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ISSN 1177-729X (Print) ISSN 2703-4569 (Online)
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1. Department of Conservation, 2. Tongariro Northern Circuit, 4. Routeburn Track, 6. Emerald Lakes, 7. Volcanic. Across: 3. Whanganui Journey, 5. Milford Track, 8. Lake Waikaremoana, 9. Abel Tasman Coast Track, 10. Ten
Kia ora, welcome!
Antony Harris Head of Stamps and Collectables
Welcome to the latest issue of Focus.
As a decades-long fan of The Lord of the Rings, I feel privileged to have played a part in commemorating the films that changed New Zealand’s position in the world of film. These amazing movies touched the lives of thousands of Kiwis, from those who got to participate as extras (including yours truly!) to those around the motu who got peeks at their production and the Wellingtonians and visitors who got to witness three huge premiers, especially that of The Return of the King, which saw 100,000 people line the streets of Te Whanganui-a-Tara (Wellington).
New Zealand’s thriving film industry has been joined by other creative players in recent years, with multiple local companies taking part in the production of interactive video games. These digital games are played and enjoyed all over the globe, and are currently our fastestgrowing creative industry. We are proud to have collaborated with the New Zealand Game Developers
Association to select outputs from five local game development companies to showcase some of this exciting industry’s successes.
In May we’ll be issuing stamps celebrating another creative industry. This year marks 25 consecutive celebrations of New Zealand Music Month, and to highlight our history of talented musical exports, May’s stamp issue takes a look back at art rock band Split Enz. In this issue we revisit a previous stamp issue that highlighted a range of other musical genres found in New Zealand.
Our first stamp issue of 2024 focused on some of our underwater rock stars. Several fabulously fluorescent creatures feature on the Marine Reserves stamps. They showcase some of New Zealand’s protected marine environments, in which people are prohibited from fishing or removing or disturbing any marine life.
Our annual Chinese New Year stamps featured the Dragon to mark the year of the 2024 Chinese zodiac animal. In this issue you can read the stories that inspired the designs.
You may have heard that we’re making some exciting changes to Kiwi Collector rewards. We’ll be making a detailed announcement about these changes later this year.
You may have also noticed that this year we’ve made a change to first day cover sale periods. Since February
2024, first day covers have remained on sale for 12 months from their issue dates.
Finally, it’s hard to believe it’s already been a year since her arrival, but we’re pleased to introduce the newest member of our team, who’s helping to ensure NZ Post Collectables will continue to commemorate the things that make our country special for years to come.
I hope you enjoy this issue of Focus
Antony Harris Head of Stamps and Collectables
Game changers
Below: A presentation pack from the Making Games: A Developing Industry stamp issue
Since the early days when ‘video game’ technology consisted of a scant few coloured dots moving slowly across a dark background screen, human imagination has made more of games than what we see on the screen.
We imbue the visuals with meaning and we map stories onto them - even the ones with little written narrative to speak of - so it’s no surprise that a storytelling culture such as Aotearoa’s has always punched above its weight in such a medium. Games developed in New Zealand have run the gamut from multimillion bestsellers to winners of every major international game award, and these stamps showcase a diverse mix of those commercial and critical successes. But what is it about games that makes them so engaging?
The games featured on these stamps task their players with a variety of roles:
survivor in a harrowing apocalypse, subway planner for a growing city, and shark. Okay, so ‘shark’ is a simplification - in Digital Confectioners’ Depth, players can take up the mantle of either a man-eating shark or a treasure-hunting diver, pitted against one another in a tense underwater showdown.
Concepts like this are where the video game shines - that perfect blend of social cooperation, interactivity, largerthan-life visuals and a story that simply won’t work as well in a medium like film. A great video game doesn’t simply tell a great story like a book or a movie does;
Below: Making Games: A Developing Industry
$2.00 Bloons TD 6 stamp, $2.00 Depth stamp, $3.30 Dredge stamp, $4.60 Mini Metro stamp, $5.30 Into the Dead 2 stamp
it tells a great story that is told best as a game. Choice, pacing, success and failure - these are determined by the player, allowing the story to dig in its hooks and deepen the emotional stakes.
