Birds of a feather
WORDS KATEE SHANKS IMAGES SUPPLIED
The Kererū has been crowned Bird of the Year 2018. And that’s cool. That’s just absolutely fine. But when someone living beyond our shores asks me who I am, or where I come from, I’m never going to say “I’m a Kererū” because, let’s face it, I’m a proud Kiwi.
For years we’ve been enamoured by the small flightless bird, and Kiwi is a term of endearment for the people of New Zealand. So, for this year we’ll let the Kererū have the limelight safe in the knowledge it was the Kiwi that stole our hearts and brought us together as a nation over a hundred years ago. Until the First World War, the Kiwi represented the country and not the people, but by 1917 the terms “En Zedders and Māorilanders” had been supplanted by Kiwi, and the name stuck. The distinct short and stocky bird is, of course, unique to New Zealand – but so are many others. You could argue it’s not as beautiful as the Tui, or as handsome as the Kea, or as popular as the Kererū (like whatever), but our love affair with the Kiwi continues with hundreds of people throughout the country volunteering to ensure the little bird’s survival. And while there are pockets of New Zealand native bush where Kiwi numbers are increasing thanks to human intervention, it was the wisdom of a Whakatāne native that trademarked the town as the Kiwi Capital of the World. Which is a big call - is it a deserved title? You betcha according to Whakatāne Kiwi Trust chairman John Pullar. Pullar is a craggy dude, a little rough around the edges, who often wears purple Converse shoes with a suit. He readily admits he is not a “greenie” or a “tree hugger”, but he is an ideas man and you need one of those when you’re trying to find money to keep any trust going. “I’ve always admired the passion of all those involved with the Kiwi Trust, and I believe in what they do 100 percent,” Pullar says. “I also believe the Kiwi Capital of the World crown is deserved in that we literally do have Kiwi living in the backyards of a number of residents, as well as in our forests and reserves. The town is basically an unfenced sanctuary.”
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