I just have one question. I checked out your web page and you said you are a "32 year old Pakeha male". What does Pakeha mean?
In common usage the word is a synonym for of European decent on applications forms etc. It comes from the language of the indigenous race in New Zealand, the Maori. There is some debate about whether it has a derogatory meaning. As I was born there the term European doesn't seem right as a description of who I am so I use Pakeha, though some people (usually rednecks) take offence at the term and object to its use.
The best definition I found on the web defines it as dominant group members who are of European descent but whose values and practices are a product of their New Zealand location. This is a more overtly political definition than most New Zealanders would agree with, though it fits in with why I use it. Further discussion of the term can be found on this page.
For those interested in finding out more about New Zealand, follow these links:
Tourist Information.
Maori Organisations of New
Zealand.
Guidebooks about New Zealand.
Hillmorton High (My old High
School).
The Startpage of New
Zealand!!!
Dictionary of NZ Biography
Aardvark - News about the
Internet
Access NZ - Companies/Sites : New
Zealand
Arts Resources
Creative New
Zealand
Internet
Connected Organisations in New Zealand
Domainz - NZ Url
register
National Library of New Zealand
Home Page
Pipers the patient
people's potent portal
Trains
WWW (HTML) Database for NZ
I was searching for the definition of "Bonza"...Sounds like it is a good thing, (I hope) and I breathe a sigh of relief as someone has used this word to describe me..." a bonza shiela" or something like that!
Well, bonza usually means something is very good, excellent, great etc. When used in the expression "bonza shiela" (shiela is slang for female) it usually implies that the woman is an entertaining person to know and not at all pretentious. It could also imply that the woman is attractive but that isn't its main meaning.
What are the words to the National Anthem?
All five verses in English. Note that the Maori version has only 4 verses.
What's that dance some of your sports teams do?
It is usually a haka. If you follow this link the words to the most famous haka are about halfway down this page, and you can hear the All Blacks Rugby Team (our national team, named for the colour of their uniform) performing it.