The way we play video games has also evolved since the early days of the Sportronic, a locally produced Pong console that predated the commercial arrival of Atari’s early gaming systems in New Zealand. Back then, a family television took up a decent chunk of the lounge, and any games you managed to acquire couldn’t stray far. Now, with the advent of smartphones and popular portable consoles such as the Nintendo Switch, Kiwis can play games wherever it suits them – and almost two-thirds of them do!
The success of Ninja Kiwi’s riotous monkey-action Bloons and Bloons TD helped put New Zealand on the world map for mobile games, topping the charts for both Android and iOS. Nowadays, a player of Dinosaur Polo Club’s Mini Metro can design their subway system while relaxing on their commute. And a particularly brave player can explore the treacherous depths of Black Salt Games’ Dredge on Nintendo Switch from a real-life boat. Whether you play them to unwind on the bus or plugged into your PC, dialled in on a voice call with a half-dozen of your mates, video games provide a way to relax, to socialise, to explore and to tap in to worlds both weirder and more expansive than our own. No longer are they shunned as a form of nerdy escapism or an impenetrable hobby for kids.
Games made by New Zealanders are played by hundreds of millions of people in every country on Earth, connecting us and our capacity for art and storytelling to the wider world.
Making Games: A Developing
Industry was issued on 6 March 2024. Stamps and first day covers will remain on sale until 5 March 2025.
Bloons TD 6
The Bloons series has always blended frenetic monkey antics with quickthinking action, and Bloons TD 6 shows that developer Ninja Kiwi has rightfully earned its place on the pantheon of New Zealand developers. Players must pop all the bloons by deploying an arsenal of armed-and-dangerous primates.
Depth
Seek your fortune in the murky waters as a treasure hunter or as a literal hunter in Digital Confectioners’ showdown between man and shark. Depth will churn the stomachs of those afraid to go back in the water, pitting player against player. Tension, action and adrenaline find a perfect balance in this battle of teeth and wits.
Dredge
Cryptic townsfolk and strange lights in the sky await those who dare try the smash hit fishing game Dredge from Black Salt Games. Players take on the mantle of a sea captain who must fish to earn their keep, but before too long an ancient, sinister undercurrent becomes apparent in both their catch and the archipelago they now call home.
Mini Metro
This BAFTA-nominated subway design simulator put Wellington-based studio Dinosaur Polo Club on the world map. Simultaneously a minimalist work of art and an engaging, moreish arcade game, Mini Metro tasks the player with drawing colourful subway networks across dozens of real-world cities. How long can you keep the city moving?
Into the Dead 2
More than 150 million people have downloaded PikPok’s Into the Dead series, beloved for both its fastpaced gameplay and its evocative soundtrack. Into the Dead 2 is a frantic race against the clock where players control a character attempting to reach his family while the world comes undone around him in a terrifying zombie apocalypse.
Recent issues Stamps & coins
Christmas 2023
For many people, the time-honoured ritual of giving and receiving presents is their favourite part of Christmas Day.
The four Christmas stamps for 2023 depict beautiful gifts steeped in symbolism. Gold, frankincense and myrrh are represented by the metallic colours in the wrappings. The inclusion of a sprig of native flora –clematis, pōhutukawa, silver fern and hebe - signifies the unique Christmas experiences of Aotearoa New Zealand. Finally, each gift is finished with a silhouette tag that references the Christmas story.
Technical information
Date of issue: 4 October 2023
Designer: Helen Perkins and Nick Jarvie, NZ Post, Wellington, New Zealand
Printer: Brebner Print, Napier, New Zealand
Withdrawal date: 3 October 2024
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King 20th Anniversary
Bringing JRR Tolkien’s epic quest of hobbits, humans and elves to a close, The Return of the King marked the end of a huge filming achievement. The final The Lord of the Rings film ended a long journey for actors, extras and filmworkers from Aotearoa New Zealand and around the world.
