Art & Culture

Ta moko - traditional Māori tattooing, often on the face - is a taonga (treasure) to Māori for which the purpose and applications are sacred.

Kapa haka - or traditional Māori performing arts - forms an intrinsic element of the New Zealand cultural experience.

Begun by European migrants, New Zealand's wine industry has grown rapidly, achieving great international success and a fine reputation in a relatively short time.

Written and directed by New Zealander Roger Donaldson, and starring Oscar-winning Sir Anthony Hopkins, it seems New Zealand is taking the world's centre-screen again.

Far from the world's great population centres in Europe and America, where 20th Century design evolved, lies a small city that is uniquely New Zealand.

Like food, dance and fashion New Zealand music is a unique and vibrant expression of the culture of the land. New Zealand's musical influence has come from a variety of cultures. The sounds of the indigenous Maori can be heard in many of the country's music genres – while New Zealand's British colonial history, with contributions from Europe and America, can also be widely heard. As the nation has grown, local artists have mixed these styles with local influences to create music that is uniquely New Zealand.

New Zealand and France have a relationship that's as long as it is deep - a shared history that goes back to New Zealand's early days .

It may be a relatively small nation but there’s no doubt New Zealand has a fascination with big landmarks.

With a bit of sandpaper and a splash of paint, three Wellington surfers have created an eye-catching tourism business.

On 6 February 1840, representatives of the British Crown met with prominent Māori chiefs from the northern regions of the North Island, to sign the Treaty of Waitangi.