Why are people from New Zealand called kiwi?

Answer 1

This question comes up on Yahoo!Answers from time to time. The full and correct answer is as follows:

The name derives from the flightless bird native to New Zealand. However, while it is true to say that the brown kiwi is accepted by most New Zealanders as representative of their country, New Zealand has no official national bird.

The first New Zealanders to be widely known as kiwis were the military. The regimental signs for all New Zealand regiments feature the kiwi, including those which fought in the Second Boer War and then with the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps in World War I.

In World War I, the British Army ordered several tons of Kiwi brand polish to be used by the soldiers on their boots, belts, saddles and other horse tack. The polish was popular and in the postwar era the company enjoyed growing sales worldwide. Kiwi polish was even more widely used in World War II.

The nickname Kiwis for New Zealand servicemen eventually became common usage in all war theatres. Following World War II it was gradually attributed to all New Zealanders

Answer 2

Kiwi People

Answer 3

Because 'Kiwi', a flightless bird is native to New Zealand. The land was often described as the land of the "kiwi's. But since it's awkward to call it "kiwiland", the government christened it New Zealand to mean a land populated by people with a new zeal meaning people endowed with enthusiastic devotion to a cause, ideal or goal that can fly the heights of progress and prosperity.

Answer 4

Because 'Kiwi' is a Maori term for a small, flightless bird which is native to New Zealand and nowhere else.

We use it to describe Kiwis because the word literally translates as 'Shut! Thut's a strunge ucksunt!" and because, like the Kiwi itself, we wish you could only find the buggers in New Zealand.

Answer 5

Kiwi, a name of a bird, is the most dominant word connected to New Zealand up to such extent that people call those coming from New Zealand as Kiwis which is a misnomer because they are not birds.

Answer 6

Kiwi is the National bird of New Zealand.

Its is a flight less bird.

The kiwi is canny, strong and stroppy, but it's vanishing from New Zealand at a rate of 5.8 percent so people are very worried that they might get extinct.

Answer 7

Because the 'kiwi' is the national bird of New Zealand.

Answer 8

The kiwi is the national emblem of New Zealand. (That's the flightless, long beaked bird - not the fruit, which is now grown in many countries including Italy.)

Answer 9

Its the symbol of that country.I love it ! I have know a couple of kiwis in my time and they were two of the
nicest,most gracious people Ive ever met.They left Arizona and went back to their beloved New Zealand.We communicate often.I miss them and their happy smiles.

Answer 10

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Protea is the National flower of South Africa. Springbok is the national animal. The cricket team used to be called the Springboks, but, after their return from isolation, they were renamed the Proteas, due to the Springbok's connotations with apartheid.