Following its release, The Return of the King went on to break records at the box office and the Academy Awards, winning in every category for which it was nominated (11 in total). Oscars for visual effects, costume design and make-up illustrated the skills of workers at Wellington’s Wētā Workshop and Wētā FX. As Nancy Swarbrick notes in Te Ara - The Encylopedia of New Zealand, the film’s stunning financial and critical success further increased international interest in Aotearoa New Zealand as a place to make bigbudget movies.
Technical information
Date of issue: 1 November 2023
Designer: NZ Post, Wellington, New Zealand
Printer: Brebner Print, Napier, New Zealand
Withdrawal date: 31 October 2024
2024 Year of the Dragon
The dragon is important both as a Zodiac animal and as a piece of cultural iconography. An ancient Chinese folk tale explains the placement of the Zodiac as a ‘Great Race’, with all the creatures competing to be first. While versions differ, all tales feature the dragon’s flight being delayed by some good deed - in a popular version, it helps villagers by bringing them rain, and blows the stranded Rabbit safely to shore, making it come fifth.
With such a combination of virtuousness and power, it’s no wonder that dragons often feature at the forefront of new year celebrations.
Technical information
Date of issue: 6 December 2023
Designer: YMC Design, Wellington, New Zealand
Printer: Brebner Print, Napier, New Zealand
Withdrawal date: 5 December 2024
Marine Reserves
Aotearoa New Zealand’s marine environment is 15 times larger than its land mass. Along with the privilege of having such a large and bountiful ocean surrounding us comes the responsibility to look after it.
There are currently 44 marine reserves, but they cover less than 1% of our ocean. In the future, and with the support of New Zealanders, the number of reserves will be expanded, and together with other forms of protection will form a conservation network that protects the full spectrum of marine species in our waters.
These stamps offer a tantalising snapshot of some of the many charismatic creatures that call our marine reserves home.
Technical information
Date of issue: 7 February 2024
Designer: Hannah Fortune, NZ Post, Wellington, New Zealand
Printer: Brebner Print, Napier, New Zealand
Withdrawal date: 6 February 2025
Making Games: A Developing Industry
New Zealand has been entertaining the world with blockbuster movies for over two decades, and in the past few years a new player has entered the arena.
In terms of exports, New Zealand is probably best known for meat, dairy and forestry. In economic terms, video games are joining these industries as a low-key heavyweight for New Zealand. The industry’s export earnings here are higher than Australia’s despite the population disparity, and as of 2022 games had brought in more revenue than wool.
Technical information
Date of issue: 6 March 2024
Designer: Chris Jones, Graphetti, Wellington, New Zealand
Printer: Brebner Print, Napier, New Zealand
Withdrawal date: 5 March 2025`
Veterans
Are all veterans elderly and retired?
Who are New Zealand’s veterans?
The six veterans of New Zealand's armed forces featured in this series of stamps were all deployed from 1995 or later, and sometimes deployed multiple times. They represent the more than 42,000 living veterans who have served New Zealand in dangerous places with the New Zealand Army, the Royal New Zealand Navy or the Royal New Zealand Air Force.
They may march in the Anzac Day parades with the older veterans of previous conflicts and wars, but these veterans aren’t retired from the workforce; they have left the New Zealand Defence Force and now live and work in our communities. They are ordinary people who at times in their lives have given extraordinary service for their country.
Technical information
Date of issue: 3 April 2024
Designer: Helen Perkins, NZ Post, Wellington, New Zealand
Printer: Brebner Print, Napier, New Zealand
Withdrawal date: 2 April 2025
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King 20th Anniversary
Bringing the epic quest of hobbits, humans and elves to a close, The Return of the King marked the end of a huge filming achievement. The final The Lord of the Rings film closed a long journey for actors, extras and filmworkers from around Aotearoa New Zealand and the world.
