Croatian New Zealanders refers to

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island coun ...

citizens of Croatian descent. It is estimated that over 100,000 New Zealanders have Croatian ancestry. There are 2,550 people who declared their nationality as

Croats The Croats (; hr, Hrvati ) are a South Slavic ethnic group who share a common Croatian ancestry, culture, history and language. They are also a recognized minority in a number of neighboring countries, namely Austria, the Czech Republic ...

in the

2006 New Zealand census The New Zealand Census of Population and Dwellings ( mi, Te Tatauranga o ngā Tāngata Huri Noa i Aotearoa me ō rātou Whare Noho) is a national population and housing census conducted by government department Statistics New Zealand every five ...

. The majority of these are located primarily in and around

Auckland Auckland (pronounced ) ( mi, Tāmaki Makaurau) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. The most populous urban area in the country and the fifth largest city in Oceania, Auckland has an urban population of about I ...

and Northland with small numbers in and around

Canterbury Canterbury (, ) is a cathedral city and UNESCO World Heritage Site, situated in the heart of the City of Canterbury local government district of Kent, England. It lies on the River Stour. The Archbishop of Canterbury is the primate of t ...

and Southland. The (generally neutral but sometimes mildly derogatory) term ''Dally'' or ''Dallie'' (short for

Dalmatia Dalmatia (; hr, Dalmacija ; it, Dalmazia; see names in other languages) is one of the four historical regions of Croatia, alongside Croatia proper, Slavonia, and Istria. Dalmatia is a narrow belt of the east shore of the Adriatic Sea, str ...

n) is often used in New Zealand to refer to people of Croatian descent. The term has been wholeheartedly adopted by Croatian New Zealanders, among them the Auckland-based Dalmatian Cultural Society.Dalmatian Cultural Society
official website Founded in 1930, it is New Zealand's longest-surviving Croatian cultural organisation. A further neutral term, '' Tarara'' (literally, "fast talkers"), is used to refer to people of mixed Croatian–

Māori Māori or Maori can refer to: Relating to the Māori people * Māori people of New Zealand, or members of that group * Māori language, the language of the Māori people of New Zealand * Māori culture * Cook Islanders, the Māori people of the Co ...

heritage.

History

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. After the gold rush many moved to Northland attracted by kauri gum-digging, then a major source of income for Northland

and settlers. These early Dalmatian settlers were also responsible in large part for establishing the New Zealand wine industry. 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. 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. Croatian settlers have arrived in five main waves: *5,000 between 1890 and 1914, prior to World War I. *1,600 during the 1920s before the onset of the

Great Depression The Great Depression (19291939) was an economic shock that impacted most countries across the world. It was a period of economic depression that became evident after a major fall in stock prices in the United States. The economic contagio ...

. *600 in the 1930s, prior to World War II. *3,200 between 1945 and 1970. *Arrivals during the 1990s, fleeing the conflict in former

Yugoslavia Yugoslavia (; sh-Latn-Cyrl, separator=" / ", Jugoslavija, Југославија ; sl, Jugoslavija ; mk, Југославија ;; rup, Iugoslavia; hu, Jugoszlávia; rue, label= Pannonian Rusyn, Югославия, translit=Juhoslavij ...

. In July 2008, 800 people attended a celebration of 150 years of Croatian settlement in New Zealand hosted by Prime Minister

Helen Clark Helen Elizabeth Clark (born 26 February 1950) is a New Zealand politician who served as the 37th prime minister of New Zealand from 1999 to 2008, and was the administrator of the United Nations Development Programme from 2009 to 2017. She was ...

and Ethnic Affairs Minister Chris Carter.

Notable Croatian New Zealanders

Academics

* Jadranka Travaš-Sejdić * James Belich - Historian

Arts

Architecture

Stephen Jelicich Stephen Albert Jelicich (1 March 1923 – 19 December 2015) was a New Zealand architect and historian. Early life and family Born Stjepan Albert Jeličić on 1 March 1923 in Sućuraj, Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (present-day Republic ...

- Founder of Jasmax/ JASMaD *

Ivan Mercep Ivan Mercep (22 February 1930 – 8 April 2014) was a New Zealand architect. Early life and family Born in Taumarunui in 1930 to a Croatian family, Mercep was educated at Sacred Heart College, Auckland and Auckland University College, from wh ...

- Founder of Jasmax/ JASMaD

Artists

* Billy Apple *

Milan Mrkusich Milan Mrkusich (5 April 1925 – 13 June 2018) was a New Zealand artist and designer. He was considered a pioneer of abstract painting in New Zealand. Retrospective exhibitions of his work were organised by the Auckland Art Gallery in 1972 and 19 ...

