新西兰过年风俗？
首先，圣诞节的经典颜色在新西兰被赋予了完全不同的涵义——红色、绿色和白色与皑皑白雪、娇小可爱的知更鸟或是结着累累红果的冬青树完全无关。
按照新西兰圣诞节的习俗，红色意味着繁花盛开的波胡图卡瓦树(Pohutukawa，新西兰圣诞树)，绿色代表的是能够遮挡夏日灼人阳光、郁郁葱葱的热带植物，而白色则象征着一望无垠、洁白细柔的沙滩。
这一切都奠定了新西兰圣诞节特有的轻松愉悦的基调，在这里圣诞节的重头戏是户外聚餐、游戏和玩耍，因为这时的天气温暖宜人，举国上下都在欢度假期，再没有哪个时节比这更适合大肆庆祝一番了。
尽管北半球的传统习俗依然对新西兰圣诞节具有一定的影响力，不过在新西兰还是有很多绝无仅有的独特节日体验：
毛利大餐(Hangi)——新西兰式的传统烧烤大餐，将食物埋在地下的深坑中用毛利人传统的烹饪方式烤熟。这种丰盛的特色大餐最适合款待家庭(whanau)和朋友，让人们在享受美食的同时也能感受到浓浓的圣诞喜庆气氛。
新西兰户外烧烤 ——户外烧烤可以说是圣诞节广受欢迎的聚会活动，亲朋好友们团聚在家中庭院、公园里或者海滩上，一边享受着露天烧烤的乐趣一边大快朵颐。在烧烤大餐中，新鲜的海味与上好的肉块是必不可少的主角，风味绝佳的色拉和时令鲜蔬则搭配得恰到好处——如此简单、有机、自产和健康的美食大餐怎能不令人食指大动!
波胡图卡瓦树——新西兰圣诞树，这是一种生长在沿海地区的高大树种，每年12月份的时候，鲜艳的红色花朵在繁茂的枝桠间竞相绽放，景象煞是美丽。对于许多新西兰人来说，在阳光灿烂的日子里，慵懒悠闲地躺在沙滩上享受着圣诞树的浓荫带来的清凉，是他们在圣诞节期间唯一想做的事情。
海滩上的圣诞老人——想象一下，当这位成天乐呵呵的白胡子老爷爷来到南半球新西兰，却发现不得不忍受30摄氏度的高温时，他有时也会脱掉厚重的羊毛外套和长靴，换上一身泳衣，然后汲着人字拖，戴上太阳镜，径直向海滩冲去。据说曾经有人看到他在玩冲浪、水上摩托艇、空中滑翔伞以及帆船，甚至还驾驶着传统的毛利独木舟利用水路派送圣诞礼物。
南十字星座(Southern Cross)——新西兰最家喻户晓的星座，亦是新西兰版的圣诞之星，指引着东方三贤士前往耶稣降生地伯利恒(Bethlehem)。新西兰圣诞颂歌南十字星照耀下(The Southern Cross looks down)正是以此为主题。新西兰是观星的天堂，目前南岛麦肯奇地区(Mackenzie country)的天空正在申报世界星空遗产保护区。
新西兰最高的圣诞树——奥克兰的标志性建筑天空塔高达328米，在圣诞节期间它一直是众所瞩目的焦点，因为届时整座塔都将被点亮，犹如一株巨型圣诞树，塔上的灯光还会变幻出绚烂多姿的色彩与形状。除此之外，两株巨大的电信圣诞树(Telecom Christmas trees)也是深受人们喜爱的节日景点，它们分别位于惠灵顿的海滨和奥克兰的庞森比(Ponsonby)。电信圣诞树约七层楼高，装饰着超过375,000盏彩灯，能够变幻出1600万种色彩组合。每棵树下都设置了一个电话亭，游客们可以把电话拨到圣诞老人的家乡北极，他们的声音将神奇地点亮圣诞树上的彩灯。
圣诞树上的奇异鸟——新西兰的国鸟当然是不会飞的，不过在圣诞节期间，奇异鸟却会以各种各样的姿态傲立在圣诞树顶上，和传统的彩灯争夺这个至高的位置。其他新西兰本土鸟类，诸如紫秧鸡、扇尾鸽、图伊鸟以及啄羊鹦鹉等也纷纷成为了新西兰风格的圣诞卡和圣诞装饰物上的形象。
毛利语圣诞颂歌——新西兰也有独特的圣诞歌曲，有些例如Marie te po(即传统圣诞颂歌Silent Night)等仍然保持着传统的颂歌曲调，不过由于是用毛利语演唱的，听起来别有一番趣味。另外一些原创的圣诞歌曲包括银蕨树上的紫秧鸡(A pukeko in a ponga tree)，爱管闲事的奇异鸟(Sticky beak the Kiwi)以及泽西奶牛哞哞叫(The Jersey cow came mooing)等。
夏日乐趣——圣诞节的真谛在于给予、分享和尽情欢乐，在炎炎夏日庆祝这样一个节日则意味着你将有大量的机会享受户外乐趣，比如试试新收到的圣诞礼物，或者投入一场酣畅淋漓的运动及娱乐活动。网球、沙滩排球、游泳、划船、钓鱼及高尔夫都是深受人们喜爱的夏季活动，而板球则是风靡新西兰全国的夏季运动项目。新西兰是国际板球锦标赛的十个参赛国之一，全国有很大一部分人口都是这项国际重大赛事的忠实观众。
圣诞节的第一缕和最后一缕阳光——新西兰堪称全世界最棒的欢度圣诞节之地。在查塔姆群岛(Chatham Islands)之后，新西兰是全世界第一个迎接日出的地方。由于此时恰逢夏令时期间，人们将拥有最长的白昼时光尽情享受圣诞节的种种欢乐。在新西兰南岛的部分地区，白昼时间从清晨5点一直持续到晚上10点。
我想知道关于新西兰的知识 任何方面都行 要英文的 谢谢
New Zealand is a country in the south-western Pacific Ocean consisting of two large islands (called the North Island and South Island) and many much smaller islands. New Zealand is called Aotearoa in Māori, which translates as the Land of the Long White Cloud.
It is notable for its geographic isolation, being separated from Australia to the northwest by the Tasman Sea, some 2,000 kilometres (1,250 miles) across. Its closest neighbours to the north are New Caledonia, Fiji and Tonga.
The population of New Zealand is mostly of European descent, with Māori being the largest minority. Non-Māori Polynesian and Asian peoples are also significant minorities, especially in the cities.
