Jafa
Encyclopedia
Jafa is a slang term for a resident of Auckland
, New Zealand. It is the acronym for Just Another Fucking Aucklander or used as a insult to Aucklanders. This prejudice
against Aucklanders started to appear within the last four decades, and is considered to be representative of the boorishness of Aucklanders, or the envy of the rest of New Zealand, depending on the perspective. The term is also misspelled as Jaffa, a chocolate confection famous in Dunedin
, and is often used in sentences which render the original term useless in the grammatical sense. The term replaced the once-popular derogatory term "Rangitoto Yank"
A variant is Jaffa for Just Another Fuckwit From Auckland.
Other factors in the use of the word:
The acronym is also used, particularly by Australian Antarctic personnel, for Just Another Fucking Academic.
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
, New Zealand. It is the acronym for Just Another Fucking Aucklander or used as a insult to Aucklanders. This prejudice
Prejudice
Prejudice is making a judgment or assumption about someone or something before having enough knowledge to be able to do so with guaranteed accuracy, or "judging a book by its cover"...
against Aucklanders started to appear within the last four decades, and is considered to be representative of the boorishness of Aucklanders, or the envy of the rest of New Zealand, depending on the perspective. The term is also misspelled as Jaffa, a chocolate confection famous in Dunedin
Dunedin
Dunedin is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the principal city of the Otago Region. It is considered to be one of the four main urban centres of New Zealand for historic, cultural, and geographic reasons. Dunedin was the largest city by territorial land area until...
, and is often used in sentences which render the original term useless in the grammatical sense. The term replaced the once-popular derogatory term "Rangitoto Yank"
A variant is Jaffa for Just Another Fuckwit From Auckland.
Origins
The word Jafa often conveys dislike for Aucklanders. While only a small part of New Zealand geographically, Auckland makes up % of the population of New Zealand, by far the largest city, and has greater economic power (mainly through the centralisation of many companies) than its population share would indicate.Other factors in the use of the word:
- Auckland is alleged to dominate in national politics and society, a claim possibly somewhat overstated, as much of the political power is concentrated in WellingtonWellingtonWellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
, the country's capital. In terms of society recognition, Wellingtonians are also more than twice as likely to be selected to receive CommonwealthCommonwealth of NationsThe Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
honoursBritish honours systemThe British honours system is a means of rewarding individuals' personal bravery, achievement, or service to the United Kingdom and the British Overseas Territories...
such as those on the New Year's Honour ListNew Year Honours 2006The New Year Honours 2006 for the Commonwealth realms were announced on 31 December 2005, to celebrate the year passed and mark the beginning of 2006....
. - Auckland is alleged to receive more than its fair share of government funds, though often in the past, as in 2005, it "received less than its share in terms of its proportion of total population", and a report in 1991 showed that out of $150 million in fuel taxes, only $84 million had come back to the Auckland Region in transport investment.
- Auckland is alleged to be a drain on the national economy. In fact, it is the main business centre in the country, but rural New Zealand produces the agricultural majority of the nation's exports. Auckland also produced 35% plus of New Zealand's GDPGross domestic productGross domestic product refers to the market value of all final goods and services produced within a country in a given period. GDP per capita is often considered an indicator of a country's standard of living....
in 2005. - Auckland is alleged to dominate the National Provincial ChampionshipNational Provincial ChampionshipThe National Provincial Championship, or NPC, is the major domestic rugby competition in New Zealand. The NPC has seen many alterations to its format and brand. Since 2006 the National Championship has been split into 2 competitions, the ITM Cup and the Heartland Championship...
in rugby unionRugby unionRugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
in the 1980s and 90s, when AucklandAuckland Rugby Football UnionThe Auckland Rugby Football Union is the governing body of rugby union in the Auckland Region, in the North Island of New Zealand. Its colours are navy blue and white in a hoop design. Auckland's top representative team have won New Zealand's top provincial rugby competition 16 times, more than...