Held at the refurbished Embassy Theatre, the world premiere of The Return of the King brought Wellington to a standstill with a parade that began at Parliament and featured 200 extras in costume, and that demonstrated the growing profile of Aotearoa New Zealand’s film industry on the world stage.
Technical information
Date of issue: December 2023
Designer: Sacha Lees, Wellington, New Zealand Mint: Royal Dutch Mint
Worldwide limited mintage:
• 'The Lighting of the Beacons' set of three 1oz silver proof coins: 300 sets
• 'The Coronation' 2oz silver proof coin: 300
King Charles III 75th Birthday
On 14 November 2023 His Majesty King Charles III celebrated his 75th birthday. Born at 9:14pm on 14 November 1948 weighing 7lb 6oz, Charles Philip Arthur George is the first-born son of Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and His Late Royal Highness Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.
Traditionally, British monarchs have celebrated their birthdays twice a year. Each year, Aotearoa New Zealand observes the King’s birthday as a public holiday (formerly Queen’s Birthday). The commemoration of the monarch’s birthday is always observed in June, when New Zealanders are treated to a winter break thanks to the timing of the holiday in the Northern Hemisphere.
Technical information
Date of issue: November 2023
Designer: Fuller Design, Wellington, New Zealand Mint: The Commonwealth Mint
Worldwide limited mintage:
• 2oz silver proof coin: 300
• ¼oz gold proof coin: 300
2024 Kiwi
The roroa/great spotted kiwi (Apteryx maxima) is one of the largest of the five kiwi species that reside in Aotearoa New Zealand.
This species predominantly lives in the north-western South Island, particularly in Kahurangi, Paparoa and Arthur’s Pass National Parks. The 2024 Kiwi coin highlights a new population established in 2004 by the Rotoiti Nature Recovery Project (RNRP), on the eastern shores of Lake Rotoiti, Nelson Lakes National Park. The RNRP is one of the original mainland island projects; it is a 5,000-hectare block of forest where intensive predator control is undertaken to provide a safe home for roroa and other endemic species. Today, about 50 roroa live on the shores of Lake Rotoiti and in the surrounding beech forest.
Kiwi have become a flagship species for conservation efforts and are often used as a measure of the state of our natural environment. They are a taonga (treasure) cherished by all cultures in New Zealand, and are a symbol of the uniqueness of New Zealand wildlife and the value of our natural heritage. Māori, in particular, have strong cultural, spiritual and historical associations with kiwi.
Technical information
Date of issue: December 2023
Designer: Stevan Stojanovic, Ōtaki, New Zealand
Mint: BH Mayer’s Kunstprägeanstalt GmbH
Year of the Dragon
Were
you born in 1928, 1940, 1952 1964, 1976, 1988 or 2000?
Depending
on
the date, you might have come into the world in the auspicious Year of the Dragon.
The Year of the Dragon is a particularly fortuitous one. Those who are born under this zodiac sign are said to be charismatic, powerful and naturally lucky. It’s said that their disposition naturally draws them towards leadership, and thus they enjoy success, wealth and prosperity.
In fact there is often a baby boom amongst Chinese populations during Dragon years, with families hoping that their ‘dragon babies’ will enjoy their innate luck.
The most recent stamps celebrating the Chinese New Year feature vibrant illustrations that allude to the history of the Chinese community in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Longevity Noodles
The story of Ping Xiao, founder of Eden Noodles on Dominion Road, Auckland.
Eden Noodles was founded by Ping Xiao. Her bustling cafe makes more than 400 dumplings and 60 kilograms of noodles daily. This stamp depicts a dragon spilling forth from a fern-laden bowl of noodles, mixing Kiwi and Chinese iconography. Noodles are often eaten during Chinese New Year, their lengths representing wishes for long and prosperous lives.
Garden of Prosperity
The story of the market gardeners Madame Joong and Ah Chee.
