The Significance of the Silver Fern In New Zealand Culture
Posted by Maris on 18th Jun 2024
The undersides of the fronds are typically white, despite the name "silver ferns." Only a few populations in the north truly have "silver" fronds. Since their undersides reflect moonlight, they are helpful tools for nighttime bush route navigation.
Symbolism
Since the 1880s, the silver fern has been acknowledged as a representation of New Zealand's national identity. The graceful form of the fronds represented endurance, tenacity, and strength to the Māori people. Pākehā saw the fern as a representation of their loyalty to their nation.
Sports and military
The fern symbol has a strong emotional connection for New Zealanders because of its long-standing associations with both the military services and our national representative sports teams.
Our national rugby teams have worn it since 1888, and the military has worn it for almost as long. The fern emblem was first used by New Zealand soldiers to distinguish their units while they were fighting in South Africa (1898–1902). It was then used to identify New Zealand units in both world wars and other conflicts. Of course, the symbol's use on the headstones of our war dead has the strongest emotional impact.
Fun facts about the silver fern
It is a tree fern with scales that may grow up to 12 meters in height. Tree ferns come in two main varieties: hairy and scaly.
In the North Island, it is common and widely distributed. It is found in the extreme north and sporadically along the South Island's east coast, but it is absent from the west and south.
Cyathea australis is a similarly related species found in Australia and Norfolk Island. Its fronds are green instead of white or silver, and its reproductive organs are exposed, as opposed to the silver fern's modest covering.
The Black Ferns are the women's rugby team from New Zealand. They are a combination of the All Blacks and the Silver Ferns. The name Black Ferns alludes to the black tree fern, or mamaku, which is the tallest tree fern in New Zealand, even though they have a silver fern on their jersey.