The year has produced some distinctly Kiwi stories — both serious and more humorous — which struck a chord with those overseas.
Among the events to capture the world’s attention included Kīngi Tuheitia’s death and the rise of the new Queen and the hīkoi to Parliament that had many googling, “why are New Zealanders marching in the street?”
A time limit on hugs at an airport drop-off zone also created a stir.
Here’s a selection of Aotearoa’s appearances in international media this year:
In November, the nine-day Hīkoi mō te Tiriti and subsequent ripping of the Treaty Principles Bill in Parliament by Hana-Rāwhiti Maipi-Clarke made the world collectively gasp in a moment that propelled New Zealand straight into the global spotlight.
It came during a politically tense year for Crown and Māori relations, prompting a large-scale turnout in support of the march and a haka in Parliament that went viral on social media. The video was shared across a variety of news websites.
Following the haka, TIME magazine ran a headline about Maipi-Clarke that read: “Meet New Zealand’s Gen Z Māori Guardian in Parliament”, an acclaim which also saw her named as the only Kiwi this year to make the BBC’s coveted list of 100 influential women of 2024.
“Maipi-Clarke is,” the BBC declared, “a passionate advocate for Māori rights, cultural preservation, and environmental issues.”
Winston Peters may have got knocked down — but he got up again — after being publicly told off by British anarcho-punk band Chumbawumba.
In February, Peters landed himself in hot water with the band after frequently using their 1997 hit Tubthumping during New Zealand First rallies and events.
It caused a stir with global media after the band shared online that they had asked their record company, Sony, to issue a cease and desist notice to the Kiwi politician.
Peters fired back on X with a post of his own, as the world watched on and collectively reminisced about what a great tune that actually was.
The Olympics had barely even begun before our Football Ferns were inadvertently caught up in a cheating scandal that rocked the football world in July.
The incident saw two Canadian women’s football staffers sent home from the Games, with one of them given an eight-month suspended sentence by a French court, after a drone was used to spy on the Ferns’ practice sessions.
The New York Times, Reuters and the BBC reported on the debacle, as Canadian fans in Paris reacted with a mixture of “embarrassment and surprise”.
Following the news, many people took to social media to express their opinions on the saga, with some fans finding it “objectively funny,” and others feeling “awful for the players”.
Another person said in a post to X that: “In a strange way, this spy-gate is the wild story New Zealand needed to get hyped about the Paris Olympics. All of a sudden the Football Ferns v Canada is now one of the most anticipated games of the entire tournament.”
As the country mourned the death of Kīngi Tuheitia, aged 69, the rest of the world felt the aroha and respect as his body was taken from Tuurangawaewae Marae to his resting place atop Taupiri Maunga.
It followed a moving Te Whakawahinga (raising up ceremony) where his daughter Te Arikinui Kuini Nga wai hono i te po was named the eighth monarch.
Tributes from local and international leaders highlighted Kīngi Tuheitia’s leadership, and the way he brought people together around a common goal: improving Māori lives.
Britain’s King Charles and Queen Camilla expressed in a statement that they were “profoundly saddened” to learn of his death and had the “greatest pleasure” of knowing Kīngi Tuheitia for decades.
A tongue-in-cheek time limit introduced at Dunedin Airport had the “whole world talking”, according to 9News, when a picture of the sign at the drop-off zone was posted online.
It certainly captured the attention of international news media, with CNN including it in its weekly travel newsletter under the headline “Catch flights, not feelings”.
The New York Post went with the “inhumane” angle, while the Times of India said the “quirky rule” had “sparked lively debate online”.
The UK’s Independent site took things to a more serious level, noting that in the UK more than a third of major airports had raised drop-off fees for drivers in the past year.
New Zealanders feel very passionately about native birds — especially our rare, protected ones. Past examples include Miami Zoo’s mishandling of Paora the kiwi bird, or talk show host John Oliver hijacking our annual Bird of The Year competition and turning it into a viral sensation.
This year proved to be no exception, as we once again flew into international headlines when a US reality show contestant competing on Race to Survive faced domestic and international backlash for killing and eating a weka on the show.
Contestants Oliver Dev and Spencer ‘Corry’ Jones were disqualified in the season’s eighth episode after it was revealed the latter had eaten what DOC later confirmed as the protected bird.
“What I did disrespected New Zealand, and I’m sorry,” he said.
You may be thinking — was that this year? Yes! On January 13, 2024 the former prime minister married television presenter Clarke Gayford at a winery in Hawke’s Bay.
She summed up the day with a social media posted captioned: “13.01.24. Worth the wait.”
Given her profile around the globe, international media including the Associated Press, The Guardian, Sky News, and the BBC were among the dozens of outlets to cover the wedding.
The New York Times said the wedding capped “five years of speculation”, saying: “New Zealand’s pathbreaking former Prime Minister became a global celebrity noted for, among other things, a very long engagement”.
