I'm still trying to grasp how much this quote written almost 200 years ago STILL describes New Zealand almost perfectly
“Of absolutely idle people we have none, and the settlement has the appearance of a thriving and industrious community. It will be a beautiful villagy sort of country, wherein the population will be principally farmers and well-doing peasants, with a sprinkling of large landowners, professional men, and shopkeepers.”
Ironically Catholicism is now New Zealand's largest religion (or you might say only remaining one). Of Judaism there is almost nothing, I think only three active synagogues.
I surely love alll that Kvetch writes That he is now recalling the history of the place in which i normally reside but from whose kulchur i have renained acutely alienated from since day one. Is bounty indeed. I have but one question at this moment - is the French adventurer you mention Charles Baron de Thierry? In all my alienated career Robin Hyde's "re-imagined" history is the one and only 'NZ book i ever, uh ...cleaved to? Perhaps because its passages are of such imagistic power they "seduced" my otherwise wholly 🇺🇲 identified character? I can't believe i actually once sought oiut the plaque commemorating de Thierry's (un)impeachabke moves on the far north!
I'm still trying to grasp how much this quote written almost 200 years ago STILL describes New Zealand almost perfectly
“Of absolutely idle people we have none, and the settlement has the appearance of a thriving and industrious community. It will be a beautiful villagy sort of country, wherein the population will be principally farmers and well-doing peasants, with a sprinkling of large landowners, professional men, and shopkeepers.”
It's astonishing how persistent so many founding traits are
Ironically Catholicism is now New Zealand's largest religion (or you might say only remaining one). Of Judaism there is almost nothing, I think only three active synagogues.
I highly doubt any of the ‘active’ synagogues are actually active
Auckland synagogue is the centre of a thriving community with its own school. And sadly, a degree of fortification in case of jihadi exploits.
There was also a failed nonconformist (ie Baptist) colony https://www.nzgeo.com/stories/the-promised-land/called Albertland on Kaipara Habour northwest of Auckland.
https://www.nzgeo.com/stories/the-promised-land/
Contrast with the colonization of what is now Pennsylvania.
I surely love alll that Kvetch writes That he is now recalling the history of the place in which i normally reside but from whose kulchur i have renained acutely alienated from since day one. Is bounty indeed. I have but one question at this moment - is the French adventurer you mention Charles Baron de Thierry? In all my alienated career Robin Hyde's "re-imagined" history is the one and only 'NZ book i ever, uh ...cleaved to? Perhaps because its passages are of such imagistic power they "seduced" my otherwise wholly 🇺🇲 identified character? I can't believe i actually once sought oiut the plaque commemorating de Thierry's (un)impeachabke moves on the far north!
* apologies for the ugly two "from"s in my second sentence there. Tried to edit but the substack edit function only ever appears sometimes