While watching the All Blacks play Ireland last weekend and listening to the godawful national anthem which is only marginally made better by the Maori translation, I wondered why, in 2018 we still adopt this dirge with its unfashionable, irrelevant and nonsensical attribution to a god or a mythical being that doesn't exist.
"God Defend New Zealand"
God of Nations at Thy feet,
In the bonds of love we meet,
Hear our voices, we entreat,
God defend our free land.
Guard Pacific's triple star
From the shafts of strife and war,
Make her praises heard afar,
God defend New Zealand.
Men of every creed and race,
Gather here before Thy face,
Asking Thee to bless this place,
God defend our free land.
From dissension, envy, hate,
And corruption guard our state,
Make our country good and great,
God defend New Zealand.
Peace, not war, shall be our boast,
But, should foes assail our coast,
Make us then a mighty host,
God defend our free land.
Lord of battles in Thy might,
Put our enemies to flight,
Let our cause be just and right,
God defend New Zealand.
Let our love for Thee increase,
May Thy blessings never cease,
Give us plenty, give us peace,
God defend our free land.
From dishonour and from shame,
Guard our country's spotless name,
Crown her with immortal fame,
God defend New Zealand.
May our mountains ever be
Freedom's ramparts on the sea,
Make us faithful unto Thee,
God defend our free land.
Guide her in the nations' van,
Preaching love and truth to man,
Working out Thy glorious plan,
"God Defend New Zealand"
Well what a lot of nonsense that is. Initially written as a poem in the 1870s by Thomas Bracken who strangely enough was an Irishman. Maybe he was having a laugh.
The words are trite and the sentiment is craven - things that we as a nation should be avoiding.
Why on earth we still have this is anyone's guess. Tradition I suppose and an unwillingness to change as evidenced by the failure of the flag change a couple of years ago. This of course was doomed to failure because that smarmy bastard John Key was using it as a kind of swansong legacy for himself so most people chose not to let him get his way. I still believe that the crappy flag has to be changed though. Changing of the anthem is even more essential.
The dirge-like music for our anthem was written by a bloody Australian who was definitely having a laugh. His name was Joseph Woods and apparently he knocked off the tune one evening, probably while playing with himself in the bath going "Da da da dee, dum diddly dee".
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Now New Zealand isn't the only silly country that has mention of god in its anthem - not by a long shot.
This map shows the other countries that do the same:
It's interesting to see that our cousins in Australia have had the good sense not to.
I wonder if Robert has an opinion on this?
10 comments:
Nice to see you posting again.
Life is full of incongruities. Rugby is just a toned down version of war and intolerance for others. Why should I support a very well paid group of sportsman who I've never met to go somewhere and and then maybe make a whole nation feel bad?
Maybe we should present the Eucharist instead of the anthem!
Go the ABs!
It's good to see that your loyalty hasn't changed since your trip.
I wonder if the Italian national anthem mentions god (or Il Papa)
The map suggests that they do.
Fratelli d'Italia,
l'Italia s'è desta,
dell'elmo di Scipio
s'è cinta la testa.
Dov'è la Vittoria?
Le porga la chioma,
ché schiava di Roma
Iddio la creò.
Stringiamci a coorte,
siam pronti alla morte.
Siam pronti alla morte,
l'Italia chiamò.
Stringiamci a coorte,
siam pronti alla morte.
Siam pronti alla morte,
l'Italia chiamò! Sì!
Brothers of Italy,
Italy has woken,
bound Scipio's helmet
Upon her head.[N 1]
Where is Victory?
Let her bow down,[N 2]
Because [as a] slave of Rome
God created her.
Let us join in a cohort,
we are ready to die.
We are ready to die,
Italy has called.
Let us join in a cohort,
We are ready to die.
We are ready to die,
Italy has called! Yes!
There are more verses.
"Rugby is just a toned down version of war and intolerance for others."
Rugby has nothing to do with war. I think it's called sport.
66 to 3!
Our god must be bigger than their god.
God likes us because we mention him more times in our anthem. It's obvious, and evolution is only a theory.
Sounds like you are in the process of being captured again by the catholics.
Be careful Ron ... I mean Richard.
I think you misinterpreted the story of Ron.
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