周笔畅对嘴:新西兰的由来

新西兰是一个志向远大的小国。从雄伟壮丽的南阿尔卑斯山到郁郁葱葱的天然灌木林及肥沃的牧草地，以其无语伦比、风格迥异的景观吸引着纵多的游客.

从地理学角度而言，人类涉足这个遍布岛屿的国家只是瞬间之事，是地球最后一块被人类定居的土地。许多动植物仍保持着原古侏罗纪的风貌。这种异乎寻常的现象使新西兰在科学研究领域占有独特且宝贵的地位.

新西兰是约一千年以前被来自于太平洋的毛利族人所发现。“大地之子”的毛利人从太平洋地区出发，在寻找新大陆的航程中，他们以星光导航，最后来到了这个国家定居。他们看到森林覆盖的山上云雾缭绕，因此，把这块陆地命名为"长白云之乡"

随后，欧洲探险家在十七和十八世纪相继来到这块土地，竟相开拓本地蕴藏的丰富资源。在1840年，毛利酋长签署了由英国女王保证为毛利人提供保护并保证他们的土地、森林和捕鱼权不受侵犯的协议。按照这个里程碑式的条约-《怀唐伊条约》的规定，新西兰建国，成为英国的殖民地。

早期开拓者在披荆斩棘的奋斗中与毛利人共同发挥他们的探索精神和不屈不饶的坚毅性格。在艺术和科学、体育和文化、政治，贸易和旅游、电影和娱乐等众多的领域内都有重大成就。新西兰是第一个赋予妇女投票权、第一个实施行八小时工作制、第一个创立福利社会的国家。厄尔尼斯特‧罗斯福特爵士首先发现原子的秘密，而埃德蒙特‧黑勒瑞爵士与舍帕 • 腾辛则是最早攻克珠穆朗玛峰的登山家。

新西兰极为依赖贸易的情况使这个国家成为外向型经济国家。与英国的传统联系已经变得很松散，与太平洋沿岸国家、亚洲以及更远的临国建立了新的联系。作为全球贸易国家，新西兰坚持自由宽松的国际贸易和投资环境。而新西兰国内则已经大力地促进了国内经济的竞争力，新西兰的关税在世界上是最低的.

今日新西兰正以欧裔新西兰人和毛利人的伙伴关系创造一个太平洋国家的形象。这种伙伴关系的核心是《怀唐伊条约》。该条约作为国家团结和文化之间互相理解的象征将继续存在下去.

通过旅游、移民及紧密的经济和政治接触，来自许多其他国家的人为新西兰带来越来越多的特色、文化、传统和历史。我们致力为来自不同种族和文化背景的全体新西兰人建立崭新的具有积极意义的民族关系准则。

New Zealand is a nation of remarkable extremes. Our landscapes range from spectacular Alps and clear, fast-flowing rivers, to lush native bush and fertile lowland pastures. The roots of our ancestors are planted firmly in the bountiful land, but our cities are modern, vibrant and welcoming. We are a small nation, with a big attitude.

In geological terms, this cluster of islands has only known humans for a split second of time. It was the last major landmass on earth to be settled. Our plants and animals, many of which have retained their ancient Jurassic forms, are so unusual that we hold a unique and precious place in the scientific world.

The country was settled about one thousand years ago by people from the Pacific. They are Maori, the tangata whenua, “people of the land”, who saw the bush-clad hills shrouded in mist and named the place Aotearoa, “Land of the Long White Cloud”.

European explorers made landfall in the 17th and 18th centuries. In 1840, representatives of the British crown and over 500 Maori chiefs signed the Treaty of Waitangi. The treaty established New Zealand as a British colony. It also secured Maori the protection of the British monarchy and guaranteed them undisturbed rights to their land, forests and fisheries.