Elizabeth II is the Queen of New Zealand and is represented in the country by a non-political Governor-General; the Queen 'reigns but does not rule', so she has no real political influence. Political power is held by the Prime Minister, who is leader of the Government in the democratically-elected Parliament of New Zealand. The Realm of New Zealand also includes the Cook Islands and Niue, which are entirely self-governing, Tokelau, and the Ross Dependency (New Zealand's territorial claim in Antarctica).
History
New Zealand is one of the most recently settled major land masses. Polynesian settlers arrived in their waka some time between the 13th century and the 15th century to establish the indigenous Māori culture. Settlement of the Chatham Islands to the east of the New Zealand mainland produced the Moriori people, but it is disputed whether they moved there from New Zealand or elsewhere in Polynesia. Most of New Zealand was divided into tribal territories called rohe, resources within which were controlled by an iwi ('nation'). Maori adapted to eating the local marine resources, flora and fauna for food, hunting the giant flightless moa (which soon became extinct), and ate the Polynesian Rat and kumara (sweet potato), which they introduced to the country.
The first Europeans known to have reached New Zealand were led by Abel Janszoon Tasman, who sailed up the west coasts of the South and North Islands in 1642. He named it Staten Landt, believing it to be part of the land Jacob Le Maire had discovered in 1616 off the coast of Chile. Staten Landt appeared on Tasman's first maps of New Zealand, but this was changed by Dutch cartographers to Nova Zeelandia, after the Dutch province of Zeeland, some time after Hendrik Brouwer proved the supposedly South American land to be an island in 1643. The Latin Nova Zeelandia became Nieuw Zeeland in Dutch. Captain James Cook subsequently called the archipelago New Zealand, although the Māori names he recorded for the North and South Islands (as Aehei No Mouwe and Tovy Poenammu respectively[2]) were rejected, and the main three islands became known as North, Middle and South, with the Middle Island being later called the South Island, and the earlier South Island becoming Stewart Island. Cook began extensive surveys of the islands in 1769, leading to European whaling expeditions and eventually significant European colonisation. From as early as the 1780s, Māori had encounters with European sealers and whalers. Acquisition of muskets by those iwi in close contact with European visitors destabilised the existing balance of power between Māori tribes and there was a temporary but intense period of bloody inter-tribal warfare, known as the Musket Wars, which ceased only when all iwi were so armed.