Comedians

Rose Matafeo Rose Catherine Lettitia Matafeo (; born 25 February 1992) is a New Zealand comedian, actress, and TV presenter. She was a writer and performer on the New Zealand late-night comedy sketch show ''Funny Girls''. In 2018, she won the Edinburgh Comed ...

* Nick Rado

Literature

* Amelia Batistich - Author * Sonja Yelich - Poet

Musicians

* Nick Afoa * Kevin Borich *Milan Borich (

Pluto (New Zealand band) Pluto is a New Zealand rock band from Auckland. Their album ''Pipeline Under the Ocean (album), Pipeline Under The Ocean'', released in 2005 went double platinum on the RIANZ albums chart. Pluto's nascent trajectory has covered the spectrum of t ...

) *

Tina Cross Tina Marie Cross (born 27 January 1959) is a New Zealand singer. She sang the winning entry in the 1979 Pacific Song Contest, and was the lead vocalist of synthpop band, Koo De Tah, whose single " Too Young for Promises" was a top ten hit in Au ...

* Maria Dallas *Brad Devcich (

Fast Crew Fast Crew (or fastCREW) were a New Zealand hip hop group consisting of five members – Dane Rumble (aka Kid Deft), Jeremy Kent-Johnston (Jerome Fortune), Diablo Deville (Brad Devcich), Gemma Copas and DJ Alias (Josh Thorne). Fast Crew have su ...

) *

Lorde Ella Marija Lani Yelich-O'Connor (born 7 November 1996), known professionally as Lorde ( ), is a New Zealand singer-songwriter. Taking inspiration from aristocracy for her stage name, she is known for her unconventional musical styles and i ...

(Ella Yelich-O’Connor) *

Peter Posa Peter Paul Posa (8 August 1941 – 3 February 2019) was a New Zealand guitarist most famous for his instrumental "The White Rabbit", which was released in 1963. The song is a guitar instrumental that sold 100,000 copies. Career Posa was bor ...

Mike Perjanik Mike Perjanik is a New Zealand-born musician, record producer, composer, arranger and bandleader who became well known in Australia from the late 1960s for his work on pop and rock recordings, and as a composer, arranger, bandleader and prod ...

Desna Sisarich Desna Sisarich (born c. 1946)''Studio One''
1968 - Sisarich composition (and info about h ...

Peter Urlich Peter may refer to: People * List of people named Peter, a list of people and fictional characters with the given name * Peter (given name) ** Saint Peter (died 60s), apostle of Jesus, leader of the early Christian Church * Peter (surname), a sur ...

* Margaret Urlich

Business

* Michael Erceg - Founder of Independent Liquor, now known as Asahi Beverages (NZ) Ltd. * Huljich family - Food manufacturing, property, new business startups, finance and movie-making. *Sir George Fistonich - Founder of Villa Maria Estates. *Nobilo family - Nikola Nobilo the founder of Nobilo wines. * Talley family, owners of the

Talley's Group Talley's Group Limited is a privately owned, New Zealand-based agribusiness company that provides seafood, vegetable and dairy products. Talley's was established in 1936 in Motueka by Ivan Peter Talijancich (later known as Ivan Talley) as a ...

. * Dr. Kevin Glucina (founder Matakana Super Foods)

Fashion

* Deanna Didovich - Designer * Jessica Grubisa - Designer * Adrienne Winkelmann - Designer/ Fashion label

Journalism

* Tony Ciprian - radio and television presenter * Simon Mercep - radio and television presenter *Goran Paladin - radio and television presenter

Law

* Brian Dickey - Crown Solicitor Auckland * Dame Helen Winkelmann - Chief Justice of New Zealand

Politics

*Sir James Belich - Former Mayor of Wellington *

Camilla Belich Camilla Vera Feslier Belich is a New Zealand lawyer and politician who became a Member of Parliament, representing the New Zealand Labour Party, in 2020. Biography Early life and career As a law student Belich became involved in student politi ...

- Member of Parliament * Frana Cardno - Former Mayor of Southland District *

Fred Gerbic Frederick Miroslav Gerbic (10 March 1932 – 29 October 1995) was a New Zealand politician of the Labour Party. Biography Early life and career Gerbic was born in Kaitaia in 1932. He became an electrical lineman and later married Joy Constan ...

- Former Member of Parliament * Shane Jones - Former Member of Parliament and cabinet minister * Clem Simich – Former Member of Parliament *Dame Mira Szaszy - Maori Leader * Dame Rangimarie Naida Glavish - Maori Leader

Religion

* Denis Devcich - Director of the Mother of God Brothers * Antony Sumich (born 1964) – priest of

Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter The Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter ( la, Fraternitas Sacerdotalis Sancti Petri; FSSP) is a traditionalist Catholic society of apostolic life for priests and seminarians which is in communion with the Holy See. The society was founded in 1 ...