won the championship in 15 out of 30 years and never lost in a final, holding the prestigious Ranfurly ShieldRanfurly ShieldThe Ranfurly Shield, colloquially known as the Log o' Wood, is a trophy in New Zealand's domestic rugby union competition. First played for in 1904, the Ranfurly Shield is based on a challenge system, rather than a league or knockout competition as with most football trophies...
trophyTrophyA trophy is a reward for a specific achievement, and serves as recognition or evidence of merit. Trophies are most often awarded for sporting events, from youth sports to professional level athletics...
for a record 61 successful defences over 8 years. - Auckland is alleged to be full of rude, greedy and arrogant people, having a similar reputation as those of New York CityNew York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and Los AngelesLos ÁngelesLos Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
in the United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
or MontrealMontrealMontreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
and TorontoTorontoToronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
in CanadaCanadaCanada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. - Auckland is alleged to be full of cars and especially SUVSport utility vehicleA sport utility vehicle is a generic marketing term for a vehicle similar to a station wagon, but built on a light-truck chassis. It is usually equipped with four-wheel drive for on- or off-road ability, and with some pretension or ability to be used as an off-road vehicle. Not all four-wheel...
s (often referred to by detractors as 'RemueraRemueraRemuera is a residential suburban area within Auckland city, in the North Island of New Zealand. It is located four kilometres to the southeast of the city centre...
Tractors', with Remuera being the stereotypical 'rich people's suburb'), and its drivers preferring them to other types of transportation, but Aucklanders use them less than the rural population. - Auckland is alleged to be a culturally alien place due to the much higher proportion of non-Māori and nonwhite populations than the rest of the country. Percentage-wise, Auckland has the seventh largest ethnic Chinese population among all urban areas outside Greater ChinaGreater ChinaGreater China is a term used to refer to mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan. As a "phrase of the moment", the precise meaning is not entirely clear, and people may use it for only the commercial ties, only the cultural actions, or even as a euphemism for the Two Chinas, while others may...
. In the 2006 census, Asians comprised 18.9% of Auckland's population but only 7.9% in ChristchurchChristchurchChristchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...
, and 14.4% of Auckland's but merely 2.8% of Christchurch's population are Pacific Islanders. Most new immigrants to Auckland are from East AsiaEast AsiaEast Asia or Eastern Asia is a subregion of Asia that can be defined in either geographical or cultural terms...
and South AsiaSouth AsiaSouth Asia, also known as Southern Asia, is the southern region of the Asian continent, which comprises the sub-Himalayan countries and, for some authorities , also includes the adjoining countries to the west and the east...
, while people immigrating to other parts of the country show higher percentage rates of UK and South African origins. Like Canadian footballCanadian footballCanadian football is a form of gridiron football played exclusively in Canada in which two teams of 12 players each compete for territorial control of a field of play long and wide attempting to advance a pointed prolate spheroid ball into the opposing team's scoring area...
and ice hockeyIce hockeyIce hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
in VancouverVancouverVancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, full of Asian immigrants, Auckland is finding itself increasingly marginalised on sports traditionally identified with New Zealand culture, such as rugbyRugby unionRugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
and netballNetballNetball is a ball sport played between two teams of seven players. Its development, derived from early versions of basketball, began in England in the 1890s. By 1960 international playing rules had been standardised for the game, and the International Federation of Netball and Women's Basketball ...
, because of high immigrant numbers from countries with little tradition of such sports.
Location of prejudice
- Generally South IslandSouth IslandThe South Island is the larger of the two major islands of New Zealand, the other being the more populous North Island. It is bordered to the north by Cook Strait, to the west by the Tasman Sea, to the south and east by the Pacific Ocean...
, rural lower North IslandNorth IslandThe North Island is one of the two main islands of New Zealand, separated from the much less populous South Island by Cook Strait. The island is in area, making it the world's 14th-largest island...
, NorthlandNorthlandNorthland may refer to:Places:* Northland , an electoral district in New Zealand* Northland, Wellington, a suburb of Wellington, New Zealand...
