Croatian New Zealanders
| Total population | |
|---|---|
| 2,550[1] – 100,000 (est.)[2] | |
| Languages | |
| New Zealand English, Croatian | |
| Religion | |
| predominantly Roman Catholic |
| Part of a series on |
| Croats |
|---|
 |
Croatian New Zealanders refers to New Zealand citizens of Croatian descent. It is estimated that over 100,000 New Zealanders have Croatian ancestry.[2] There are 2,550 people who declared their nationality as Croats in the 2006 New Zealand census.[1] The majority of these are located primarily in and around Auckland and Northland with small numbers in and around Canterbury and Southland.[3]
The (generally neutral but sometimes mildly derogatory) term Dally or Dallie (short for Dalmatian) was often used in New Zealand to refer to people of Croatian descent before Croatia gained independence in 1991.[4] Most people of Croatian descent are now referred to as Croatians, reflecting Croatia’s independence. The Dalmatian Cultural Society, founded in 1930 and based in Auckland, adopted Dalmatian in its name upon Croatia’s independence. Other Croatian cultural societies in New Zealand, including those in Auckland, Waikato, and Wellington, have recognized "Croatian" as the appropriate name to reflect the country's independence. A further neutral term, Tarara (literally, "fast talkers"), is used to refer to people of mixed Croatian–Māori heritage.[5]
History
[edit]The earliest Croatian settlers in New Zealand date from the 1860s, largely arriving as sailors and pioneers, and as gold miners and prospectors during the Otago gold rush. The first person born in New Zealand of Croatian descent was Leander Thomas Pavletich in 1864.[6] After the gold rush many moved to Northland attracted by kauri gum-digging, then a major source of income for Northland Māori and settlers.[7] These early Dalmatian settlers were also responsible in large part for establishing the New Zealand wine industry.[8] Forced off the kauri gumfields many moved into viticulture and winemaking instead, mainly in West Auckland around Kumeu, and in the Hawke's Bay region.[9][10] Croatian family names such as Selak, Nobilo, Šoljan, Babich and Delegat still feature amongst the names of New Zealand's notable wineries, and two of the largest in New Zealand, Montana Wines (now Brancott Estate) and Villa Maria Estates, were established in the mid-20th century respectively by Croatian New Zealanders Ivan Yukich and Sir George Fistonich.[10][4]
Croatian settlers have arrived in five main waves:[11]
- 5,000 between 1890 and 1914, prior to World War I.
- 1,600 during the 1920s before the onset of the Great Depression.
- 600 in the 1930s, prior to World War II.
- 3,200 between 1945 and 1970.
- Arrivals during the 1990s, fleeing the Croatian War of Independence.
In July 2008, 800 people attended a celebration of 150 years of Croatian settlement in New Zealand hosted by Prime Minister Helen Clark and Ethnic Affairs Minister Chris Carter.[2]
In October 2024, 24 New Zealand's rugby players of Croatian descent, led by Dave Jurlina, are planinng to visit Croatia, following the example of similar visits organized in the 1970s and 1908s.[12] The team will play in Zagreb, Split (two games) and Makarska, with one game against the Croatian national team.[12]
Notable Croatian New Zealanders
[edit]
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Academics
[edit]- Jadranka Travaš-Sejdić
- James Belich - Historian
Arts
[edit]Actors
[edit]- Jessie Lawrence [13]
Architecture
[edit]- Stephen Jelicich - Founder of Jasmax/ JASMaD
- Ivan Mercep - Founder of Jasmax/ JASMaD
Artists
[edit]Comedians
[edit]Literature
[edit]- Amelia Batistich - Author
- Sonja Yelich - Poet
Musicians
[edit]- Nick Afoa
- Kevin Borich
- Milan Borich (Pluto (New Zealand band))
- Tina Cross
- Maria Dallas[15]
- Brad Devcich (Fast Crew)
- Lorde (Ella Yelich-O’Connor)
- Peter Posa
- Mike Perjanik
- Desna Sisarich
- Peter Urlich
- Margaret Urlich
Business
[edit]- Richard Chandler (businessman) and Christopher Chandler (businessman) - Investment companies. Croatian mother Ana Tzarev
- Jim and Rosemari Delegat - Delegat Group Ltd - Delegat and Oyster Bay wine labels [16]
- Michael Erceg - Founder of Independent Liquor, now known as Asahi Beverages (NZ) Ltd.
- Sir George Fistonich - Founder of Villa Maria Estates, Čuvar Winery and Obliix label.
- Huljich family - Food manufacturing, property, new business startups, finance and movie-making.
- Steve Jurkovich - Kiwibank CEO [17]
- Nobilo family - Nikola Nobilo the founder of Nobilo wines.