;

rugby union Rugby union, commonly known simply as rugby, is a close-contact team sport that originated at Rugby School in the first half of the 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand. In it ...

and

cricket Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of eleven players on a field at the centre of which is a pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two bails balanced on three stumps. The batting side scores runs by st ...

international (for Croatia)

Sports

Cricket

Anton Devcich Anton Paul Devcich (born 28 September 1985) is a New Zealand former international cricketer, who played in limited over internationals. A left-handed batsman who occasionally bowls left-arm orthodox spin, at the domestic level he plays for Nort ...

- BLACKCAPS representative *

Joseph Yovich Joseph Adam Frank Yovich (born 15 December 1976) is a New Zealand cricketer of Croatian descent. Biography A solid all-rounder for Northern Districts, he debuted in the 1994/95 season and went on to become the first player to take 100 wickets ...

* 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

Abby Erceg Abby May Erceg (born 20 November 1989) is a professional New Zealand footballer who plays as a defender. She is the captain of the North Carolina Courage in the National Women's Soccer League. She has previously played for Chicago Red Stars i ...

– NZ Football Ferns football player * Tony Laus - All Whites football player *

Stefan Marinovic Stefan Tone Marinovic ( hr, Stefan Tone Marinović, ) is a New Zealand professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for the New Zealand national team. Club career Marinovic attended Auckland private school, Kings College. In 2005, he wo ...

- All Whites football player * Paul Urlovic - All Whites football player * Ivan Vicelich - All Whites football player *

Chris Zoricich Chris Zoricich ( hr, Zoričić, ; born 3 May 1969) is a New Zealand association football player who represented the New Zealand national football team in the 1980s and 1990s. Born to Croat parents, he began playing football in his native Auckla ...

– All Whites football player

Motor sport

Robbie Francevic Robert James Frančević, (born on 18 September 1941 in Auckland, New Zealand) is a retired racing driver who featured prominently in New Zealand and Australia during the 1970s and 1980s. His biggest wins were the inaugural Wellington 500 street ...

- motor racing driver * Paul Radisich – world touring car champion

Rugby

* Anthony Boric – All Blacks player *

Kevin Boroevich Kevin Grant Boroevich (born 4 October 1960) is a former New Zealand rugby union player of Māori and Croatian descent. His iwi is Te Rarawa, of the Far North. A prop, Boroevich represented King Country, Wellington and North Harbour at a provinc ...

– All Blacks player * Frano Botica – All Blacks / NZ rugby league/ Croatia Rugby * Matt Cooper – All Blacks / Croatia Rugby * Percy Erceg – All Blacks player * Sean Fitzpatrick - All Blacks player * Wayne Pivac - Rugby Union coach * Ron Urlich – All Blacks player *

Ivan Vodanovich Ivan Matthew Henry Vodanovich (8 April 1930 – 2 September 1995) was a New Zealand rugby union player, coach and administrator. He played three tests for the All Blacks in 1955. Vodanovich was All Blacks coach from 1969 to 1971. As then coach ...

– All Blacks player / coach

Rugby League

* Frano Botica – All Black/ NZ rugby league/ Croatian Rugby * Tony Kriletich - NZ rugby league

Tennis

* Marina Erakovic *

Onny Parun Onny Parun (born 15 April 1947) is a former tennis player of Croatian descent from New Zealand, who was among the world's top 20 for five years and who reached the quarterfinals at Wimbledon in 1971 and 1972. He made the final of the Australi ...

Other

* 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 * Greg Yelavich - shooter

Winemakers

* Babich
Brajkovich - Kumeu River Wines

Delegat

Fistonich - Villa Maria Wines

Mazuran

Nobilo
* Selak * Soljan
Vuletic - Providence Wines

Yukich - founder of Montana Wines now known as Brancott Estate

Fictional Croatian New Zealanders

*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 Broken English is a name for a non-standard, non-traditionally spoken or alternatively-written version of the English language. These forms of English are sometimes considered as a pidgin if they have derived in a context where more than one ...

'' (film)

Literature

*Trupinić, Damir. (2009) ''New Zealand Croatian Immigrant Press 1899-1916'', LAP Lambert Academic Publishing, . *Božić-Vrbančić, Senka. (2008) ''Tarara: Croats and Maori in New Zealand : memory, belonging, identity'', Otago University Press, .

References

{{Croatian diaspora

European New Zealander

History

Notable Croatian New Zealanders

Academics

Arts

Architecture

Artists

Comedians

Literature

Musicians

Business

Fashion

Journalism

Law

Politics

Religion

Sports

Cricket

Football

Motor sport

Rugby

Rugby League

Tennis

Other

Winemakers

Fictional Croatian New Zealanders

See also

Literature

References