, and increasingly in WellingtonWellingtonWellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
, where Auckland is perceived to take many of the national events supposedly belonging in the capital. - The strength of prejudice generally increases farther south. It becomes openly noticeable south of TaupoTaupoTaupo is a town on the shore of Lake Taupo in the centre of the North Island of New Zealand. It is the seat of the Taupo District Council and lies in the southern Waikato Region....
, with it reaching peak intensity in CanterburyCanterbury, New ZealandThe New Zealand region of Canterbury is mainly composed of the Canterbury Plains and the surrounding mountains. Its main city, Christchurch, hosts the main office of the Christchurch City Council, the Canterbury Regional Council - called Environment Canterbury - and the University of Canterbury.-...
and other southern parts of New Zealand. A much published photograph taken in 1997 shows a young boy at a rugby match in ChristchurchChristchurchChristchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...
holding a sign reading simply, "I hate you Auckland".
Use in Auckland
- In 1999 the Tourism Auckland organisation launched a "Jafa" advertising campaign.
- Aucklanders initially adopted the word ironically.
- The New Zealand Herald, the main Northern North Island (encompassing Northland, Greater AucklandAuckland RegionThe Auckland Region was one of the sixteen regions of New Zealand, named for the city of Auckland, the country's largest urban area. With one third of the nation's residents, it was by far the biggest population and economy of any region of New Zealand, but the second-smallest land area.On 1...
, and Waikato) daily newspaper, now sometimes uses "Jafa" as a nickname for Aucklanders without any hint of ironyIronyIrony is a rhetorical device, literary technique, or situation in which there is a sharp incongruity or discordance that goes beyond the simple and evident intention of words or actions...
. - This use of "Jafa" amongst Aucklanders, as a positive, self-referential term, has led to the reinterpretation of the acronym by some to mean Just Another Fabulous Aucklander.
- In 2004, mayor Dick HubbardDick HubbardRichard "Dick" John Hubbard ONZM, DSc is a New Zealand businessman and politician, founder and principal of Hubbards Foods in Auckland, and Mayor of Auckland City from 2004 to 2007. His management of Hubbard Foods gained some prominence for its participation in and promotion of socially...
launched a free JafaCab service for the AucklandAucklandThe Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
CBD, by driving a cab down Queen StQueen Street, AucklandQueen Street is the major commercial thoroughfare in the Auckland CBD, Auckland, New Zealand's main population centre. It starts at Queens Wharf on the Auckland waterfront, adjacent to the Britomart Transport Centre and the Downtown Ferry Terminal, and runs uphill for almost three kilometres in a...
. The occupants were Nicky WatsonNicky WatsonEric Watson born 1959 in Christchurch, New Zealand is a global businessman, now resident in London. In 2011 the National Business Review listed Watson as the 30th richest New Zealander with a wealth of $NZ220 million.-Personal:...
and Santa. - From 2005 onwards, there have been some Aucklanders using this term with civic pride, as part of the general trend of rising self-confidence among the local residents identifying with the city.
- The term Jafa is also used in the name of an independent student owned film / media group, Jafa TV Productions, run by students of the University of AucklandUniversity of AucklandThe University of Auckland is a university located in Auckland, New Zealand. It is the largest university in the country and the highest ranked in the 2011 QS World University Rankings, having been ranked worldwide...
and Auckland University of TechnologyAuckland University of TechnologyThe Auckland University of Technology is a university in New Zealand. It was formed on 1 January 2000 when the Auckland Institute of Technology was granted university status. Its primary campus is on Wellesley Street in Auckland's Central business district...
. It describes itself as "an interactive hub where independent filmmakers network with other filmmakers freely and directly". - Jafa is also used by Auckland based website design and development company Jafa Media Ltd.
Related words and sayings
- "New Zealand stops (or starts) at the Bombay Hills" – used by Aucklanders and non-Aucklanders alike
- "Jafaland", "J'land", "Jafastan" / "Jafastani" – Auckland / Aucklander
- "Queen StreetQueen Street, AucklandQueen Street is the major commercial thoroughfare in the Auckland CBD, Auckland, New Zealand's main population centre. It starts at Queens Wharf on the Auckland waterfront, adjacent to the Britomart Transport Centre and the Downtown Ferry Terminal, and runs uphill for almost three kilometres in a...
