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This Week’s Issue

NZ identity: do we have a national colour?

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August 26, 2025

To all things black and earthy in Aotearoa.

One of the public sculptures in Morrinsville township.

BY SARAH-JANE, FOOD WRITER

Our favourite colour palate says it all about Aotearoa NZ. It’s the kind of palette that doesn’t mess around. Forget the whimsical pastels of a Parisian bakery or the sun-bleached neons of a Miami Beach party. Our colours are for people who know how to build things, chop wood, and then maybe, just maybe, go for a long walk in the drizzle.

Kiwi fruit, kiwi birds, amazing art forms, black, brown + a dash of red + a splash of gold. Just the way we like it. The world might think of New Zealand as a land of hobbit holes and fluffy sheep-and it is; we’re not going to lie-but our true colours are forged in a different kind of fire.

Check out Auckland’s wild west coast beaches where the iron sands and beach bunnies give their finger to the languid, tropical, crystal blue water of tourist brochures. It’s a sartorial middle finger to the rest of the world that says, “You can keep your turquoise lagoons, we’ll take our iron-rich, tannin-stained, volcanic-ash-infused water, thank you very much.”

When you arrive, greys, brown-tinted flax, and the rustle of heavy, lush, dark green bush greet you. It’s a homecoming for the soul. The trees, ancient and stoic, wear their dark greens like a badge of honour, each a testament to centuries of rain and wind and general moodiness. It’s a landscape that tells you, “I’m not here to be pretty for you; I’m here to exist in all my gnarly glory.”

New Zealand’s amazing unique legacy is a culture dipped in the hues of brown, ochre, and aged timbers, proud of their patina and exposure to the elements. These are the colours of a country that isn’t afraid of getting its hands dirty. Our houses are often built from wood that has stood the test of time, developing a rich, weathered skin that screams, “I’ve seen some things, mate.” Māori decorative arts’ sombre colours are not traditionally a zig-zag riot of colour. Rather the form blends with the landscape, adding human depth and an interpretation of the world inhabited by people for over 1000 years. This isn’t about making a splash; it’s about becoming one with the earth.

Our national colour is black, black, and All Black. We’re not a country of funeral attendees. Black is cheerful; it’s our bright yellow. It’s our happy place. We are a nation that understands the profound joy of a sleek, no-nonsense silhouette. Going to work? Wear black. Attending a sports event? Wear black. Favourite top? It’s likely black, although you might have a pop of gold somewhere-a tiny nod to the fact that we can, on occasion, get a little fancy. Decorating the house? Perhaps earthy browns come into play.

We are a country, Aotearoa New Zealand, celebrating the earth, the woody forests, and nature, raw and unedited. It’s a style choice that screams, “I can go from the boardroom to the backyard bonfire without changing a thing.” Black is our uniform, our cultural kevlar, our unspoken agreement that we’re all in this together, looking effortlessly cool while doing it.

This love affair with black is so deeply ingrained that it’s less a choice and more a genetic predisposition. We’re a nation that collectively decided that a world of vibrant colours was just too much admin. Why coordinate a complex outfit when a simple black tee and jeans will do? It’s efficient, it’s slimming, and it goes with everything. It’s the colour of our rugby team, our beloved t-shirts, and the vast, starry night sky that makes us feel small and perfectly at home.

Of course, there are exceptions to the broad statement of New Zealand’s love affair with all things black. Just check out Morrinsville’s public sculptures of another national icon, the cow. There, you’ll find a veritable explosion of colour, with bovines painted in patterns that would make a psychedelic artist blush. Mostly, we’ll stick to black. It just feels right.

So whenever you become a tourist in New Zealand, grab that souvenir T-shirt, in black, to add to your holiday experience.

Note: These cows that shout the opposite to ‘all things black’ are found in other places celebrating the cow. Check out Paeroa as well as Morrinsville.