Story: National anthems

Te reo anthem

Hinewehi Mohi's decision to sing 'God defend New Zealand' in Māori before a rugby test match in England in 1999 led to fervent debate and, ultimately, a new tradition. From that time, it became customary to sing the first verse of the anthem in both Māori and English on such occasions.

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How to cite this page:

Nancy Swarbrick, 'National anthems - Analysing the anthems', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/video/33775/te-reo-anthem (accessed 19 March 2024)

Story by Nancy Swarbrick, published 20 Jun 2012