Madame Joong and Ah Chee made their home as market gardeners at the Kong Foong Yuen Garden of Prosperity. Their business was extremely successful and the couple became well regarded in high society. In this stamp, a dragon aids a toddler in harvesting a Chinese cabbage, emblematic of market gardeners’ contribution to New Zealand horticulture.
Below: Christine Lovett from NZ Post Collectables with a 2024 Year of the Dragon first day cover at the 2024 Chinese New Year Festival in Auckland; 2024 Year of the Dragon $2.00 Longevity Noodles stamp, $3.30 Garden of Prosperity stamp, $4.00 Land of Good Fortune stamp, $6.90 Festive Fireworks stamp
Land of Good Fortune
The 1865 gold rush in Otago.
In 1865, the gold rush in Otago attracted miners from Canton, China. New Zealand was promoted as an undiscovered trove of wealth and abundance. These gold miners came to escape poverty and build fortunes for their families in China. This stamp displays cherubs holding mining tools, their work guarded by the watchful eye of a dragon.
Festive Fireworks
The story of Thomas Wong Doo and the Doo family fireworks business.
Thomas Wong Doo, born in Canton around 1903, was a well-known merchant in Auckland, especially for selling fireworks. His family’s shop was an important space for the Auckland Chinese community, and he founded his own shop on Hobson Street in 1940. This stamp depicts a puppet-like dragon, with starbursts of fireworks exploding in the distance.
2024 Year of the Dragon was issued on 6 December 2023. Stamps and first day covers will remain on sale until 5 December 2024.
Upcoming issues Stamps
Split Enz
Split Enz was New Zealand’s first internationally recognised band. Revered and influential to this day, they were true originals who created their own sound and style of performance from the time they formed as Split Ends in 1972.
In 1975, Split Enz recorded their debut album Mental Notes, now seen by many as an early masterpiece. But it was with 1980’s True Colours that the band truly arrived on the world stage. Tim Finn’s songs Shark Attack, I Hope I Never and Poor Boy became staples of the live set, while Noel Crombie contributed the band’s biggest hit, I Got You. True Colours also ushered in the era of Eddie Rayner’s instrumentals, which featured on all subsequent Enz albums.
Split Enz, the band and its songs, are an enduring cultural treasure for all New Zealanders.
Paris 2024 Olympic Games
The Olympic Games have a special place in New Zealand’s history.
In 2024 the New Zealand Team is once again set to shine in sports from equestrian to rowing, rugby sevens, swimming, canoe, sailing, athletics, cycling and more, while New Zealanders can check out the action in incredible new urban sports including skateboarding, sport climbing, breaking and 3x3 basketball.
Whether you’re watching on television or in the stands at the Games themselves, the atmosphere at the Olympic Games is unreal, the competition is incredible and to see our athletes give everything as they represent our country is extremely special.
Technical information
Date of issue: 1 May 2024
Designer: Sacha Lees, Wellington, New Zealand
Printer: Brebner Print, Napier, New Zealand
Withdrawal date: 30 April 2025
Technical information
Date of issue: 5 June 2024
Designer: Nick Jarvie, NZ Post, Wellington, New Zealand
Printer: Brebner Print, Napier, New Zealand
Withdrawal date: 4 June 2025
The end of an era
Below: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King 20th Anniversary $2.00 The Lair of Shelob stamp, $2.00 Arwen stamp, $3.30 The Shieldmaiden of Rohan stamp, $3.30 The Army of the Dead stamp, $4.00 Gandalf and the Moth stamp, $4.60 The Ring is Mine stamp
At the end of 2023 the final stamps and coins in our three-year The Lord of the Rings 20th Anniversary series were issued. An adaptation of epic proportions, the movie trilogy's creation out of such a beloved and influential piece of literature has become a story in itself. In the 2023 Annual Album, Laurence Patchett discussed how the film came across to the book's most dedicated fans.