Concern about the exploitation of Māori by Europeans, Church Missionary Society lobbying and French interest in the region led the British to annex New Zealand by Royal Proclamation in January 1840. To legitimise the British annexation, Lieutenant Governor William Hobson had been dispatched in 1839; he hurriedly negotiated the Treaty of Waitangi with northern iwi on his arrival. The Treaty was signed in February, and in recent years it has come to be seen as the founding document of New Zealand. The Māori translation of the treaty promised the Māori tribes tino rangatiratanga would be preserved in return for ceding kawanatanga, which the English version translates as chieftainship and sovereignty; the real meanings are now disputed. Disputes over land sales and sovereignty caused the New Zealand land wars, which took place between 1845 and 1872. In 1975 the Treaty of Waitangi Act established the Waitangi Tribunal, charged with hearing claims of Crown violations of the Treaty of Waitangi. Some Māori tribes and the Moriori never signed the treaty.
New Zealand was initially administered as a part of the colony of New South Wales, and it became a separate colony in 1841. The first capital was Okiato or old Russell in the Bay of Islands but it soon moved to Auckland. European settlement progressed more rapidly than anyone anticipated, and settlers soon outnumbered Māori. Self-government was granted to the settler population in 1852. There were political concerns following the discovery of gold in Central Otago in 1861 that the South Island would form a separate colony, so in 1865 the capital was moved to the more central city of Wellington. New Zealand was involved in a Constitutional Convention in March 1891 in Sydney, New South Wales, along with the Australian colonies. This was to consider a potential constitution for the proposed federation between all the Australasian colonies. New Zealand lost interest in joining Australia in a federation following this convention, though the Australian Constitution still includes provision for New Zealand to be included.
In 1893 New Zealand became the first nation to grant full voting rights to women.
New Zealand became an independent dominion on 26 September 1907, by Royal Proclamation. Full independence was granted by the United Kingdom Parliament with the Statute of Westminster in 1931; it was taken up upon the Statute's adoption by the New Zealand Parliament in 1947. Since then New Zealand has been a sovereign constitutional monarchy within the Commonwealth of Nations. Compare Declaration of the Independence of New Zealand.
Politics
New Zealand is a constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary democracy. Under the New Zealand Royal Titles Act (1953), Queen Elizabeth II is Queen of New Zealand and is represented as head of state by the Governor-General, currently Dame Silvia Cartwright. Judge Anand Satyanand will assume the role of Governor General when Dame Cartwright's term ends on 04 August 2006.
New Zealand is the only country in the world in which all the highest offices in the land are occupied by women - The Sovereign Queen Elizabeth II of New Zealand, Governor-General Dame Silvia Cartwright, Prime Minister Helen Clark, Speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives Margaret Wilson and Chief Justice Dame Sian Elias.
The New Zealand Parliament has only one chamber, the House of Representatives, which usually seats 120 members of Parliament. Parliamentary general elections are every three years under a form of proportional representation called Mixed Member Proportional (MMP). The 2005 General Election created an 'overhang' of one extra seat (occupied by the Māori Party), due to that party winning more seats in constituencies than the total seats its proportion of the party vote would have given it. Underhangs are also possible.
There is no single written constitution; however, the Constitution Act 1986 is the principal formal statement of New Zealand's constitutional structure. The Governor-General has the power to appoint and dismiss Prime Ministers and to dissolve Parliament. The Governor-General also chairs the Executive Council, which is a formal committee consisting of all ministers of the Crown. Members of the Executive Council are required to be Members of Parliament, and most are also in Cabinet. Cabinet is the most senior policy-making body and is led by the Prime Minister, who is also the Parliamentary leader of the governing party or coalition.
