Reference

Kete Holding on to our own – ‘disputed’ New Zealanders

The friendly rivalry between New Zealand and Australia is legendary. We love to compete with each other, particularly in sport but also over some of our local icons. Over the years, Australia has tried to claim many true Kiwi icons (and we have endeavoured to poach some of theirs), from the pavlova, Phar Lap and Split Enz to Russell Crowe and Oscar nominee Keisha Castle-Hughes.

Our joint dispute about which nation first created the pavlova is far from settled. Everybody agrees that the inspiration for the dessert was the Australasian tour of renowned Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova in 1925. The Australians claim the dessert as theirs, while Kiwis maintain they created it. Glen Ralph of the Wilmar Library, South Australia, carried out interesting research into the origins of the pavlova, while Australian television programme George Negus Tonight had a debate between Australian food historian Dr Michael Symons and University of Otago food historian Professor Helen Leach. According to the latter, the 1933 Rangiora Mothers’ Union Cookery Book contains a recipe for a pavlova cake and an even earlier version was found in a New Zealand rural magazine from 1929. The debate continues.

“Australia’s wonder horse” Phar Lap is considered by many to be Australasia’s greatest-ever racehorse. But the chestnut gelding was foaled in Timaru in 1926 before being taken to Australia. In his four years of racing, Phar Lap won 37 of the 51 races in which he was entered, including the 1930 Melbourne Cup. The horse died in 1932 – many believe the horse was poisoned although the evidence has been inconclusive.

Split Enz were also claimed by the Australians as their own, despite the members of the band that produced a raft of hits being New Zealanders. The only thing to which the Australians can lay claim is the band’s name change from Split Ends to Split Enz when they toured Australia in 1973.

Deputy editor of Australia-based men’s magazine FHM, Ben Smithurst, recently admitted that Australia likes to steal things from New Zealand. His comments came in response to the selection of Kiwi-born actress Emily Barclay in FHM’s top 50 sexiest women in Australia. The star of In My Father’s Den was born in the UK, but lived in New Zealand for most of her life. She is currently working in Australia on television show Suburban Mayhem and recently won best lead actress at the Australian Film Institute awards. “Anytime New Zealand has anyone successful, we steal them away,” said Ben, confirming what many Kiwis have long believed.

Another example of Aussie poaching is Oscar winner Russell Crowe. Maybe the Aussies do have a stake in his success - after all, he lived in the country from the age of four to 14, returned there when he was 21 and did get his first acting jobs in Australia. However, the 42-year-old was born in Wellington and attended Auckland Grammar School with cousins Jeff and Martin Crowe, both New Zealand cricket captains.

It is the opposite with Oscar-nominee Keisha Castle-Hughes, who was born in Donnybrook, Western Australia, and has a New Zealand Māori mother and an Australian father. She has lived in New Zealand since she was four years old and was discovered for the role of Paikea in Whale Rider when the movie’s casting director and casting assistant went to her primary school in Mt Wellington.

Other “disputed” New Zealanders include actor Sam Neill who was born in Northern Ireland although he was raised in New Zealand and Thomas Edmonds, founder of the Edmonds cooking empire who was born in London. Suffragette Kate Sheppard who petitioned for New Zealand women’s right to vote was born in Liverpool, England, and moved to New Zealand at the age of 21. However, their greatest achievements took place on New Zealand soil, which has earned them their place among Notable Kiwis.

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