In the small cinema of a Welsh town in 2003, the lights went down for the beginning of The Return of the King Immediately, a man in the front seats stood up, thrusting his fist high in the air. ‘Aragorn!’ he shouted, at full volume. Then the movie theatre went quiet again, the man sat down, and the opening scene played, a flashback to a pair of stoor hobbits who went fishing and accidentally found the Ring.
Sitting in that cinema that day, I heard that man’s shout for Aragorn, and smiled. You had to admire passion like that, I thought. But his enthusiasm also pointed, according to some critics, to an Aragorn focus that went too far. In director Peter Jackson’s hands, some fans and critics said, Aragorn was elevated and centred until his character overshadowed JRR Tolkien’s beloved hobbits in a way he hadn’t in the novel version of The Return of the King or the entire trilogy. Cranking up Aragorn’s love story with Arwen
changed the focus even more, the critic Jane Chance wrote, in a complex critique of the entire adaptation of The Lord of the Rings. And online it’s easy to find some Tolkien fans who love the film adaptation, but others who say that hobbits like Merry and Pippin were sidelined, or made too ‘childish’ or comic, or variations on this theme.
But hang on, you might say. What about that scene right at the start of the film? Surely that put hobbits at the centre of the Ring story, a thread that Frodo picks up in his determined climb towards Mount Doom. And the film devotes many scenes to moral questions that centre on Smeagol, the second of those stoor hobbits who see the Ring in the opening scene.
Which of these positions is correct? Where does the balance lie? And what does this debate tell us about the decisions that Jackson and his
scriptwriting colleagues made as they wrestled this massive and beloved final part of The Lord of the Rings onto the screen?
Fans of the book know that one of the biggest changes in the film adaptation came not at the beginning of The Return of the King but the end. In the book Tolkien’s four hobbits - Frodo, Sam, Merry, and Pippin - return to the Shire to find it overrun by evil ‘ruffians’. They respond by mounting an armed resistance campaign to ‘Scour the Shire’.
None of this appears in the film, and it’s easy to see why it was cut by Jackson and his scriptwriting colleagues, Fran Walsh and Phillipa Boyens.
This is an excerpt of an essay by writer Laurence Patchett. You can read the full piece in The New Zealand Collection 2023.
Biscuit star stamp; Close-up of Asterodiscides truncates (Vincent Zintzen)
Facing page: Cape RodneyOkakari Point Marine Reserve; Creatures and bryozoan thickets in the new marine protected areas near Timaru and the Catlins (University of Otago); Kelp forest and pigfish
Aotearoa New Zealand’s marine environment is 15 times larger than its land mass. Along with the privilege of such a large and bountiful ocean surrounding us comes the responsibility to look after it.
There are currently 44 marine reserves in New Zealand's territorial waters, but they cover less than 1% of our ocean. In the future, and with the support of New Zealanders, the number of reserves will be expanded, and together with other forms of protection will form a conservation network that protects the full spectrum of marine species in our waters.
The Marine Reserves stamps offer a tantalising snapshot of some of the many charismatic creatures that call our marine reserves home.
A close look
Aotearoa New Zealand's waters are home to a diverse range of wildlifesome of which is stunningly beautiful. Commonly known as the firebrick seastar, Asterodiscides truncates is a starfish found in northern New Zealand.
Reserves are very successful marine conservation tools and provide many direct and indirect benefits. By protecting all components of a marine ecosystem (even sand, rocks and empty shells), marine reserves allow habitats and marine life to return to a more natural state, offering a glimpse of the potential abundance and beauty of our oceans.
Marine Reserves was issued on 7 Februrary 2024. Stamps and first day covers will remain on sale until 6 February 2025.
Cape Rodney-Okakari Point Marine Reserve
Created in 1975, the Cape Rodney-Okakari Point Marine Reserve (also known as Goat Island or the Leigh Marine Reserve) was Aotearoa New Zealand’s first marine reserve and remains a flagbearer for successful marine conservation. The reserve protects a representative area of sea and shore on the northeastern coast near Leigh, about 90 minutes’ drive north of Auckland. There are plans for the reserve to be nearly tripled in size as part of the new Hauraki Gulf/Tīkapa Moana marine protections. Due to its protected status and long-term support from the local community, the reserve provides a vibrant example of a natural, relatively intact marine environment.
