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'God defend New Zealand' was sung by Hayley Westenra before the England versus All Blacks test at Twickenha

in Nove ber !""#$ 'God save the %ueen'& our other national anthe & was also sung& and the fa ous haka ' a

ate' was (erfor ed by the All Blacks$

Our song?

New Zealand )usic )onth would not be co (lete without looking at a song that doesn*t get assive (ro otion on

the radio$ +t is not one that usic video directors are dying to get their hands on$ +t does not feature on any lists

of the greatest New Zealand songs ever& even though we have sung i t for over ,-" years$ While its tune is

instantly recognisable to every New Zealander& any can*t sing the words (ro(erly$ +t is our national anthe & .God

defend New Zealand*$

New Zealanders have beco e accusto ed to hearing this anthe before a/or s(orting events such as All Black

tests$ But any ay not know that .God defend New Zealand* is one of two official anthe s$ The second& .God

save the %ueen*& reflects our colonial (ast$ .God defend New Zealand* was elevated to anthe status in ,011 and

has beco e the (referred anthe for New Zealanders both at ho e and abroad$ .God save the %ueen* is usually

reserved for for al cere onies involving the %ueen& the Governor2General or the royal fa ily$

Aotearoa

The custo in recent years has been for .God defend New Zealand* 3titled 'Aotearoa' in )aori4 to be sung in both

)aori and English& to acknowledge our bicultural heritage$ But this is a relatively new develo( ent$

Tho as Bracken*s (oe & .God defend New Zealand*& was (ut to usic in ,51# by 6$6$ Woods fro 7awrence&

8entral 9tago$ The first )aori translation was ade in ,515 by Native 7and 8ourt /udge Tho as H$ : ith& at the

re;uest of Governor :ir George Grey$

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with word sheets and (ublicity$ There is now wides(read su((ort for the )aori and English versions being sung

side by side$

One factor in the success of the bicultural approach is that it has helped breathe new life into God

defend New Zealand by giving it a uniquely New Zealand sound.

Still going strong

>or all the criticis that it is too for al and like a hy n& .God defend New Zealand* has stood the test of ti e$ +ts

critics have been unable to co e u( with a credible alternative$ 6i Anderton*s calls to re(lace it with .?okarekare

ana* got no real traction$