Farmer" – Urban businessman with rural investments and supposedly little understanding of rural life - "The Bridge" – referring to the Auckland Harbour BridgeAuckland Harbour BridgeThe Auckland Harbour Bridge is an eight-lane box truss motorway bridge over the Waitemata Harbour, joining St Marys Bay in Auckland with Northcote in North Shore City, New Zealand. The bridge is part of State Highway 1 and the Auckland Northern Motorway...
, usually in connection with traffic issues
Use in advertising
- Transit NZ has a road safety campaign on State Highway 2 using the term "JAFA" – "Just Another Fatigued Aucklander".
- Transit NZ also runs a similar road safety campaign running north from HastingsHastings, New ZealandThe city of Hastings is a major urban settlement in the Hawke's Bay region of the North Island of New Zealand, and it is the largest settlement by population in Hawke's Bay. Hastings city is the administrative centre of the Hastings District...
using the term "JAFA" as "Just Another Fatal Accident." - On Tui beer billboards: "Let's go to Auckland for the holidays. Yeah, right."; "Aucklanders are people too. Yeah, right."; and "Auckland is a super city. Yeah, right." (the last being a reference to the proposed amalgamation of the Auckland Region's four cities into one "Super CitySuper CityThe Super City toy is a construction set produced by Ideal Toys in 1967. It is similar to Lego, small plastic pieces which are assembled to create complex structures. However Super City is more oriented to buildings and allows more sophisticated constructions...
"), "Auckland's super now. Yeah, right." - Waikato Draught Billboard: "Aucklanders Heading South For The Summer, Our Seasonal Disaster", which was displayed in Huntly, in the Waikato Region. Hamilton Mayor Michael Redman publicly asked the advertising company to remove the billboard claiming that Hamiltonians don't feel that way about Aucklanders (and fear for tourism income).
- In the name of an Auckland taxi company, "Jafacabs"
Other uses
It has been claimed in one 2007 tourist article that in the United Kingdom, the term JAFA has also come to stand for Just Another Fucking Australian, apparently in reference to the hard drinking and allegedly arrogant behaviour of many travelling Australians.The acronym is also used, particularly by Australian Antarctic personnel, for Just Another Fucking Academic.
See also
- Bombay Hills, New Zealand
- HelengradHelengradHelengrad was a satirical or pejorative neologism in New Zealand politics applied to New Zealand's capital city Wellington. However, it was sometimes used by the Labour party's opponents and critics to describe New Zealand as a whole and occasionally the fifth Labour government itself...
(pejorative term for New Zealand's capital city (WellingtonWellingtonWellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
), referring to Helen ClarkHelen ClarkHelen Elizabeth Clark, ONZ is a New Zealand political figure who was the 37th Prime Minister of New Zealand for three consecutive terms from 1999 to 2008...
) - Tall Poppy SyndromeTall poppy syndromeTall poppy syndrome is a pejorative term primarily used in the UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and other Anglosphere nations to describe a social phenomenon in which people of genuine merit are resented, attacked, cut down, or criticised because their talents or achievements elevate them above...
(suggesting that the people of Auckland are merely the focus of envy) - South Island nationalismSouth Island nationalismSouth Island nationalism refers to a nationalist movement in the South Island of New Zealand. This political viewpoint is not widely held - in the 1999 elections the NZ South Island Party received 2,622 votes, 0.14% of the total...
External links
- Just Another Far-fetched Angle? (Article about the JAFA Advertising campaign) – The New Zealand HeraldThe New Zealand Herald- External links :* * *...
, Friday 13 August 1999, page unknown - Jafas live longer and earn more (Example of the use of "Jafa" without irony) – The New Zealand HeraldThe New Zealand Herald- External links :* * *...
, Friday 8 October 2004, page unknown - Hating Auckland | Kiwianarama (Satirical article exploring Kiwis love/hate relationship with Auckland.)