The current Prime Minister is Helen Clark of the Labour Party. She has served two complete terms as Prime Minister and has begun her third. On 17 October 2005 she announced that she had come to a complex arrangement that guaranteed the support of enough parties for her Labour-led coalition to govern. The core of the coalition is a cabinet consisting of Labour Party ministers and Jim Anderton, the Progressive Party's only MP. In addition to the parties represented in cabinet, the leaders of New Zealand First and United Future are ministers outside cabinet. An arrangement of this kind has never been attempted before in New Zealand.
A further arrangement has been made with the Green Party, which has given a commitment not to vote against the government on confidence and supply. This commitment assures the government of a majority of seven MPs on confidence.
The Leader of the Opposition is National Party leader Don Brash, who was formerly Governor of the Reserve Bank.
Major Political Parties:
Labour Party
National Party
Minor Political Parties:
ACT New Zealand.
Green Party
Jim Andertons's Progressive Party
Māori Party
New Zealand First
United Future
The highest court in New Zealand is the Supreme Court of New Zealand, which was established in 2004 following the passage of the Supreme Court Act in 2003. The Act abolished the option to appeal Court of Appeal rulings to the Privy Council in London. The current Chief Justice is Dame Sian Elias. New Zealand's judiciary also includes the High Court, which deals with serious criminal offences and civil matters, and the Court of Appeal, as well as subordinate courts.
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Foreign relations and military
Main articles: Foreign relations of New Zealand and Military of New Zealand
New Zealand maintains a strong profile on environmental protection, human rights and free trade, particularly in agriculture.
New Zealand is a member of the following geo-political organisations: APEC, East Asia Summit, Commonwealth of Nations, OECD and the United Nations. It has signed up to a number of free trade agreements, of which the most important is Closer Economic Relations with Australia.
For its first hundred years, New Zealand followed the United Kingdom's lead on foreign policy. Where she goes, we go, where she stands, we stand, said Prime Minister Michael Savage, in declaring war on Germany on 3 September 1939. However New Zealand came under the influence of the United States of America for the generation following the war (although New Zealand does still have a good working relationship with the UK).
New Zealand has traditionally worked closely with Australia, whose foreign policy followed a similar historical trend. In turn, many Pacific Islands such as Western Samoa have looked to New Zealand's lead. The American influence on New Zealand was weakened by the disappointment with the Vietnam War, the nuclear danger presented by the Cold War, the sinking of the Rainbow Warrior by France, and by disagreements over environmental and agricultural trade issues.
New Zealand is a party to the ANZUS security treaty between Australia, New Zealand and the United States. In 1984 New Zealand refused nuclear-powered or nuclear-armed ships access to its ports. In 1986 the United States announced that it was suspending its treaty security obligations to New Zealand pending the restoration of port access. The New Zealand Nuclear Free Zone, Disarmament and Arms Control Act of 1987 prohibits the stationing of nuclear weapons on the territory of New Zealand and the entry into New Zealand waters of nuclear armed or propelled ships. This legislation remains a source of contention and the basis for the United States' continued suspension of treaty obligations to New Zealand.
In addition to the various wars between iwi, and between the British settlers and iwi, New Zealand has fought in the Second Boer War, World War I, World War II, the Korean War, the Malayan Emergency (and committed troops, fighters and bombers to the subsequent confrontation with Indonesia), the Vietnam War, the Gulf War and the Afghanistan War, and briefly sent a unit of army engineers to help with rebuilding Iraqi infrastructure.
The New Zealand military has three branches: the New Zealand Army, the Royal New Zealand Navy, and the Royal New Zealand Air Force. New Zealand considers its own national defence needs to be modest; it dismantled its air combat capability in 2001. New Zealand has contributed forces to recent regional and global peacekeeping missions, including those in Cyprus, Somalia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Sinai, Angola, Cambodia, the Iran/Iraq border, Bougainville and East Timor.
Local government and external territories
The early European settlers divided New Zealand into provinces. These were abolished in 1876 so that government could be centralised, for financial reasons. As a result, New Zealand has no separately represented subnational entities such as provinces, states or territories, apart from its local government. The spirit of the provinces however still lives on, and there is fierce rivalry exhibited in sporting and cultural events. Since 1876, local government has administered the various regions of New Zealand. In 1989, the government completely reorganised local government, implementing the current two-tier structure of regional councils and territorial authorities.
