Don't walk alone late at night and avoid unlit areas. Don't carry lots of cash, valuables or expensive jewellery with you. New Zealanders are very sociable but you need to be sensible. Avoid accepting drinks from strangers and don't leave your drink unattended.
Traditionally Māori society is very hierarchical and crossing in front of a more 'senior' person is considered rude. another route. Why? From a Māori cultural perspective, it is considered offensive for a woman to step over a man.
In New Zealand, it is considered impolite to constantly interrupt a conversation or hijack it to boast about your accomplishments. Hence, you should be mindful about this while engaging in conversations, especially if the topic starts to lead to a potential opportunity for you to highlight an achievement.
New Zealanders expect punctuality when meeting up with someone. Being more than 5–10 minutes late without giving someone forewarning is considered disrespectful. Clean up after yourself at all times and do not litter (especially in national parks). Casual disrespect for the natural environment is frowned upon.
But etiquette also expresses something more, something we call "the principles of etiquette." Those are consideration, respect, and honesty. These principles are the three qualities that stand behind all the manners we have.
Māori cultural tapu avoids touching the head. The pillow, a resting place for the sacred head, is used for that purpose only. Pillows are for laying the head on; cushions are for sitting on. It may be advisable for your Centre to make clear distinction between pillows and cushions.
However, what one society considers critical as a taboo may be irrelevant in the next society. There are four major types of taboos namely religious taboos, social taboos, legal taboos and sexual taboos.
Common taboos involve restrictions or ritual regulation of killing and hunting; sex and sexual relationships; reproduction; the dead and their graves; as well as food and dining (primarily cannibalism and dietary laws such as vegetarianism, kashrut, and halal) or religious (treif and haram).
pokotiwha. 1. (interjection) a very strong curse, an insulting swear word, an expression of anger or a curse expressing a lack of desire to do something.
Whakama is a psychosocial and behavioural construct in the New Zealand Maori which does not have any exact equivalent in Western societies although shame, self-abasement, feeling inferior, inadequate and with self-doubt, shyness, excessive modesty and withdrawal describe some aspects of the concept.
Safety and quality of life are essential factors to consider when choosing between Australia and New Zealand. Both countries have low crime rates and high quality of life, with Australia ranked as one of the safest countries in the world, while New Zealand is considered one of the most peaceful countries.
Culture and Social Etiquette
Feeling at home in New Zealand is not difficult. You will find New Zealanders to be friendly and sociable, so integrating in the community should be easy. The country has a notable appreciation for nature and specific mealtimes, around which most social interactions happen.
At the more extreme end, incest and cannibalism are both considered taboos in most places.
Australia's indigenous culture is the oldest living culture in the world, and it is essential to exercise cultural respect towards their customs and traditions. This means avoiding derogatory language or jokes about indigenous Australians and understanding their sacred sites and artefacts.
A Canadian beer company and a New Zealand leather shop were both notified this week that the Māori word “Huruhuru” commonly translates to “pubic hair.”
When Māori greet one another by pressing noses, the tradition of sharing the breath of life is considered to have come directly from the gods. Through the exchange of this physical greeting, one is no longer considered manuhiri ("a visitor") but rather tangata whenua, "one of the people of the land".
The Quivering Hand Movements are to Reflect the Shimmering of Heat. One aspect of many Haka, where performers shake their hands in the air, is said to come from the Maori legend of the Sun God, Ra. He had two partners, one representing winter and the other summer.
The Māori phrase, “Kia ora”, is the informal greeting for 'Hello'. It can also mean 'Thank you' or be said as a form of acknowledgement.
Haere rā – nearly as common as 'Kia ora', Haere rā means goodbye, farewell or bye-bye and is said to someone leaving.
The meaning of chur is essentially thank you. You can use this classic Kiwi slang to show gratitude or appreciation. As explained above, it can also mean "sweet as" or "that's awesome". As in: "I'll help you change your flat tyre." "Chur, bro."