New Zealand Society Scotland Profile
In November 1998 several New Zealanders living in Scotland felt there was a need for a Kiwi network North of the border. New Zealand Society Scotland was formed and is an independent component of the New Zealand Society UK www.nzsociety.co.uk.
We are focused on ‘Keeping Kilted Kiwi's In Touch' through organising social events throughout Scotland each year. Our membership is open to everyone with a connection with New Zealand. Since inception those with strong links to the land of the long white cloud have made new friendships at our functions and events.
Our motto ‘ Kia Pono Tonu' translates to ‘Be Faithful' .
Key events in our calendar are our Waitangi Celebration in Edinburgh , ANZAC Ceremony each year at Arbroath's Western Cemetery , & Scottish National Hangi . Representatives of the NZ High Commission www.nzembassy.com in London have attended several events to reinforce the links between the High Commission and New Zealanders living in Scotland.
In addition to our scheduled events several special links between New Zealand and Scotland have been marked. In May 1998 NZS Scotland organised our first large event, a concert in Scone (attended by over 200 people) by the London based Ngati Ranana cultural group to help celebrate the 150th anniversary of the settlement of Otago by Scottish pioneers. The second major event was the dedication of a memorial plaque to NZ airmen who died in Scotland during WWII at the Scottish Museum of Flight in May 2002 - ‘ They Watch Over Scotia Still' . The plaque is displayed in Hanger 1 next to the military aircraft display. We have visited Hill of Fearn Primary School in Ross-shire and Robert Gordon College in Aberdeen, the former where NZ Prime Minister Peter Fraser spent his schooling and the latter is the home of the 'OTAKI' scholar.
For more details of our previous events over the years, please visit the Previous events page.
To ensure our network maintains local links there are sub-groups in Edinburgh and Aberdeen. There are many members throughout the Angus, Tayside, and Perthshire."Keeping Kilted Kiwis in touch"
