New Zealand

New Zealand (Māori: Aotearoa [aɔˈtɛaɾɔa]) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island (Te Ika-a-Māui) and the South Island (Te Waipounamu)—and over 700 smaller islands.

It is the sixth-largest island country by area and lies east of Australia across the Tasman Sea and south of the islands of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga. The country's varied topography and sharp mountain peaks, including the Southern Alps, owe much to tectonic uplift and volcanic eruptions.

New Zealand's capital city is Wellington, and its most populous city is Auckland.

Languages

New Zealand's official languages are English, Māori and NZ Sign Language.

Culture

Early Māori adapted the tropically based east Polynesian culture in line with the challenges associated with a larger and more diverse environment, eventually developing their own distinctive culture.

Social organisation was largely communal with families (whānau), subtribes (hapū) and tribes (iwi) ruled by a chief (rangatira), whose position was subject to the community's approval.

The British and Irish immigrants brought aspects of their own culture to New Zealand and also influenced Māori culture, particularly with the introduction of Christianity. However, Māori still regard their allegiance to tribal groups as a vital part of their identity, and Māori kinship roles resemble those of other Polynesian peoples. More recently, American, Australian, Asian and other European cultures have exerted influence on New Zealand.

Magical Culture

New Zealand doesn't have a tradition of one large, national magical school: most magical children learn magic from their families, or attend small classes at small local schools in the evening or during summers. In Victoria young wix attend special classes inside a giant tree on Mount Victoria, where they learn about magical spells and traditions. In Christchurch there are special underground classrooms under the city streets for nighttime courses on magical astronomy etc.

Sasha Snow visited Lake Taupo in New Zealand and bought some gillyweed called hobbiton pipeweed just for fun.

Ministry of Magic

The New Zealand Ministry of Magic is found in Wellington.

Victoria University’s Centre for Magical Studies

Kaia Arahanga's mother got a high-level and secretive job here. Kaia also studied astronomy here.

Creatures

• Antipodean Opaleye is native.
• Mountain Ogres
• Ponaturi
• Taniwha

Wand Cores

• Ponaturi claw

Quidditch

Quidditch was introduced to New Zealand some time in the seventeenth century by a group of European herbologists. After a long day collecting samples, the wizards would relax by playing Quidditch.

The New Zealand Ministry of Magic spent a lot of effort in trying to keep early Maori art depicting white wizards playing the game away from Muggles.

The Moutohora Macaws are a Quidditch team from New Zealand. Their team mascot is a Phoenix named Sparky.

The New Zealand National Quidditch team compete the Quidditch World Cup.

At Absit Omen

• Gwydion Mayberry travelled here
• Yavin Morgenthau and late wife travelled here researching
• Sasha Snow travelled here, specifically drawn by the Hobbit films
• Balfour Spectre trained here specifically on the Antipodean Opaleye, and Ghastly Atassi would owl him.
• Pollux Thursby travelled here

In November 2008 a team of dragon researchers went missing[1] here.

Characters Born in New Zealand

• Kaia Arahanga
• Jaydev Balimmora
• Larry Beets and his mother