Religion

Religions of the Country

Anglican cathedral, Christchurch

The predominant religion of New Zealand is Christianity, followed by 53 percent of the population. Forty percent of the
population is either unaffiliated to any religious organization or non-religious. Followers of two indigenous Maori
religions that contain elements of Christianity, Rtana, and Ringat, make up 2 percent of the population,
with Rtana being the larger of the two. Buddhists, Hindus, and Muslims each make up 1 percent of the population.
The remaining 2 percent is divided among more than 90 religious groups ranging from Jews to Jehovahs Witnesses.
The three largest Christian denominations in New Zealand by order of size are the Anglicans (including the
Pihopatanga, or Maori Anglican Church), Catholics, and Presbyterians. Other active Christian denominations include
the Methodists, Baptists, Mormons, Pentecostals, the Eastern Orthodox Church, and many small Protestant groups.

Basic Tenets

Church stained Window, Christchurch

One of the basic tenets of Christianity is the belief that the Bible is the revealed word of God written under the
inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Most Christian groups are monotheistic, with the belief that the one God is represented
in three aspects: the Father, the Son (Jesus Christ), and the Holy Spirit, collectively known as the Holy Trinity. For

most Protestants, an individuals faith in God and study of the Bible are the most important means of salvation.
Roman Catholics, however, also consider Church teachings and sacraments as valid sources of truth and grace.
Anglicans, also known as Episcopalians, are those who follow the concepts and traditions of the Church of England
and the Anglican Communion, headed by the Archbishop of Canterbury. The Church of England today is primarily
Protestant in character, both in its principles as well as its rejection of Papal authority, although it considers itself
"catholic" in the sense of being an unbroken continuation of the early apostolic church and not a "new formation." The
Anglican doctrine is expressed in the Book of Common Prayer. Its fundamental principles are based on the Apostles'
and Nicene Creeds, the scriptures (as characterized by the lectionary), the sacraments, daily prayer, the catechism,
and apostolic succession.
The Maoris believe that everything on this earth, from living forms to inanimate objects, is descended from a common
ancestor. This belief is locally called whakapapa(genealogy). Moreover, everything is believed to contain a life force
called mauri. The Maoris believe in a number of gods, with each god being the origin of a life-form, depending on the
geographical location under their control. For instance, Tangaroa is the god of the ocean and hence the ancestor of
all fish. Similarly, Taneis the god of the forest and, by association, the origin of all birds.
The nature of man in Maori philosophy is threefold: body (tinana), soul (mauri), and spirit (wairua). The Maoris also
believe in the concept of the mana, a spiritual power or force. People or objects believed to contain manaare not
touched by anybody else. An extremely widespread belief is that of the tapu, which refers to people, places, or things
considered untouchable because of their sacredness. There are private and public tapu, which relate to individuals
and communities respectively. Disobeying or violating tapu is believed to bring disastrous consequences, including
sickness or even death.

Spiritually Devout or Nominal

Despite the steady increase in membership of New Zealands numerous Christian denominations, evangelical groups
in particular, the countrys Christians are anything but devout. Most of them are nominal followers, and less than a
quarter of the countrys Christians attend church services on a regular basis. A sizeable portion of the population is
unaffiliated to any religious group, and many of them are believed to be atheists.

Religious Conflict
Incidents of religious violence in New Zealand society are so rare as to be statistically insignificant. The countrys
various religious groups generally coexist harmoniously.

Secularism
New Zealand is an officially secular state, but the country is not home to a secular movement of any sort. Most New
Zealanders, however, disapprove of any overtly religious gesture on the part of the government.

Superstitions

Maori totem New Zealand

The Maori people of New Zealand have numerous folktales and superstitions. The belief in the power of dreams is
very strong. Dreams influence many activities, even war. Excavating a site to build a house and then abandoning it is
deemed extremely unlucky since it is believed to be tantamount to injuring Mother Earth without cause.
A popular Maori folktale relates to the moon. They believe that there is a place called Wai-ora a Tane ("The LifeGiving Waters of Tane") with magical waters that can restore the dead to life. The tale says that the moon, known
as Hina, rises in the night as Hina-keha ("Pale Hina"), when she is fresh and beautiful. As time wears on, she is
transformed into a sickly, waning, shadow of herself. As this stage, she is known as Hina-uri ("Dark Hina"). When this
happens, she sets out on a journey to search for the Wai-ora a Tane, and after finding it, bathes her emaciated form
in its healing waters, returning once again as Hina-keha, young, fresh, and as beautiful as before.

Religious Clerics
The activities of New Zealands religious clerics are mostly confined to their official religious duties. They normally do
not play a very active role in general society. That said, there are prominent Anglican clerics who have held appointed
government posts; for instance, Rev. Richard Randerson chaired a Government Poverty Task Force in 1999.
New Zealand is home to a number of theological seminaries and colleges including the Catholic Institute of Theology,
Good Shepherd College, and National Centre for Religious Studies.

State Regulations
Religious clerics are neither regulated nor paid by the state.

Religion and Public Life

Religion is not a valued component of New Zealands culture; nearly half the population does not belong to any
religious group. Despite this, religious groups do play an important role in society by throwing their weight behind
certain social and human rights causes. They take up issues regarding education, discrimination, and advocating for
the most vulnerable members of society. The Maoris are far more inclined toward religion than their counterparts of
European-descent, and the indigenous religions of the Maoris are followed by large segments of their population.

