2018 Thinking Outside the Square.

         When it comes to ingenuity and thinking outside the square, Kiwis win hands down. In fact, we’re world-famous for it! Backyard inventors, dreaming up widgets and gadgets, and all manner of things made from ‘number 8 wire’. Stuff that people didn’t know they needed until they saw or used it. That’s what sets us apart from the rest of the world. Here are just a few of the cool creations New Zealanders have come up with.

2017 The Great Kiwi Road Trip.

The tea towel and the sheet of stamps showing the Great Kiwi Road trip.

2011 Beyond the Coast

         New Zealand’s varied marine animals are brilliantly portrayed in this vibrant stamp issue: Beyond the Coast. The beautiful artwork was inspired by the Poor Knights Islands, which lie 23 kilometres off New Zealand’s Tutukaka coast in the upper North Island. A total marine reserve and nature reserve, these 11-million-year-old islands are rich with incredible marine life.          

          New Zealand’s 15,000 kilometres of coastline is home to magnificent coves, bays, harbours, sounds and fiords. However, beyond this irregular coastline lies a roughly 4.3 million square kilometre exclusive economic zone that hosts an array of unique marine life. More than 15,000 species are known to live there, of which many are migratory. New Zealand's isolation means that a large number of these species are unique to our island nation, and scientists believe that many more have yet to be found.

2016 It's a Kiwi Thing

A post celebrating the quintessentially quirky Kiwi things we do with NZ Post's latest Kiwiana-themed stamp issue - It’s a Kiwi Thing. From the adrenaline-charged thrill of a bungee jump with nothing more than a rubber band around your ankles to the perilous dangers of hot mince-pie handling, it’s these Kiwi things that make us who we are.

2011 Counting in Kiwi.

We take a numerical journey from 1 to 21 in a ‘Kiwi’ way with the Counting in Kiwi stamp issue. With each number, you’ll discover unique and quirky aspects of New Zealand’s culture, history and Kiwiana. Each of the 21 stamps in the issue has a distinctive ‘Kiwi’ flavour.

                        

Of course we start at number 1, which is represented by State Highway 1 – the road that runs the length of both the North and South Islands. As we count higher, we discover snippets of the New Zealand way of life until we reach 21 – the milestone birthday that is widely celebrated in New Zealand with a traditional 21st key.

2015 Kiwi Kitchen.

          Brought to life by New Zealand artist Jason Kelly, this kitschy stamp issue combines well known Kiwi dishes with Kelly’s signature humour. Each stamp was originally painted on a wooden panel, and together they make a unique sheet of 18 stamps. The stamps were only available on this special sheet or on a set of three First Day Covers.

          As it is with many countries around the world, the pride of many Kiwi homes is the kitchen, and the easiest way to a Kiwi’s heart is through their stomach. New Zealand is home to loads of weird and wonderful recipes that combine simple, but flavoursome ingredients to create home and party staples that can only be described as quintessentially Kiwi.

          Who would’ve thought that an afternoon tea favourite would be asparagus wrapped in buttered bread? Or that kids’ parties would be incomplete without fairy bread? Every good Southlander is practically raised on Southland cheese rolls, and we all know that the pavlova is definitely a Kiwi invention (just don’t ask any Aussies in the room for fear of restarting the ‘Great Pavlova Debate’).

          Whether they’re from the iconic Edmonds Cookery Book or passed down through families there’s bound to be a dish on this quirky stamp sheet that every Kiwi can relate to.

2009 - A Tiki Tour of New Zealand. No. 1.

        A Tiki Tour - "In other countries they might call it the ‘roundabout way’ to get somewhere. Or the ‘scenic route’. But in New Zealand it’s a ‘Tiki tour’, and it’s the only way to go. It involves getting from A to B via L&P®." Getting off the beaten track, visiting places, seeing things that would normally be overlooked.

        This stamp issue sets out to show the different sights and activities that can be enjoyed in New Zealand. For such a small country there is much to see; from majestic mountains to flat open plains; from a bustle of modern cities to small country towns; from the roar of an ocean beach to the stillness deep in a forest glade. No matter what interests you, New Zealand has something to offer.

        New Zealand is a sporting nation with rugby being the national sport but many other sports are popular too. You can swim in the ocean then a few hours later ski down a mountain. Fishing, sailing, horse riding and mountain climbing are among the activities shown here. Go whale watching or watch an air show of vintage aircraft. Activities are almost endless but when you have finished what better way to end your day than to relax in the natural hot water of springs such as those found at Hamner Springs or many other hot pools found throughout both main islands. Enjoy some of the best wine in the world with a meal of roast lamb or fish, freshly caught from the sea. The choices are limited only by your imagination. 

       While being a young country, New Zealand still has a rich history. There are the Maori myths and legends such as Maui capturing the sun or the tragic love-story of Pania of the Reef. Timber milling, gold mining and breaking in the land for farming, stories of courage and determination remain of those first Europeans. Almost every town has it own little museum telling the stories of the local area.  

