ALWAYS put New Zealander.. got told that he had to be... European

why ? i asked... he was born in New Zealand = therefore he is a New Zealander!!!
so i usally cross out everything and write that..
this is my main bitch at the powers to be.. and a reason that i think Wintson Peters has..(sorry to say) some good points...
so all those maoris, that were born AFTER the treaty of waitangi (sp?)
and all the white's born in New Zealand after that date are

ALL

NEW ZEALANDERS.....

one rule for EVERYONE.....

aaahhh i feel better now....i'm off to build a deck....

**ajturbo** · 22nd February 2006, 13:12

Originally Posted by Nivlac

>
>
>And remember… at census time… “Other - New Zealander!” (and proud of
>it)

Census time????

fuck that..

if they can find me

.....mud boy and I may just be "away" that night

**Grahameeboy** · 22nd February 2006, 13:14

Originally Posted by ajturbo

On mud boy's school form i had to inticate where he came from..

i ALWAYS put New Zealander.. got told that he had to be... European

why ? i asked... he was born in New Zealand = therefore he is a New Zealander!!!
so i usally cross out everything and write that..
this is my main bitch at the powers to be.. and a reason that i think Wintson Peters has..(sorry to say) some good points...
so all those maoris, that were born AFTER the treaty of waitangi (sp?)
and all the white's born in New Zealand after that date are

ALL

NEW ZEALANDERS.....

one rule for EVERYONE.....

aaahhh i feel better now....i'm off to build a deck....

Agree totally....it is that simple isn't it yet we continue to split hairs....I was born in UK so 'European' (I hate that definition to so could be another thread eh?) and my Daughter was born here so is a NZ not NZ European

**Nivlac** · 22nd February 2006, 13:25

It's good to see there are a lot of people who agree, often very strongly, with this... I've been writing 'New Zealander' myself for several years too (often only to then be told that I'm not, I must be a european)

I don't normally forward on mass emails like this, but in this particular case I felt that it was important enough that I forwarded it on to pretty much everyone in my address book when I received it (as well as posting it on here and a couple other lists), hopefully if enough other people do likewise then we may be able to make a difference...
When is the census anyway? can't be far away.

**MisterD** · 22nd February 2006, 13:32

March 7th isn't it?

Country of birth: People's Republic of Lancashire.

**Motu** · 22nd February 2006, 14:16

I'm Muggle born,and proud of it!

**slob** · 22nd February 2006, 14:28

You do realise the distinction between "nationality" and "ethnicity" don't you?

**jimbo600** · 22nd February 2006, 14:35

Originally Posted by Nivlac

Unless of course you strongly believe that you are a Jedi Knight... however, I guess there is no reason you can't be both.
May the torque be with you.

Actually during one UK census so many people put Jedi down as religion thay had to recognise it as a legitimate religion, cool aye.

**Ixion** · 22nd February 2006, 14:55

Originally Posted by slob

You do realise the distinction between "nationality" and "ethnicity" don't you?

Aye, and "European" is neither a nationality, nor an ethnicity, Europe comprising many nations and many ethnic groups. So what they are intending is a mystery known only to God and Henry Postlethwaite.