- Peter and Tyler Rakich. Founders of Dynasty Sports - Sports clothing brand. Sponsors of the NZ Rugby league team, NZ Warriors, Auckland City FC and Croatian rugby team. [18]
- Talley family, owners of the Talley's Group.
- Peter Vela Vela family, owners of Vela fishing and Pencarrow stud (thoroughbred racehorse breeding).
- Dr. Kevin Glucina (founder Matakana Super Foods)
Fashion
[edit]- Deanna Didovich - Designer
- Jessica Grubisa - Designer
- Tony And Margie Milich - Sabatini clothing label [19]
- Peter Nola - Founder of clothing label "Peppertree Fashions". Prominent in the 1960s to 1980s.[20]
- Valentin Ozich - Founder of clothing label "I Love Ugly" [21]
- Adrienne Winkelmann - Designer/ Fashion label
Journalism
[edit]- Tony Ciprian - radio and television presenter
- Simon Mercep - radio and television presenter
- Goran Paladin - radio and television presenter
Law
[edit]- Brian Dickey - Crown Solicitor Auckland [22]
- Dame Helen Winkelmann - Chief Justice of New Zealand
Politics
[edit]- Sir James Belich - Former Mayor of Wellington
- Camilla Belich - Member of Parliament
- Frana Cardno - Former Mayor of Southland District
- Fred Gerbic - Former Member of Parliament
- Shane Jones - Member of Parliament and cabinet minister
- Jules Radich - Mayor of Dunedin
- Clem Simich – Former Member of Parliament
- Millie Srhoj - First Mayor of the Far North District [23]
- Dame Mira Szaszy - Maori Leader
- Tanya Unkovich – New Zealand First politician[24]
- Dame Rangimarie Naida Glavish - Maori Leader[25]
Religion
[edit]- Denis Devcich - Director of the Mother of God Brothers[26]
- Antony Sumich (born 1964) – priest of Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter; rugby union and cricket international (for Croatia)
Sports
[edit]Cricket
[edit]- Anton Devcich - BLACKCAPS representative
- Joseph Yovich
- Ben Lister
- Dusan Hakaraia - also Croatia rugby representative
- Quinn Sunde
- Daniel Marsic - Croatia cricket representative
- John Vujnovich - Croatia cricket representative
- Anthony Govorko - Croatia cricket representative
- Anton Vujcich - Croatia cricket representative
- Paul Vujnovich - Croatia cricket representative
Football
[edit]- Abby Erceg – NZ Football Ferns football player
- Tony Laus - All Whites football player
- Stefan Marinovic - All Whites football player
- Paul Urlovic - All Whites football player
- Ivan Vicelich - All Whites football player
- Chris Zoricich – All Whites football player
- Ivan Vuksich - Football Administrator
Motor sport
[edit]- Robbie Francevic - motor racing driver
- Paul Radisich – world touring car champion
Rugby
[edit]- Anthony Boric – All Blacks player
- Kevin Boroevich – All Blacks player
- Frano Botica – All Blacks / NZ rugby league/ Croatia Rugby
- Mark Carter – All Blacks player
- Matt Cooper – All Blacks / Croatia Rugby
- Percy Erceg – All Blacks player
- Sean Fitzpatrick - All Blacks player[27]
- Wayne Pivac - Rugby Union coach
- Ron Urlich – All Blacks player
- Ivan Vodanovich – All Blacks player / coach
Rugby League
[edit]- Frano Botica – All Black/ NZ rugby league/ Croatian Rugby
- Tony Kriletich - NZ rugby league
Tennis
[edit]Other
[edit]- John Garea - Professional wrestler
- Frank Nobilo - golf player
- John Radovonich – NZ hockey player
- Anna Simcic - swimmer
- Nick Unkovich - lawn bowls player
- Michaela Sokolich-Beatson - netball player for the Northern Mystics and Silver Ferns
- Tom Vodanovich - NZ basketball player
- Greg Yelavich - shooter
Winemakers
[edit]- Babich
- Brajkovich - Kumeu River Wines
- Delegat
- Fistonich - Founder of Villa Maria Wines, Čuvar Winery and Obliix label [28]
- Mazuran
- Nobilo Archived 2022-03-27 at the Wayback Machine
- Selak
- Soljan
- Vuletic - Providence Wines
- Yukich - founder of Montana Wines now known as Brancott Estate
Fictional Croatian New Zealanders
[edit]- Fisher Brankovic — Filthy Rich (television)
- Darijo Doslic — Westside (television)
- Draska Doslic — Outrageous Fortune (television)
- Mila Jizovich - bro'Town (television)
- Johnny Marinovich — Shortland Street (television)
- Nina — Broken English (film)
See also
[edit]
- Croatian Australians
- Croats
- Dargaville
- European New Zealanders
- Europeans in Oceania
- Immigration to New Zealand
- List of Croats
- Pākehā
Literature
[edit]- Trupinić, Damir. (2009) New Zealand Croatian Immigrant Press 1899-1916, LAP Lambert Academic Publishing, ISBN 978-3-8383-0743-5.
