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New Zealand literature, especially, is an arena in which the Maori are making a strong mark - though the written word was not traditionally apart of Maori culture NZ is experiencing a movement of dynamic Maori writing in fiction, non-fiction, poetry and every other written form.

Maori Arts

Maori arts are dramatic in many ways, and they include various arts that people of European backgrounds might not be familiar with.

Traditionally the Maori did not keep a written history; their history was kept in long, very specific and stylized songs and chants. As in many parts of the world where oral history has been practiced, oratory, song and chant developed to a magnificent art in Maori culture. The many rituals associated with Maori protocol are also quite stylized- if you ever visit a mare and are greeted with the traditional haka (war chant) and wero (challenge), you will appreciate how artistic they are. The Maori arts of song and dance include so me special features such as the poi dance and action songs. Martial arts, using a variety of traditional weapons and movements, are highly stylized and developed

Other Maori arts inc1ude crafts such as wood, bone and jade carving, basketry and weaving, including a distinctive form of wall paneling known as tukutuku, which can be seen on mare and in Maori churches. Wood carvings, tukutuku wall panels and distinctive styles of painting (especially on the rafters and ceilings) can be seen in most Maori meeting houses. These traditional Maori arts are not used only on the mare, though - wood and bone carving, painting, basketry and various other arts are being used in both traditional and new ways, creating some vibrant artistic works.

Literature

New Zealand has an active literary scene, with a number of modem authors and a few old c1assics. Probably the most internationally known New Zealand writer is still Katherine Mansfield (1888-1923), who was born and raised in New Zealand and later moved to England, where she spent most of her short adult life and did most of her writing.

Frank Sargeson (1903-82) is another c1assic New Zealand author. Within the country he is probably as well known as Mansfield, especially for his three-volume autobiography, his novels and many short stories, but since he lived all his life in New Zealand, his work did not become as widely known internationally.

Maurice Shadbolt is the author of several fine historical novels a bout New Zealand - so far he' s published nine novels, foul' collections of short stories and several nonfiction books. His best known novel is probably The Season of the Jew, which won the NZ Wattie Book of the Year Award in 1987 and was chosen by the NY Times as one of the best books of that year. This book follows a dispossessed band of Maori who identify with the Jews of ancient Israel.

Janet Frame is another popular novelist, poet and short story writer. Her three-volume autobiography (To the 1sland, An Angel at my Table and Envoy from Mirror City) was made famous by the film An Angel at my Table by acc1aimed local director, Jane Campion. Janet Frame: An Autobiography is a fascinating insight to her life, and her many works are widely available.

Shonagh Koea is another popular author; her better-known works include The Woman Who Never Went Home (1987), The Grandiflora Tree (1989), Staying Home and Being Rotten (1992) and Fifteen Rubies by Candlelight (1993).

Other favorite New Zealand authors include Maurice Gee, whose novel Going West won the NZ Wattie Book Award in 1993; Fiona Kidman (The Book of Secrets); Owen Marshall (Tomorrow We Save the Orphans); Philip Temple (Beak of the Moon); and Dame Ngaio Marsh (murder mysteries).

Cinema

The history of New Zealand film doesn't really begin until the late 1970s when generous tax breaks were introduced to encourage local production. From some early stumbling attempts, notable feature films have survived the test of time and launched the careers of New Zealand directors and actors.

Sleeping Dogs (1977) is an accomplished psychological drama that was at the forefront of the new film industry, and which launched the careers of actor Sam Neill and director Roger Donaldson.

New Zealand films moved into art-house cinemas with Vincent Ward's Vigil (1984), a blooding film about a girl's coming of age in the rain-drenched back blocks of New Zealand. It proved too ponderously artistic for many Kiwi film-goers but wowed them at Cannes. Ward's follow-up The Navigator (1988) is a strange modern medieval hunt for the Holy Grail.

New Zealand's best known director, though Australian based and trained, is Jane Campion. Her greatest films explore New Zealand themes. An Angel at My Table (1990), based on Kiwi writer Janet Frame's autobiography, shows all the fine character development typical of her films Campion's masterpiece, The Piano (1993), about the trials of a mute woman in New Zealand's pioneer days, received Cannes and Academy A ward success. Suddenly the world noticed New Zealand's already accomplished movie Indus try. Once Were Warriors (1994), a brutal tale of modern. Urban Maori life, stunned movie-goers around the world. Heavenly Creatures, directed by Peter Jackson, also achieved critical acclaim. It is based on a famous case of matricide in the 1950s committed by two schoolgirls.

Summary

New Zealand stretches 1600 km from north to south it consists of two large islands around which are scattered a number of smaller islands, plus a few far-flung islands hundreds of km away. The North Island (115,000 sq km) and the South Island (151,000 sq km) are the two major land masses. A notable feature of New Zealand's geography is the country's great number of rivers. The Waikato River in the North Island is New Zealand's longest river, measuring in at 425 km. New Zealand also has a number of beautiful lakes; Lake Taupo is the largest and lakes Waikaremoana and Wanaka are two of the most beautiful. As is the case for most Pacific islands, New Zealand's native flora & fauna are, for the most part, not found anywhere else in the world. And, like other Pacific islands, NZ's native ecosystem has been dramatically affected and changed by plants and animals brought by settlers, mostly in the last 200 years.

Much of New Zealand's unique flora & fauna has survived, but today over 150 native plants -10% of the total number of native species - and many native birds are threatened with extinction.

The governmental structure of New Zealand is modeled on the British parliamentary system, elections being based on universal adult suffrage. The minimum voting age is 18 and candidates are elected by secret ballot.

The New Zealand and Australian flags are very much alike. With the British flag in the top left-hand corner, the New Zealanders show the stars of the Southern Cross in red on a blue field. New Zealand's population of around 3,5 million people .

The most common religion in New Zealand is Christianity. New Zealanders place a high value on education, and virtually the entire population is literate. New Zealand has seven universities, a number of teachers' colleges and polytechnics and one agricultural college. New Zealand has two official languages: English and Maori.

New Zealand has a multi-faceted arts scene with both Maori and Pakeha engaged in all kinds of traditional and modern arts. Maori arts are dramatic in many ways, and they include various arts that people of European backgrounds might not be familiar with.

New Zealand has an active literary scene, with a number of modem authors and a few old classics. Probably the most internationally known New Zealand writer is still Katherine Mansfield (1888-1923).

The history of New Zealand film doesn't really begin until the late 1970s when generous tax breaks were introduced to encourage local production. From some early stumbling attempts, notable feature films have survived the test of time and launched the careers of New Zealand directors and actors.

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