Kiwiana


 * __KIWIANA__**

The word Ana originated in 1956. It was registered as a [|trademark] in 1980, but the originator did not complete the registration which left the name to become available for general use in New Zealand. Items of kiwiana are generally those which are either unique to or particularly common to New Zealand, particularly from the early and mid twentieth century. Although the term is sometimes used to describe any and all New Zealand icons, it is more commonly used to describe [|pop culture] items such as toys or branded foods. A few more serious national icons have become kiwiana through heavy use in advertising and the souvenir industry. These include the [|kiwi] and the [|hei-tiki]. Kiwiana is generally seen as a form of [|kitsch]. A number of products widely regarded as kiwiana, such as Weet-Bix, Watties tomato sauce, Marmite and L&P, are made by non-New Zealand companies. In some cases this is because the original New Zealand company has been purchased by an overseas corporation, in others the product has always been made by an international firm. A number of companies with products deemed to be 'kiwiana' have enthusiastically cashed in on this. For example a Watties advertising campaign has claimed that "you'll never be a Kiwi 'til you love your Watties sauce", even though the company is now American-owned, and a [|Sanitarium] campaign in the 1990s claimed that "Kiwi kids are Weet-Bix kids". A series of L&P commercials, featuring Jemaine Clement of [|Flight of the Conchords], are based around Kiwiana themed items, and were very popular with New Zealanders. In recent decades kiwiana has become a subject in itself, and several celebratory books have been published. A range of products using kiwiana motifs have also been produced, including Christmas tree decorations, cards, t-shirts, garden ornaments and jewelry. There are Kiwiana sections in many New Zealand museums, and some are dedicated to showing Kiwiana only. In 1994, [|New Zealand Post] released a set of [|stamps] depicting kiwiana items including a pavlova, fish and chips, rugby boots and ball, and a black singlet and gumboots.[|[1]]

Check out these sites //[|//Kiwiana//] [|Virtual Tour] (not really a virtual tour but has some great information) [|Four corners] (a couple of kiwiana not yet mentioned)//