- Božić-Vrbančić, Senka. (2008) Tarara: Croats and Maori in New Zealand : memory, belonging, identity, Otago University Press, ISBN 978-1-877372-09-4.
References
[edit]- ^ a b Walrond, Carl (8 February 2005). "Dalmatians – Page 7. Facts & figures". Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 3 January 2020.
- ^ a b c "Carter: NZ Celebrates 150 Years Of Kiwi-Croatian Culture". Voxy. Digital Advance Limited. July 30, 2008. Archived from the original on 2019-12-31. Retrieved 2012-03-20.
- ^ Jelicich, Stephen (2008). From distant villages: the lives and times of Croatian settlers in New Zealand, 1858-1958. Auckland: Pharos Publications. ISBN 9780473130299.
- ^ a b Barton, Warren (6 December 2010). "Saluting Selaks: Let's drink to the 'Dallies'". The Southland Times. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 2018-06-27.
- ^ Walrond, Carl (1 March 2015). "Dalmatians – Page 6. Dalmatian culture". Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 20 June 2020.
- ^ "Mrs Thomas Pavletich, Toitū Otago Settlers Museum, Dunedin, New Zealand". www.toituosm.com. Retrieved 2019-01-06.
- ^ Walrond, Carl (24 September 2007). "Kauri gum and gum digging – Page 2. The gum diggers". Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 2 January 2020.
- ^ Mabbett, Jason (April 1998). "The Dalmatian influence on the New Zealand wine industry: 1895–1946". Journal of Wine Research. 9 (1): 15–25. doi:10.1080/09571269808718130. ISSN 0957-1264.
- ^ "Kumeu Wine Region". Wine-Searcher. 30 August 2017. Retrieved 23 February 2018.
- ^ a b Dalley, Bronwyn (24 November 2008). "Wine – Page 2. Migrant groups and the wine industry". Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
- ^ Jelicich, Stephen; Trlin, Andrew (1997). "Croatian". Book & Print in New Zealand: A Guide to Print Culture in Aotearoa. Wellington: Victoria University Press. Retrieved 2009-08-13 – via New Zealand Electronic Text Collection.
- ^ a b "Ragbijaši s Novog Zelanda dolaze u Hrvatsku tražiti pretke" [Rugby players from New Zealand come to Croatia to look for their ancestors]. glashrvatske.hrt.hr (in Croatian). Glas Hrvatske (HRT). 25 September 2024.
- ^ "12 Questions: Jessie Lawrence". 16 July 2023.
- ^ "Nick Rado - Fun Facts".
- ^ Herkt, David (21 August 2014). "Maria Dallas Profile". AudioCulture. Retrieved 3 January 2020.
- ^ "Jim and Rosemari Delegat: Industry architects".
- ^ "My Net Worth: Steve Jurkovich, Kiwibank chief executive".
- ^ "Dynasty Sport x NZRL". 20 February 2024.
- ^ "The SABATINI Family".
- ^ "New Zealand fashion pioneer Peter Nola dies". Stuff. 28 August 2015. Retrieved 23 December 2023.
- ^ "How I Love Ugly Shaped The Wardrobes Of Millennial Men, From Drop-Crotch Trousers To Printed Shirts". New Zealand Herald. 23 October 2023. Retrieved 23 December 2023.
- ^ "Brian Dickey | Meredith Connell". Archived from the original on 2022-12-06. Retrieved 2022-06-05.
- ^ "Champion of the Far North - New Zealand News". 2 October 2009.
- ^ Novak, Jasna Milić (11 March 2021). "Through personal tragedy to a successful career". Croatian Heritage Foundation. Retrieved 12 October 2023.
- ^ "'Kia ora lady' made Dame Companion". Stuff. 30 December 2017. Retrieved 3 January 2020.
- ^ "The Story of the Mother of God Brothers". pamphlets.org.au. Archived from the original on 21 March 2017. Retrieved 3 January 2020.
- ^ "Famous People with Croatian Heritage – Part 2". Croatia Week. 6 February 2017. Retrieved 3 January 2020.
- ^ "Guardian of New Zealand Wine, Sir George Fistonich Launches Cuvar Winery". 2 November 2023.
