What makes us NZers?

The current Listener looks at the changing definition of what it means to be a New Zealander.

It includes a list of 14 things New Zealanders did last week:

• Visited a shopping centre/mall – 59%
• Bought a Lotto ticket – 31%
• Hired video/DVD/computer game – 19%
• Bought Big Wednesday ticket – 16%
• Travelled by bus – 15%
• Bought Instant Kiwi – 10%
• Purchased music CD – 8%
• Ordered pizza by phone – 7%
• Played pokie/gaming machine – 5%
• Travelled by train – 4%
• Bet at TAB – 4%
• Spent time at internet cafe – 2%
• Played Keno – 2 %
• Went to a casino – 2%

I did none of those things but I did:

• Say gidday, whanau and bugger (though not in the same sentence).
• Wear gumboots.
• Eat lamb, blue cod, kiwi fruit, Vogels bread, vegemite and pavlova (though not at the same time).
• Lie on a wool carpet while reading the ODT.
• Laugh  at a Garrick Tremain cartoon.
• Walk on grass
• Breathe really fresh air.
• Listen to National Radio.
• Buy two books (one of which was Hairy MacLary).
• Wear merino.
• Watch a haka (albeit on TV).
• Look up at the night sky and see lots of stars.
• See a fantail.
• Marvel at the scenery and think how blessed I am to live here.