The questing spirit and gritty determination of the early settlers has been passed on to generations of New Zealanders since. We have gone on to achieve a great deal in many fields: art, science, sport, culture, politics, multicultural affairs, trade, tourism, the film industry, and many more. New Zealand was the first nation in which women gained the right to vote. We were the first to establish an eight-hour working day. Our most celebrated scientist, Sir Ernest Rutherford, was the first to unlock the secrets of the atom. Sir Edmund Hillary, along with Sherpa Tensing, was the first to climb Mt Everest.

Today New Zealand’s strong reliance on trade makes it an outward-looking nation. The old connections with Britain have loosened, and new links have been forged with our neighbours in the Pacific, in Asia and beyond. We are a firm believer in a liberal international environment for trade and investment. At home, we have fostered a competitive domestic economy and low tariffs to support that belief.

New Zealand’s identity as a Pacific nation is based on a partnership between Pakeha (New Zealanders of European origin) and Maori. At the heart of that partnership is the Treaty of Waitangi, an agreement that lives on as the basis for equitable enjoyment of our precious natural environment, and as a national symbol for unity and understanding between cultures.

Tourism, immigration and close economic and political contact have introduced more and more of the unique colours, cultures, traditions and history of people from many other nations.

At the start of its second thousand years of human habitation, New Zealand is increasingly confident and independent in its nationhood.

新西兰是一个志向远大的小国。从雄伟壮丽的南阿尔卑斯山到郁郁葱葱的天然灌木林及肥沃的牧草地，以其无语伦比、风格迥异的景观吸引着纵多的游客.

从地理学角度而言，人类涉足这个遍布岛屿的国家只是瞬间之事，是地球最后一块被人类定居的土地。许多动植物仍保持着原古侏罗纪的风貌。这种异乎寻常的现象使新西兰在科学研究领域占有独特且宝贵的地位.

新西兰是约一千年以前被来自于太平洋的毛利族人所发现。“大地之子”的毛利人从太平洋地区出发，在寻找新大陆的航程中，他们以星光导航，最后来到了这个国家定居。他们看到森林覆盖的山上云雾缭绕，因此，把这块陆地命名为"长白云之乡"

随后，欧洲探险家在十七和十八世纪相继来到这块土地，竟相开拓本地蕴藏的丰富资源。在1840年，毛利酋长签署了由英国女王保证为毛利人提供保护并保证他们的土地、森林和捕鱼权不受侵犯的协议。按照这个里程碑式的条约-《怀唐伊条约》的规定，新西兰建国，成为英国的殖民地。

早期开拓者在披荆斩棘的奋斗中与毛利人共同发挥他们的探索精神和不屈不饶的坚毅性格。在艺术和科学、体育和文化、政治，贸易和旅游、电影和娱乐等众多的领域内都有重大成就。新西兰是第一个赋予妇女投票权、第一个实施行八小时工作制、第一个创立福利社会的国家。厄尔尼斯特‧罗斯福特爵士首先发现原子的秘密，而埃德蒙特‧黑勒瑞爵士与舍帕 • 腾辛则是最早攻克珠穆朗玛峰的登山家。

新西兰极为依赖贸易的情况使这个国家成为外向型经济国家。与英国的传统联系已经变得很松散，与太平洋沿岸国家、亚洲以及更远的临国建立了新的联系。作为全球贸易国家，新西兰坚持自由宽松的国际贸易和投资环境。而新西兰国内则已经大力地促进了国内经济的竞争力，新西兰的关税在世界上是最低的.

今日新西兰正以欧裔新西兰人和毛利人的伙伴关系创造一个太平洋国家的形象。这种伙伴关系的核心是《怀唐伊条约》。该条约作为国家团结和文化之间互相理解的象征将继续存在下去.

通过旅游、移民及紧密的经济和政治接触，来自许多其他国家的人为新西兰带来越来越多的特色、文化、传统和历史。我们致力为来自不同种族和文化背景的全体新西兰人建立崭新的具有积极意义的民族关系准则。