At Cape Rodney-Okakari Point Marine Reserve you’ll find an amazing array of marine life. There are distinct habitat zones, including seaweed gardens, coralline turf/bare rock flats, kelp forests, sponge gardens and deep reefs, each with its own assortment of marine creatures, from easily spottable nudibranchs and triplefins in the rock pools to crayfish, moray eels and shoals of fish that can be seen in the shallows and deeper waters.
New marine reserves
In October 2023 the New Zealand Government announced that six new marine reserves would be created between Timaru and the Catlins. Kāi Tahu, who are the kaitiaki (guardians) of this area, will manage the marine reserves in partnership with the Department of Conservation.
These will be the first marine reserves in the southeastern South Island. They will protect diverse habitats including estuarine and tidal lagoons, rocky reefs, offshore canyons, giant kelp forests and deepwater bryozoan or lace coral thickets and an array of marine life.
Brittle stars, squat lobster, kōura, shrimps, crabs, sponges, sea squirts and reef fish like blue moki and trumpeter are just some of the many marine species found here. This spectacular coastline is also home to some of our most endangered animals like the hoiho/yellow-eyed penguin, toroa/ northern royal albatross and rāpoka/New Zealand sea lion.
Kelp Forests
Kelp forest is the most diverse biological habitat in Aotearoa New Zealand, home to hundreds of species of animals and plants. Dozens of species from bryozoans to millions of little red algae, amphipods, isopods, copepods, and who knows how many gastropods, are all tucked in there.
Kelp forests draw in carbon dioxide and play an important role in combating ocean acidification and climate change. They also buffer the coast from wave action, helping to prevent erosion. Two main forms of kelp are seen in New Zealand. Rimurimu (Macrocystis pyrifera), otherwise known as giant kelp or bladder kelp, is one of the fastest-growing organisms on Earth, capable of adding an astonishing 60 centimetres a day and reaching lengths of 45 metres.
Rimurapa, or bull kelp, refers to any of New Zealand’s four species of Durvillaea, the thick, leathery stuff that swirls and surges on rocky shores like mermaids' hair. Technically, rimurapa are not kelps, but fucoid brown algae. However, they create a similar habitat to rimurimu so play the same ecosystem-engineering role. Together, these species power entire food chains.
A look back: Music in New Zealand
In May 2024 NZ Post will issue stamps commemorating beloved art rock band Split Enz. Back in 1986, two years after Split Enz played their farewell concert, Music in New Zealand took a look at four other musical genres found in Aotearoa.
Single 30c 'Classical Music' gummed stamp
It is a shared experience - the composer puts their thoughts on paper, the musicians bring them to life, the conductor interprets and controls them, and the listeners and musicians alike take delight in the realisation of the composer's thoughts and moods. Each instrument in a symphony orchestra has a unique role to play in the overall performance of the music. There are the strings featuring violins, violas, cellos and double basses all bowed, and the harp; the woodwind featuring flutes, clarinets, piccolos, oboes and bassoons; brass featuring horns, trumpets, trombones and tubas; and percussion featuring xylophone, castanets, triangles, tambourines, drums and cymbals.
The New Zealand Symphony Orchestra was officially launched on 24 October 1946 and gave its first concert on 6 March 1947.
Single 60c 'Brass Band Music' gummed stamp
Brass band music began in England and
is generally thought to have developed from a sudden flourishing of wind bands somewhere between 1800 and 1825. Gradually various groups came together in ever increasing numbers, until band music reached its maturity at the end of the 19th century, composed largely of members of the working and artisan classes. The first band, the regimental band of the 58th Regiment, arrived in New Zealand in 1845. As the band movement grew, so did competition, and contesting developed. The bands became an integral part of civic occasions, concerts and displays. At the outbreak of war many players offered their services, with some bands volunteering for service as complete units. The National Band of New Zealand has performed and toured periodically since forming in 1953.