Today New Zealand has 12 regional councils for the administration of environmental and transport matters and 74 territorial authorities that administer roading, sewerage, building consents, and other local matters. The territorial authorities are 16 city councils, 57 district councils, and the Chatham Islands County Council. Four of the territorial councils (one city and three districts) and the Chatham Islands County Council also perform the functions of a regional council and thus are known as unitary authorities. Territorial authority districts are not subdivisions of regional council districts, and a few of them straddle regional council boundaries.
Regions are (asterisks denote unitary authorities): Northland, Auckland, Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Gisborne*, Hawke's Bay, Taranaki, Manawatu-Wanganui, Wellington, Marlborough*, Nelson*, Tasman*, West Coast, Canterbury, Otago, Southland, Chatham Islands*.
As a major South Pacific nation, New Zealand has a close working relationship with many Pacific Island nations, and continues a political association with the Cook Islands, Niue, and Tokelau. New Zealand operates Scott Base in its Antarctic territory, the Ross Dependency. Other countries also use Christchurch to support their Antarctic bases and the city is sometimes known as the Gateway to Antarctica.
Geography
New Zealand comprises two main islands (called the North and South Islands in English, Te-Ika-a-Maui and Te Wai Pounamu in Māori) and a number of smaller islands. The total land area of New Zealand, 268,680 square kilometres (103,738 sq mi), is a little less than that of Japan and a little more than the United Kingdom. The country extends more than 1,600 kilometres (1,000 miles) along its main, north-north-east axis. The most significant of the smaller inhabited islands of New Zealand include Stewart Island/Rakiura; Waiheke Island, in Auckland's Hauraki Gulf; Great Barrier Island, east of the Hauraki Gulf; and the Chatham Islands, named Rekohu by Moriori. The country has extensive marine resources, with the fifth-largest Exclusive Economic Zone in the world, covering over four million square kilometres (1.5 million sq mi), more than 15 times its land area.[3]
The South Island is the largest land mass, and is divided along its length by the Southern Alps, the highest peak of which is Aoraki/Mount Cook, 3,754 metres (12,316 ft). There are 18 peaks of more than 3,000 metres (9,800 ft) in the South Island. The North Island is less mountainous than the South, but is marked by volcanism. The tallest North Island mountain, Mount Ruapehu (2,797 m / 9,176 ft), is an active cone volcano. The dramatic and varied landscape of New Zealand has made it a popular location for the production of television programmes and films, including the Lord of the Rings trilogy.
Aoraki/Mount Cook is the tallest mountain in New ZealandThe climate throughout the country is mild, mostly cool temperate to warm temperate, with temperatures rarely falling below 0°C (32°F) or rising above 30°C (86°F). Conditions vary from wet and cold on the West Coast of the South Island to dry and continental in the Mackenzie Basin of inland Canterbury and subtropical in Northland. Of the main cities, Christchurch is the driest, receiving only some 640 mm (25 in) of rain per year. Auckland, the wettest, receives a little less than three times that amount.
Flora and fauna
Because of its long isolation from the rest of the world and its island biogeography, New Zealand has extraordinary flora and fauna. About 80% of the New Zealand flora occurs only in New Zealand, including more than 40 endemic genera.[4] The two main types of forest have been dominated by podocarps including the giant kauri and southern beech. The remaining vegetation types in New Zealand are grasslands of tussock and other grasses, usually in sub-alpine areas, and the low shrublands between grasslands and forests.
Until the arrival of the first humans, 80% of the land was forested and, barring three species of bat (one now extinct), there were no non-marine mammals. Instead, New Zealand's forests were inhabited by a diverse range of birds including the flightless moa (now extinct), and the kiwi, kakapo, and takahē, all endangered due to human actions. Unique birds capable of flight include the Haast's eagle, which was the world's largest bird of prey (now extinct), and the large kākā and kea parrots. Reptiles present in New Zealand include skinks, geckos and tuatara. There are no snakes but there are many species of insects, including the weta, one species of which may grow as large as a house mouse and is the heaviest insect in the world.
New Zealand has led the world in clearing offshore islands of introduced mammalian pests and reintroducing rare native species to ensure their survival. A more recent development is the mainland ecological island.
Economy
New Zealand has a modern, developed economy with an estimated GDP of $97.39 billion (2005).
