Why we have two national anthems
A competition to compose a National Air based on five verses of Bracken’s poem appeared in the Advertiser on July 1, 1876, with a prize of 10 guineas.
New Plymouth District councillor Murray Chong has hit the headlines after saying he was ashamed to sing the te reo translation of the national anthem because he only needed to sing the original version.
His comments have been lauded by some and criticised by others and a petition calling for his resignation, or for voters to boycott him at local body elections later in the year, gathered more than 1000 signatures within 24 hours.
In light of the controversy, we’ve pulled together a brief history and some interesting facts on the country’s national anthems – that’s right, there are two – God Save the Queen, and God Defend New Zealand/Aotearoa. All information was sourced from the Ministry of Culture and Heritage website.
The original anthem
In singing only the English version of God Defend New Zealand, Chong isn’t actually singing the original anthem at all. God Save the Queen has been the traditional anthem of New Zealand since 1840 – the same year the Treaty of Waitangi was signed – and is the oldest and possibly best known of all national anthems.
God Save the Queen
The music can be traced back to a wide variety of sources. A manuscript copy of words and music in Antwerp says both were by Dr John Bull, who was organist of the Chapel Royal but became organist of Notre Dame, Antwerp, from 1617 to 1628. The manuscript alludes to it being composed following the Gunpowder Plot of 1605, which the words ‘frustrate their knavish tricks’ apply to. The first recorded conjunction of words and music occurs in a printed collection of songs issued in 1744 under the title Harmonica Angelica.
The anthem was translated into te reo by Edward Marsh Williams, the eldest son of Henry Williams, in 1860. Williams had helped his father in the original translation of the Treaty of Waitangi, and his version of the anthem was printed in 1897 on small cards, to be used by Ma¯ ori accompanying Richard Seddon to Queen Victoria’s diamond jubilee celebrations in England. A translated verse was sung at a welcome for Queen Elizabeth II in 1971.
But what about God Defend New Zealand?
Its first verse is sung, in both languages, ahead of almost all international sporting fixtures our national sides play in and when our athletes win on the world stage. However, it has only been recognised as a national anthem since 1977, more than 100 years after its words were penned in a poem.
So who was it written by?
God Defend New Zealand was written by Thomas Bracken. Bracken was born at Clones, Ireland, on December 21, 1843. In 1869 he moved to Dunedin from Geelong, Australia, where he got a job at the Otago Guardian. There he met John Bathgate, founder and patron of the Advertiser. Bathgate founded the Advertiser in July 1875 and Bracken became the editor that month. Bracken contributed the occasional verse in the paper, including God Defend New Zealand. The highlight of his life came in 1897 when then Prime Minister Richard Seddon presented a copy of the words and music of God Defend New Zealand to Queen Victoria. He died on February 10, 1898.
And the music?
A competition to compose a National Air based on five verses of Bracken’s poem appeared in the Advertiser on July 1, 1876, with a prize of 10 guineas. Copyright of the successful tune would become property of the Advertiser’s proprietors, and entries were to be judged by musicians in Melbourne, Australia. The judges all chose a score identified by the nom-de-plume ‘Orpheus’ – who was revealed as Lawrence school teacher John Joseph Woods. God Defend New Zealand was first performed in Dunedin’s Queen’s Theatre on Christmas Day, 1876. Played by the Royal Artillery Band and sung by the Lydia Howard.
How did it become the national anthem?
The hymn’s popularity grew throughout the 19th century and entered the 20th century and was made New Zealand’s national song in time for the
1940 Centennial celebrations. But it wasn’t until
1976, almost 100 years after the first public performance, that a petition calling for God Defend New Zealand to become the national anthem was presented to Parliament with 7750 signatures. With the permission of the Queen, the Government adopted God Defend New Zealand as a national anthem of equal status in New Zealand with God Save the Queen. Both are considered national anthems of New Zealand.
Parliamentary action timeline
1897: Prime Minister Richard Seddon presents a copy of words and music for God Defend New Zealand to Queen Victoria.
1939: Cabinet considers a request, led by John McDermott, to make God Defend New Zealand our National Song in time for the Centennial Year.
1940: Announcement declaring God Defend New Zealand as the National Song of New Zealand made by Prime Minister Peter Fraser.
1972: The patriotic tune was played at an Olympic medal ceremony when our rowing eight won gold in 1972, displacing God Save the Queen.
1973: Prime Minister Norman Kirk attempts, unsuccessfully, to promote God Defend New Zealand to national anthem status.
1976: On November 3, a petition was presented to Parliament asking that God Defend New Zealand become New Zealand’s official anthem.
1977: On November 21, then Minister of Internal Affairs Hon D A Highet, announced in the New Zealand Gazette ‘that the National Anthems of New Zealand shall be the traditional anthem God Save The Queen and the poem God Defend New Zealand, written by Thomas Bracken, as set to music by John Joseph Woods, both being of equal status as national anthems appropriate to the occasion’. Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II gave her consent.
Te reo translation?
In 1878 Governor Sir George Grey requested a first Ma¯ ori translation. The translator was Thomas H Smith, of Auckland, a judge in the Native Land Court. There is a translation for all five verses of Bracken’s poem. The te reo verse now commonly sung alongside the English version whenever the anthem is played is not a word-for-word translation of the English but reflects its sentiment:
E Ihowa¯ Atua, (Oh Lord, God) O nga¯ iwi ma¯ tou ra¯, (Of nations and of us too) A¯ ta whakarongona; (Listen to us) Me aroha noa (Cherish us) Kia hua ko te pai; (Let goodness) flourish, Kia tau to¯ atawhai; (May your blessings flow) Manaakitia mai (Defend) Aotearoa
The first verse of 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.