Single 80c 'Highland Pipe Band Music' gummed stamp
It was recorded in 'Cook's Discovery of New Zealand' that when Captain James Cook was having trouble communicating with the native inhabitants of the newly discovered land, he asked a crew member to play the bagpipes in the hope that the music would have a positive affect on the local people - and
From left to right: Single 30c 'Classical Music' gummed stamp, single 60c 'Brass Band Music' gummed stamp, single 80c 'Highland Pipe Band Music' gummed stamp, single $1.00 'Country Music' gummed stamp it did. Almost magically they came out to find the source of the strange new sound. In the 1840s, Scottish settlers quickly rebuilt the traditions of their homeland and formed small groups to play as bands. The Caledonian Societies were formed to hold social events and encourage sports meetings based on the traditional highland gatherings of Scotland. The groups became part of the Highland Pipe Bands Association of New Zealand and some have represented New Zealand in various championships and received invitations to appear at the Edinburgh Military Tattoo.
Single $1.00 'Country Music' gummed stamp
Country music was popularised by its use in the American 'western' movies of the 1920s. In New Zealand, every area had its own artists, as well known and popular locally as the many international recording stars. As technology progressed, country music became more widespread and more popular.
By 1986 New Zealand had more than 100 amateur country music clubs, which recognised the need to encourage young musicians and singers and give them the opportunities to succeed in the business.
Puzzle time: Great Walks
The 2023 Scenic Definitives featured images of Aotearoa New Zealand's Great Walks. Test your knowledge with this issue's crossword puzzle (answers on page 2!)
Down
1. Which government department established the Great Walks of Aotearoa New Zealand?
2. From which Great Walk can you see Mount Taranaki on a clear day?
4. Which Great Walk is in Otago and Fiordland?
6. Which lakes feature on the 2023 Scenic Definitives $3.30 stamp?
7. What sort of landscape is the Tongariro Crossing?
Across
3. Which Great Walk isn’t a walk?
5. What is the name of the Great Walk in Fiordland?
8. Which Great Walk is based in the homeland of Ngai Tūhoe iwi (people)?
9. Which Great Walk has a Marine Reserve?
10. How many Great Walks are there?
Staff profile Amber Kyles
Amber joined the NZ Post Collectables team as a product development specialist in April 2023. A year into this exciting new role, she sat down to share a bit about herself and her role in the Collectables team.
What’s your history with NZ Post?
Just sending things and growing up seeing the local posties doing their daily rounds on bike or on foot in my home town.
How would you describe your day-today role?
It’s a broad mix of researching new product ideas, talking with suppliers, costing potential projects and getting things into production. As this is a new role in the Collectables team, it’s also involved a lot of planning and strategic thinking to create a good direction.
What’s the most rewarding part of your job?
Seeing people enjoy the Collectables products.
What’s your favourite NZ Post Collectables product and why?
I really like Dave Burke’s art print of Ngā Hau e Whā - the Four Winds, created for Matariki in 2020. The colours are rich and the print is gorgeously detailed. I love the concept, too, of the winds reminding you where your home is, and how we adjust our lives according to the weather.
If you could do another job for a day, what would it be and why?
If I could do absolutely anything for a day, I would work on an exciting archaeological excavation because I love history and artifacts.
Tell us about something you’ve collected.
I have a wee collection of Madeleine Child’s ceramic popcorn sculptures, after seeing a giant bubblegum pink popcorn of hers in a museum. Madeline took inspiration from the bags of candy-coloured popcorn that you can buy at carnivals and fairs. My popcorn collection takes pride of place on a shelf in our kitchen.
Tell us something that might surprise us about you.
At university I studied Latin for two years, and I have time-space synesthesia.