The country has a relatively high standard of living with GDP per capita estimated at $24,100. The standard of living has also been measured in other forms, including being ranked 19th on the 2005 Human Development Index and 15th in The Economist's 2005 world-wide quality-of-life index.
The Tertiary sector is the largest sector in the economy and constitutes 67.6% of GDP, followed by the Secondary sector on 27.8% and the Primary sector on 4.7% (2005 estimate).
New Zealand is a country heavily dependent on trade (particularly in agricultural products) as almost 20% of the country's output is exported. This leaves New Zealand particularly vulnerable to global economic slowdowns and slumps in commodity prices. Its principal export industries are agriculture, horticulture, fishing and forestry making up about half of the countries exports. New Zealand’s major export partners are Australia 22.4%, US 11.3%, Japan 11.2%, China 9.7%, Germany 5.2% (2004). This is a dramatic change from 1965 when the United Kingdom received over half of New Zealand’s exports.
Due to changing economic conditions, since 1984 successive governments have engaged in major macroeconomic restructuring, transforming New Zealand from a highly protectionist and regulated economy to a liberalised free-trade economy. Pursuant to this policy, during the late 1980s and early 1990s, the New Zealand Government sold a number of former government owned enterprises including its telecommunications company, railway network, a numbe
History Introduction
Our History
While New Zealand is a relatively young country, it has a rich and fascinating history, reflecting both our Maori and European heritage. Amazing Maori historic sites and taonga (treasures), some dating back almost a thousand years, are a contrast to many beautiful colonial buildings. A walk around any New Zealand city today shows what a culturally diverse and fascinating country we have become.
Treaty of Waitangi
An 1840 treaty between Maori and the British Crown is New Zealand’s founding document. Today, the Treaty of Waitangi has a major impact on all New Zealanders.
Immigration
Over a thousand years ago, Maori became the first people to migrate to New Zealand. Since then, people have come from around the world to settle here.
正庆旅Early Settlement
差简 Bravely voyaging across the Pacific from their ancestral homeland hundreds of years ago, Maori made New Zealand their home, becoming the tangata whenua ― people of the land.
Colonisation
Though a Dutchman was the first European to sight the land, it was the British who colonised New Zealand, leaving an indelible mark on the country and its people.
Natural Environment
With vast open spaces filled with stunning rugged landscapes, gorgeous beaches, often spectacular geothermal and volcanic activity, a temperate climate and fascinating animal and plant life, and it is no surprise that New Zealand’s pure natural environment is so attractive to visitors from other countries. And the great advantage of New Zealand is there are many different landscapes, environments, and ecosystems so close to each other.
Fauna
举凳Unique flightless birds, the world's heaviest insect and a 'living dinosaur'. Eighty million years of isolation in a time capsule - the unique native wildlife of New Zealand.
Flora
Whether you spend time in the wilderness areas of National Parks or lovingly manicured private gardens, you'll find an abundance of fascinating native plants found nowhere else on earth but New Zealand
Climate and Weather
New Zealand has mild temperatures, high rainfall, and lots of sunshine. You can also enjoy hot summers, beautiful spring and autumn colours, and crisp winter snow.
Geography and Geology
New Zealand has a stunning variety of landforms ― from spectacular alpine glaciers and massive mountain ranges to rolling green farmland and long sandy beaches.
Our Culture
New Zealand has a unique and dynamic culture. The culture of its indigenous Māori people affects the language, the arts, and even the accents of all New Zealanders. Their place in the South Pacific, and their love of the outdoors, sport, and the arts make New Zealanders and their culture unique in the world.
Māori Culture
New Zealand’s indigenous Māori people have a unique and fascinating language and culture, which plays a major role in New Zealand life.
The People
Though a diverse and multicultural people, there are many qualities, including friendliness, individuality, invention and self-reliance, that you’ll find in most New Zealanders. It’s our national character!
Arts
The influence of Māori, Pacific Island, European and Asian cultures makes the arts in New Zealand colourful, unique and vibrant - definitely something to look out for!
Kiwiana
A range of wacky and weird objects helps define what it is to be a New Zealander, or 'Kiwi'. These wonderful things are known simply as - 'Kiwiana'.
www.newzealand.com/travel/ 是一个旅游为主的网站粗岩，里面有介绍新西旅晌兰的风岩镇御土人情
