What customs and taboos should you pay attention to in New Zealand?

In New Zealand, the Maori people still retain strong traditional customs. Most of them believe in primitive polytheism, believe in the immortality of the soul, and respect the spirits of their ancestors. Whenever there is an important event, they will go to the river to pray as usual, and they will also splash water on each other to show their purity in religious ceremonies. They have a traditional etiquette: when they meet distinguished guests, they must The "nose-touching ceremony" means that both parties touch the tips of their noses two or three times before parting ways. It is said that according to their custom, if you touch your nose for a long time, it means the higher the courtesy, the more popular you will be. Always ask for permission before taking photos of others, especially Māori.

New Zealanders shake hands when meeting and bidding farewell. The customary way of shaking hands is to shake hands tightly and make direct eye contact. Men should wait for women to extend their hands first. Bowing and holding the head high are also common etiquette among them. When meeting for the first time, people with the same status call each other by their last names, and add "Mr.", "Miss", etc. After getting acquainted, they call each other by their first names.

I have a strong sense of time. Appointments must be agreed upon in advance and be on time. Guests can show respect to the host by arriving a few minutes early. The conversation should focus on climate, sports, domestic and foreign politics, tourism, etc., and avoid talking about personal affairs, religion, race and other issues. Meetings with guests are usually held in the office. If you are invited to a New Zealander's home, you can give the male host a box of chocolates or a bottle of whiskey, and the female host a bouquet of flowers. Gifts should not be excessive or expensive.

Most of the local residents are descendants of the British. Therefore, many British body language and gesture customs are spread here. They resent loud noises and excessive posturing. Chewing gum or using a toothpick in public is considered uncivilized behavior. New Zealanders eat in the continental European style, which is to always hold the fork in the left hand and the knife in the right hand.

New Zealanders have a slower pace of life and their lives are more leisurely. The open market and rich products give people of different classes a lot of room for choice. However, in terms of overall consumption level, New Zealanders pursue high-end products and tend to shop at famous brands and fashionable products.

New Zealanders are very reserved. Even when they watch movies, they tend to watch them in separate scenes for men and women. There are strict restrictions on alcohol. Restaurants that are licensed to sell alcohol can only sell wine. In restaurants that can sell hard liquor, customers must buy a meal before they are allowed to have a drink. However, beer sales volume is quite large, ranking fifth in the world, with an average person drinking 110 liters of beer per year.

New Zealanders believe in equality and justice. Workers, businessmen, doctors, and teachers all live together and call each other by their first names. As long as you find a small excuse, almost anyone can meet the Prime Minister. As for meeting the minister or mayor, you can make an appointment at any time.