2012 - Tiki Tour of New Zealand No. 2

       So come with me and enjoy out Tiki Tour through New Zealand.

Mitre Peak, Milford Sound.

Hi! My name is Asami.
        You may not have noticed but I have been doing a lot of work on this blog. I maintain the Health Stamp pages above because they contain internal links that can get rewritten by BlogSpot. I have also created that large index system that many of you are now using. Now I have been asked to do some thematic collections, collections of stamps with a similar theme.

        Recently Allan wrote that he thought there were five stamps showing that famous landmark, Mitre Peak, Milford Sound. I actually found 10 stamps so today I will be putting them into this collection for you.

First the subject of this post - Mitre Peak.
       Part of the reason for its being so famous is its location. Sitting across from the main Milford Sound tourist centres, it is a stunning sight rising near vertically to 5,560 feet (1,690 m), i.e. just over a mile, from the water of the sound. It is said to extend further under the water making the mountain much higher than its officially recorded height. The peak is actually a closely grouped set of five peaks, although from most easily accessible viewpoints it appears as a single point.
       The distinctive shape of the peak gives the mountain its name, after the mitre headwear of Christian bishops. It was named by Captain John Lort Stokes of the HMS Acheron. The Māori name for the peak is Rahotu. 

2006 Hawke's Bay Earthquake

75th Anniversary of the Hawke's Bay Earthquake.

          The 1931 Hawke's Bay Earthquake, also known as the Napier Earthquake, occurred in New Zealand at 10:47 am on Tuesday 3 February 1931, killing 256 and devastating the Hawke's Bay region. It remains New Zealand's deadliest natural disaster. Centred 15 km north of Napier, it lasted for two and a half minutes and measured magnitude 7.8 M_s (magnitude 7.9 M_w). There were 525 aftershocks recorded in the following two weeks. The main shock could be felt through much of the southern half of the North Island.
         In 2006, 75 years after the main earthquake, NZ Post issued this set of stamps remembering this event in New Zealand's History. The stamps appeared in their own sheet of 20 stamps, each depicting some aspect of the earthquake and its effects on the people of the region. What I like about this set is that when put the stamps together they tell the story of this event.
         That is what I intend to do with this post. First, we will view the whole sheet of 20 stamps then I will display each stamp separately and show you the part it plays in the story.

2013 Classic Travel Poster

     Tomorrow (7th August) New Zealand will issue set of 20 stamps depicting Classic Travel Posters. Three examples of these can be seen below.

  

          The twenty stamps, all with the value of 70c, will be sold from sheets of 20 as can be seen in the view below of the wall poster which will be sold as well. As you can see they appear to be interesting designs but I have been unable to find out much about them. 

2005 - 150 Years of New Zealand Stamps

        In 2005 New Zealand celebrated 150 years since it first began issuing stamps for postage. That first stamp issue was the famous Full Faced Queens which I have featured in other posts in this blog. Since then there have been many fine stamps issued and it would have been very hard to decide which should be included in a special issue to celebrate 150 years.
       In the end, fifteen stamps were chosen and were then featured in the designs of a series of modern stamps issued in three sets of five on; 2nd March 2005, 6th April 2005 and 1st June 2005. It is an impressive series of fine looking stamps.

     Before we get to this series I want to look at two earlier issues to mark the first issue of New Zealand Stamps in 1955 and 1980.

2007 Kiwi Lingo

          This was another one of those fun issues which NZ Post has created over recent years. In this case it is looking at some of the 'kiwi' slang we use in our everyday speech here in New Zealand. Over the years we have developed our own unique way of saying things which can be confusing for people from other countries at first. This sheet includes 20 of the most well known although there are many others which could have been included.
        The twenty stamps each carry the same value of 50c and can be ripped from the sheet if required although I would expect most collectors would rather keep them together in the one attractive sheet. Each stamp includes the slang saying on the left-hand side with a related kiwi icon below. On the right-hand side the stamp appears to be left blank but this is actually an area of thermo-chromic ink which becomes transparent when heat is applied, like the warmth of a finger, then the literal meanings are revealed. These are impossible to show in a photo so I have included them under each stamp below the sheet.  

2008 The A to Z of New Zealand.

        After looking at Full Faced Queens (last post) what about a bit of a fun issue, a feel good set if you like. It is an A to Z of New Zealand culture, history, heritage and downright kiwiana. Each letter of the alphabet is used to present a different subject of New Zealand.
        Personally I was not too impressed with many of these designs but what captured my interest was the idea of doing a issue of 26 stamps on Kiwiana like this. First I show the set as issued in a single sheet then below that, each stamp will be depicted along with a short description of the its subject.
        There are some other sets like this so I might do a post of some of them too.