Religious Holidays and Ceremonies

The religious holidays officially celebrated in New Zealand are Good Friday, Easter Monday, and Christmas. The
holidays of minority religions are not officially recognized.
The most common religious ceremonies in New Zealand are baptisms, Confirmations, weddings, and funerals. The
major religious customs are associated with the celebration of Christmas and Easter.
The funerals of the Maoris are celebrated with rituals that may last for two or three days.

Government and Religion

Christchurch Square

New Zealands Constitution provides complete freedom of religious belief. The country is officially secular, with a
formal separation of church and state. The government is not formally aligned with any religion or religious group,
although it does maintain close links with the Anglican church.In addition, certain state practices, such as using the
Bible for various official ceremonies, seem to favor Christianity.
Religious groups do not have to be registered or obtain licenses to operate and practice their beliefs. The countrys
laws allow for the formation of religious-based political parties.

Persecution
The government does not indulge in the persecution of any religious group. Foreign missionaries and evangelical
groups are free to operate in the country and conduct worship services without the governments interference or
supervision. Religious proselytizing is legally permitted, and there are no laws restricting the practice. The
possession, distribution, sale, and display of all religious items are legally allowed.

Religious Tolerance
New Zealands diverse and multi-ethnic population is highly tolerant of all religious groups. However, there have been
public complaints regarding the use of certain Muslim attire, particularly the Hijab (covering worn by female Muslims),

on the premise that they have no place in New Zealands society. Muslim students are occasionally harassed. These
incidents, however, do not reflect the attitudes of the general population.
The dominant Christian religion has amicable relations with the countrys minor religious groups. Foreign missionaries
and evangelical groups are allowed to operate freely and do not face persecution of any kind. Religious proselytizing
is culturally accepted.

Protocols for Foreigners

There are no laws or restrictions that govern the participation of foreigners in the countrys religious activities and
rituals.

New Zealand Flag

Date First Used

1869 (officially adopted on June 12, 1902)

Nickname(s)

None
Design Elements

A defaced Blue Ensign with the Union Jack in the canton, and four red stars with white borders
on the fly.
Symbols: The stars of the Southern Cross emphasize the country's location in the South Pacific
Ocean. The Union Flag recognizes New Zealand's history as a British colony and dominion.
Colors: The royal blue background evokes the blue sea and clear sky. Red, white, and blue
reflect the colors of the Union Jack.
Proportions: 1:2.
Variations: The civil ensign features a red background with the Union Jack in the canton and
white stars on the fly. The naval ensign is the inversea white background with red stars.

History

New Zelands current national flag, a variation of the British Blue Ensign, can be directly linked
to the Imperial Colonial Naval Defence Act of 1865. This act ruled that all ships owned by a
colonial government must fly the Blue Ensign charged with the badge of the colony in question.
At the time, New Zealand did not even have such an emblem, so the colony's ships flew the flag
without one. In 1866, the government steamers St. Kildaand Sturt were reprimanded by visiting
British ships for the oversight, and the ensuing embarrassment prompted the government to
devise an emblem for placement on the flag.
Initial ideas for the design of the emblem included the seal of New Zealand and the words New Zealand;however
both ultimately were deemed too difficult to incorporate. The four stars of the Southern Cross were also proposed, but
were rejected for not being exclusively representative of New Zealand (they are also found on Australia's very similar
flag). In 1867, the colonial government settled on the abbreviation NZ in red lettering with a white border. This
emblem was short-lived, and in 1869, was replaced by the earlier suggestion of the Southern Cross, composed of
four red stars with white borders. This flag was used for maritime purposes only, but it gradually gained popularity on
land, despite the Union Jack remaining the legal flag. In 1902 that changed, and the Southern Cross flag was
adopted officiallyalthough it's not without its detractors (see Legends, Controversies, and Trivia below).

Proper Uses
The New Zealand Flag may be flown on any day of the year. The Flags, Emblems, and Names Protection Act 1981,
administered by the Ministry for Culture and Heritage, defines and protects the flag. Anyone found to have misused
the flag can be prosecuted. Any person or organization may use the New Zealand Flag in advertising.
On occasions when the New Zealand flag is flown at half-mast, it is preferable that other flags should not be flown
above it; a half-mast flag should be raised again to the peak before being lowered for the day. At government
buildings, the New Zealand flag should be flown on a daily basis during normal weekday working hours and on the
weekend if the building is in use.

Legends, Controversies, and Trivia

The need for a national flag first became clear in the early 19th century, when the New Zealand
trading shipSir George Murray was seized in the port of Sydney for sailing without a flag, a
violation of British navigation laws. (New Zealand-built ships could not fly under a British flag
due to New Zealand's colonial status.) Among the passengers on the ship were two high-ranking
Mori chiefs, believed to be Patuone and Taonui, and their detainment ignited a Mori outcry. On
March 20, 1834, 25 Mori chiefs and their followers gathered at Waitangi to choose a flag to
represent New Zealand. The flag they chose became known as the Flag of the United Tribes of
New Zealand (1835-1840), and was the islands' first official national flag.
The New Zealand flag is sometimes criticized for its similarities to the Australian flag, its colonial nature, and its
disregard for indigenous peoples. Proposed alternative New Zealand flags include Friedensreich Hundertwasser's
"Koru" Flag, designed in 1983. This flag represents an uncurling fern frond in a stylised rendering of a traditional
Mori carving pattern, the koru. Another popular alternative to the current flag was designed by Kyle Lockwood, and
features a horizontal fern design, a red-white-blue color scheme, and the Southern Cross. The fern represents the
people of New Zealand and the stars represent the country's location. The blue represents the sea, the red
represents the Mori people (red is a traditional Mori color) and wartime sacrifices, and white is a reference to the
"Land of the Long White Cloud" (translated from the Mori "Aotearoa").